How do you get past writer's block?

Question

I'm trying to write a song. I've got verse one down, but I need to write the chorus and I can't seem to keep the creative juices flowing. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Well I have 10 ways to beat writers block for writing a romance novel...but most importantly, you need an idea that inspires you to work those fingers where it just pours out of you. Writers block really isn't the stage you are in BEFORE you write. Writer's block isn't the culprit everytime you have a break in the writing process--only when that break becomes paralyzing. Writers block is when you write some, and no matter what you try, you can't continue. It doesn't really keep you from starting.

Some people don't think writing exercises help, but I think they can be fun. One I know of is to try to write a story in 100 words, no more, no less. Or just a paragraph. Make it smaller to 50 words. I can't remember the actual name of this...bah.

Anyway, procrastination is a big culprit of writers block...just avoidance behaviour. But the best way is to work through it. Sit there and start typing. All of what you type you might think stinks, but as you keep writing, you'll eventually stumble across something that you can go with and use.

Once you get started writing, it is ok to skip around in the story a little bit. Try writing a different scene if the scene you are on is making you stuck.

Or it could be what you previously written has gotten you stuck, so you might can revise the last scene so the next scene is on track.

Try writing something that you won't use, put your characters in a weird situation and write about how they act in it.

Write the scene from another point of view to give you a new angle (even though you should stick with the same point of view throughout, this is just practice.)

Don't worry about perfecting...just write down the basics. Write a list of what will happen in the scene, phrases they might say...then put it together with those guidelines.

Don't keep thinking about what you have already written. Move forward, not back.

Take a good look at your outline, ask yourself all these questions to make sure you haven't missed any plotholes. You might have to change things at this point to get it back going.

Try thinking about what made you want to write this story to start with. The plot? The characters? Find a book that has something similar and just lose yourself in it. When you finish it, you might have new energy on your story.

and if all else fails, start a new project. Not every idea you come up with will be a winner...it is something we all face. In our minds it works out, but on paper...it just doesn't do so well. No biggie, do something else and try to come back to it later.

again, those are ideas for a romance novel once you have already started. In general...try looking at these pages:

http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingroadblocks/tp/block.htm
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingroadblocks/a/writersblock.htm
http://www.sff.net/People/LisaRC/exer.htm
http://www.writingontherun.com/writersblock.html
http://www.sff.net/People/LisaRC/help.htm

Answer 2

wow, this is a hard question to answer, i have been a song writer for years and years, and in my personal opinion, the best thing to do is just move on, not forget the song, just put it away in a folder or something, because sometimes when you try to squeeze the creative juices out you really don't get the true potential out of the song, my advice is just to wait, and see what happens, there have been times when i have taken literally years to write songs, so just keep up the song writing, maybe wait awhile, and see what happens, who knows you may experience something that may lead to the chorus and/or other verses, and just have fun,

God bless,

~jfreeq

Answer 3

I can only speak for how I get past writer's block. I write. Doesn't matter what...a word, a phrase, what I'm thinking, the lyrics of a song, whatever. Just write... I find that the physical act of typing, or sometimes hand writing, moves me past whatever it is that is causing the block. It's a way of thinking on paper about my work that gets me past the block - even if it appears that what I am writing has NOTHING to do with what I want to write or what I'm working on. Often, I find that the direction I thought I wanted to go in, is NOT the best direction, and so I conduct a mid-course change, and keep on rolling.

So my advice is simple. Blocked? WRITE!

Answer 4

I always use the Writer's Axe to hack through the Writer's Block, but some people prefer the Writer's Chain Saw.

Seriously, though, try reading the book 20 Lines a Day:

http://www.amazon.com/Lines-American-Literature-Dalkey-Archive/dp/1564781682/ref=sr_1_1/105-7314574-5949239?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186783494&sr=8-1

It's some really good advice for writers. Very professional stuff.

Answer 5

Skip the chorus, then, and more on to another verse. Or put it down for a while, and pick it back up later. You can't force creativity.. you have to wait for the inspiration to come to you!

Answer 6

Think about the place, thing, or person you are trying to sing about. Think about their charactaristics, their likes/dislikes. Look out your window. Think about another song that you love and make it your own. Change the words and the tune slightly then you will get an idea and go with it. Eventually you will get an idea and they will keep on coming, after that you won't have a problem.

Answer 7

watch a movie and write a scene, like describe it on paper.

go to a phone book and start copying a page

read

these are just a few and i think they are more for books, but they might help.

for a song you might try listening to some music and think about how the band wrote the song. or rewrite the song.

Answer 8

Take a break. Do some activities that are not related to the writting process. Then come back to it. Your mind just need a break. You may also get lucky and find inspiration in the activities you where doing while taking a break.

Answer 9

Take a rest, shower even, think through your ideas with out thinking about the time in which you must write them in.
Iff you have time to spare, there is no need to rush.
The more you think through an idea the more it becomes uniquely yours.

Answer 10

You just have to ride it out. Walk away from the project, at least for a few minutes.

With songs especially, sometimes I will walk away for days