DISCUSSION: Writer's Block and how to fix it

[Greninjaman]

I looked to see if there is a thread dedicated to this topic but could not find it. Also, I want this to be for everyone who has writer's block.
What are ways that a writer can overcome Writer's Block?

 

[AetherX]

I think of there being two kinds of writer's block. The first is more common, but the second is trickier to deal with. This is just something I've noticed for me, but maybe other people can relate.

The first kind of writer's block is when you're just "not really feeling it today." I get this when I have time to write and I really want to have written, but I'm not in the mood for writing. I don't think I've ever talked to a writer who doesn't struggle with this from time to time. The solution is developing a skill that every writer needs to learn at some point: WRITE ANYWAY. You might not be able to squeeze out many words, and what you write might be terrible, but you will write. You can always go back and fix it later (if it even needs fixing). Developing a habit of writing and refusing to break it when you're "not feeling it today" is how you avoid writer's block from becoming a recurring issue.

The second kind of writer's block is one that I only get from time to time but is really frustrating. It's where I just can not find the words to use. I can't figure out how a character would say a line of dialogue or what words describe what a room looks like. This sucks because it can completely halt all momentum. I've seen some advice for this online to do something like write the scene from a different point of view or in a different tense (and then adapting it back to your normal POV/tense if necessary). I haven't tried that, but it could be worth a shot. What I usually do is just skip the section that's giving me trouble. I pound my hands on my keyboard, highlight the resulting gibberish and turn it red so that I can easily find it later, and just keep going as early in the scene as I feel comfortable picking up (or skip to the next scene). You could just leave a big space or put a note in the margins, but I find pounding the keyboard to be an important therapeutic step.

The easy solution for either of these is to take a break, but that's not really a solution at all since the end result is not writing anyway. At the very least, opt to do revision or planning instead so that you can maintain the writing habit and make some kind of progress.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Some no fail cures that have worked for me:

--Work on something else (ideally a different piece of writing, but it can be something that's not writing)

--Read, watch or play something in the genre(s) you're working in (Don't limit yourself to the masterpieces and good stuff in your genre--sometimes a good idea can come from a bad or just okay work)

--Read/watch/play something in a completely different genre (you may find that something can be adapted/reworked into your genre of choice)

--Listen to music (I have had whole chapters inspired by a song before)

--Walk away from the project for a little while. (This can be for just a few minutes, or it can be days, weeks, or even months. See what inspires you in the meantime)

--Keep a notebook/notepad app handy, and write down ideas if they come--even if you get inspired at 2 AM!

 

[Juliko]

It can also help to do something like go outside and look at the scenery. Maybe go people watching. Pay attention to details. Sometimes ideas pop in faster when you're not actually working on writing at all. I sometimes find that going out on short walks helps with clearing the occasional bout of writer's block sometimes. But not all the time, so your mileage may vary.

 

[Nicolas721]

I think it depends on the kind of block, though sometimes they overlap:

• Lack of direction: Sometimes you have to take a big decision on your story that will change everything but you don't know whether it's a good thing to do, or there are different alternatives and you can't choose one. Try to stick with the one that makes the most sense based on the characters' personalities, but take into account the one that will have the most potential in the future and the one you like the most.
• Lack of ideas: Similar to the above, but deals with filler-y stuff which is sometimes tiring to write, like individual episodes on a long-running fanfics. One thing that has worked for me is to have vague ideas about the beginning, middle and end of the chapter before writing, and I don't start until I write them.
• Lack of motivation: If you aren't interested on writing a particular plot point or scene, my advice is that it could be because it's a predictable scene or chapter. Try not to stick to a formula too much, the more you play with that formula the more the chapter will be fun to write. But if the problem is that the story and the characters just bore you, well, it's up to you to decide whether it's okay to continue or not.
• "Too Soon": Writing about character deaths and similar touchy stuff can be unpredictably hard, specially if it's inspired on a personal experience, and it's okay to take your time before you can write about it.