I say I'm a writer; haven't worked on my novel for a long time. Blocked, can't break it. What would you do?

Question

I started this great novel, too many years ago now to mention. I've overcome writer's block a couple times before, but this time it's really hard. I find so much else to do, that has to be done, or that's more appealing. I know it's mostly an excuse to avoid getting back to work. My book has gotten excellent feedback from serious writers, agents and editors and I love the book like a woman. Yet I'm not writing. It disturbs me. Any advice from other writers or even from non-writers, who often have a fresh point of view on these things, would be appreciated. Tell me what you think and where you're coming from as a person so I'll appreciate your ideas better. Thanx.

Answer 1

hey! it's so great to meet a fellow writer!!

what you need is DISCIPLINE! set aside an hour or so every day or other day, whatever you want, or two hours a couple times a week, etc. my creative writing teacher even goes to the coffee shop--creates the environment, the routine. makes it seem more like something you are really doing. limit that time to an hour or so at least at first. part of your block is probably because the project seems enormous; if you're like me, you keep thinking, i should be able to sit down and just write this thing from start to finish, because you FEEL it. you love this novel. you wanna like make love to it all night long. well, that kind of pressure, when it comes time, you find yourself having a hard time even asking it out for coffee. so set aside this hour or so regularly, and stick to it. you'll probably look forward to it, and if you write even just a few pages, you'll really feel like you're doing it again, and you'll find the motivation returning, and it will get easier and easier. if you find you are absolutely stuck, use the time to get unstuck: write out the problem with a flowchart of ideas to fix it, or use the time to make notes, put together outlines, etc.

because you've let it go so long, it seems insurmountable. and it is so beautiful in your mind, you are afraid you won't be able to put that into paper. but you can! and you'll be wowed. you'll get started, and you'll come up with stuff you hadn't even planned! no matter how long it has been, you are still every bit capable of doing it. you're just putting yourself down because you've put it off. don't!

if you can't get beyond one particular chapter or scene, go ahead and move on to the next; come back to it later. me personally, i think it's best to basically follow the sequence, not skip around, but when you're stuck, come back to it.

i just read in karoac's On the Road, something in the vain of, "what did i know about writing, except that you have to stick with it with the energy of a benny addict."

i'd really love to hear from you if you have some time! email me. i am working on a novel, also madly, passionately in love with it, and yet also struggling to keep at it, because it is just so fantastic to me, it's intimidating. maybe you could even let me read a little piece of it? just a few lines? or maybe a little about what it is about.

just one more thing: when i let myself get discouraged, start thinking, this won't work, this is wrong, this is wrong, it really really feels like i'll never ever be able to do it. the only time i really got passed that was when i took a novel writing class, and i HAD to turn in 60 pages! HAD to. but i did it. and i was very happy with what i produced. that showed me, that, YES, i can! you can too. just tell yourself, i HAVE to do this, and i CAN do this.

Answer 2

Maybe the great novel should just sit on the shelf while you get on with other works. It may or may not be revived, but you don't owe it anything. You could end up using substantial portions of the "blocked" book in a different book, or perhaps find a new approach, but don't let it hang you up. Write something substantially different, and break through the block.

Where I'm coming from is a frustrated writer. I write short pieces well enough, but feel I ought to get a whole book together. It would be non-fiction; I don't have what it takes to write fiction.

Also where I'm coming from is planning stages to open a bookstore, which could also become a publishing company.

Answer 3

Crayons, I'm not sure I really believe in writer's block as such. I believe in a loss of motivation or interest, in changing priorities, in dissatisfaction with the results, in the realization that you still have so much work to do on whatever you're writing, and more. To me, the one way to break the logjam in my mind is to give myself the go-ahead to write utter crap. It's better to have something I know is pretty bad, but is written, than to have nothing written. After that, it's just BIC: Butt In Chair for a set amount of time every day, with two and only two options: write, or just sit there. You cannot do anything else during BIC time. Write or don't, period. If you give yourself a half hour of BIC time every day, most of the time you'll write. Maybe it's utter crap, maybe not, but at least you're writing. And utter crap can be rewritten, revised, edited, and all until it's no longer bad writing.

Answer 4

I'm having this same trouble. I've been at my novel for 3 and a half years - and have gotten to the point where I start to look at it and despair that the writing isn't any good and my rewrites are only making it worse by taking out what soul there had been in the first draft.

So, I stopped fighting it. I set "my baby" aside and moved on to something else for awhile. I know when I come back to it, I'll have a fresh perspective - and I hope that will be all that's needed to make things fall into place.

I know it's hard - but find something else you want to write about and go do that for a while.

Answer 5

Read a book by another author that is completely opposite what yours is about. It will influence a new perspective on your part and more than likely give you an idea to incorporate. Just while you are reading it, keep your book in mind. Also, something i found that helps is not what a normal writers would do. They usually seclude themselves and take trips to secluded places where they can be alone. I personally sit at a park with a blank notebook and a pencil and people watch. Study people, their habits, their interaction with other people etc... Somewhere along the line you'll get someone in particular that will remind you of a character you are writing about, take notes on all kinds of people, even if they don't relate to your story. In some way you'll find they do later.

Answer 6

Sometimes fear can block the creative process. What I do is take a break, do something fun, then return. You can't care what others will think when you write. You are god when you are writing, you can write anything, write badly, write poorly, because you will always go back and edit. If you really want to write, then you will write, it takes practice to get your *** back in the chair and write or type. Its sure not fun, the discipline of writing and to keep writing, but I've always loved the end product, the publishing aspect, so that's a huge motivator for me. I love that in the end, I've created this creative piece. Have you read the books by Julia Cameron? I love her ideas, check them out, they often have helped me. If you know that its an excuse, then all you have to do is sit your *** back down and just write. Just do it because life is short, don't you want to publish at least one book before you die? After all the publishing process takes 2 years at the very least. Best of luck to you, I know that I've been where you are.

Answer 7

I am well acquainted with that ailment and have no sure-fire cure but whenever I am blocked,if no relief is forthcoming,I will set aside that particular work and begin a new one. At any given time,I may have 3 or 4 novels in various stages of development but there is always that one,as you said you love like a lover,that haunts you and taunts you from afar. I can break my block at times by using a fresh set of voices in one of the other novels I am working on to help me see that "other" one from a different,exciting new perspective. I know this doesn't help with the procrastination problem but I have had to get harsh with myself sometimes and make myself get busy. Working at home has too many temptations for me to procrastinate and I can't afford an office so the kind people at the local library have tolerated my presence frequently,with my stack of notebooks and piles of notes. For some reason, I churn out more work there than anywhere else.

Answer 8

Make a list of the all the things that really neaed to get done and do only those on a daily basis-the rest of the time take paper .pen with you just in case have it handy at all times when you are not occupied-go sit in a park-do enjoyable things -the trick is to get away from having to write-chore to letting it come on its own. Also ask yourself if this book is important or can be enjoyed by someone beside yourself and if the answer is yes then you need to finish the book for if not you are depriving someone else of the help it can give them or just the pleasure of reading it and writers write not for themselves but for others for if that is not so then why publish .Perhaps your block is actually a fear of rejection or if you finish then what is there left for you to doSince God gave you the gift to write,for it is a gift then perhaps if you ask Him for help-prayer has been known to help. You also say you love this book like a woman maybe you do not finish for then you'll have to publish and it will not be just yours anymore. Where am I coming from-just trying to help,sincerely. Best of luck and maybe by chance I'll one day pick your book from a bookstore shelf or display. Yes? I love books,to read and hate parting with a book once I get it-but I do share.

Answer 9

Edit the stories of other co-writers. Write some short stories called flash-fiction; those that are well under 999 words. Write a story having 100 words or fewer--that will tax your creativity and will reenergize your writing.

It seems the shorter the story, the more it needs polished through cutting and trimming.

I've been writing on two novels belonging to a four-part series. I know what must be done to link volume two with volume three, but I still am slow to work on it. I have faith it will come eventually after some more short stories are written.

Answer 10

Set aside an hour each day to write, but not on your book. Choose 3 random items, eg a newspaper headline, something a person said to you and and object from around the house or garden, then try and write a short story linking them. These short repetive exercises get you into writing something, anything every day, even answering questions on here! Put the book away and say I am not going to look at until a specific date, then choose a nice quiet evening and sit down a re-read your book, hopefully that will re-light your passion for your novel.