Writer's block

[Schlank]

I'm currently suffering from a horrific case of writer's block. Stress at work and being overwhelmed by bills at home has left me in an emotionally exhausted state. The part of my brain that governs self-preservation and survival is dominant the part of my brain comes up with creative ideas and entertaining fiction has been shut down for weeks. I don't know if I'll ever be able to write anything ever again.

 

[StillStunned]

Don't force it. Read instead. Let your imagination be inspired by other people's stories and creations.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Pour yourself a double shot of Jameson Irish, sip it, and relax. Let your mind wander about, and hopefully, you'll find a respite from worries. Wake up in the morning and dive in to see your muse has returned. If that doesn't work, rob a bank (not your bank), clean the money buying chips at a casino, and cash them in later in the night. You then pay the taxes on it as they take it out before they give you the check. Go deposit the now clean money in your account and get caught up on your bills. Then try to write and hope the FBI doesn't come a knocking.

But whatever you try, don't drink and write. That doesn't work.

 

[12oclocktales]

Pour yourself a double shot of Jameson Irish, sip it, and relax. Let your mind wander about, and hopefully, you'll find a respite from worries. Wake up in the morning and dive in to see your muse has returned. If that doesn't work, rob a bank (not your bank), clean the money buying chips at a casino, and cash them in later in the night. You then pay the taxes on it as they take it out before they give you the check. Go deposit the now clean money in your account and get caught up on your bills. Then try to write and hope the FBI doesn't come a knocking.

But whatever you try, don't drink and write. That doesn't work.

You’re a genius! I love the way you think. Let’s run off together! You could help solve a lot of my problems, I’m sure. We’ll split everything 50-50.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't think Jo would approve of that. She's a rather possessive lesbian bitch, where I'm concerned.

You’re a genius! I love the way you think. Let’s run off together! You could help solve a lot of my problems, I’m sure. We’ll split everything 50-50.

 

[Trionyx]

But whatever you try, don't drink and write. That doesn't work.

I always heard you should write drunk and edit sober.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Not according to Hemingway. While he was a massive alcoholic, he never wrote while he drank or drank while he wrote. And the odds that he had an accidental gun discharge that killed him while he was cleaning his gun are next to no odds at all. He was an expert with guns. He either committed suicide, or his wife murdered him.

I always heard you should write drunk and edit sober.

 

[Euphony]

Don't force it. Read instead. Let your imagination be inspired by other people's stories and creations.

Very much w/Stunned here.

Also, dumb writing can be a way back to creative writing. By "dumb" writing I mean purposeless writing, not in service of a project or goal, just tickling keys for improved mental health.

You just want to keep the neuron pumps primed however works for you.

(writing) Inertia compounds the block problem ten fold. I will revisit foolish kid things like Mad-Libs (legit, they help) not to have to recrank the creation engine from a dead cold start.

Inertia is creative death. Don't go for style points, just survive.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I don't think Jo would approve of that. She's a rather possessive lesbian bitch, where I'm concerned.

My experience of lesbian bitches is that they can be possessive, even of their menfolk .

Em

 

[Pureotica]

It's okay to take time to recharge your batteries. I took about a month just to catch up on reading and PC games that I enjoy, but haven't taken time for.

I hate the term writer's block, because it puts the pressure on us, when we aren't the problem. There are creative blocks, usually the result of stressors, as you seem to be experiencing, and story blocks., where something in a project isn't working, and we can't identify/fix the problem.

If I'm stuck on a story, sometimes I'll start rewriting it from the beginning, and looking at the story with new eyes will offer a solution. Or I'll realize the concept was inherently flawed and move on to a better project.

For creative blocks, work through the stressor, and you'll probably feel more creative again. Maybe try freewriting, with no pressure to produce, just getting words on a page to work past the block. Sometimes it can help to work longhand on paper, because it engages a different part of the brain.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Just write. Skip the rules and just let the thoughts flow. Write something silly and fun, even if it's just for you.

When I get stuck I'll write a quick erotic story, and worry about reading it later.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Posted this in another thread. Just write. Doesn’t matter what it is, write. In your case, maybe write about your stress. Vent, rage(against the machine) as it’s said. Put words on the proverbial paper.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Whatever you do, don't go onto a writer's forum looking for help. You'll only get more stressed and upset when none of them work for you.

Honesty, you're not going to get anything written when you're mentally exhausted, so look after yourself, focus on some hobbies that don't need a lot of brainpower, try to get your life to where you're not exhausted anymore and then see where you are. And the things which are disturbing you from writing are probably the things which are important afterall.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Don't force it. Read instead. Let your imagination be inspired by other people's stories and creations.

I think this is good advice. I'm not having writer's block, but my motivation drops after I submit a story. Two weeks that I call the post-submission blahs.

 

[ronde]

Pour yourself a double shot of Jameson Irish, sip it, and relax.

Always works for me too.

 

[ronde]

I'm currently suffering from a horrific case of writer's block. Stress at work and being overwhelmed by bills at home has left me in an emotionally exhausted state. The part of my brain that governs self-preservation and survival is dominant the part of my brain comes up with creative ideas and entertaining fiction has been shut down for weeks. I don't know if I'll ever be able to write anything ever again.

I used to find that writing about how big an asshole my boss an how he was fucking me over helped. It's a two-fer. You get to vent and you're still putting words on the screen. I've even discovered a couple stories that way.

 

[AchtungNight]

Worst case scenario- write about your writing experiences and how they make you feel. I’m considering an essay about how I handle the morality of writing celebrity fanfics. Is depicting erotic subjects featuring the likenesses of celebrities with human qualities and tongue in cheek humor, intending to excite your fans, worth the price of being condemned as a porn purveyor? I’ve done it for over forty stories, so it’s worth talking about how I get over the shame, right?

 

[StillStunned]

Also, remember that you don't *have* to write. Personally, I write because after 20+ years of editing other people's words, my own words are screaming to get out. If I don't feel the urge, I don't write. No-one's forcing me to, no-one's paying me to.

Deal with your problems, and only write if and when you need it as an outlet. In the meantime, just let the old grey matter rest and restore itself.

 

[Stimtheone]

I had a talk with a buddy on this subject. Writer's block is more that you have no ideas. The first book can often be a right banger because you've had ALL that time to think on it, but if you try to follow through, it kinda sucks.

Currently having a similar idea as I finished a series and want to start another and.... well, it's like pulling teeth. I am thinking to just give it the month of December to gather intel before writing. I have a plan, but I need something to really make it immersive.

 

[Winter_Fare]

I'm currently suffering from a horrific case of writer's block. Stress at work and being overwhelmed by bills at home has left me in an emotionally exhausted state. The part of my brain that governs self-preservation and survival is dominant the part of my brain comes up with creative ideas and entertaining fiction has been shut down for weeks. I don't know if I'll ever be able to write anything ever again.

Look after yourself, let the writing sit on the back burner without guilt. Sounds cliché but real life comes first.

Feeling shitty is temporary like a dam blocking the river. Once you're feeling better creativity will flow again with extra speed because it was backed up for so long!

 

[TheF1x3r]

I get the same thing, I often work 16 hour days.

I'm great at giving advice but not actually following it... but here we go

make time for yourself

 

[yowser]

Looking at your list: almost completely long, multi-chapter series, which is fine (and clearly what you like to do.)

Might you try something short, just as an exercise? The 750 word challenges are devilishly hard to do well, but force you to say (or at least suggest) a lot with a little.

 

[Zootonius]

Pour yourself a double shot of Jameson Irish, sip it, and relax. Let your mind wander about, and hopefully, you'll find a respite from worries. Wake up in the morning and dive in to see your muse has returned. If that doesn't work, rob a bank (not your bank), clean the money buying chips at a casino, and cash them in later in the night. You then pay the taxes on it as they take it out before they give you the check. Go deposit the now clean money in your account and get caught up on your bills. Then try to write and hope the FBI doesn't come a knocking.

But whatever you try, don't drink and write. That doesn't work.

I've found that one scotch helps my creativity. But a second scotch? Time to put away the computer.

 

[samhasstories]

Don't force it. Read instead. Let your imagination be inspired by other people's stories and creations.

I agree with the reading part, but not the don't force it part.

The only way, in my experience, to get past writer's block is to write. Write something you know is bad, that you're not going to use. Write about that itch on your butt that just won't go away, or how it felt when you knocked your elbow on the doorframe yesterday. It doesn't matter. Just write.

When I feel like I can't write anything, I go by sheer wordcount. Just lock yourself in a room and you can't leave until you've written 200, 300, 800 words, whatever you think is reasonable. It doesn't have to be a work in progress, in fact it might work best if it's something new. Just write and don't worry about how good it is. Often when I do that my first hundred words or so are garbage. But then that dormant part of my brain that comes up with all my decent sentences starts to stir, and by the end I'm actually writing again.

For me, it's all about inertia. It's easier not to write than it is to write. And like any other good habit it's easier to break than it is to start. But it's also infinitely easier to keep writing than it is to start writing.

 

[StillStunned]

I agree with the reading part, but not the don't force it part.

The only way, in my experience, to get past writer's block is to write. Write something you know is bad, that you're not going to use. Write about that itch on your butt that just won't go away, or how it felt when you knocked your elbow on the doorframe yesterday. It doesn't matter. Just write.

The trouble is the OP's problem. I quote:

Stress at work and being overwhelmed by bills at home has left me in an emotionally exhausted state. The part of my brain that governs self-preservation and survival is dominant the part of my brain comes up with creative ideas and entertaining fiction has been shut down for weeks.

Not being able to write seems like a trivial problem compared with everything else. Forcing yourself to write when you're mentally exhausted isn't going to solve the problem. Assuming that the OP's livelihood doesn't depend on writing, there's no reason to force it.

As much as writing can energise you, it's also emotionally draining. If you don't have the energy levels for it, the best thing is to recharge them, however long it takes. Come back to writing when it calls to you again, when you can enjoy it and the energy it gives you is greater than what it takes out of you.