Writer's block and me.

[Ryuu814]

Ah i can relate with all of you (for once)
I too am wanting to become a writer and I plan to be bettah than all the current authors!But lets not get ahead of myself XD

I also like to be alone when i do some writing, but not because I lose my trail of thought and so on so forth, but because I can get VERY embarrassed when people read it over my shoulder and such.
You see I like to write my fan-fictions as like practise (it saves me having to figure out history, characters (apart from one or two OC's) setting, plot and the works) and currently working on a Final Fantasy 7 ficy (yes you can shoot me if you have to, only doing that one because I write while I play through the story XD) and not many epople i know have actually played the JRPG's or RPG's or games I own.

but on the other hand i like writing with a few select people talking to me because I know they won't laugh and such and i'm able to bounce ideas at them and they can help suggest one or two things.

as many people here I also like to write in the dead of night and such. But usally I'm alone in my bedroom and when I'm not kicking Newbies on Halo or MW2 or any game on my 360 (boycott the new map pack people!) I'd bust out my laptop and get some story writing done.

as to the writers block problem, the best thing you can do is to just listen to some music, plays some games or watch some films to get some inspiration. Obviously you don't COPY anything from the game but maybe film or game titles can give you an idea.
You may also think about heading to a website called fictionpress. It's a sister site to fanfiction but the difference is that on fictionpress all the stories are 'origonal' so to speak.

I don't have a notepad but a full blown laptop. And an old one at that but it gets the job done for writing. If i'm out and about I have a small A5 sized notepad with me so if an idea or something strikes when i'm out and about I can quickly jot it down and expand on the idea when i get back home.

I wish you luck in your future writings ^_^

Edit: I also forgot that I'm helping a group of friends who are planning to become an indie gaming company (to go on xbox live we hope) and I'm the writer for the game they are devloping, so that helps as well with deadlines to make and such XD

 

[Zannah]

I wanna be a writer.

Not just fanfic or stuff on the Escapist (although i will get something published on here one day, even if it kills me), but be an author, a published author. Even if i only sell 500 copies of my book, i'll be happy, because i would have gotten the general public to read my stories and hopefully see some of the craziness i see in my mind.

However, i have been crippled by writers block ever since (and i'm not a bigot or anything) i met my girlfriend, now fiancee. I moved into her flat out the back of her parent's place, and it is a very cramped space. We barely fit in here as it is, and we are constantly getting into each other's faces because of it.

This is my problem...when i write my good stuff, my reeeeeally good stuff, i like to do it alone. I should rephrase that - i need to do it alone. At first i thought i could do it - i bought a laptop and tried to write whilst listening to my Ipod whilst she watched TV, but it didn't work. The TV would distract me or she would start talking to me or start wanting attention from me, which would make me lose my train of thought which would then make me angry then we'd have an argument over whether i pay enough attention to her or not and...yeah.

After discussing this with her, we have come to the conclusion that i must be alone to write, even if its only for a day or so every week. I've decided to purchase a notebook laptop, something purely for writing yet small enough so i can take it anywhere - this way i can stuff it into my backpack whenever i go out somewhere and simply hit the deck and start bashing out prose when the mood strikes me. It could be directly after work, on a train, during a walk in the park, whatever.

Does anybody else have a problem like this? Also, does anybody else have one of those little notebook laptop thingys? I've had a look at some and they seem pretty cool, but does anybody have any recommendations?

Can't really help you there - while both me any my boyfriend aim for careers in the creative market, being together, even If we're working on different projects, is quite helpful and doesn't block but increase the creative output (And the output's quality, due to always having someone likeminded around, who can tell you if something you did works or doesn't look / read the way you wanted it to)

 

[Scobie]

DELETED

 

[Doitpow]

I can only write when alone and not being distracted. So I set MSN to Busy so the noise doesn't bother me, put on my music and I type. Although I haven't written in a while so my super-awesome-will-probably-be-shit story only has above 11,000 words.

C'mon. Dont be like that. You gotta believe!

*Hits James Brown button*

YOU GATTA BELIEEEEEVE IN YOURSELF-ah! BELIEEEEVE IN THE LORD AND YOURSELF-ah!!

*Hits normality button*

Thats exactly the way i used to do it. Stick on some music relevant to the scene in my story and let the words flow. 11,000 words is a decent effort though dude! When i was your age (christ, i seem to be saying that a lot these days), i was pushing myself to bust out those kinda word amounts per chapter. You gotta push yourself-ah!

Well, my friends have all complimented it, but they're my friends. I can bet you that critics would hate it.

Also, 11,000 words per chapter? Screw that, mine are around 2,500-3,500 long.

I suppose 11,000 words is an alright effort, but I started it late last year, so I really should have more by now. I just haven't done anything on it in a while. I need to hit 80,000 to get to novel stage, but I doubt I'll hit that.

[sub][sub]Heh, I'd hit that.[/sub][/sub]

You want criticism? slap you're shit on the escapist, we'll take a peek? I find carrying a notepad around me helps, mind you I'm a journalist type character, not a fiction writer, although I do like to scribble a story every now and then. The notepad will help you make notes on the fly and helps you note down a descriptor or twist you can save for later.

I realise i'm being an asshole...maybe not as much as this guy...

'crippled by writers block ever since i met my girlfriend' are you fucking kidding me?!?! grow up, you should apologize to your woman for even thinking that.

but he is right in a way, you do have to take responsibility when you can't write, I'd suggest so some completely unrelated writing, try some stream of conscious. It is fun, it breaks the monotony and keeps you're mind focused on writing while allowing you to explore your own thoughts. Write 300-500 words at a time. Read it back through, would you change anything in retrospect? Not only is this a way to fine tune your style, but also is practice for proof reading, which is fucking essential, in any form of prose, essay or article.

Being unable to progress on one story (news or otherwise), usually means you're in a mental loop, you cant see a solution to a problem you have created, or can't see beyond the first solution...Consider deleting a signifigant portion of work before where you have got to (keep a copy obviously), I know it's heart breaking but lifes a *****, then approach it a different way. Maybe you protagonist didn't fear up to his fear this time? Maybe he turned and ran? Ran till his breath left him. Where would that leave him? In trouble that's where.

DO NOT, distract yourself with something other than writing though. It'll just get you out of that mindset. TV? no. Webcrawl? no. Reading the forum scribblings of a self-righteous ass? no.

Here's a 'Fun' thing to do. Go back to the beginning. No...really. Rewrite your story (you can do this quickly, shorthand, bad grammar, awful descriptors). From a different persons perspective, it really helps identify plot holes (wait I i was my wife in this story, where the hell would I BE between 10:30 and 12 on the night of the murder?), sometimes 'fixes' dialogue (...wait if I was this character's best friend, and had gone through these experiences thus far, I would NEVER agree to a threesome with his girlfriend) and more importantly points to solutions and progressions for the plot (If I was the dark Lord in this fantasy, I would take this assault on my territory as a reasonable threat and dispatch assassins woven from thunderclouds themselves, wielding blades forged from the never-melting ice of Khal-Duran to dispatch this usurping....um...sonofabitch. You can probably tell I'm not big on Fantasy.) Here's a fun fact hit "Author" Stephenie Meyer re-wrote her entire first book from the perspective of Edward Cullen, based off notes of a similar tactic to this, and probably made a killing off pre-pubescent girls. (Oh. He's just so damn dreamy).

Ooh, oooh here's even more fun. Reread your entire work, eliminate every cliche (his blade slid through the Kevlar like a hot knife through butter), laboured metaphor (the first time I met Claire it was as though the frost of cynicism that had settled around the elm tree of my soul, was thawed by the midday sun of her compassion), and just see what phrases you overuse (in my work I always over-use 'X taken to it's logical conclusion', 'X remains a powerful reminder/testament'. Replacing these makes for a more enjoyable read, and encourages you to be more creative with your writing. Don't be discouraged if you find loads, everyone does this, hell some of the most successful writers around are guilty of this amateur bullshit. Back to twilight count how many times she describes Edwards eyes as 'Topaz' (sorry I just read this piece of crap to prove a point to a friend, she is not amused), or how many times J. K. Rowling uses the phrase "X said matter of factly" (which is a shit descriptive anyway). But wait Ben! those are crappy kids books, how about something with a little more class. How about Homer? read the 0ddessy, count how many times he writes 'the rosy finger of Dawn' (did i just spell Oddessy with a zero? oh well).



And above all, take heart! Ye are merely starting on your quest! there are always pitfalls and traps that beset those who take such journeys. 11,000 words is further than most people venture. Good luck and have fun.


*Thinks to self...Did I just write 700 words 'schooling' people who probably know this shit already when I should be writing that article on music piracy? DAMN. Ben hypocrita est.

 

[S.R.S.]

This works for me: Take a shower.

Worked on a couple of occasions and for some friends too.

 

[bobknowsall]

Taking a break from writing tends to help writer's block, perversely enough. Instead of staring at a blank page for hours on end, go out and do something fun or interesting. I tend to have my best ideas when I'm on the train home from work, so I just carry a notebook with me. Find a setting that inspires creativity in you, basically.

 

[Doitpow]

A lot of people here have commented that music helps them. When leisure writing I find this to be true, but when working to a deadline, or at least to a personal target I find it just shatters my focus. Not only that but if you are listening to a variety of music, the change in tone tends to reflect in your work. Nothing is more bewildering to a reader than a piece that is flippant, then angsty, then serene all in one passage. I prefer to be in an environment when writing, one that doesn't change dramatically. Having other people around can be distracting but you'll be surprised what you ignore when you're really engrossed in what you're writing.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Einstein said "solitude is golden", if I'm quoting correctly.

If you've got a garden, I would suggest an empty shed be used as a writing space.
Not completly empty, you'd need a chair, table and a light of some sort, maybe a filing cabinet.
Never think of it as avoiding your lovely lass, though.

I know you haven't said you want to avoid her, but just never think of it like that, try to think "I don't like the noise" or "I just want to write and think".
It seems like you don't associate it with her anyway, you're just annoyed by noise in general but still, I thought I should say it.

 

[Valksy]

I used to write the old fashioned way and never had to worry about people looking over my shoulder of picking up my stuff when I was not around because nobody could read my chronic handwriting =D

To date I still write longhand as I find when I do it on a computer it is too easy to go back and tinker endlessly with paragraphs which makes the flow of story telling stilted and unnatural. I rarely cross out when writing longhand and know that if I ever decided to submit somewhere I could copy type a second draft and go from there.

When it comes to getting over writer's block I would suggest setting yourself some simple little exercises - describe a beautiful place, write an exciting piece of dialogue, set yourself a word limit and try to tell a story in it. You don't have to always sit down to whatever you are working on, do something to get your creative motor ticking over.

To the OP - have you had a chat with your other half and talked about how important it is to you to have time to sit down and write and have some self time. I think that is pretty necessary if you plan on getting married. Couples should not expect to live in one another's pocket and she should understand what that alone time means to you and she can't really do that unless you tell her.

 

[Washboard]

I wanna be a writer.

Not just fanfic or stuff on the Escapist (although i will get something published on here one day, even if it kills me), but be an author, a published author. Even if i only sell 500 copies of my book, i'll be happy, because i would have gotten the general public to read my stories and hopefully see some of the craziness i see in my mind.

However, i have been crippled by writers block ever since (and i'm not a bigot or anything) i met my girlfriend, now fiancee. I moved into her flat out the back of her parent's place, and it is a very cramped space. We barely fit in here as it is, and we are constantly getting into each other's faces because of it.

This is my problem...when i write my good stuff, my reeeeeally good stuff, i like to do it alone. I should rephrase that - i need to do it alone. At first i thought i could do it - i bought a laptop and tried to write whilst listening to my Ipod whilst she watched TV, but it didn't work. The TV would distract me or she would start talking to me or start wanting attention from me, which would make me lose my train of thought which would then make me angry then we'd have an argument over whether i pay enough attention to her or not and...yeah.

After discussing this with her, we have come to the conclusion that i must be alone to write, even if its only for a day or so every week. I've decided to purchase a notebook laptop, something purely for writing yet small enough so i can take it anywhere - this way i can stuff it into my backpack whenever i go out somewhere and simply hit the deck and start bashing out prose when the mood strikes me. It could be directly after work, on a train, during a walk in the park, whatever.

Does anybody else have a problem like this? Also, does anybody else have one of those little notebook laptop thingys? I've had a look at some and they seem pretty cool, but does anybody have any recommendations?

I know its a totally different problem, but i've had a poem and a short story published. And i'm Dyslexic and Dsyphraxic, so you can imagine it wasent easy!
so the moral is dont give up hope

You'll find a way, why dont you try a library? if it has a silent section its sort of semi-isolation. If not that, its almost summer, take your laptop/notepad and go for a walk on the glen, find a shady tree and write there?

oh and as far as notebooks go why not wait for a tablet PC (like the Ipad)

 

[Valksy]

amateur bullshit. Back to twilight count how many times she describes Edwards eyes as 'Topaz' (sorry I just read this piece of crap to prove a point to a friend, she is not amused), or how many times J. K. Rowling uses the phrase "X said matter of factly" (which is a shit descriptive anyway). But wait Ben! those are crappy kids books.

Argh! My god that shit pisses me off. I have to put down a book that has not had decent editing done. I was reading a trashy horror novel by British hack Shaun Hutson and he used the word "crimson" to describe blood no less than 3 times on one bloody page. One paperback page. What The Fuck?

I said in another page that everyone has a pet word or two that they struggle to spell. I know from a longish history of beta reading that writer's also have a word/phrase that they are in love with and will spam whenever they can. A good editor cleans that shit up and makes them do it again because it is lousy style.

I had one writer that combined both. She loved to describe things as vicious but would, without fail, spell it as "viscous". She was a red pen job and a half (and her punctuation was crap).

 

[Doitpow]

amateur bullshit. Back to twilight count how many times she describes Edwards eyes as 'Topaz' (sorry I just read this piece of crap to prove a point to a friend, she is not amused), or how many times J. K. Rowling uses the phrase "X said matter of factly" (which is a shit descriptive anyway). But wait Ben! those are crappy kids books.

Argh! My god that shit pisses me off. I have to put down a book that has not had decent editing done. I was reading a trashy horror novel by British hack Shaun Hutson and he used the word "crimson" to describe blood no less than 3 times on one bloody page. One paperback page. What The Fuck?

I said in another page that everyone has a pet word or two that they struggle to spell. I know from a longish history of beta reading that writer's also have a word/phrase that they are in love with and will spam whenever they can. A good editor cleans that shit up and makes them do it again because it is lousy style.

I had one writer that combined both. She loved to describe things as vicious but would, without fail, spell it as "viscous". She was a red pen job and a half (and her punctuation was crap).

YAY someone read my whole post! or at least to the bits where I bash twilight! No-ones quoted me in ages, I was beginning to feel left out.

Hahaha I would viscously smash her in the face for that, then set a pack of viscous dogs on her. But then again I am known to have a viscous temper.
I have a great image of these things happening very slowly, like through a sea of honey....
now I'm hungry.

for your consideration...a viscous T-rex

http://www.libertyforall.net/images/toons/tarpit.jpg

oooh topical humour

 

[Slash Dementia]

I agree with the post that said to try the library. It's peaceful there. What are you writing about?

I write at home, but only when I have a thought; most of the time I don't because I get distracted by MSN and I find it hard to tell people that I'm writing so they can give me some peace.
Two stories just uncompleted. Kind of sucks. I need a netbook and to go out.

 

[JohnTomorrow]

Wow...its nice to see that there are so many kindred spirits out there. Although, this is the internet, so there's kindred spirits for a lot of...different people...

To clear things up, i write a lot of 'action' type stories. I don't like the 'action/adventure' genre - surely any story where something happens to someone and they do something about it is an adventure? Shit, my old English teacher used to say that going down to the local deli to get a paper could be considered an adventure if you were an eighty year old man. However, i write from the 'visceral' school of action (not exactly Bret Easton Ellis, but not John Clancy either). Therefore, its hard to explain to the person next to me why i had the main character tortured then left in a small cell and forced to get addicted to herion, only to escape but have to go through withdrawls, therefore lashing out at his friends and self-harming in the process.

"I thought he was the good guy. Why would you do that?"

"Well, this is a new world. The age where the protagonist would get roughed up a little before his friends bust through the door is gone. People want ultra-realism these days, and unfortunately, that means someone has to get addicted to smack."

"But who would even think of that?! You're a freak!"

"I love you too baby."

Thats the kind of conversation i'm trying to avoid. Plus, its hard to explain time travel to someone who isn't familiar with ontological paradoxes and Hobson's Choice.

...As for some assholes who wish to rag on me for supposedly not having a pair and telling my fiancee that she is stunting my creativity, i have. We've discussed it like civilized human beings, she understands that i still love her and that this is something that is out of both of our controls. I initially bought my laptop with the idea of using it for writing, but she began to use it for work purposes and eventually it became her laptop, which i am fine with. A netbook will suffice for my writing needs, as it basically built only for word processing. I think i might be able to stuff some music onto it so i don't have to carry my Ipod everywhere, and i will only use the internet capabilities to gather info regarding my writings, that's it.

I typically keep two notepads, pocket sized but real fat-bastards, in my workbag at all times. The blue one is for my fanfic (which involves time travel and other stuff) and the black one is for my original works. These have been infinitely helpful many times, as i work outdoors often and don't have ready access to a slip of paper to jot down a thought on. I can just whip out a notepad and scribble something before getting back to weeding. I generally note down a chapter number and write a brief, point-form synopsis of what should happen during that chapter, before noting down anything relevant that should happen during/before/after that chapter. This can get confusing, as I'd have pages upon pages of chapters written, but a sudden brainstorm near the end of the notepad will radically change those chapters, so I'm gonna have to re-write them all out with the latter changes in effect in a different notepad later.

 

[JohnTomorrow]

I used to write the old fashioned way and never had to worry about people looking over my shoulder of picking up my stuff when I was not around because nobody could read my chronic handwriting =D

To date I still write longhand as I find when I do it on a computer it is too easy to go back and tinker endlessly with paragraphs which makes the flow of story telling stilted and unnatural. I rarely cross out when writing longhand and know that if I ever decided to submit somewhere I could copy type a second draft and go from there.

When it comes to getting over writer's block I would suggest setting yourself some simple little exercises - describe a beautiful place, write an exciting piece of dialogue, set yourself a word limit and try to tell a story in it. You don't have to always sit down to whatever you are working on, do something to get your creative motor ticking over.

To the OP - have you had a chat with your other half and talked about how important it is to you to have time to sit down and write and have some self time. I think that is pretty necessary if you plan on getting married. Couples should not expect to live in one another's pocket and she should understand what that alone time means to you and she can't really do that unless you tell her.

I'm like you, in that my handwriting looks like a spider having an epileptic fit whilst doing the moonwalk over the page. This is very handy to the bastards not being able to read what i write and report it back to their superiors (yes, i'm a paranoid bastard ^^). However, as soon as i got my hands on a computer, writing became so much easier for me. Yes, there are times when you've typed out an entire page of setting or dialogue only to delete it in an fit of artistic genocide, but hey, at least i don't get the hand-cramps anymore.

Plus its green. Save the trees!

My creativity is there, it just needs a place to flourish. like Scarletrider and Urock, i used to write all damn night - but juggling my full-time job, a small business, my second job, plus mortgage/house building/wedding, AND spending time with my fiancee and friends, i cant afford to not get a good night's sleep.

...Easter weekend is coming up. Perhaps i'll pick a night where i'll just go for broke whilst the missus is snoring and see how much i get out, like the good ol' days...

 

[tomtom94]

I was writing songs the other weekend, and I found that I was really only doing it to get out rage against a girl I know. Once I'd written that particular song, it was really hard to come up with inspiration for anything else.

In general I have a problem with writer's block too - all my stories grind to a halt after a few lines.
I generally just have a good think.


[sub]then give up[/sub]

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I love writing. But I face the same problem: I need to do it alone. It's more a embarassment thing than a distraction thing, however.

 

[Tri Force95]

I can only write when alone and not being distracted. So I set MSN to Busy so the noise doesn't bother me, put on my music and I type. Although I haven't written in a while so my super-awesome-will-probably-be-shit story only has above 11,000 words.

C'mon. Dont be like that. You gotta believe!

*Hits James Brown button*

YOU GATTA BELIEEEEEVE IN YOURSELF-ah! BELIEEEEVE IN THE LORD AND YOURSELF-ah!!

*Hits normality button*

Thats exactly the way i used to do it. Stick on some music relevant to the scene in my story and let the words flow. 11,000 words is a decent effort though dude! When i was your age (christ, i seem to be saying that a lot these days), i was pushing myself to bust out those kinda word amounts per chapter. You gotta push yourself-ah!

I agree with this man, and James Brown.

Im alot like ya man, I just jump around sotries alot, I cant help it.

 

[Looking For Alaska]

I am also a starving artist of the writer persuasion, so I feel your pain. Here are two things I've used to great effect that have helped alot with getting rid of the block.

1.http://writeordie.drwicked.com/

2. What I used to do was open my word processor and type "I don't know what to write. I don't know what to write" over and over until I realized that it was just less painful and less of a timewaster to write something substantial. Sometimes you'll hammer out an extremely shit piece of trash that can't be saved, but more often than not you can plant the seed of the first draft of something that could be good. If you do the latter, your problem is solved. if you do the former, you're no worse off than when you started.

Eventually you can even condition yourself like this to drown out the background noise and write when you aren't alone.

 

[electric_warrior]

i wrote a screenplay once when i was 14 (triggerstreet rated it as average, oh yeah!), but it was like some blaze of creativity and everything flowed out fully formed and realized. For 7 days I worked 12 hours a day on it and it ended up being 100 oages and 20,000 words long.

I don't think I could do it again, I'll probably try again some day when I have more time and a longer attention span