Have you had "writer's block"? How did you get rid of it?......?

Question

I am really looking for good solutions or fantastic stories of how you broke your 'block'. Or if have heard another story, I would also love to know that one.

Answer 1

I don't think there's ever a fantastic story about breaking writers block. You don't blow up the wall, you chip at it bit by bit.

Any time I'm suffering from writers block, I just keep on writing. I hate everything that comes out of me, it gives me a bad taste in my mouth to do it, but eventually it's not so bad. And before I know it, I'm riding the wave of creativity again.

At some times in the past, I also have relied heavily on Julia Cameron's "The Right to Write". It's an amazing, inspiring book.

Answer 2

I'm a professional writer, and I generally find that when I encounter writer's block it's because I haven't done enough research. Even for fiction (maybe especially for fiction) it's important to get the details right. There's a scene in my first novel set in a forest that I got stuck on for weeks. As it happened, all I had to do to break the block was some basic research on forests. What kind of trees grow where, etc. Now when I get stuck on something, the first thing I do is hit the books.

Answer 3

I don't really believe in writer's block. If you're having trouble with a particular story it means that you haven't figured it out yet and the only thing that helps there is time and thought. I like to have several projects going at the same time. That way, if I need to comtemplate on one writing project (put it off for awhile) I can move on to another. You just to need to give yourself some space sometimes because no writer sits down and writes a novel from beginning to end. It takes months and sometimes years. Remember, you're striving for perfection not how fast you can spew words out.

Answer 4

I've had writers block many a time. Though you probably write more serious stuff, while I write fanfiction. What I do is go on fanfiction.net and read some really poorly written stuff and say to myself "So-and-So would not do that in that situation!" Then I proceed to write my own version of said fanfic. That gets stashed away in the dark corners of my computer and I usually have many ideas that resulted from re-writing someone else's (bad) work. Though I don't steal any ideas from the work that someone else has done.

Also if you don't normally write fanfics, try it. They're actually quite fun.

Answer 5

In my opinion, most writer's block is the result of paralyzingly high standards or expectations. Lower your standards. Write absolute nonsense. Then move on to absolute drivel. Don't think about where your work is leading, how it measures up, what the final shape of it will be. Just write write write and see what emerges. No one's ever really blocked in the sense of being unable to write. People just tend to get in their own way, usually by getting ahead of themselves. Try going one word at a time.

Answer 6

After I wrote my first book, I had the worst writer's block. I lost mine when I had my first broken heart, and decided to write a book about that. I had two sources of motivation. I wanted to piss him off, and I wanted it to be a summer reading book for Freshmen at my school so this really hainous English teacher I had would have to admit I am a good writer.

Answer 7

Write something else even if it is just writing or typing
I have writer's block. I want to write about blah blah blah but I can't.

Basically just dump your brain on a page and see if it opens up the creative flow.

Best of luck.

Answer 8

I usually walk around from the piece for a few days, and just let it rest. It sounds stupid, but sometimes my writing just needs a vacation from me.

During that time, I jot down thoughts, notes, or random quotes I hear from people. Since I usually struggle with inventive dialogue, listening to my enviroment can turn up some pretty neat things.

Answer 9

There's a saying that goes, "Writing a book is like losing weight. Everybody wants to do it, but most people dont want to put in the work. They'd rather just talk about it."

Just like losing weight, its just a pound or a page at a time. give yourself permission to write crap and force yourself to sit at the computer and type. Eventually something will come out and you might have to revise, but it will be progress.

Answer 10

Yes, if working ona current piece I just left it alone for a bit and tried not to think about it - then went back and read it from the begining taking notes as I went along so I could upste/edit and it spurred on the new ideas!