My tip for defeating writer's block.

[Dhewco]

Hello, everyone. I'd like to offer a techinique I use to defeat writer's block. I start a fan fiction story. For some reason, this loosens my muse. I can switch to a work in progress after a few minutes of creating a star trek world or a Babylon Five story. Once I start writing I find it easier to switch places.

[Greenwolf103]

The only fan fic I've written is Star Trek: The Next Generation. Argh, I wish I could FIND it! :cry

[Gala]

If you're able to write, you're not "blocked".

There's no such thing as writer's block. If nothing else, the writer can commiserate in writing about their so-called block. For example, on an internet discussion board. Viola!

That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it.

I'm glad you've found a solution to whatever block it is you have. Cheers.

[Jules Hall]

If nothing else, the writer can commiserate in writing about their so-called block. For example, on an internet discussion board. Viola!

Too true. Clarinet!

:b

[reph]

Jules, you just couldn't resist that bass impulse, could you?

[aka eraser]

The tenor of this conversation is devolving.

[ChunkyC]

Too much sax and violins for me.

[Jamesaritchie]

I don't think writer's block even exists except as an excuse not to do the hard work.

Not knowing where to go next on a particular story can be something else. It can, and often does, mean there's a mistake somewhere earlier in the story that sent things down a dean end road.

The New York had an excellent article on writer's block. Dead on.

www.newyorker.com/fact/co...614fa_fact (http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040614fa_fact)

[Dhewco]

I was only trying to help. I thought I was offering helpful advice. You can be blocked on one story and not another. Fan Fiction can be a relaxing and carefree way to ease the tension of our original works. Once the tension that blocks you is eased, you are free to return to what will get you published.

[pepperlandgirl]

I think your suggestion is helpful. I do the exact same thing. I wore myself out this summer working on my "real" writing and revising, and for the past few weeks, I've just been relaxing and writing fanfic. I keep myself in practice without wearing myself out.

[TerriLynn]

This is what I do for writer's block :head

but if that doesn't work then I do this :bang

but if that doesn't work....I drink a six pack of Sky Blue and read a good book! :grin

[HConn]

I'm too lazy to write fan fic. I'd hate to do all that work and have nothing I can sell at the end of it.

Here are a couple articles on writer's block: This one is funny (http://www.sfwa.org/writing/block.htm) and this one is not, but it does cover depression, stalled careers and how easy it is to fail after you succeed. (http://www.sfwa.org/bulletin/articles/stalled.htm)

[ChunkyC]

Hey Dhewco, you do make a good point, in that if you do find yourself stalled, there's no point in forcing it. Switch to something else for a bit.

[Risseybug]

I don't think it's necessarily a mistake earlier in the story. I know I was blocked on my last book for a while b/c I just couldn't think of a good reason for something to happen. Or maybe it was I couldn't think of the place it should happen.

Anyway, I knew what was supposed to happen, but something wasn't right about it.
I did what someone else suggested. I wrote something else. I wrote a lovely short story about a completely different subject, which I have since lost somewhere. But after that I found what I was looking for, my muse was in tune again, and we were off.

[Gala]

I agree with your technique, I was trying to point out I personally don't believe in writer's block. If you do, and you have a way to overcome it, more power!

People will ask me, "So hows the writing going????" and I might say, "Frustrating" and they'll ask, "Are you blocked?" These are non writers, trying to make me out to be Hemingway ;) "No, I'm writing, but frustrated with current results."

Sometimes I write a dialogue with a character, and they tell me how to flesh out the scene or plot point that I'm having difficulty with.

I think this is similar to what you're talking about.

[Jamesaritchie]

If you can't think of a good reason for something to happen, that IS a mistake earlier in the story. Where you're going in a story isn't determined by what you think should happen next, but by what has happened before.

[Risseybug]

I guess the biggest block that I had was with the ending. In this case, which was what I was trying to think of earlier, I knew what was supposed to happen and I knew where, but I couldn't picture it in my head. I was blocked about how to construct the place.
There was no mistake in the plot, everything was falling into place nicely, I just couldn't grasp what this place was supposed to look like.

Once I did, it was one of those smack yourself in the head for being so stupid moments. The answer was so simple, but I spent days trying to sort it out.

That, is writers block. The creativitiy was just jammed.

[Greenwolf103]

I have had this problem, too. One thing that I felt helps a lot is to "act out" what you want to have happen. If you can, that is. I'm not suggesting you actually leap out of a ten-story window trying to stop someone from getting away on a helicopter. ;) But maybe try talking out some dialogue, moving around as the characters would in the scene, bouncing your ideas around. One time I got stuck because I couldn't visualize how my character would be able to free himself when tied up a certain way. So I had my brother-in-law tie me up that way and I figured out how he'd do it.

[maestrowork]

I usually get stuck when my characters are just sitting there talking or being at one place for two long... I feel like I need to "get them out of there" but not sure how.

Sometimes it helps if I stop writing that scene and start writing something else. Another scene. Another character's POV. A subplot. Anything to get me out of there. Talking to my writing group helps immensely as well to loosen up the knots and suddenly things flow freely again.

Sometimes I just stop writing those scenes and write the next one where they DO get out of that stagnant place/moment. I can always go back and fill in later.

I'm a visual person so I play out all my actions and scenes with my mind's eye. I draw storyboards too (a technique used frequently in motion pictures) to flesh out the scenes and choreography, etc.

[Flawed Creation]

Piers Anthony has an interesting take on Writer's Block.

(two asides on this:

1: I am not really a Piers Anthony fan. i've read some of his work, and it's okay, but all his books seem ot be the same.

2: i agree with those who say there's no writer's block. sometimes though, i'm just not sure what to write next. that usually happens when i'm being perfectionistic. i keep at it for a few minutes, slam out something bad, and then re-write it later. i don't think that's a block.)

when writing first drafts, Piers writes bracketed comments all throughout the drafts. he writes down ideas for the plot of the book, the plot of other books, random facts and observations, or what he's thinking about.

therefore, he never suffers "block". if he can't write the story, he writes a note about how he can't write it, and then why, and then he's figured out the answer and off he goes.

by using the notes, he's always writing something, and usually something book-related. it's like combining the first draft with a journal.

[Dhewco]

Of course, Piers Anthony told a internet chat group last year that he didn't need to revise. Heh, but his idea about the note could be helpful even so.

His Incarnations of Immortality were different from the other series he writes.

[tfdswift]

Okay I know this is probably a stupid question, but please bear in mind that I am a backward hillbilly and also a newbie so I should be allowed a couple stupid questions just out of respect for all hillbillies and newbies...lol

What exactly is fan fiction? I don't remember ever hearing that phrase before. I know I have not read every single thread on these boards and may have come accross it and just not taken notice but could someone clue me in?

Thanks.:kiss

~~Tammy

“Today is the best day. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow will never arrive.” ~ David Wolfe

[HConn]

If you write a Harry Potter story, that's fan fiction, because the characters and such belong to someone else, and you're only writing it because you're a fan of the original work. You certainly can't sell it.

Same goes for Star Trek, Angel, Alias, whatever.

There's all types of fan fiction, from Mary Sues (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/004188.html) to "slash" fiction (which is sex between characters on a show, like Kirk and Spock, also written as K/S, therefore shortened to "slash.") Sorry, no link for that last one. You'll have to google. :)

[tfdswift]

Kool. Thanks!!:thumbs

~~Tammy

“Today is the best day. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow will never arrive.” ~ David Wolfe

[Flawed Creation]

and here i thought slash was the same as yaoi