hello

lazywritier40

:)

hello my name is sue I am a newbie and I would like someone to help me with my writiers block. I have been working on my book for about
2 1/2 years now. I know how I want it to go in my head but how do I put it down on paper so I can move on and finish it
 

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Messages
5,363
Reaction score
1,761
Location
Getting blitzed at Gillhoughly's Reef, Haleakaloha
Hello, Sue, welcome to the forums.

Block has a very simple (and wholly annoying) cure: like it or not you write every day, no exceptions.

Even when you don't "feel" like it, you write.

To paraphrase Joe Bob Briggs, "What you write doesn't matter, it's the PRACTICE that matters."

The only way to Carnegie Hall (or to get print published) is practice, practice, practice.

(And getting a copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. All the pros have one.)

If all you write is one page a day at the end of a year you'll have most of a novel finished. During the course of that you'll figure things out.

Oh, yeah, hanging around writing forums & chat rooms doesn't count as writing.
icon10.gif


You might check this site out--it's for romance, but writing is writing. The basics apply for all genres. The info here is GOLD to newbies. Go there, have fun, learn. Learn to write.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
18,604
Reaction score
8,039
Location
Under your couch
To echo Gillhoughly, the way to get past writers block is to simply write. Set a goal and stick to it. Give yourself permission to write crap. Start by getting the words down. That's an excellent link to follow.

Happy Writing!
 

JasonChirevas

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2006
Messages
158
Reaction score
17
Location
Bronxville, New York
lazywritier40 said:
I know how I want it to go in my head but how do I put it down on paper so I can move on and finish it

Hey Sue.

I don't know if this is your problem, but it's something I've had trouble with, so I'll throw it out there in the event it applies to you.

I write short stories and, though it's nigh imperative to have the ending in mind before you begin writing, oftentimes the ending we have in mind at the start is not the ending at which we arrive. There are times I know how I want something to end, but not how I want to get there. When this happens, I've found it's helpful to forget the ending for the moment and write a scene, just one to start, that branches out naturally from the last one I've written, regardless of where it leads. This keeps me focussed on the story as it is, rather than on writing toward a preconceived ending which, for me, is a sure-fire way to lose interest in the story. It's also a good way to end up with padding instead of action that drives the story.

If I were you, I'd temporarily leave everything you have planned out in your head to the side, look at where you've left off, and build your story organically, one scene at a time. Soon, it will become less a matter of what you have to write to get to your ending and more a matter of trying to keep up with the story before it reaches the ending without you.

-Jason
 
Last edited:

Dawno

Shiny!
Super Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
11,261
Reaction score
3,279
Age
66
Location
someplace around here, anyone seen my keys?
I think one of the most wonderful "courses" you can take is right here on AW - while it's in the Novels forum much of the advice is applicable to any writer. I hope you'll check out the Learn Writing With Uncle Jim thread. It's long, I'll warn you now, but its full of great information, exercises and links. You can use the Index to hit specific posts or go to the Undiluted thread to just read the author's posts all together in one place.

Oops! hit "post reply" too soon - there's also a whole forum about Jenna Glatzer's book "Outwitting Writer's Block" here - there are a number of threads where members talk about this issue and how they overcome their blocks - perhaps there's something there that will be just the thing that helps you, too.
 
Last edited: