# writers block



## kay hall (Feb 7, 2011)

Any tips on how to get through a writers block?


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## JosephB (Feb 7, 2011)

Try drinking heavily. It worked for Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Kerouac, Capote etc. Just take care not to overdo it.


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## Baron (Feb 7, 2011)

This has to be one of the most frequent topics on the site.  Writers' block doesn't exist.  Al you have to do is write, simple.


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## ward (Feb 7, 2011)

Think of a person, someone you've never seen or met, create him or her, both physically and psychologically, which will take at least a day, maybe two, but begin. With the color of his hair, say, the way he walks. What he or she likes, to eat, to see at the movies. And then move onto place, the setting of your first scene, describe it as fully as you can, again this is stuff you're logging for future use. And finally, for that first, very tentative scene, add some dialogue, however banal it may seem, just him or her talking, doing. And see after a while if something interesting from this doesn't emerge, something you'd like to watch and listen to from a distance.


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## Mike (Feb 7, 2011)

Buy a bottle of Ex-Lax and prepare a variety of spicy Mexican nachos and give yourself an ultimatum that if you don't write at least 500 words in the next hour, you'll eat the chips and skull the bottle.

As Baron says, writer's block doesn't exist. Failure, and the fear of it, does.


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## JosephB (Feb 7, 2011)

Saying writers block doesn't exist is or saying "just write" is simplistic, not simple. It's possible to be at a place where you're not satisfied with anything you write, and "just writing" is a waste of effort and can lead to more frustration. It could be fear of failure, or there could be other things going on in your life that are too distracting or stressful. Regardless, it isn't happening.

Someone will invariable say, well, if you had a contract or some other sort of outside pressure, you'd have to write -- but if that's not the case, then that thinking won't make any difference. And manufactured deadlines or consequences don't work for some people.

If writers block means you literally can't write -- you can't make your fingers work the keyboard -- then I'd go so far as to say it doesn't exist. Otherwise, there can be real forces, imagined or real that might keep someone from writing or at least writing anything they consider worthwhile.

The key would be recognizing the underlying problems and trying to work through them. I've done that. Sometimes "just writing" isn't enough -- I've tried that too and it's not always the solution.


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## Baron (Feb 7, 2011)

Joseph, it's very rare that you hear writers' block being spoken about by professional writers.  If they have bills to pay then it's a luxury they can't afford.  It really is that simple.


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## JosephB (Feb 7, 2011)

Baron, I addressed that -- and if you aren't a professional writer, it doesn't apply. So really, it's _not_ that simple.


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## Baron (Feb 7, 2011)

"Accept your limitations and sure enough they're yours." - Richard Bach.


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## JosephB (Feb 7, 2011)

Wow. You should put that on t-shirts and coffee mugs. But I didn't say anything about accepting anything -- only that there might underlying causes and ways to deal with them other than "just write" -- which isn't always the solution for everyone.


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## Baron (Feb 7, 2011)

JosephB said:


> Wow. You should put that on t-shirts and coffee mugs.


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## JosephB (Feb 7, 2011)

Excellent. That's pretty much where it belongs. Or on those posters, reversed to white over a sunset.


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## Baron (Feb 7, 2011)

Feel free to add your own slogan.


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## Sam (Feb 8, 2011)

Where did you hear about Writer's Block? Because I've been writing long before I knew forums like this existed and I never heard tell of it until I joined one. Then I had to go look it up to find out what all the fuss was. I've never suffered from it. I don't allow myself to do so because I don't believe it exists. I wrote a string of novels and never once hit a blip because I loved every minute of it and couldn't wait to write the next scene. 

So I come back to a point I made a while back on this forum. 'Writer's block' is not what ails you. It's expectation. By placing a burden of expectation on yourself, you become unhappy with everything you write and that leads to discontent and a feeling that you can't write anything. Unfortunately, though, Baron is right. Professional authors rarely suffer from writer's block. So maybe that means you need to take a more professional standpoint when you write. That means self-discipling yourself to believe writer's block is just a figment of your imagination.


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## JosephB (Feb 8, 2011)

Sam W said:


> By placing a burden of expectation on yourself, you become unhappy with everything you write and that leads to discontent and a feeling that you can't write anything.



Writers block exists and you’ve just described one of the causes. Whether or not it’s a “feeling” is irrelevant. It’s very real to the writer.

There are strategies to overcome it. One of them might be “just write.” But that could mean writing some poetry or taking a break from your novel and writing a short story. Or it might mean just taking a break from writing altogether. It  might mean asking someone to read your work so you can get another perspective. Setting deadlines or goals or setting aside a certain time of day that you write could work too. That might be what you consider taking “a more professional standpoint when you write.” And if that works – great. That means the writer has overcome his writer's block -– it doesn’t mean that writer’s block doesn’t exist.

Even so, simply saying “professional authors rarely suffer from writer's block” doesn’t mean much if you aren’t a professional. It’s a different dynamic and motivation altogether -- and it might not be possible to manufacture the same frame of mind.  I do something creative for a living and I experience “blocks” too. Yes, I always manage to get it done -- but I’ve also recognized how to mostly avoid or work through periods where nothing is happening.

Telling someone who’s going through something that is very real to him that the problem doesn’t exist or is all in his mind is seldom effective – especially when the manifestation of it is real and if there are real underlying causes, like stress or other life issues or legitimate distractions.

But of course, _you've_ never experienced writer’s block, so it doesn’t exist. And your experience applies to everyone on the planet.


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## kay hall (Feb 8, 2011)

I'm trying to learn all I can about all things writing. As I was reading a book "Writing Fiction" I believe it mentioned writers block, or it may have been another book I was reading. I was also doing Research online about writing as well trying to come up with ideas for my story and I came across a few sites that mentioned writers block, such as About.com: Need. Know. Accomplish. and a few others. I figured since I'm having a difficult time with the story "Dark dreams" writers block would be the explanation.


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## kay hall (Feb 8, 2011)

Thanks to all of you for your comments and I really appreciate your honesty. I do hope to become a professional writer and realize I have *A LOT* to learn; I'm dedicated to do everything possible to do just that. I do feel that my story should be better than the last, live up to some sort of expectation I have, always be good, ect. (literally), I just realized, though I'm not a perfectionist by any means I want this to be perfect, the best it can be. I'm smiling at that for some reason, I don't know why.


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## Baron (Feb 8, 2011)

The trick is to make each thing you do what you want it to be without expectation which tries to force growth.  from infancy to maturity, growth is an unconscious process and a child can't will adulthood.  It's much better, and far less stressful, to be led by inspiration rather than driven by it.


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## caelum (Feb 8, 2011)

Baron said:


> The trick is to make each thing you do what you want it to be without expectation which tries to force growth.  from infancy to maturity, growth is an unconscious process and a child can't will adulthood.  It's much better, and far less stressful, to be led by inspiration rather than driven by it.


 
Reminds me of an interview I read of one of the guys in Metallica.  In it he talked about the failure of recent albums compared to past ones, saying, "We keep trying to find out how we did it _then_."  Instead of fresh inspiration they were trying to recreate old success.  Sometimes if people are successful they feel pressure to maintain that success, which ironically can make them less creative.


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## smkilby06 (Feb 8, 2011)

I agree with joesph, sometimes things going on in your life or around you are so distracting/stressful that you feel like you're not putting forth your best work. Its all well and good for you if you never had writers block but in truth if you haven't ever had it or don't belive in it maybe your on the wrong thread. What I find helps is do something relaxing and non related. If your stressed you gotta work it out. also I like to find a friend and just talk the problem I'm having out. You'd be surprised how those tough parts become little victories when you finally find the right words to say. I for one hope writers block exists because if it wasn't hard then it'd be boring.


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## aesir22 (Feb 14, 2011)

I don't think writers block exists in the way we some people view it. But I do think anyone doing something creative can have a slump where they might struggle. I play piano and violin, and there are some occassions where no matter how hard I try I cannot get the motivation to practice properly. I still try to, but the practice is sometimes shoddy and I don't achieve a great deal. The key is that I do still continue to practice. Its not a block so much as it is my brain taking a break from the heavy lifting, slacking off for a day or two, then getting back on course.

My brother is an artist. His work does pay have to pay the bills but he has times when absolutely nothing comes to him. So he tends to destroy some of the older pieces and use the canvas to just paint anything. 

If ever I struggle with what to write, I sometimes just skip a few scenes ahead then fill in the blanks later on. Or read a book by a writer who has inspired me.


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## AncientCWS (Feb 14, 2011)

Recently wrote a blog pertaining to Writer's Block on this site.  It can be found here:  http://www.writingforums.com/blogs/ancientcws/382-mass-distraction-writers-block-handled.html

My preference to slaying the nasty little beastie, although I do not condone or advise these actions for anyone else, involve various drinks, drugs, and music.  If that fails to work, I generally find that the number one cause for my writer's block is that I am either trying to hard, or not getting out enough.  Take a night off.  Go see and do a lot of things you wouldn't normally be involved with.  When you wake up in the morning, no doubt that you will have plenty to write about!


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## Shirley S. Bracken (Feb 14, 2011)

Are you guys familiar with the concept of the right side of the brain?  It is the creative side.  I totally believe that you can consciously make the flip from left side (analytical) to the right (creative) side.  It takes practice but it is an amazing thing.  I am a visual artist too and I can flip at will now, after much practice.  It is different in a writing sense because one needs some analytical abilities to write.  But maybe if you forget about form and correct grammar and any of the left brain functions, you can feel the flow again.  There are books out there that can be of aid to you.  Try it, you'll like it!!!


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## kay hall (Feb 16, 2011)

My mind is blank. it seems like I cant come up with a good hook or a good plot. Sometimes I know how the story will begin and/or end but dont know what to write in between.


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