How do you break writer’s block?
Latley i haven’t been able to write anything. I even tried switching pens, but nothing works. Writing is my life. When i don’t write i feel empty inside, but i’ve been coming up short with ideas. I haven’t written anything in over 3 months. How do i get rid of this writer’s block?
- mikishunu
Tags: Break, Latley, Nothing Works, Pens, Writer S Block
June 19th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I, for one, do not believe in “writer’s block.” It’s not that I haven’t suffered through periods of drought. Who doesn’t? The way I deal with the dry spells is, I seed the clouds and make it rain. I do that by writing anything, even the worst of drivel, every day and, before I know it, it’s raining ideas again.
If you allow the “block” to keep you from writing, you are doomed. I have learned how to relax and not fight those times when the creek runs dry — and it works. Try it, you’ll like it!
J.
June 20th, 2009 at 10:35 am
I had a creative writing teacher once that made us sit & write about ANYTHING at all that would come into our heads for a full 15 minutes….she did NOT want to see our pens come up from the paper for even 5 seconds…we HAD to keep writing, even if it was nonsensical….after 15 minutes we had to find something from our ramblings to start a short story….
Another method is to go someplace & just write about your surroundings…sights, sounds, smells & let your imagination take over.
You can also draw a random shape…nothing that looks like something in particular, and then after looking at it for awhile, come up with a name for it & what it might become….create a story about your new creation.
Sometimes just writing words…even if they seem silly or stupid can get your mind to working again & start the creative juices flowing…give it a try! Good Luck to You!
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:03 am
Sometimes it’s necessary to not focus on writing. I know it sounds a little weird, but hear me out. When I get stuck on something, I have to set down what I’m writing and go do something else. Chores, a walk in the woods, a project I’ve been putting off, roughhousing with my dog, shopping, people watching, read a book, anything to change my course of thinking. Sometimes new experiences will open up new inspiration, and give you something more to write about. Other times, I just start writing something completely different than what I started, and go back to the original writing project later. Hope this helps!
Good Luck!
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:54 am
Here are somethings to try.
If you go with plot first (things just happen and the characters react to the circumstances) try brainstorming. Think about what could possibly happen next. write them down on index cards and shuffle them around. Write every idea, no matter how stupid it may seem. Even stupid ideas can take on a life of their own and become great ideas.
If it is character first and foremost (things happen because of who people are and how they act) try conversing with your characters. Little “what if” questions. You could use the brainstorming idea for those. It works.
Those are things that I do, and they’ve worked fairly well for me.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:53 am
I do a timed freestyle writing exercise.
First, take some of the pressure off. The more you worry about having writer’s block the worse it gets. Tell yourself that it’s OK to write crap, that it’s only an exercise, that it’s perfectly fine if what you come up with during the exercise doesn’t amount to anything - it doesn’t have to go anywhere. If writing is your life, just the act itself should be enough. No one is going to read it unless you let them.
Then set a timer for seven minutes, put your pen to the paper and hit the start button. For those seven minutes the only thing you have to do is keep your hand moving. If you get to a point where you can’t think of anything, write “I can’t think of anything at the moment, dum-dee-dum-dee-dum, blahblahblah…” until something pops into your stream of conciousness. Just write your flow of thoughts. Do not pick up your pen, do not stop, do not erase or correct or mark through, just WRITE.
It’s only seven minutes. You can do anything for seven minutes. Then tomorrow do another seven minutes, the next day do eight minutes, the day after that do 10… Out of ideas? Pick up the Writer’s Book of Days by Judy Reeves, find today’s date and write using the prompt she suggests. Use the Writer’s Book of Matches to find a prompt. Close your eyes, let your finger do the walking through the pages and whatever you land on you HAVE to write about… or at least start out writing about. Go to creativewritingprompts.com, and pick one from there.
Seriously, you can write about ANYTHING if it’s just for seven minutes! And if you are on a roll and continue past the buzzer, even better. Consider your writer’s block demolished.