How do I get through this block?

Question

Proper use of English, and sentence structure in my early developing education had been stumped by critique, and I have struggled to express my thoughts. I am a budding, inspired writer with some work complete, and unpublished.

Answer 1

Here's what a writer told me.
Fear of the blank page stops more writers in their tracks than any other thing.
Just write. Put something down. Get something written. You can always go back and edit later, make it better.

Answer 2

Just write, attacking the block from all sides. I even once wrote about the block and how I was going to get it out of my way. It was fun, it kept me busy, and it worked. If you let the block stand, it beats you. You simply can not allow that to happen as a writer. Another thing: critiques are not carved in stone, as a rule. A critique should never stop you, either. Sometimes the critique opens doors or windows to your story that actually work. A good critique from someone who knows the craft, knows you, and has a good idea of what you're trying to say can help pull certain blocks out of the way.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

..and you're blocked.

Go back through an old piece and rework it.

Sometimes reworking old stuff can generate new ideas.

It usually works for me (honest).

Or I just take a page of my diary (verbatim) and then twist it.

Ignore proper use, structure and any education you've gotten thus far. Especially in a block. Disregard it. (that's what we have editors for in the end). ;)

Get something out first. Put it down. Fill up a page, then two doesn't matter if its tripe. Just do it. No one is reading it now.

After you've made yourself ramble for 10-20 pages. Then walk away.

Come back later (after something absorbing - movie, book, visit with an old friend, or yahoo answers) and rework it.

You need to remember how to play with words.

So go play!

Have fun and good luck.

Answer 4

Try to come up with a main character for your story. Write down a description - male, female, eye color, etc. etc.

Then take this character and imagine then in some odd place or scenario – anything goes! Write down ideas on what would have to happen to your character or how they would react to the scenario you placed them in.

You can do this for multiple characters if you like.

This may seem futile, but it will help you flesh out some characters and give you insight into what you may want to happen to this type of character in a potential story. You may even come up with multiple story lines!

Strong well crafted main characters can inspire readers to love your story as well as motivate you to write a great story for these imagined beings so be in! :-)

Answer 5

Sweetie,
Your block comes from your head. You want to sit down and write perfectly - and you can't. Nobody can. That's what rewriting and editing is all about. But notice it's called rewriting. It comes AFTER the 1st draft is created.

I forget who said; 'Writing is easy. All I do is sit down in front of the page and wait till the blood pours out of my forehead.'

It's impossible to create and edit at the same time.
Important point, so I'm going to say it again...

It's impossible to create and edit at the same time.

Why? Creating is a right brain activity. It thinks in images, sounds, smells, emotions. It loves music and art. But, the left brain is where language comes from and it's concerned with logic, math, perfection, sequential activities.

There's a fight going on if you try to write from both halves of your brain at the same time. Call that fight BLOCK.

First thing you should do is sit down and write.

First draft.
You need to write any old thing that comes into you noggin...
Call it stream of consciousness or whatever - just ditch the dikshunary, thesaurus, and all the rules. They don't count. Later you will use them. Not now. Now you are in right brain, now you create.

AND you need to acknowledge your inner editor (left brain) - who's job is just trying to keep you from looking, doing, saying, or writing something stupid. Inner Editor's job is to keep you safe from pain.
I call mine, The Hawk - she's got tendencies towards Vulture...
Mentally, I put her on a perch in the office and let her watch the process of creation and every time she leans over and makes a creepy comment, or blocks me from writing; I thank her for her concern and remind her that she can tear the thing to pieces later.

Her job is to pick the bones clean. Get it? Your writing needs good bones. There may only be one great idea in 3 pages of cr*p. Her favorite toy is a yellow highlighter that I use to pick out the good stuff - then I start draft 2 using ONLY the ideas or sentences that I highlighted. The idea behind draft 1 is to figure out what the heck I am trying to say.

Draft 2 is more of the same, but now I have an idea of where I'm going and I'll expand upon it. Sentence structure, grammar and punctuation - still not part of this draft. I write until I'm done writing. How do you know? It FEELS completed.
Now The Hawk gets to play with the highlighter again.

Draft 3 is CRAFT. It's where BOTH The Hawk and I sit down for the editing process. Often I'll read what I've written into a tape recorder to hear how it sounds. When I listen I'll have my writing and a handy pen to cross out everything that doesn't move it forward. I want to be left with fine bleached white bones. I invite The Hawk and all her friends to join us. She takes great pride in her ability to strip all the fat from the structure.

It's important to let your inner critics know that her job begins after the initial process of creation has taken place... otherwise she'll just be flapping and eliminating all over your paper and you'll not get anything done.

Keep writing!

JoJo

Answer 6

Just keep writing it's the only way to get through every kind of block esp writers block and you gotta start sending your work off if you want to be published or use xilibris and they will help you publish it yourself if you would like

Answer 7

Follow a map, and Go AROUND.