Tips and tricks to deal with Writer's Block.

[r123]

How I dealt with my writer’s bock

This was a story I shared in my blog and would love to share with you all.
The life of a writer is never easy. When I sit down to write, my Muse decides to go into hibernation. Even with a lot of cajoling, threats, tears I can’t make her come back. Sighing, at the wastage of few solitary hours, I reconcile to the fact that I am done for the day.

The story was going at a such a fine pace. The lovers had met, they were fighting off their physical attraction and just when I was planning to give them their big kiss,my muse ran away.

I have a target of writing at least a thousand word a day. But writing mere words is not enough. What about feelings, the emotions that weaves through the story? How do I recapture them? Mere words won’t solve my problem. I feel like a kindergarten kid learning her new words. I know the words, but why it is there, is a big mystery to me. So I decided to take a walk.

Gearing myself against a suprinsingly cold Texan weather, I start walking on the pavement of my neighborhood. All doors are shut, the silence is overwhelming but has a calming effect on my mind.

I peek in every nook and corner for her.( Did I mention by now I was ready to grovel at her feet? I have a deadline to meet and beggars cannot be choosers. Can they?) But as I had said earlier she had decided to make me pay for my sins (when she would poke me at 2:00 am, I would bury myself further in the blanket ).

And that is the precise moment I saw her…….

An old, wrinkled, rickety boned lady - gardening. Poor senile dear. What the hell what she was doing at 9:00 PM? Who does gardening at such an hour, let alone at her age. It must be her senility. But I am what the Dutch call Kieskeuring Annie – the English Nosey Parker. So, I went up to her and with my most complacent smile asked her-

“Isn’t it too late for gardening at such an hour, ma’am?”

A gentle smile on the wrinkled face. “If I don’t do it now dear, it would be too late.”

“Too late?” I look over my shoulder. Had not thought of this angle. Haunts? I gulped and decided to take a short cut home.

“Yes. Do you see these roses? The morning frost is damaging them. I am just putting more plant food for them. They need their strength to fight this uncalled winter in Texas.”

The old lady really loved her garden. I understood that but still…..

“But why did you not do it in the morning. It was sunny today wasn’t it?”

“But I was in the hospital having an ECG done. When I came home I saw my plants looking lost and withering. So, I decided to do it now.”

“But…..?” How could I tell her that she needs to go the the looney bin for doing this at night. She understood. The way only the old can understand unspoken words.

She gave me the gentlest of all smiles. “If I waited the story of myT would have died by tomorrow. How could I take the chance? I had the strength within me to do it tonight. Who knows what will happen to me tomorrow.”

Stunned, I made a hasty goodbye. My steps quickened. No more was I searching for my Muse. Perspiring, I ran back to my house and went to my study. I opened my laptop and continued my story........

How could I be so foolish? The Muse was within me. My search for inspiration was just an excuse – a fear that what I was writing was not good enough. But the lady taught me one thing – if you love something, no matter what the time of the day is, no matter what others think of you, if you believe in it, then just do it.

[DBR Books]

Hi Everyone, I'm new here. I like to look back at what I had written and see where in the story I can really slow down. Sometimes in areas we gallop ahead - but we can look back and see if we need to add scene details or personality details etc.

Also, when I'm stuck I go to the park and watch the people pass by, then I try to make a story re each person - you'll be surprise what you can learn just by observing - then you start to look at your writing in afresh way.

-- 18 Mar 2013, 19:42 --

Hi r123 - I like you story!

[FNAWrite]

Just work - write. If you wait for the muse of inspiration to come to you, you might wait forever.

[r123]

Just work - write. If you wait for the muse of inspiration to come to you, you might wait forever.

True. Sometimes I think they are just excuses for a lazy day or fear, lack of confidence. The best thing to do is as you say write. If not your story then something else. Write and read.

-- 19 Mar 2013, 22:00 --

Hi Everyone, I'm new here. I like to look back at what I had written and see where in the story I can really slow down. Sometimes in areas we gallop ahead - but we can look back and see if we need to add scene details or personality details etc.

Also, when I'm stuck I go to the park and watch the people pass by, then I try to make a story re each person - you'll be surprise what you can learn just by observing - then you start to look at your writing in afresh way.

-- 18 Mar 2013, 19:42 --

Hi r123 - I like you story!

Thanks DBR.

Yes the small small nuaces, twiches or habits of people are fun to observe. I love watching them in airports, parks and mostly in restaurants. [I tend to get some dirty stares in return, but that is a small payment to pay] After all our characters are alive to us and they have to be born with different habits somewhere. So why not take help from God's creation. At least plagarism won't be an issue.

[Hope_0615]

I find that if I get stuck while writing, it helps if I put it down completely for awhile and focus my energy on something else entirely. Focusing my energy on something that is completely unrelated to writing is my most helpful tool, whether I bake cookies, go for a walk or read a book. Something different helps for everyone

[r123]

Yes. It does help. I generally let it go for the day and when I return to it, it is much clearer.

[AliceRose]

I try not to stress too much about it, because then it starts feeling more and more like a chore - "Oh no, I HAVE to get that writing done" etc. Taking a little time off is a good idea, and then coming back to it the next day. I find writing exercises help as well - just sitting there and writing whatever comes into my head, even if it's just the shopping list. It helps me get back into the flow.

[Margo]

The beauty of creating an outline before "officially" starting a book is its role in breaking writers block. If fiction, the outline can be just a blurb on the first paragraph, a brief outline of the characters needed, and short sentences about action scenes. Include a closing paragraph that may or may not work when you actually finish the book. If nonfiction the structure becomes more important, so include more information in the original outline.

Try to keep some order about the outline. This is where a writing software really comes in handy. You can catch thoughts and ideas and work them in later. Meanwhile the outline keeps you working through the block.

[M Strand]

Honestly, if I have Writer’s Block I pause, give my brain a rest and grab a book to read. You may not be able to write now, but who knows what you read may inspire you enough as to destroy the deadly disease…. we call Writer’s Block.

Another tip I was given was – Just Write – it does work, but I get annoyed after so long of nothing coming out right from time to time.

[colleenmclain]

All great idea's!

I tend to set what I'm working on aside and go for a walk on the beach, ask myself why I'm stuck. Usually it's because I forced my character or story to something that my not be resolvable or out of character. I have had to rewrite the path a few times to get past it or resolve it.
I have 15 outlines waiting for me to finish what I'm working on so I can gratify one of them by picking them back up and getting to work.

However for me the beach works best. What time is it? 11am time for lunch on the beach.

[Dream Catcher]

I usually start reading, take random notes. Or you could try "free writing". Free writing is where you write four exactly five minutes without stopping. You must have an idea, that may be "monster under the bed" for example. You'd keep writing that sentence until you get any ideas to which you can write down. When you're stuck for what to write you just repeat the sentence.

[anomalocaris]

I find that the fastest cure for writer's block is an editor's deadline.

[CrescentMoon]

If I am stuck it is usually because I was writing for a really long period of time. I need to take occasional breaks and do something else like reading, watching TV, etc. Sleep also really helps.

[volpe-rossa]

In a NaNoWriMo local group I took part in last year, our Moderator had a list of random things that if you were having writer's block, you requested a number and she would assign us whatever was on that secret list - and we had to fit it into our story in some fashion.

I've done this from time to time when I've been all stopped up. Imagine fitting a "game of monopoly" into a story that's based in the 1700's !

[Qew]

Speaking of NaNoWriMo, the lovely people there gave me these two website applications that make you write by adding consequences: Written? Kitten! gives you pictures of kittens if you keep writing; Write or Die does horrible things to you if you ever stop writing. These two have helped me whenever I had writer's block.