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How do you handle the dreaded writer's block when it hits?

Brad Robertson

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I like Winston S' take on things. Writer's Block really does mean different things for different people.

In my case, it's usually the common issue of "How to start." Some advice I got once was to just write ABOUT the writer's block itself. I've written maybe two dozen or more poems and paragraphs since then that just muse about how annoying writer's block is. It doesn't matter if it's dumb and whiny and unprofessional, since not everything you write needs to be meant for publication anyway. Just getting any words on the page at all is usually enough to snap me back onto my grid. Try it out next time!

Hell, one time I wrote a three page short story that cast Writer's Block as a woman who snapped her fingers every time the speaker tried to interrupt her. Then I realized some of those elements worked and retooled it into an argument between two roommates.
 

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Doing non-writing things while mulling over the block usually helps me. Especially showering, for some reason. I like to prod at the mental block in the shower, or while I'm chopping up veg or cleaning -- basically anything that occupies my hands. I mutter out loud while I do these things, like a totally normal person :D, and usually, by the time dinner is cooked, I'll have some sort of idea on how I might tackle the block.
 

Cosmering

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Honestly, I read.

I think this is a pretty common answer but also one that works and really DOESN'T work for a lot of people. But I read, because it inspires me, and after a few days of doing just that, I'm usually itching to write my own thing!
 

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I've yet to actually experience intense writer's block, but I did find myself stuck when outlining my short story. It took some time to figure out the core issue, but I managed to overcome it by changing my writing habits, as my writing experience is completely based on academic writing (which is strict and formal), and wrote my outline in a more simple format. It was a rough transition that hindered me to write creatively. With writer's block, I think it comes down to finding the core issue and finding a way around it or over it. It just takes time. My two cents.
 

Auteur

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Honestly, I read.

I think this is a pretty common answer but also one that works and really DOESN'T work for a lot of people. But I read, because it inspires me, and after a few days of doing just that, I'm usually itching to write my own thing!

That's how I do it, too. Or even just google something related and look at pictures from which I can develop a scene.
 

Azarel21

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We have a number of really good threads asking for help coping with specific cases of writer's block, as well as a sticky "Famous writers on The Block" detailing well-known writers' thoughts and strategies for handling the dreaded block. And, of course, articles abound across the web offering tips and techniques for overcoming the block.

Bringing it closer to home, I thought it'd be nice to discuss strategies we've tried—those that failed as well as those that worked. Or even those which work at times but not always.

One of the things I've noticed when I'm blocked is that if I completely clear my mind, the words come. Unfortunately, that usually happens within ten minutes of giving up and going to bed. The 'puter's off and by the time I run to the office and boot it back up the breakthrough is gone forever. Once I suffered through this a few times I trained myself to make sure I had a pen and paper AND a small hand-held recorder on my nightstand. The reason for both is how my mind (particularly my memory) works: having the pen and paper is super for getting down an idea on a direction to take when I'm blocked because I don't know what to write next whether it's an action within a scene or a scene itself. The recorder works better for recording words and phrases I've been trying to capture. The recorder I have is a tiny 1.5" X 3.5" Olympus that I've had for absolute donkey's years and it's super handy for sticking in my jeans pocket when I'm out and about.

Do you have tips to help your poor, suffering friends here?

I have four things I can recommend to you when Writer's Block hits:
1. I usually put on my headphones and listen to music. This may not work for everyone but music helps me concentrate better.
2. I handwrite my stories. Handwriting prevents me from being distracted. I also like the sound of writing with pencils.
3. I usually just do the "Elevator Experiment," It is basically imagining that you're trapped inside an elevator for some time, and discovering how you'll react. This is also helpful for character development.
4. A fairly new method I've "made" to overcome Writer's Block is to write about a writer that is having writer's block. This will be fun if that writer you are writing is your polar opposite. It makes me think more.

That is all the tips I have to overcome Writer's Block. I might edit this reply if a new method comes to mind.
 

Paul Lamb

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I haven't been blocked since forever (hope I'm not jinxing it by saying that) but back when I was, one technique that I found to work for me was to try writing in a different genre. I would take my characters (from my mainstream fiction stories) and immerse them in a different setting. For me it was Westerns, but any genre would have worked. And the point wasn't to try to write a Western. It was just to play with my characters and get any words on the page. This generally worked, and it added a benefit of seeing my characters behave in unfamiliar settings. It was almost as though I had insights into their psychologies this way. I learned things about them by watching them "behave" in this strange environment.
 

ubriel

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ETA: Also - if I had an actual pony, I'd go for a ride instead of cleaning cupboards and I really think that would be much more effective in terms of chasing trails - but so far no-one has given me a pony. (I would look after it very well and clean up after it and groom it and everything, and you wouldn't even have to do anything. My birthday is in May please and thank you.)

:roll:
I hope you get a pony. If you don't, maybe you can write one into existence and name it something like Block Breaker the Idea Pony. Then go on writing rides... This is snowballing, but I hope you get a pony.
 

ubriel

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A nearly 20-year block (aka children) just ended. Even then I was writing short stories or fan fiction or small newsletter articles or whatever and compiling ideas for the years to come.

Other than that my biggest sources of block are either I am not connecting emotionally to a character in a particular scene or I am lacking particular technical experience/expertise to write a scene. If I can identify what scene I am trying to puzzle out, then I can go about supplying the info needed to pull it off.
Failing that, I do a writing exercise or go spin off a short story about something completely different just to clear the voice of doubt out so I can hear the real ideas.

Work deadlines and office drama are not really blocks so much as necessary evils that sometimes stymie my writing progress.
 

LucindaLynx

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This list is very useful, Herder of Hamsters. If my block hits, I either change the WIP A to WIP B or then I change from writing to needlework. It's crazy, but helps.
 

LucindaLynx

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[
QUOTE=Kiteya
;10499954]When writer's block hits me, or I just get too lazy to write, I pick up a writing book. This can be a guide on plot, characters, setting, anything really. Reading one of these books can serve as
great motivation to get back to writing. Some great ones are:

"The Art of War for Writers'' by James Scott Bell

"
Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint
" by Nancy Kress

"Novelist's Boot Camp
" by Todd A. Stone


Basically, reading a book on writing can help a lot. It can be a big motivator!
[/QUOTE]

I've read at least 2 N. Goldberg's
books, in Finnish. They are good. They inspire me.
 

DanielSTJ

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I force myself to write through it. At first, it can be difficult, but I always end up getting words down in the end. If you allow yourself to simply sit down and craft sentences, one after the other, it becomes easier as it goes along. If you're focusing on plotting a lot, it might be best to let your mind-- and words, run free a little to get some of what is inside of you out. Additionally, a heavy dose of reading is always beneficial for me when I feel less creatively obliged and inspired.
 

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I find that my own writer’s blocks are in reality simple procrastination. It is too tempting to watch just one more cat video on YouTube or checking out that super important Instagram message from thatblablabla133. (And apologies if someone actually has that handle).

One of the reasons it is so tempting to “just five more minutes” and “I’ll start when the clock reaches :00” is that the amount of writing I wish to do feels quite momentous. It is as if I am about to run a triple marathon and all I can focus on is the total amount of steps.
And I lose courage and postpone my start.
I look too far ahead and want to do everything at once… and end up doing nothing.

See if you can make smaller goals for yourself. Maybe a word count per day, is not for you, even if it a small one in your view. Perhaps a goal of finishing X number of scenes fits better. And not even that, perhaps “just” a goal to finish a short dialogue is enough for one day. Even coming up with the perfect name for a character or location is enough (and it does not even have to be perfect).

And never compare yourself to any goals that other sets for themselves. Everyone work at a different phase, and sure, the 5000 words per day person might finish the first draft early, but if they never get to their editing and rewrites, it is still an unfinished manuscript.

Further, I also believe that “writing” includes more than just searing words to a paper. Research useful to your story, curriculums on the profession of writing, even reading comparable manuscripts (both published and beta reads) is also part of the writing process.

In the end though… if you want to progress from a writer to an author, where you actually have writing as a career, you brutally have to realize that it is a job. And as with all work, you need to work. Your boss will not accept you tubing all day when you are paid to do X and writing professionally isn’t any different. It is not easy, I know, and I sure as a swear word have face writer’s block many times.
 

NathanLyle

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Previously my method when writer's block happened was to just accept it and move on. Either look through all my stories until I find one that I can do something to or just take a few months off. But when it's something that absolutely needs to be done quickly the method that I've found works best is just writing without thinking about what I'm writing. Just write every thought that comes into my head. Don't even worry that much about spelling, grammar and punctuation. Just write every single thought until something happens to click and now you're back in the groove. Well, that's what works best for me. Lot of horrible things will come out but you get rid of enough horrible ideas then you'll eventually get to the good ideas.
 

kranix1

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This'll seem pretty obvious but it's how I handle writer's block. My post count isn't going to get to fifty by itself.

I start with the character i'm supposed to be writing and where they are physically at that point, a room, a clearing, a cave, a beach whatever. Usually the problem is what they are supposed to do or say. If a sentence doesn't immediately come to me, I try to get in their mind.

I do that by exploring all the sensations they might be experiencing in that place, the feel of the wind, the scent of dry leaves, the sounds they hear or lack thereof. Once I get into whatever sensations they may be experiencing I can usually find a thread of thought to explore. After that it's just stream of consciousness and once I get a page or two I usually have to pare it down and redirect it. Usually I can get a good foothold this way.

The danger is it can meander too much and I stray too far away from the actual plot. That's why I work with a co-writer. We keep each other in check.
 
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CJEvermore

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I sometimes find writing a drabble or two helps. Give yourself a theme, and focus on getting the perfect piece at one hundred words.By focusing on crafting the perfect little story, or moment, it really gives your creative streak a boost.
 

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I never have writer's block, per se. I have every book planned out in exacting detail before I ever sit down to write. All I'm doing is filling in the prose. There may be the rare occasion where I write myself into a corner and need to figure how to get out, or I need to decide exactly how to transition from one scene to another. I just take a walk and work it out. It never takes more than a couple of minutes. Then I'm right back to writing.
 

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Dare I say, just relax. If you're not a T-totaler, sit down with a glass of port or wine, put on some mellow tunes, and just start typing anything that even remotely continues the story. Something fun will come to mind. I promise.
 

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Back in '09 after a major bout of writer's block I found Starbucks in the morning with my laptop quite helpful.
 

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I "act like" aka "pretend" that everything is being graded and everything has some sort of income/ or importance attached to it-- so "write or starve." On the second level, I work in a plodding workmanship type way to get it done.

Recently I have been getting a Master's in English Literature which I just swapped for an MFA in Fiction at another college. Each one of those assignments has a due date and will reflect on whether I can get that degree, thus get to be a college teacher in Creative Writing, or not, and also reflect on my grade point average. I have had to do awful work that I did not want to do. I have hated it every step of the way. I have written terrible final papers that I kicked and stomped into shape and which I got A's for. (MyGPA was 4.0) From all of this writers abuse, I have (I think) become something of a stone cold killer as a writer-- Or at least I hope to be. You know, an action hero-- unafraid of any stupid assignment.

I do all my assignments whether they are term papers, essays, or any other writing in the same way. I examine how it can be broken up into manageable chunks. I give myself a certain amount of time to do the work. I pre-fill the areas that I will be doing the next day so I do not start out cold. I wait for "perfection" in the final draft. Oh, and I work in the morning before I am tired. (Always get a late starting job if you work when you can). Make writing be the first thing you do not the last thing.

So how long is it to be, and when is my due-date is my motivator.

I try to do the work in 1/3rd the time I need so that I can sit down and fiddle with the wording and "poetry" during the second and third thirds. So If I tell myself that I want to write a 400-page book in one year starting in January, that means I need the rough draft by April 30th. The first draft is the rough sketch so in a 400-page novel you might have a 300-page rough draft anyway. 120 days to get 300 pages is 2.5 pages per day. You will fill that extra 100 pages later. I realize this is all mechanical stuff, but it is really motivating to know that the 3 pages per day are part of a grand scheme. During the editing parts of the year, I can slow down and relax a bit. During that time I can plan and plot another novel if I want.

Since the first draft is also the rough draft, don't sweat it if the language is basic or the scenes are sketchy. That is what it is, a sketch).

Muses. I don't believe in them. It is all just plodding ahead-- one foot in front of another with an outline as a road map. Don't wait for anything or anyone. Outline the book, section it into easy to do bits, and do it. Don't worry about whether it will be good or sell or if anyone actually likes it. Do it like work. At the end of the first 4 months, your writing will be better, and all the writing will be done, then you go back as a better writer and revise in the next 4 months, and then you go on top of that and revise again for a second revision.


Muses. I don't believe in them. In the same way that I do not believe that "praying" will make your writing any better. It is all just plodding ahead-- one foot in front of another with an outline as a road map. Don't wait for anything or anyone. Outline the book, section it into easy to do bits, and do it. Don't worry about whether it will be good or sell or if anyone actually likes it. Do it like work. At the end of the first 4 months your writing will be better, and all the writing will be done, then you go back as a better writer and revise in the next 4 months, and then you go on top of that and revise again for a second revision.
 
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mewellsmfu

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Thought I would add something of interest to this thread. If you read The Kill Zone blog (thriller/mystery writers, but great pointers for any writer), James Scott Bell, who often writes about the craft of writing, has some terrific advice. Today's entry (September 6, 2020) "Why You Don't Feel Like Writing" is particularly relevant to this forum.

https://killzoneblog.com

I recommend this blog if you're interested in writing fiction, not just in the thriller/mystery category. Some very interesting material. And giving credit where credit is due, I believe I first read about it on AW.
 

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I had a couple of technics I'm currently using. It might not work for everybody, but it could help a couple of people.
1) I keep a file on my computer that is meant for free writing. I placed a couple of rules on it, which no one else has to use, but it allows me to move forward and go along with the spur of creativity while giving me a rough draft of a scene to use later. For me, I put the date I start the writing and I'm free to write at any point in that day until it hits midnight. When it does, if I want to keep writing, I have to place the new date and move forward then. Once that day passes, I don't allow myself to edit or correct any grammar or misspelling, this helps keep it preserved and allows me to make mental notes about what to fix when I use that scene later. If anyone has the opportunity to show these scenes for feedback, keep them on the computer to make sure nothing happens and mostly because I can be a little paranoid, so I don't risk it.
2) finding a "muse" of sorts. This was more of an accident on my part, but I noticed a lot of benefits in the amounts I've been writing. I have a classmate that reads these sections, then we talk about what was written, how it connects to a story (If it does), and answer some of their questions. The side effect is if I mentioned a small detail, or if I experience something after that conversation, I find myself wanting to write more and more, which is very good. Plus, this allows me to test subjects and ideas on very few subjects since my muse is decently open-minded.
3) Read a book that relates to your project on some level. This is something I learned in high school and it holds a lot of value because it can show you ideas you might not have thought of. The connection could be the genre, the type of situation, and even the main character's attitude during the story.
I don't know if any of these helps, but I figured I had nothing to lose by mentioning these.
 
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DarylA

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Writer’s block - a useful tool.

Since I’ve been writing, I’ve found, sometimes, I’ve come up against the brick wall, called ‘writers’ block’. It seems unsurmountable - you can’t see over it or around it, but I have a work-around! I take the writer’s block, place it firmly on the ground, then I stand on it. From there, if I crane my neck, I can just see over the brick wall! So, I just start writing whatever I can see on the other side! Before I know it, the wall is nowhere to be seen and I’m in fresh, green pastures, freely writing again. Let me know if it works for you?

I’d like to apologise in advance for this post! :)
 
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tusenord

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2) finding a "muse" of sorts. This was more of an accident on my part, but I noticed a lot of benefits in the amounts I've been writing. I have a classmate that reads these sections, then we talk about what was written, how it connects to a story (If it does), and answer some of their questions. The side effect is if I mentioned a small detail, or if I experience something after that conversation, I find myself wanting to write more and more, which is very good. Plus, this allows me to test subjects and ideas on very few subjects since my muse is decently open-minded.
I've also used this! Called them writing buddies, but it seems that means something else here in AW. Just having someone to vent to, or share something I liked/didn't like (snippets, not full on scenes), or just "say the problem aloud" (write it aloud) can help solve things that just get stuck when staring at the screen. It's hard to find people who are willing to put up with being muses though. Right now I "only" got an hippie muse on the other side of the world. He's an angel but we don't really have the same time schedule online so I wouldn't mind if someone else volunteered ;)
 
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