Writer's Block

[Relish in Chaos]

Alright, so basically, I want to be a writer, and I'm planning to take English Language at A-Level. However, for some reason, I've been having writer's block at the moment. I used to write stories all the time when I was younger, but now, I've just been finding it really difficult to even start. I don't know what to write, how to write it, I barely have any substantial ideas...

I wonder if it's because I'm just not good at writing, and I need more training. Or maybe the problems that I'm currently dealing with in my life (I'm on a waiting list for therapy) are distracting me. But writing's always been a really important outlet for me.

What should I do?

 

[BrassButtons]

Write anyway. Don't worry about if you're very good right now, or if your ideas are worthwhile. Both of those are skills that will come with practice, and to do that you need to be writing.

One thing I tried for awhile was to spend 15 minutes each day writing a short story. That doesn't give you a lot of time to ponder if your ideas are really "good" or not (though later these can provide a great source of inspiration), and it's a good way to get into the habit of writing every day. After a few days of that I think I started to think more creatively as well.

 

[Spinozaad]

Whether you're writing a story, or an essay in the Humanities, there is always one thing that you can do. As BrassButtons said: write anyway.

Although I'd like to interpret it as 'keep writing'.

You're stuck in a story? Let ninja's burst into the room.
You have an idea, but you can't seem to make it work? Write the crap version down anyway, and continue the story. You can always rewrite it when revising.
You're losing yourself in your reasoning/line of thought? Write the entire entangled mess down, print it out, put it in the drawer for two days and apply Occam's Razor.

Just keep going, really.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Hmm...interesting. OK, I'll take your advice. I've also been meaning to speak to this careers advisor that works with kids at school about getting me some kind of work experience job at a newspaper agency, to hone my writing skills.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Hmm...interesting. OK, I'll take your advice. I've also been meaning to speak to this careers advisor that works with kids at school about getting me some kind of work experience job at a newspaper agency, to hone my writing skills.

That's not entirely necessary, though it will give you direct influence to what you write.

Like the others who have posted already, it is just a case of getting words on paper. Verbalise any random thought that comes to mind. It honestly doesn't matter whether it makes sense or not because when you want to be a writer, before you get your break, it's more about how you write than what you write.

Oh, that and read... lots, and I don't mean that in quantity alone. Read good stuff (e.g. Paolo Coelho), read old stuff (e.g. Charles Dickens), read shit (e.g. Stephenie Meyer) etc. etc. to get the gist of different writing styles, the evolution of English literary methods and naturally, how not to write.

Best of luck with your GCSE's BTW... (couple of months to go, but what the hey)

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Hmm...interesting. OK, I'll take your advice. I've also been meaning to speak to this careers advisor that works with kids at school about getting me some kind of work experience job at a newspaper agency, to hone my writing skills.

That's not entirely necessary, though it will give you direct influence to what you write.

Like the others who have posted already, it is just a case of getting words on paper. Verbalise any random thought that comes to mind. It honestly doesn't matter whether it makes sense or not because when you want to be a writer, before you get your break, it's more about how you write than what you write.

Oh, that and read... lots, and I don't mean that in quantity alone. Read good stuff (e.g. Paolo Coelho), read old stuff (e.g. Charles Dickens), read shit (e.g. Stephenie Meyer) etc. etc. to get the gist of different writing styles, the evolution of English literary methods and naturally, how not to write.

Best of luck with your GCSE's BTW... (couple of months to go, but what the hey)

Yeah, thanks. I think I've read a couple of Dickens books, and I read Twilight (which only got remotely entertaining towards the end, because it wasn't all horribly-paced angst).

I think I'll try some writing tomorrow, and I've actually written up a small intro of one little story.

 

[Giftfromme]

Writers block doesn't really exist. You just need to write, even when you don't feel like it, as inspiration will only come with perspiration, paraphrasing the old saying. You need to just be able to sit down and write, without being inspired to do so or needing the feel to do so.

 

[Brown Cap]

Two things:

Try a stream of conciousness; a five-minute non-stop writing spree where you write the first thing that comes to mind, never picking up your pen unless to start a new word.

Think of things you like to read about, watch, or genre of video game you play. Writing about things you enjoy is always a good start.

 

[Hipsy_Gypsy]

At school, I kept being told by my English/Media Studies teacher that there was no such thing as writer's block. I agree with him entirely.

Simply put, you just write. It's probably because you're too conscious about what you're writing, maybe not having your usual creative burst. It's almost always the case with me, anyroad. So stop looking at the blank page and write. It's not going to write itself, is it?

If you're really stuck, then do what I do and that's write about writer's block. Let me know how it goes and good luck to you.

Captcha: "cheese fries"

[Snigger]

 

[JesterRaiin]

What should I do?

Stop writing.
Read more, watch movies, talk with people. Try things you didn't try before (join some club for example).
After a month or two, try to write.
You can't ?
Repeat steps 1-3 but give yourself a longer vacations before getting back to writing.
No luck ?

Stop writing at all. Or rather : get back to it when you'll become older.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

Just write a random sentence and go from there, that's what I usually do when I have writers block. But if you're still stuck and really feel the urge to write something, make a journal entry. There's bound to be something in your life worth analyzing and unraveling.

 

[Craorach]

Advice that was given to me when I wanted to write more extensively was to always carry a notebook.

Sitting down and going "I'm going to write A Story!" often doesn't work, as ideas don't spring into existence by themselves. You can find ideas from other people's stories, from movies, from just things you see every day in the street.. but once you get home and sit down the idea will often seem silly, or will have fluttered away to far to remember clearly.

So write it down there and then, then when you do come to write properly you have a source of inspiration.