Writer's Block

[Gianniana]

Why can this even exist? Writer's block is the single most annoying thing I've encountered in my life. Whether it was for a paper at school, or in writing Fated Hearts on here. How do you overcome writer's block because ironically, I'm drawing blanks on that too. :-<

 

[sr71plt]

If I'd every had it, I'd go off and do something else until I was in the mood to write. However, I have the opposite problem--my brain always wants to be writing--and can easily drive writing--whenever I can sit down at the computer.

 

[Innuendos]

Why can this even exist? Writer's block is the single most annoying thing I've encountered in my life. Whether it was for a paper at school, or in writing Fated Hearts on here. How do you overcome writer's block because ironically, I'm drawing blanks on that too. :-<

As far as your story goes, perhaps branch out, if you're drawing a blank on your protagonists? Nonhuman stories aren't really my cup of tea, so I didn't get too far into FH, but perhaps explore a side story with one of your characters who doesn't necessarily play a lead role?

How they got there, what they do, why they're a part of the story, maybe end up inspiring yourself in the main plot line just by giving a secondary character more background?

 

[SamScribble]

Happily, I don’t often have a problem with writer’s block. But, when I do, I find the best solution is to just start writing. It doesn’t really matter what. And it doesn’t really matter where.

This morning I had to write a blog piece in something of a hurry. After about 20 minutes of false starts, I decided to hell with the start, and began writing in the middle of the piece. Half an hour later, I had a middle, an end and, importantly, a beginning. And in a further half an hour, after a cup of coffee and bit of tweaking and polishing, the piece was ready post.

I also keep in mind Sholem Asch’s observation that ‘writing comes more easily if you have something to say.’

 

[Boxlicker101]

Why can this even exist? Writer's block is the single most annoying thing I've encountered in my life. Whether it was for a paper at school, or in writing Fated Hearts on here. How do you overcome writer's block because ironically, I'm drawing blanks on that too. :-<

Sometimes it can exist because you have something else you really should do first, and you are procrastinating. Think about that possibility and, if that is the case, take care of that other thing.

If you are having problems writing a story here, it might help to start a different story, and work on that until your muse decides to cooperate. Or, as Sam says, you might skip ahead and write the end of the scene or even the end of the story and come back later and fill in the middle. Or, you might just write, poorly but saying what you want, and edit it later.

 

[sr71plt]

I haven't thought of writer's block as being only about a block on a specific project. I've thought of writer's block as being a block against any writing. For that reason, I've thought that one should just get away from it into another type of activity and wait for it to beckon again. I think that a lot of people who have writer's block probably just shouldn't be writing--that they are trying to force something that doesn't really need to happen in the scheme of life--at least during the period they are having difficulty doing it.

Being not too fond of heights, I have a block against alpine cable cars. I don't, though, feel the need to ride skilifts to remove that block.

 

[3113]

Why can this even exist?

Why? Because our brains get tired like every other part of us--we're not always sharp or on every day of the week. Also because, as mentioned, sometimes our story needs something and we don't know what. Sometimes it's not obvious.

For example, sometime we've worked out the story and we think it's going to go A-B-C. Like Boy meets girl, boy & girl argue, boy and girl have make-up sex. But we just can't write one of those scenes. Maybe because we don't really need "B" and we don't realize it. We keep trying to write "B" but until we know it's not needed, it goes nowhere.

Likewise, we may not know that we need to introduce a new character, or have the action in a different place, or that the character we think is the main character isn't.

And sometimes, it's worse than that. Sometimes we really don't know what we need. I mean, we really, really, don't know. Like, for example, maybe we didn't know something about the law or history or a religion. Our story isn't working and we're stuck and can't seem to write it. Then we read about this thing we knew nothing about--a weird law, or an interesting bit of history or a strange religious custom. And that's the missing piece. That gets the creative engine going again.

Any of these things can be behind writer's block. From personal problems, to just being tired or under the weather, or needing a mental break from writing, to finding what's wrong or missing that, if fixed will suddenly get things going again. That's the way it is. Play a mindless game, watch a mindless movie, or just go out and see the world for a while. Give your creative brain a rest and also some fuel. Writing doesn't happen in a vacuum.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Happily, I don’t often have a problem with writer’s block. But, when I do, I find the best solution is to just start writing. It doesn’t really matter what. And it doesn’t really matter where.

This morning I had to write a blog piece in something of a hurry. After about 20 minutes of false starts, I decided to hell with the start, and began writing in the middle of the piece. Half an hour later, I had a middle, an end and, importantly, a beginning. And in a further half an hour, after a cup of coffee and bit of tweaking and polishing, the piece was ready post.

I also keep in mind Sholem Asch’s observation that ‘writing comes more easily if you have something to say.’

Yep. Writers block is having nuthin much to say. Your cupboard is bare.

 

[Ironiclaconic]

When I get writer's block halfway through the story it's because I took a wrong turn. I usually have to re-write.

 

[beatrice_dreams]

I've been reading a book my sister sent me called, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, which is about her thoughts on writing and life.

She talks about writers block, and I thought what she said was interesting, though it may or may not be the answer in your case.

"We have all been there, and it feels like the end of the world. It's like a little chickadee being hit by an H-bomb. Here's the thing, though. I no longer think of it as a block. I think that is looking at the problem from the wrong angle. If your wife locks you out of the house, you don't have a problem with your door.

The word block suggests that you are constipated or stuck, when the truth is that you're empty."

I suppose the assumption then is that if you're empty, you need to fill up on something...

 

[lance gt]

Depending on the severity of the block, I'll do a number of things to get back on track.
The worst, as mentioned, is being empty of thoughts and usually occurs when RL is pressing me to concentrate on it, instead of writing. Getting that out of the way, allows my mind the path to follow on my story.
Milder blockage occurs when the story stalls and won't go any further. As others said, it's time to re-read what you've written so far and let the story start writing again. Most times you can see the block and it's usually what you finished writing the last time that doesn't fit properly.
I write from a 'video' playing in my mind of how the story goes. If I can't see the flow in the picture, I edit it, so the scene makes sense and things progress.

I hit a block just last week and once I had cleaned the entire fridge in distraction, the story was there again.

 

[Anjasa]

I try to look up things that inspire me. I actually have a place for pictures and snippets of other stories that I've really liked or felt really inspired me, and I look at it when I have nothing to say. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but at least it's something I can try to do. If that doesn't work, though, I pretty much have to stop thinking about it and go do something else to clear my head.

Getting stressed about having writers block is a surefire way of keeping it for a while.

 

[Handley_Page]

It's working out "what happens next" that's my main problem.
"What happens in the end" is another.

 

[ILmonamour]

Writers block is the absolute worst, because you want to write but can't seem to connect creativity with proper documentation. When I'm bombarded with work, men/dating, friends/family all creative outlets falter. What I've found is that when you naturally free your mind, your creative outlets get opened. I was on an almost 5 month hiatus from a novel I'm working on currently due to 'life' but out of nowhere I stopped stressing and the words started to flow.

Who knows why we get them, maybe it's a period where you get to step back and get back to you and your wants which will eventually be turned into your works.