Writers Block

[Mister Ash]

So I'm sitting here, having written the first line to a story 18 times, and not getting any further. and it made me wonder about writers block.

A few years ago, I'd be in my room, put pen to paper, and have 3 pages of stuff written down (good or not, at least it was there) and i could write about almost anything. Then all my creativity seemed to dry up, seemingly overnight. I've not written anything, more than maybe 3-4 lines in nearly 2 years. nothing worthy of being called a story, or poem, or song.

For a while, I didn't even try to put pen to paper, and I didn't miss it for a while. Now though, I'm trying harder and harder to get anything to make sense no matter how hard I try.

Back to the wondering... Have you ever had a bad case of writers block, or something that's made you stop/start writing/typing/drawing/whatever? How do you deal with it? Do you just wait for something to spark in your mind that'll hopefully cause an inferno of creative thoughts to fill your mind?

I'm curious... because right now, it's annoying the hell out of me

 

[rottenbutter]

I am permanently stuck in a constant state of writers block.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Nice timing for this thread. I'm using the Escapist right now to procrastinate, as I'm supposed to be working on this English paper that's sitting on my desk. An hour ago I wrote the heading and gave up after chatting with my friends for 40 minutes. I suck at working.

So, to stay on topic, yes I have writers block all the time (more of a permanent condition really), which makes my procrastination worse as well. Though there are some times when I can just start writing...Those are great moments. But they're mostly uncommon.

 

[Galletea]

I do a lot of drawing and some composing and have times where although I feel motivated to draw/write, I can't seem to get started. I usually listen to some classical/techno music i.e. something without words and that helps me visualise ideas.
When I'm really stuck I focus on something else for a while, like gaming. Then eventually something will strike a chord with me and I'll have to go and create again.

 

[Mister Ash]

I seem to think of the ideas at the wrong times, like when i'm busy at work and can't write anything down, or walking home, with nothing to write on, but the ideas themselves, are shallow, and feel forced, and in some cases when I think about recent books I've read, plagerism. Its bloody infuriating!

I like the Techno idea though, less words might help me make my own.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Writer's block, no. Artist's block, frequently. Generally for a few hours, sometimes days and even weeks

I've found two reliable ways of clearing artist's block.

One is to get a like minded friend/s, go to somewhere you all feel relaxed and just chuck ideas around. They can be any random crap that pops into your head, just so long as you all write down (or in my case draw) what's discussed. Of cours this is dependant on having friends you feel comfortable discussing the darkest reaches of your mind with.
It also helps if you have a similar degree of ability to your friends, although this isn't essential. The best ideas often come from people who are completely new to a group.

The other is just to sit down and force it. This is a less than comfortable solution, most of what I produce when I force myself to draw is shit, it goes straight in the bin. The quality of what I produce is largely irrelevant, so long as I produce something, however hard it may be to shit out my head.
The upshot is that I often 'suddenly' start producing something that's sellable, which is extremely heartening.

Thinking about why you want to do it can help too. For me it's pretty simple, I want to get paid.
The only time you actually start getting worse is when you stop, so don't do it.

 

[Jobz]

I've had some serious writer's block in the past, and I've gone through very long spells of it before. Like right now, I wrote something a few weeks ago but it was forced, I haven't written anything good in quite a while. Not poetry at least, which is my forte. I've banged out a few decent essays though.

When I get writer's block I try to force something out. Just make it rhyme and make sense, it doesn't have to be good. Because once it's done I tend to throw it out or try to forget about it. It sometimes help to clear out the creative tubes, so to speak. Give it a try, I can't guarantee it will work (Hell, it doesn't even work for me all the time) but it's worth a go.

 

[fedpayne]

Is this creative writing writer's block?

Here's a few ideas that I find helpful:
Go to the library, or even your bookcase, look some covers and try and think up a story for those covers (helps if you haven't read the book, because then you won't be ripping people off). Or you could just look at some cool pictures on google.
Listen to songs by people like Springsteen and the Weakerthans, people who write songs with characters and stories in. Try writing some stories for characters in songs, to get you writing again.
Read someone who clearly loves writing, and writes like a cool muthafucka. Like Raymond Chandler. If you like that sort of thing. Reading something like that makes me wanna write alot.

Hope any of that helps.

 

[Ultrajoe]

I never have any trouble writing, it flows like a river.

But that said, i've never attempted anything more strenuous than a short story (20-30 pages)

 

[corporate_gamer]

i dunno... get absolutely smashed?

 

[Hey Joe]

Go have a shower. Seriously, it can just reinvigorate you like nothing else. I find it quite effective when I get bad writer's block.

 

[The Wooster]

1. Take a shit.
2. Take a shower.
3. Take a walk.

If none of those work just write through it. Ignore what you're writing and once you've gone a thousand words or so go back and edit, edit and edit again.

 

[Novajam]

I get writers block frequently, mainly cause the only thing I write (apart from English assignments) is reviews. Sometimes I feel like I'm just saying the same thing I said in my last review but with the game title changed around. My writing style's too, I dunno, vanilla.

But I've found a few things help. I usually have music on while I write. If I'm having trouble writing I find only playing instrumental/classical music can help. Also, when I'm having trouble writing about one part of the game I just leave it, write about another part that's a bit easier and come back to the original point later.

Not sure if this helps. Hope you can use some of it. Good luck.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

I have writers block something awful. When I was a kid, I could just pick up a pen and paper and it would flow out of me. Now, I can't seem to put anything into words. This is especialy annoying because it began around the time I decided I'd write a novel.
And trust me, there's no way to get rid of my writers block, because it's more like writers brain damage. I was really good at it, and then I wasn't. Just for no reason. I am getting better again, but only because I practice by barfing words onto a page. It's like learning how to write all over again.

 

[searanox]

Maybe I'm overly critical of myself, but I can't bring myself to write anything that's derivative of other work. This tends to stop me from writing fiction.

I have a huge amount of trouble getting to work on essays and stuff for school, but once I start writing I rarely have a problem. Sometimes, getting my sources together and incorporating them into what I write is the biggest problem simply because my fairly wide body of knowledge allows me to write truly while ignoring citation and referencing.

I tend to suffer artist's block more; although I wouldn't call myself an artist per se, I do draw from time to time, usually doodles. Although I was doing it quite a bit a year ago, now I find myself unable to come up with anything good. Part of it is inspiration, part of it is knowing my limitations (I generally can't do much aside from cartoons and monsters and stuff), and part of it is just being unsatisfied.

 

[cheatking]

I keep a note book where I jot down all the lines that are said in life (and dreams) which I think would be good in stories. However, you look back at some of them thinking 'how is "cat fell on a pie" good?'

 

[The_Deleted]

Has anything happened to put you off or distract you?
I went off drawing for the best part of 10 years after art college and it's only recently that I've gotten my passion back for it.
I wouldn't stress just yet...give another decade...

 

[Logan Westbrook]

My two tips for getting round writer's block:

1. Start somewhere else. You don't necessarily have to start writing a story at the beginning. If there is a scene or a dialogue that is in the forefront of your mind, write that first.

2. Do something totally different. Write something else, or come at an old idea from a totally different angle. When I was in a band and tasked with writing lyrics, sometimes I would hit a roadblock and the only way round it was to scrap what I had and do something new.

This last one isn't really a tip, so it doesn't get a number, but getting rid of anything that distracts you before you start is always a good idea.

 

[jim_doki]

the best way i've found to get around writers block is to plan what you're writing in chapters, stanzas or paragraphs. If you get the basics down, all you need are the details

 

[Stalington]

find a muse, or better yet make one up. Come up with an imaginary alter-ego or whatever, prefferably one that thinks just the opposite of you. When that doesn't work I just consult with the voices in my head, they have some pretty cool ideas.