Opposite Writer's Block???

Status
Not open for further replies.

gwendy85

~*Proudly Mestiza*~
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Messages
380
Reaction score
21
Have you guys ever experienced this?

I haven't written new stuff in my WIP for a while. It's not that I have Writer's Block. In fact, I know what to write...BUT I CAN'T! :rant: What the hell's wrong with me?! This is the first time I've ever encountered this problem--to already know what to write but can't write it down.

I've listed a few things:

1. Am I just plain lazy?
2. Am I too overwhelmed with all the research I'll need to make the story accurate?
3. Is it that I unconsciously don't want to finish because finishing may mean saying goodbye to the characters I've come to love?
4. Am I afraid of making a mistake?
5. Have I simply lost my drive?
6. Am I too busy reading novels to concentrate on writing my own?

What's my answer? I DON'T KNOW! :cry: But it's sure keeping me from writing! AARRGH! :Soapbox:

Meanwhile, I'm gonna go do some edits, some reading or mulling.

Have you guys ever had this problem?:Shrug:
 

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 27, 2007
Messages
1,842
Reaction score
661
Location
Mostly inside my own head.
You are writing. Your post was written.

You just aren't writing on the WIP, apparently.

And, yes, it's happened to me. It's happened to every writer I've ever known. The unfortunate thing is that we each have to find our own individual way out of the box, because there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

Reading a few good books sometimes gets me going again. So does washing the car, or cleaning out my sock drawer.

:Shrug:

Good luck finding your way out.
 

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
20,322
Reaction score
3,513
Location
Transcending Canines
You are writing. Your post was written.

You just aren't writing on the WIP, apparently.
I don't know, there's a lot of SMILEYS/ICONS in that post. It reminds me of some magazine page I vaguely remember, it may have been a page in McCall's Magazine in the back for children. It had a story in which lots of the words were replaced with pictures. For example instead of the word house, it would have a little picture of a house. Does anyone know what I'm thinking of?

The odd things I remember from out of nowhere...
And, yes, it's happened to me. It's happened to every writer I've ever known. The unfortunate thing is that we each have to find our own individual way out of the box, because there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

Reading a few good books sometimes gets me going again. So does washing the car, or cleaning out my sock drawer.

:Shrug:

Good luck finding your way out.
Every room I can remember being in has had a door. Many rooms also have one or more windows.

Perhaps for a fun break from whatever it is you're doing or not doing, check in at 9PM (Eastern time) tomorrow for the Flash Fiction thing. See how much trouble you can get one or more characters into in 90 minutes.
 

Silver King

Megalops Erectus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Messages
12,438
Reaction score
8,932
Location
Florida (West Central)
I always attribute it to laziness. I'm not saying you're lazy, but when I shirk writing when I should be, I don't know what else to call it.

If it makes you feel any better, I'm lazy 90% of the time.
 

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
20,322
Reaction score
3,513
Location
Transcending Canines
...

Have you guys ever had this problem?:Shrug:

Truthfully, I can't say that I have. I've barely done anything on my alleged WIP, and I don't think I've actually done enough yet to say I stopped or got stuck. Don't know what I need either, maybe I need to be whipped with a wet noodle.
 

Willowmound

Lightly salted
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
1,760
Reaction score
247
Location
Afloat
Have you guys ever experienced this?

I haven't written new stuff in my WIP for a while. It's not that I have Writer's Block. In fact, I know what to write...BUT I CAN'T! :rant: What the hell's wrong with me?!

Congratulations. You have writer's block. Some people will tell you it doesn't exist. Now you too can scratch your head when they do.

Trying to write something else could help. Telling yourself you're not allowed to write could help. Reading could help -- or make it worse.

It's a crap place to be, but you will get out of it. Don't beat yourself too hard over it. I think that could make it worse. Take a deep breath. The block will eventually melt.
 

ruecole

Chronic Lurker
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 9, 2006
Messages
262
Reaction score
41
Location
Greater Vancouver, BC
Website
www.rachelelizabethcole.com
This happened with my first novel. I was 60,000 words into it and got stuck. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the problem was. In fact, it took me four years to realize I had a problem with my plot: namely my MC couldn't do what I wanted her to. It just wasn't in her nature. I had the ending all plotted out, I just couldn't write it. In the end, I never finished that novel.

Then, on my current WIP, I was 12,000 words into it and it stalled. Fortunately, it didn't take me nearly as long (only seven months) to realize the problem: my MC was boring me. So I created a new MC who I found much more interesting and I was able to start writing again.

Perhaps there's a problem with your plot or one of your characters and your subconscious is trying to tell you that by blocking you?

Hope this helps!

Rue
 

martand

Registered
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
38
Reaction score
4
Location
India
I am having the same problem for the past 2 weeks. The characters of my story are having conversations in my head. I have written a poem in my head too. I just don’t write anything. It’s sooo annoying. The reason might be that I am a tennis player too and I am working out and practicing like a mad man these days. I am just so tired at the end of the day. I have never felt so creative but I am not writing ANYTHING.
 

aadams73

A Work in Progress
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
9,901
Reaction score
6,428
Location
Oregon
Quit making excuses. Put that backside in a chair and start somewhere, anywhere. You can do it! :)

Tell yourself this: If I don't sit and write I will never ever be published. Ever.
 

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 2, 2005
Messages
4,422
Reaction score
639
Location
Metropolitan District of Washington
Website
www.linda-adams.com
You may have accidentally derailed yourself by going in the wrong direction in the story. Sometimes, when I get stuck like that, it's because a chapter or two got written that came off the path of the story and went in the wrong direction. I'd suggest going back to the point where you remember it was flowing pretty good and try writing from there.
 

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
1,939
Reaction score
263
Website
www.johnzakour.com
Yeah, you have some form of writer's block or remorse. Who knows why you have it... Maybe you're afraid you'll run into a roadblock finishing your WIP and therefore have thrown up your own mental roadblock.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Everybody (except maybe Steven King ;-) ) goes through this sort of thing.

Just do something else until you "unclog" naturally. This is one of those situations where "time really does heal". Work on another project. Do something away from the computer. Before you know it you'll be back to writing your WIP again.
 

finch

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
123
Reaction score
7
Location
NJ, USA
Website
www.vocroth.com
When I find myself trying to grind out text, it's because I haven't done enough analytical work to support the creative work. Research, character development, plot outlining -- those are the kinds of things I do when the creative doesn't seem to be panning out at 100%.

I don't list this as one of my problems anymore -- I use it as a tool to diagnose when I have more background work to do, and conveniently enough it never lasts longer than it takes to do the research or development.
 

MattW

Company Man
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 14, 2005
Messages
6,326
Reaction score
855
I thought this was going to be about "Opposite Wrier's Block" where you just can't stop typing, no matter how bad you know it is, or how complete the story already was, or how your house is on fire but you can't step away from the keyboard? When you wish you could stop, but can't?

That's diarrhea of the fingers.
 

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
3,110
Reaction score
755
Location
Pennsylvania
Website
www.susangable.com
I thought this was going to be about "Opposite Wrier's Block" where you just can't stop typing, no matter how bad you know it is, or how complete the story already was, or how your house is on fire but you can't step away from the keyboard? When you wish you could stop, but can't?

That's diarrhea of the fingers.

Actually, it's called hypergraphia.

I'm working my way thorugh an interesting book right now called The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer's Block, and the Creative Brain by Alice W. Flaherty

Here's one quote I found rather interesting: (p.59)

"Writer's block, for instance, can stem either from fear of failure or from insulating ourselves so well from the desire to succeed that we weaken our motivation to write."

Or, as someone else found, writer's block is often from a problem in the WIP -- one you have to figure out before the story will let you continue.

In any case, it's an interesting phenomena.

Susan G.
 

gwendy85

~*Proudly Mestiza*~
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Messages
380
Reaction score
21
Thanks guys

Your replies were very helpful, and I'm pulling through. These posts in particular helped:

This happened with my first novel. I was 60,000 words into it and got stuck. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the problem was. In fact, it took me four years to realize I had a problem with my plot: namely my MC couldn't do what I wanted her to. It just wasn't in her nature. I had the ending all plotted out, I just couldn't write it. In the end, I never finished that novel.

Then, on my current WIP, I was 12,000 words into it and it stalled. Fortunately, it didn't take me nearly as long (only seven months) to realize the problem: my MC was boring me. So I created a new MC who I found much more interesting and I was able to start writing again.

Perhaps there's a problem with your plot or one of your characters and your subconscious is trying to tell you that by blocking you?

Hope this helps!

Rue

I am having the same problem for the past 2 weeks. The characters of my story are having conversations in my head. I have written a poem in my head too. I just don’t write anything. It’s sooo annoying. The reason might be that I am a tennis player too and I am working out and practicing like a mad man these days. I am just so tired at the end of the day. I have never felt so creative but I am not writing ANYTHING.

You may have accidentally derailed yourself by going in the wrong direction in the story. Sometimes, when I get stuck like that, it's because a chapter or two got written that came off the path of the story and went in the wrong direction. I'd suggest going back to the point where you remember it was flowing pretty good and try writing from there.

"Writer's block, for instance, can stem either from fear of failure or from insulating ourselves so well from the desire to succeed that we weaken our motivation to write."

Or, as someone else found, writer's block is often from a problem in the WIP -- one you have to figure out before the story will let you continue.

As I found out, there was something wrong with my previous chapters. 2 chapters in fact, and I've been revising those chapters like crazy

The words are spilling out of my fingers now, at least on those 2 chapters. The unfinished one would just have to wait.

Thanks again for sharing your insights :LilLove::D:LilLove:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.