Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Blocked


On Twitter the other day, I commented that I was having a little writer’s block—the words are there, but I can’t seem to get them out (the only consolation is that the resulting frustration is fuelling my ideas for blog posts, so there’s an upside to everything). I know where the story is going, I have a good grasp on the characters, I can picture the scenes in my head, but when I sit down in front of the computer…boom, it all goes out of my head.

Part of the problem is the thrall of the internet. I look at something when I’m supposed to be writing and I get distracted. Then later on, all I want to do is go back and I can’t think enough to write, and missing one day is enough to screw up my whole flow. It’s a problem.

If I had advice to give from this, it would be: don’t break your writing schedule for anything. Granted, this isn’t always possible (especially for those of you with kids…happy summer vacation, by the way) but you have to have discipline. Or at least I do, and there’s probably someone out there who this also applies to.

Habit-habit-habit. Keep writing. When you can’t visualize a scene, write another one, even if it doesn’t come for another ten chapters. Write something else, maybe a short story, just to keep your fingers moving. Write blog posts about how you have writer’s block and possible ways to break said block. Keep the story in your mind and stay away from the internet. Especially TVTropes, the foul temptress.

How do you deal with writer’s block? Do you have any ways to keep it at bay?

4 comments:

  1. There is a point in every novel that I write that I get this kind of block. For some people it's around 30,000 words, but for me it's right at the climax. I'm always afraid I'll screw it up. You've given the best advice here. just keep pushing, this time is for writing you can work on revision later!

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  2. I'm having a similar problem, although it's because I don't know where the story needs to go next.

    I keep a file that I call writer's block workshop. I will sit down with that file and start writing. I write whatever comes to mind. I will write out what issues I'm having, such as "this story sucks" or "I should have something happening here, and nothing is". The funny part is, as soon as I write out the problem I'm having, suddenly the solution presents itself, and I start back writing the story. (A little copy/paste into the novel, and I'm back to it.)

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  3. It's so frustrating to be blocked like that...but on the bright side, it always ends sometime!

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  4. Sometimes I won't be in the mood to write, and it means just coming back at another point in time. Other times I find music helps getting back into the writer's frame of mind.

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Please validate me.