advice sought...

[Ersby]

Well, you all seem like a bunch of intelligent people, so I was wondering if you've got any tips on how to shake this ENORMOUS bought of writer's block I've got at the mo'. It's pretty dispiriting, especially since it's the last chapter (probably a major factor in it's unwritableness) and also 'cause I self-publish every three months or so, and people have started sending money in for it. Oh dear.

[erisesoteric]

Hmmm... Ersby. I don't know if I can help much. I've gone through serious dry spells in the writing department myself. Like, years...

I've found that part of my problem is that I get a really good idea for a line, but if I don't write it down immediately, it's lost. As a consequence, I keep a jot book with me at all times. I have a note pad right next to my bed. I have another one in the bathroom... (I hate, absolutely hate, positively HATE the fact that one place where I can usually rely on getting really good lines is the shower.)

Hmmm... Like I said, I don't know if this is at all useful... We write different kinds of stuff, and everyone processes differently...

Of course, the most sensible advise is also the most useless.... Stop worrying about it, and the problem will go away. And, while you're at it, stop thinking about elephants, too...



You're tough, you're strong.

*big hug*

[PsiNormal]

An English Professor of mine once said that there's no such thing as writer's block... that we can always choose to write or not to write. I can say without a doubt that what he said was utter crap. What works best for me with a block is to just sit down in a dark room with no distractions and just relax. I notice that if I'm feeling too much pressure about something, it greatly affects my ability to write. When I sit down I notice all this junk comes rushing in and I start putting it all away, one thing at a time. By the time I've got everything dealt with I'm ready to go again.

Don't know if it helps or not, but it's what I do. Good luck!

[LAMECH]

Poor Ersby. Well, I just came off a loooooonnngggg stint of writer's block. Thing is I didn't do anything different. I was just lying down and a story came to me. And then I started writing again.
Don't look for a solution. The harder you try, the harder it will be for you to write.

But if you want to try some things then what works for me is to write dialog, and just dialog. It could be two no names characters in a unknown scene but they are having a conversation about what ever. From there I build up a story around them.

[Branflakes]

Hmmm, advice. Not sure what to say. I spent over a year not writing much. What changed? I finally got motivated again, realizing it's a dream I've had to write one day and get published. That was all it took. Another thing I've learned about writing. It doesn't always just come to you. Sometimes you just have to sit down and force yourself to write out something. And it is work. Hard, frustrating, difficult, sometimes. But, after awhile of that type of writing, I usually just fall back into it. That's what's been going on with me in my current story, anyway. Some parts are easy, some are not, but I keep going because I know there are people out there waiting to read it. Especially me. Hope that helps in some way.

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Branflakes, the ninja lesbian milk getter.
The one called "brain".
I walk the path, trying not to get pulled into the weeds.
God never gives us more than we can handle.
"See that star...the one shining brighter than all the others? I know the girl who hung it there."

[Jaxom 27]

Whatever you do, DON'T force it...


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"Harper, your song has a sorrowful sound
Though the tune was written as gay.
Your voice is sad and your hands are slow,
And your eye meeting mine turns away."

[gollum]

what Lamech said. don't try to get over it; it'll make it worse, at least in my experience.

a lot of times, the only thing i can do when i have writer's block is write down a line that i think would be a good way to start a story (i'm really fond of just sort of jumping in in the middle of a dialogue; one of my more recent stories started with "i'm sleeping with him"). it doesn't always work--i have file upon file and page upon page of two or three lines that just never went anywhere. but after a while of that, i usually come up with a line that leads to an idea that leads to more ideas...and so on.

the other thing that sparks my writing is to read poetry or stories--i don't know why, but especially when i read Jim Carroll (poetry) or Pam Houston (stories), i almost always put the book down and start writing. *shrug* again, the best thing is probaby to just let it come naturally. the stories that i force myself to start writing are the ones that always end up badly (if they even get finished in the first place).

hope it helps-good luck!1

-g

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Sometimes i think everyone on this board is crazy. The rest of the time i'm sure.
-Dan