What do you do to combat Writer's Block?

[DarkrSide]

I have been meaning to get back into writing. I have atleast 3 ideas that I think can be very erotic stories but when I sit down and write, nothing comes. What do you do to help when you want to write?

 

[hharrington]

I've never posted a story here, but I do write. The way I tackle writer's block is to just sit down and begin typing whatever part of my idea comes to mind the strongest, even if it's some part in the middle rather than starting at the beginning. I try not to let the fact that I'm blocked stay in my head, I just let my fingers type away and it seems to work 98% of the time.

 

[DarkrSide]

I've never posted a story here, but I do write. The way I tackle writer's block is to just sit down and begin typing whatever part of my idea comes to mind the strongest, even if it's some part in the middle rather than starting at the beginning. I try not to let the fact that I'm blocked stay in my head, I just let my fingers type away and it seems to work 98% of the time.

Thanks for the help. I will try it. I figure writing is the same no matter what you are writing, if it's or Lit or not it's the same basic idea. Thanks!

 

[SuperHeroRalph]

Get away from the keyboard and go for walk and do something else. Allow your brain time to take over.

Then, just before you go to bed, think about writing a story. Think about the problems you're having writing a story. Think about you sitting at the computer and staring at a blank page.

When you're sleeping, you're brain will perculate all that information, process it, think about it, and cough you up a story.

It works nearly every time for me and I've written nearly 1,000 stories on Literotica under the names of AndTheEnd, BOSTONFICTIONWRITER, CarBuffStuff, PositiveThinker, WmForrester, and SuperHeroRalph.

The best writing is inspired writing. The worst writing is when trying to force it.

When I first started writing, my window of inspiration was only open 5 minutes a day. With discipline by writing every day, my window of inspiration is open hours each day.

Set aside a time to write and write at that time every day. Trust me, you'll train your brain to help you to come up with ideas.

Lastly, develop your characters. If you don't have an inspired story in mind, forget about the story and pay more attention to developing your characters, even if it's just one character.

Once you develop a character, once he or she comes alive from the page, he or she will grab the keyboard from your hands and write their own damn story.

Good luck.

 

[lovecraft68]

What has always worked for me is going back and reading some of my previous stories. Helps me recapture the mood so to speak.

If that does not work then it's time for some drinks and a few games of pool. Then the next time around I try again.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Lots and lots of Prozac. It seems to have the opposite effect on me. Instead of lowering my libido, it increases it. Either that or lots and lots of porn. I forget which I used last as I suffer from CRS* an CSS**.










* Can't Remember Shit
** Can't See Shit

 

[audeamus]

Hi DarkrSide,

My reply may mirror some of the other helpful ideas already posted, but here is some information that I shared with members on another discussion board.

In this article by Michael Stelzner, he offers some tips for finding the time to write and on how to stay focused when you are writing:

"Use music. Put some classical or ambient music on. Not only does this help you focus, it also drowns out background noise. I have heard that some classical music actually stimulates creative brainwaves. I like Bach on my iPod."

I especially like this tip because I listen to music when I write to put me in that 'zone'.

Ginny Wiehardt also offers some helpful tips

"4. Resist the Impulse to Overdo It.

If you're the kind of person who tends to throw yourself into a new project only to burn out after a week or two, consider giving yourself stop times for writing. Don't let yourself become obsessed in the beginning. Write for your hour or two and then continue with your daily routine. And all of us benefit from scheduling time for fun, even if it's only sneaking out to a movie or calling up an old friend. Remember that you're in it for the long haul, and that your mind needs time to replenish itself."

I used to be really bad about this. I thought when you began writing, you had to go go go until you were finished. It wasn't until last year that someone mentioned to me that when they write, they would do so for about thirty minutes and then stop for about fifteen. Going over what you'd written after fifteen minutes was a good way for your mind to maybe see things that you weren't aware of before, be it a misspelled word, a sentence that just doesn't fit in the story, or maybe you want to add something that you didn't think to add before. I had to teach myself to use this particular technique and it really helps.

There's a movie, Finding Forrester, starring Sean Connery and Rob Brown. Brown plays a teen with an amazing talent for writing, and Connery (sexy accent and all) plays Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist turned recluse, William Forrester. After an unlikely introduction, Brown and Forrester form a bond of friendship by learning from one another.

I highly recommend the movie if you haven't seen it, but there is one part in that movie that really resonates with me when I go through periods of writer's block. If anyone is interested: Finding Forrester

Someone mentioned that the best writing is inspired writing, and I couldn't agree more. There is a sea of inspiration in the story section, just pick a category and allow your mind to become a sponge. You never know what could come from reading the contributions of a fellow writer. A simple word or phrase could be just the spark you need to create your piece. My muse was looking to be inspired last year and someone mentioned the word "witch" and a light went off in my head. So you just never know.

Most of all, have fun with it. The wonderful thing about writing is that you are afforded the opportunity to go back and change whatever your heart desires. It's not written in stone-- until you say it is.

Happy writing. Be golden.

 

[kromen]

I've learned to change the flow. Instead of trying to put out, I take in. When I use to ride the bus to work, I would just sit and listen. I would absorb stray patches of conversations and hold on to the more interesting parts. When I found something I liked, I would build around that.

 

[SydneyBlake]

Character development. Develop compelling characters, and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[J.Q. Hack]

I haven't been doing much writing lately and it's been a long time since I've posted anything on Lit. One thing that I found that helps me is to switch the way I've been writing. Typically I write on a PC sitting in front of a computer screen. I've found sometimes that if I just pick up a pen and paper it helps and later I'll transcribe it to the computer.

There have been times where I've been able to sit down and in the matter of an hour I could have several hundred words written. Granted it's not always good, but it beats sitting in front of a computer for that hour with one ten word sentence to show for it.

J.Q.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Writers block is simply not having a story in your noodle.

I scour everywhere for interesting idea I can develope. Today I found a report about a town thats prosecuting an old woman for growing a small veggie garden in her yard.

I hatched a horror story idea from the Casey Anthony drama.

What if ObamaCare really has death panels!