Writers Block

[Annabelle1990]

I've started my next story a bunch of times and it is not going anywhere. How do you get past writer's block?

 

[EmilyMiller]

It’s a personal thing, but for me what works is to go do another project. That could be a different story, or yard work, or going for a run (knee allowing ). It gives your subconscious time to wrangle with what’s blocking you in the background while you are focusing on something more productive.

 

[crookedletter]

What @EmilyMiller said. But another approach that sometimes helps me, if I'm stuck on a story but can't seem to move on, is to just force my way through, write something awkward and contrived to get past whatever transition or setup or whatever is eluding me. With the knowledge that I'm going to go back and revisit it.

The hope is I'll get through the mire and find clear skies somewhere ahead, I'll get to a moment of clarity where it's obvious to me how I should have gotten there. Then I go back and scrap the misfire and redo it with all that in mind.

In other words, write forward, give yourself permission to write a shitty draft, then revise.

 

[Annabelle1990]

What @EmilyMiller said. But another approach that sometimes helps me, if I'm stuck on a story but can't seem to move on, is to just force my way through, write something awkward and contrived to get past whatever transition or setup or whatever is eluding me. With the knowledge that I'm going to go back and revisit it.

The hope is I'll get through the mire and find clear skies somewhere ahead, I'll get to a moment of clarity where it's obvious to me how I should have gotten there. Then I go back and scrap the misfire and redo it with all that in mind.

In other words, write forward, give yourself permission to write a shitty draft, then revise.

That's probably what I need to do. I want to write about my first real threesome with Mark and Joe but I want to start with me talking to my friend Sarah about my first time with Joe and I've started probably ten times. I just can't get the dialog right. I remember we talked while shopping but I don't remember what all we said, and nothing I write sounds real.

 

[ScrappyPaperDoodler]

In my experience, the first paragraph is always the hardest. Two strategies that (sometimes) work:

(1) Write a prologue even if you're never going to publish it. In fact, consciously write as though you couldn't care less about who sees it, then chop it off once you've built momentum and get into the story proper.

(2) Leave a big "TO BE COMPLETED" at the top of the story and try to write the second scene first.

Also, watch a few movies, play a few games, read a book, go for a walk, work on another story... Flood the brain with something that isn't page one of your current project.

 

[SerenaSteeleMonroe]

Skip past the opening, concentrate on the first scene leading up to the sex part, and write that sex scene as well. After that, go back to the beginning and work up to the point. It's worked for me; it might do the trick for you.

 

[Annabelle1990]

Part of the problem might be that people have told me I'm a good writer so now I feel like I have expectations to meet. The first two stories I just wrote.

 

[crookedletter]

That's probably what I need to do. I want to write about my first real threesome with Mark and Joe but I want to start with me talking to my friend Sarah about my first time with Joe and I've started probably ten times. I just can't get the dialog right. I remember we talked while shopping but I don't remember what all we said, and nothing I write sounds real.

Yeah, I'm a firm believer in just getting the scene down on paper (or screen or whatever). Let it not sound real, knowing you can come back later and fix it.

Often I find when I have a whole draft written it becomes a lot clearer what a particular scene needs, and what it doesn't. And the intervening time will give you some space from what you've written, which helps to look at it with fresh eyes and see where you've gone wrong (or maybe you'll find it's working much better than you first thought).

 

[Annabelle1990]

Skip past the opening, concentrate on the first scene leading up to the sex part, and write that sex scene as well. After that, go back to the beginning and work up to the point. It's worked for me; it might do the trick for you.

That I could do. The sex is seared in my mind! Holy smokes but it was hot.

 

[SerenaSteeleMonroe]

Part of the problem might be that people have told me I'm a good writer so now I feel like I have expectations to meet. The first two stories I just wrote.

Don't worry about other people's expectations, just work on your own.

 

[Duil2]

That's probably what I need to do. I want to write about my first real threesome with Mark and Joe but I want to start with me talking to my friend Sarah about my first time with Joe and I've started probably ten times. I just can't get the dialog right. I remember we talked while shopping but I don't remember what all we said, and nothing I write sounds real.

Why not write what you told Sarah about, as a actual scene and that might trigger a memory or a better imagination of how you told it to her, after the fact?
Another strategy is if there is a scene further on in the story that you can't wait to write, skip to that and get words down so you don't feel like you haven't made progress.

 

[Duil2]

Part of the problem might be that people have told me I'm a good writer so now I feel like I have expectations to meet. The first two stories I just wrote.

That's and easy trap to fall into but just remember you liked what you wrote before anyone else saw it and then they liked it too so you can trust that if you like it, and you write for yourself, it'll find its audience just like the first two stories did.

 

[Annabelle1990]

Why not write what you told Sarah about, as a actual scene and that might trigger a memory or a better imagination of how you told it to her, after the fact?
Another strategy is if there is a scene further on in the story that you can't wait to write, skip to that and get words down so you don't feel like you haven't made progress.

It's hard because she was shocked, upset, and aroused at the same time, and I need to capture all of that. And as I described it to her she became less upset and more aroused. Sarah is the one person who has known everything from the start. She's like a sister.

 

[Duil2]

It's hard because she was shocked, upset, and aroused at the same time, and I need to capture all of that. And as I described it to her she became less upset and more aroused. Sarah is the one person who has known everything from the start. She's like a sister.

Is there any chance you could speak with Sarah again and see what she recalls of the conversation?

 

[Annabelle1990]

I have talked to her. I think I just need to write it even if it sucks and then I can fix it when I edit.

 

[EmilyMiller]

It’s a personal thing, but for me what works is to go do another project. That could be a different story, or yard work, or going for a run (knee allowing ). It gives your subconscious time to wrangle with what’s blocking you in the background while you are focusing on something more productive.

Meant to add that another - do another project - might be within the blocked story itself. I often write chapters out of order for this reason, or write a draft of the ending to give me something to aim for.

 

[BeechLeaf]

If there was any reliable way of getting past writer's block, we wouldn't be moaning about it so much. I gave up on one WIP this morning, and I found that, in comparison, my other one was much more tractable.

 

[Annabelle1990]

Meant to add that another - do another project - might be within the blocked story itself. I often write chapters out of order for this reason, or write a draft of the ending to give me something to aim for.

That's great advice too. I could skip the start and come back to it.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I'm not a plotter, but I do storyboard my projects. I have ideas for specific scenes based upon the inspiration for the story, though I seldom start out knowing the exact order in which they will appear. (That's one of the nice things about being able to write in a digital format versus ink on paper)

My technique is very similar to producing a feature film. Things are seldom done in order.

The scenes that I know that I want to include are listed in my storyboard. If I get hung up at any time, I can move on and start writing another scene. That scene will get tucked away until I decide on where it best fits into the story, and I'll move on to either another scene, or go back to where i had gotten hung up before to see if things started flowing again.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That's great advice too. I could skip the start and come back to it.

I did this a lot with my novel when - not so much having writers’ block but - struggling with some complex plot item. I often found a solution to the insoluble presented itself naturally while I was doing something else. The subconscious is kinda amazing.

 

[Annabelle1990]

I do this a lot with my novel when - not so much having writers’ block but - struggling with some complex plot item. I often found a solution to the insoluble presented itself naturally while I was doing something else. The subconscious is kinda amazing.

I will do that. I think my biggest fear is that after people have told me I have a talent I will turn out to suck. I have never had a job so it could be very cool to write as a more serious hobby.

 

[yano2mch]

How do you get past writer's block?

Can't say I've ever gotten past writer's block. Then again I'd need something to write first, inspiration for something is difficult. I'm better at solving problems, not making non-problems to solve.

Still a few ideas for how to proceed.
1) Nothing, live your life, something will inspire you eventually, and often at the weirdest times.
2) Rewatch or reread your favorite literature, or something completely unrelated. Details you forgot about might be interesting.
3) Start something different. Side story, or other from your current works.
4) Go to f-list and enter chat, specifically the looking for ERP advertisement channel. Then look at the various ideas for something to catch your eye. (they repeat every 10 minutes, so a 10-20 minute window will be about as useful as you'll get for a while). If any get your creative spark from an RP idea then you're in luck.
5) Browse character cards, be it character hub, character tavern, storychan, or any of the other sites. Cards usually have a character definition but several scenarios.
6) choose some kinks or genres randomly. I find a combination of kinks sometimes a story or RP writes itself.
7) I've seen 'Story Dice' where you roll the dice and put them in a row, maybe something in a combination of it's random output will bring inspiration
8) Ask an AI for story ideas within constraints.
9) Ask an AI to generate a few quick characters within constraints, preferably with a background.

 

[Voboy]

The one time I was seriously blocked, I just came up with a new challenge: write a story and submit it within 24 hours. That kickstarted me right up.

More recently, my blocks have been less serious. There are many days I merely don't feel like adding to my WiP. I don't think of that as a "block" since my mind is still churning out material for that story. I know it'll pass.

 

[WendyTrilby]

I never just sit down to write.

First, I find the idea. Then I build a detailed outline of the story, beat by beat. If a beat gives me trouble, I skip it and keep moving. By the time I reach the natural ending, I understand the story well enough to go back and fill in the missing pieces.

Only then do I write the first word.

Because the story is already mapped out, there are no surprise walls blocking the way. Better still, the outline leaves room to discover new details and ideas as I write.

Outline your stories. Don’t rush into drafting it, until the story details are set.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Outline your stories. Don’t rush into drafting it, until the story details are set.

All I can say is YMMV.

As I’ve documented as nauseum (clearly other people’s nausea more than my own), I often just start writing with some idea in mind. But… after 1,000 - 2,000 words I stop and evaluate how long the story is likely to be. Only then do I bifurcate between just keeping writing (short works) and going into outlines / short story treatments / a draft of the ending etc.

I have to be in love with the story and the first 1,000 - 2,000 words establish whether or not I am.