Writer's Block.....

Canada
January 5, 2010 11:09am CST
What do you do when you get writer's block? i am writing a story and i have everything in mind of what is going to happen, and what not, but i'm stuck and don't know how to go about to the next section. What do you do when you have writer's block?
2 people like this
13 responses
@tinkerick (1257)
• United States
5 Jan 10
The main thing is to take a break. Literally walk away from it. Do other things to take your mind off of it. Often the answers hit us when we least expect them. For me, I'm usually in the car driving somewhere.
@tinkerick (1257)
• United States
5 Jan 10
I had a feeling you'd say that! So, my next suggestion, is to write what you DO have in mind already. Skip over the transition and just put down the next scene that you have envisioned. Keep doing this until eventually it will just hit you (out of the blue it will all make sense) how to get to that point and you can go back and insert the missing parts. When writing a story, there's no rule that says you have to write it in order. Many writers have notebooks filled with bits and pieces of storylines, dialogue and character descriptions. Then when writing a complete story they retrieve these bits and toss them together. The most important thing is to get down what you do have thought out so you don't forget it. The smoothing out can come later.
• Canada
5 Jan 10
thats a great idea, i do know what the next chapter is going to be like, i just don't know how to end the chapter i'm on now, but i think i'll do that, thanks :)
• Canada
5 Jan 10
I've already put it away, and just recently came back to it, and still don't know to progress to the next scene.
• United States
5 Jan 10
Write! :)  - Who is this man? Where is he? Why is he doing this?
This happens to me ALL the time! Sometimes when I have it all planned out it works well for me, but other times I just stop and say "what now?" lol First of all, make sure you aren't hungry or thirsty! Go eat and orange or have a meal. You won't be able to concentrate if you're hungry! Sometimes what I do is take a break from THAT project and write a little story about something else. Find a picture on the internet and write a story about it. It's kind of like stretching before exercising, but for your mind:D I'll add a picture to this response for you to use if you like it!:) Write a story based on the picture! Who is this man? Where is he? What is he doing and why? Good luck!
• Canada
5 Jan 10
oddly enough, i am cooking something right now, i wanna be able to sit back and write, i had this story started months ago, then i got writers block, and i stopped, now i wanna continue it, and still stuck, so i'm trying to get something to eat, sit back and let me mind get wrapped around this story
• United States
5 Jan 10
That's good!!! :) I'm about to go get a Cutie Orange myself ;P lol It's 11 am and I have not eaten today! *gasp* lol I have to take my own advice! Good luck!!!
• Singapore
6 Jan 10
Hi FallenGurl, Wow, you are a writer. I guess different people have different ways of dealing with writer's block. It used to be the case that it is norm to say that ALL writers encounter writer's block from time to time. However I have noticed a trend of writers coming out to say they do not encounter such a thing... oh well. Whichever the case, I would suggest you do something else. Go seek some NEW EXPERIENCE. That logically will give you new material to work from. It will roil start your creative juice flowing too. Good luck! And... take a break!!
• Canada
7 Jan 10
I think every time i have written something, i had writer's block, but i eventually find my way out of it, but this time, nothing is coming to mind. lol
@Allie_xoxo (1063)
• Canada
5 Jan 10
put it aside for awhile. The rest will come to you by the time you get back to it.
• Canada
5 Jan 10
well thats the thing, i did put it aside for a while, and i picked it up again the other day, and i'm still at the same spot, not really knowing how to go about the next scene
• Singapore
6 Jan 10
Yup, just put it aside - UNLESS you have a deadline and it is "do or die"... then what I did once was go bang my head against the wall. Or go for a shower. Both worked for me. Else, just leave it for a while, have a good night's sleep and tomorrow is a brand new day.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Jan 10
When I get stuck I usually try to write somewhere else for a while. Sometimes I go to a cafe, I buy a cup of coffee and watch the other people and listen to their conversations or the other sounds at the place. It often helps me to go another place, simply because I get the chance to see something new instead of my own four walls. I also like to go to place with many people for instanse the railway station. I watch people who come on and go and sometimes I get new inspiration that way. Another thing that I like to do is to write everything that comes to mind no matter how stupid it seems. 95% of the things that I write that way might be completely useless, but there is often a few sentences or that I can use, and I can always edit the rest or put it in the trash. When I am stuck the most important things is that I start writing again, it is less important that everything is useful.
• United States
6 Jan 10
Whenever I get writers block, I tend to put down what I am writing and pick up a seperate notebook and write my feelings down. I know I have an online folder where I keep my writing projects and I also have a notebook where I write down my thoughts and other stories I want to work on. As a matter of fact I have four short stories I am currently working on, but have not had much time to work on. I am also looking for a site where I can post them and get paid for it. I am not looking to get rich just what to make enough money to help with bills.
• Canada
6 Jan 10
i also thought about writing a couple at a time, but i'm finding it so hard to keep focus on this one, and can't get pass this part and continue on that no doubt the same thing will happen with another story.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
5 Jan 10
I give up! LOL Really, I quit. I go do something else, like clean house or knit or something and eventually I will want to write. When I want to write, then it comes. I think, at least sometimes, that writer's block comes when we try to force ourselves to write whether we are ready to or not.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
5 Jan 10
dont try too hard. take a bit of a break, focus on something else and then get back to your current project.
• United States
7 Jan 10
First I spend some time with my story. I read over the things I've already written and maybe do some editing. Some of the time this helps me come up with an idea for how to keep going. If not, then I just write the first thing that comes to mind (even if it's dumb) and I continue on from there. You can edit something bad, but you can't edit a blank page. If I have idea for what to do after the part that I'm stuck then I'll go on and fill in the gaps later.
• United States
5 Jan 10
I out it away for a couple of days and go out. GO for walks, fishing, bowling what ever. Sometimes to the mall to people watch. I refuse to think about my story until the two or three days have passed. By this time I have relaxed my brain, had new experiences, seen usually very interesting people and am refreshed. Other times I admit I just start something new and get back to original much later.
• Malaysia
5 Jan 10
Well, I take a pen and paper, and get set on disturbing a few of my family and friends! hehehe... Writing is influenced a lot by people around us, and people around us are influenced by their on environment. Indirectly, I can find many interesting stories that I can create my own out of them. I'm a fiction writer, so yeah, I make fiction out of real life stories. Besides, what always makes us stuck is the way it flow, the communication between characters. We have the plot in our mine, but character development is the hard part.
@acer5540 (354)
• China
7 Jan 10
I always met this problems. I like writing,no matter diary or blog, i just want record my experience, it will be the good memory when i'm old.Somethings i have the impulse to write something,but i open my laptop, i don't know where to start.Usually, i make a outline,it is helpful and useful.
@lowloy (316)
• United States
6 Jan 10
When I get writer's block I brain storm in my thesaurus. This usually helps when I can see the different meanings and connotations that are available for what I am trying to discribe. This is especially good for when I am writing poetry.