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What have you done when the words no longer flowed out of you?

ApolloRising

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I have hit a wall of sorts. I was on an absolute tear writing my novel, the tone and voice flowed out of me like water as I wrote, then out of nowhere, the words stopped. I am not sure if it is writers block. I'm not lacking ideas, I know where my story is going, and I'm still motivated to write. The words are simply not coming. I have tried forcing myself to write, but the narrative voice was missing and I could barely string together a few bad paragraphs. Perhaps I just need to keep trying and hammer away until it comes back.

What have you done when faced with similar issues?
 

DeleyanLee

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Odds are, it's not writer's block. My experience of writer's block is like the very desire to write withers in my soul. It was horrid.

What I need to do when I hit a stoppage is to go back and reread everything I've read. Usually, I find the something that's off that stopped the words from coming. Sometimes it's a missed opportunity. Sometimes it's a bit of dialogue that took things in a weird direction. I can be anything, but it always twangs oddly when I'm rereading.

Mind you, I do this WITHOUT editing. I need to focus on what's actually on the page.

Good luck. Word stoppage sucks.
 

Kat M

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I find changing mediums helps. Usually, I write on the computer. When I get to that place you're describing, I put my computer down and pick up pens and paper.

Usually when it happens to me, there's something off about what I'm trying to write. Either the plot point is not quite right for the story, or the scene is not the best way to move the plot/develop the characters. So I use colored pens (because I love colored pens) and do idea webbing until I know what should come next.

I also try going for a long walk or drive and let my thoughts collect organically, on the story and off. I find that jump-starts my inspiration as well.

YMMV. Good luck!
 

ApolloRising

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What I need to do when I hit a stoppage is to go back and reread everything I've read. Usually, I find the something that's off that stopped the words from coming. Sometimes it's a missed opportunity. Sometimes it's a bit of dialogue that took things in a weird direction. I can be anything, but it always twangs oddly when I'm rereading.

Mind you, I do this WITHOUT editing. I need to focus on what's actually on the page.

I started reading everything up until the point I stopped, the other day. However, I was editing minor things like grammar as I went. It might be worth trying it your way. It has been two weeks of being stuck without words and I am starting to go nuts. Especially because I love the story and how it unfolds.
 

ApolloRising

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I find changing mediums helps. Usually, I write on the computer. When I get to that place you're describing, I put my computer down and pick up pens and paper.

I also try going for a long walk or drive and let my thoughts collect organically, on the story and off. I find that jump-starts my inspiration as well.

YMMV. Good luck!

I had not considered changing the medium, but it is worth a try. At this point, I am open to trying anything.

I exercise regularly for the same reason. Some of my best ideas happen when I am running or biking.
 

DeleyanLee

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I exercise regularly for the same reason. Some of my best ideas happen when I am running or biking.

Oh, also try a long shower or bath and just "chat" with some of your characters or must about the world. Sometimes answers will come out that way too.
 

InkFinger

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I haven't seen it yet, but go over to SYW and read someone else's work and provide feedback. It keeps you in the vein of writing, but takes your mind off your specific thing. I find my writing consistently improves by giving feedback. And I often realize problems in my own work when I see it someone else's.

Ink, making one more plea to everyone to be active in SYW.
 

Helix

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Kat M's method of changing medium often works for me. Shifting from computer to notebook (or vice versa) can help. Even something as simple as switching font on the computer can restart the flow. Maybe try experimenting with layout -- from print to web might be enough to get going.

Another thing is to try free writing. Grab a notepad and pen(cil) and dash off five pages of anything that's on your mind. It doesn't have to be about the work in progress. Just keep going until you finish the last page. Sometimes you'll discover a truth about your work or yourself that will help the writing process. Other times it's enough to get you back into the right (write?) frame of mind.
 

ApolloRising

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I haven't seen it yet, but go over to SYW and read someone else's work and provide feedback. It keeps you in the vein of writing, but takes your mind off your specific thing. I find my writing consistently improves by giving feedback. And I often realize problems in my own work when I see it someone else's.

Ink, making one more plea to everyone to be active in SYW.

That's not a bad idea. Up until my word block, I had a 45 day run of writing every day. I want to get that back so bad. My first draft would be close to finished if it didn't stop. I'll give review other peoples work and all the other suggestions a shot. I might have taken a wrong turn in my last chapter, which is disrupting my flow.

Another thing is to try free writing. Grab a notepad and pen(cil) and dash off five pages of anything that's on your mind. It doesn't have to be about the work in progress. Just keep going until you finish the last page. Sometimes you'll discover a truth about your work or yourself that will help the writing process. Other times it's enough to get you back into the right (write?) frame of mind.

It is worth a shot to get the words moving again. Thanks. Lots of great suggestions are coming from the responses!
 

Introversion

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I have hit a wall of sorts. I was on an absolute tear writing my novel, the tone and voice flowed out of me like water as I wrote, then out of nowhere, the words stopped.

Did they stop at any particular point in the story? A plot-point, new character introduction, etc?

Personally, my typical days are more like molasses flow than water :tongue. But sometimes when I get really blocked — I call it “pushing on rope” days — it’s because the story or a character “wants to” be different than I’m writing them. Don’t know how to describe it other than that. Can take me awhile of fumbling sometimes to figure out what the “something else” should be.
 

Sonya Heaney

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I've learnt I can't force myself to write. Of course, it all depends if you have a deadline or not, but I know a lot of authors set themselves a writing schedule, and that ... just ... never works for me, no matter how hard I try. A week or so ago I couldn't get any words down for a couple of days, but on day three I got inspired and wrote 6K. It happens when it happens - which might not be the best thing as I said I'd have a new manuscript off to my editor next month!

Basically: if it's not working, step away for a bit. You'll probably be mid-shower or grocery shop and inspiration will hit again!
 

FletcherHavarti

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What's worked for me in the past:
1. Keep stringing together the "bad paragraphs" you mentioned until things turn smooth again. Then, sometime later, reread and rewrite the parts that had to be forced. This at least keeps your momentum going so you don't spend days without getting something written. Rough patches can always be improved later.
2. Take one or two days off from writing new material, and focus on something else like editing chapters already written. Come back fresh and try the problematic section again.
3. When I have serious trouble making progress, it's often because I've made a wrong turn and need to backtrack. I may have taken the story in a direction that my subconscious brain doesn't like. I have often had to throw away the last few pages (after backing it up first, just in case) and try again, sort of like going back to a prior decision point in a choose-your-own-adventure book.
4. Chocolate ice cream. It isn't guaranteed to cure writer's block, but might as well give it a try.
 

Animad345

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ApolloRising, thank you so much for starting this thread. The exact same thing has happened to me. I was completely 'in the zone' as it were, writing every single day with the words just flowing. Then, at around 30,000 words, it suddenly grinded to a halt. I was totally stuck. I tend to under-write, so I wondered if it was just that, or if the story was more suited to a novella length.

All the advice here is brilliant. This is exactly why I love AW!
 

talktidy

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Is it possible for you to jump ahead in the story to get past this stuck segment? I don't know how you work, so this might or might not be feasible for you.

In the past, I have left a mess of a scene that was little more than "this happens, then this, maybe this as well" and marked it as disasterville in keywords in my Scrivener project. Then I carried on with the scenes for which I had a clearer grasp.
 

Woollybear

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The set-up (and promising fun things to the reader) is always more fun for me to write than anything else. I think this is not uncommon. Once I get to the middle where characters are (supposed to be) doing something to reach a goal of some sort, and where I need to start delivering on my promises, it gets harder.

A saggy middle. Hard to draft, hard to read, hard to edit. I also am not keen on the climax, as it always feels so silly to me, but it must be there.

So, what I do is to constantly ask myself (practice) 'what is my character working toward?' and I also set a word count goal. A saggy, boring, slow, horrible bit is often a spot, (at least for me), where the characters don't have any good idea of why they are there. Unlike some others who have commented, I do get some mileage out of forcing words out, it's like getting the wheels out of the rut, messy and loud and yucky, but then the drive is smooth again for a while. I force my characters to take an action toward a goal even if it's ridiculous. I force them to tell me their scene goal.

What are your characters acting toward? What are their actions? (And, are you in Act II? It's a tough one. Like Act I and Act III. :) They're all tough.)

p.s. Also, in SFF, it can be fun to simply bring in more of the lightshow. More superpowers, more weirdness, etc, can goose up a dreadful section.
 
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jennontheisland

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I pants and when that happens to me it usually means I've wandered off the path. Backing up at least 3 pages (often closer to a chapter or so) and starting again on a different path has worked for me. Sometimes it take a couple false starts before I find the flow. If I still can't write after a few tries, I back up further.
 

Kalyke

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I would write the story first in good old non-flowy language. Subject-Verb-Object. Possibly think that your audience is a school full of elementary kids. Then, add the flowy showy stuff when you are in a re-writing phase.

Example.
Non-flowy:
Bob got coffee at the Quick-Trip. He used three packets of sugar, and one of those tiny cups of creamer. Some kids came through the door.

Flowey:

Officer Bob knew that the coffee at this particular quick trip was da-bomb. The pumpkin spice was particularly luscious. He thought all those liberal snowflakes who crowded the Starbucks waving around their five dollar bills-- God! who could afford five dollars for coffee! A group of kids wearing hoodies pushed into the convenience store as he shook his third packet of sugar into the tall 16 ounce foam cup. He was just a little on edge. His cop-sense was tingling. (etcetera.)

In example #1, there is just a factual statement. In #2, there is more filling in. You get feelings, senses, opinions (some obvious errors), and actions. You can go further in-- scents, sights, touch. The foam cup was heavy, hot. The overhead lights flickered. The cold external air rushed in as the door opened. The kids were laughing, talking at top speed about the new video game that had just come out...

So that is my "opinion."

If your problem seems to be more like not being able to decide which action or activity follows the next to get to your goal, that is also taken care of in the outline. Even a "pantser" can outline, just in short chunks. It is far easier to get lost as a pantser though so expect to get lost. (I encourage outlining).
 
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Kalyke

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[Quote/]
4. Chocolate ice cream. It isn't guaranteed to cure writer's block, but might as well give it a try.[/QUOTE]

^^This :Sun:
 

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I watch television and take my mind off things.
 

Afalstein

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Sometimes I've switched to a new writing project for a bit and come back to it with fresh eyes. But I think the best method I've found is just to keep writing. Usually when writers say "I can't think of anything to write," they mean "everything I can think of is stupid." Just write the stupid stuff out. Come back later and make it smart.
 

L.C. Blackwell

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I too would suggest backing up to a decisive point and letting the characters make a different decision. Sometimes the flow drying up is your brain's way of telling you that the underpinnings of the story have developed a problem, or that the conflicts you are trying to create are no longer natural to the characters. You may be trying to make them do what they "should" do, and overlooking what they could do. Don't be afraid to let the plot change if needs be. It's better than forcing out a dry draft and realizing at the end you hate it and want to rewrite the whole thing anyway.