Writer's block; one more blog

So here it is; one more blog post about Writer's Block. I've not done one before, but pretty much every writer does at some point. But hey, maybe my take on it will help your specific case. First, I'm going to go over what NOT to do, then we're going to break down the specific spots people get stuck and ways to tackle them. I did this as a presentation in 2018 and felt it was time to resurrect it. Why? Because I need to do a big edit on my current WIP and I clearly don't want to do it. I'm in Block #4...

But let's get started! You've decided to write. You may about to put the first word on the page or only need one more line to finish the 200,000 word novel, but now there is no way to finish. You've been blocked. 
 
Writer's Block is (according to Cambridge English Dictionary) "the condition of being unable to create a piece of written work because something in your mind prevents you from doing it." It is, and should always be seen as, a temporary condition. And it has happened to everyone. Mark Twain, Neal Gaiman, Orson Scott Card… So it can’t be the end of the world. 
 
To get things rolling, I'm going to quickly go through things that, in my experience, do not work to get rid of Writer's Block

• Waiting

                   Yes, ideas may need time to solidify, but just waiting doesn't fix it. Even if that project needs time, work on something else. Write anyway. 

• Wallowing

                  Mind over matter; get your head in the game. Don't just throw in the towel because it got hard and don't spend time bemoaning your situation. Get a move on! 

• Watching TV/netflicks

                  No, it's not going to inspire you. Television is too passive and too mind-numbing to kick start creativity. And even if you DO get inspired, you have the risk of just copying something! Don't watch! If anything, READ.
 
Now that we know what NOT to do, let's move onto what we CAN do.  Let's start at the beginning of a project. These are not mutually exclusive lists, but rather a way of focusing the most likely solutions on the part you're on. You might find something in Block #1 works for Block #2. Or you might want to jump ahead to where you're at. But here's how I broke it down.
 
Block #1: The Concept. I have no idea. 
   You feel the urge to write but can't find an idea worth chasing down. Your muse went on holiday and didn't tell you. You are stopped before you even started. 
   This is truly a temporary condition for anyone who thinks of themselves as a writer. You only decided to write because you DID have something to say. So you can beat this one. 
How to beat it: 

• Play around. Play with an old personal experience but give it a twist (what if you had gotten up the courage to ask the celebrity out?). Play with a new setting or travel to one! Play with fanfiction, using characters and a world you don't have to invent. Fifty Shades of Grey was Fanfic, after all. Play with people-watching and invent their stories. Play with a simple emotion; write joy, or peace or friendship, even if just a few words. Play with descriptive writing. Look out a window and write down what you see.
• Keep a notebook or a specific file on your phone. Just ensure you have something in every purse and bag so you're never without. Put it beside your bed too. When the idea hits, you'll be able to write it down immediately for retrieval. If it regularly hits you in the shower, have waterproof paper in the shower!
• Use prompts. There are books of them. Online generators. Forum lists. Find one and run with it. 
• If you haven't read a lot in your genre, start. If you HAVE, then STOP reading.

 
If all else fails: Write non-fiction. (I'm kidding… kind of…But it might get things moving.)​

Block #2; The Beginning. I have idea, but can't get started: 
   Especially if this is your first book/poem/whatever, the first words can be the hardest. If you've never written anything outside of English class, this is a step into the unknown. But the part that matters most is that there are words on the page soon, not necessarily that they are immediately the perfect words. 

How to beat it: 

• Set up a space. A desk, a nook, the bed etc. Devoting a place to your efforts will make you more confident and help you concentrate. 
• Set a schedule or routine. Set goals per day or week, whether it be time or word count, but be realistic. Just because Anne Rice pulls off 3000 words a day doesn't mean you should too! But push for those words. LET THEM BE IMPERFECT. Just write them down.
• Do an Outline (I'm a pantster so this is a groan one for me…). Setting up an outline CAN be a great way to get the creative juices flowing. BUT be cautious. Sometimes it's just an exercise in procrastination. Everyone is different in that regard. Outline, then stop outlining. You do not need to get too bogged in outlining.
• Try to commit to one project so you sit and write (even a rough draft) in that project (This actually doesn't work for me at all- I jump projects all the time.)
• Stay focussed. TURN OFF THE PHONE. Disconnect the internet. Use an app to track progress and motivate you. However you can, stop yourself from going online and losing hours of time.
• Rant. It's like an outline, but more fluid. Talk to someone (or into a keyboard) and rant about the story. Explain why you are writing it, how it works, why it's going to interest you and others. You can even rant about why you can't get started and that may help you figure out the problem! I did a blog about that Dec 2022. It's HERE if you want more information.

If all else fails:  I'm the first to jump ship on something hat doesn't want to be written yet. If you've tried and tried, then it's not that project's time. Do something else. That doesn't mean don't write. It means write whatever WILL be written (go back to Block #1 if you need to for a new idea)
 
Block #3 The middle. I have an idea, and I started it, but now I'm stuck!  
   This is the most classic form of Writer's Block. As such, it has a few forms. 
 
Version 1: The words aren't right. 
Maybe you're an amazing painter, but for me, things always look better in my head. Writing is like that. The idea looks good, the words and ideas are there, but it doesn't come out right. This can hit you before you even get a word onto the page or it might be why you can't get that last line. You want it to be perfect. One line or one paragraph or one page… it has to be perfect. 
How to beat it: 

• No, it doesn't have to be perfect. We no longer use a typewriter and it's unlikely you're handwriting your project, so you can and will edit. Let go of perfectionism and write something that will do for now. Even writing a placeholder like 'he says something funny' will help you move on and keep writing. Remember, George Lucas had written 'Darth Vader says something to lure Luke out of hiding' in the middle of their final duel and only later figured out it was the whole 'you have a twin sister' thing. 

 
Version 2: The story won't flow at all
You don't know what's going to happen next. You've set up the situation a bit, but then everything grinds to a halt. 
How to beat it:

• Read back a bit to get into the swing of the story.  Some authors advocate always pausing your writing in the middle of something exciting so you can easily get into the story when you come back. But then, I find I lose the thread and it doesn't flow if I do that. 
• Ask yourself if you have a good sense of what your (or the characters') goals are? If not, character sketch them or figure yourself out. Maybe even write them into another scene or story to see them from a new angle.
• Ask yourself if you have a good sense of the world you are in? If not; research it, draw a map, look up a map. I often find obstacles on maps that I need to address (and it moves the story!) Research real-life places too. You might find what you need there.
• Ask yourself if you happy with your voice or POV? If not; try something else. Even as an exercise, this one can kick-start things. So swap to first person, or write with a new style.
• Ask yourself if you have a good sense of the opposition the characters face? If not, improve it. Maybe your antagonist (or conflict) needs a character sketch too, or an origin story. 

 
Version 3: There's just this one spot…
You have one little issue. It's just a detail, but you can't get past it. How do I get my hero out of the well? Where does the money come from for her ransom? Why is there a cat on the highway? Whatever. You have a clash and you can't find a way through. 

I regularly drop my characters into something I don't know how to get them out of. I arrested one, stole all his things, and chained him to a wall. Actually, I've done that twice. Once, I solved it by getting his allies to help. The other time, she escaped down the sewer.  I was telling my husband about the situation, and how I could get her chains off but not get her out of the cell. We broke down what the cell looked like and he asked simply; how big is the hole? It wasn't that big, but she's small and the stone is very old, and often wet. A big of work and she had an exit. Yay for solutions!

How to beat it:

• Go for a walk/do exercise.
• Attend motivating events like Writer's Group, Nanowrimo, forums, conferences
• Eliminate distractions 
• Change your environment. Go to a coffee shop or library as an example.
• Change your routine. Change teh time of day your write or where. Try writing in the early morning. Apparently you're still in Theta mode (aka dream mode) in the AM. 
• Prompt yourself with some writing or re-reading of troubled sections at bedtime to get your brain to work on it overnight.
• Read a book.
• Listen to music
• Brew some tea (Ok, or coffee. I drink tea but I have heard coffee helps most writers more!)
• Outline it. Put in the parts you already know and try to fill in the rest. If they don't connect, walk off the beaten trail. Keep the action moving. A phone rings. A rider appears from the west. Someone falls down a well. Something, anything.

 
Lately I wrote a story that didn't flow well, and I was determined to finish it, so I dragged through. I would write until I got a little stuck, then go have my evening shower. In the shower, I  would sort out the issue I'd been stopped on. The next day, I'd write that part, then go until I got stuck again and repeat. It took a good edit once it was done. I lost a horse half way through and carried around a single boot for half a book until I figured out why! But I finished it, polished it, and published it. It's Dragon's Voice!
 
Version 4: The characters stagnate
You've got the story, but the characters don't cooperate. Yes, you can argue with your characters but the better you understand them, the better you'll get along. 
How to beat it:

• Time for a character sketch or an origin. Sit down with them and go over what they are doing and why. Remember, you want it to be interesting. 
• Try writing the characters from another POV, so that YOU can see them as others see them. (I did this by accident- works great!)
• Make sure they are really needed for the story. Many first-timers overload the cast. Can you just cut a person from the scene to smooth it out?
• Go along for the ride. Let them do what they want. You'll be surprised by what they've already sorted out. 

If all else fails: Skip the offending section. Write a place holder. I use 000 to show there's something I need to go back to. Then I write another part/scene. Heck, you could go to the end and work back.

Block #4 Finished! But where do I start on edits?
    Ah, the read through. When you realize that you picked all the wrong words and you don't know how to fix it. 

How to beat it:

• Let it sit. Walk away and come back later. Your brain needs to let go of it and come at it fresh. I usually recommend at least a week.
• Get someone else to read it. Just remember that if someone tells you something is wrong, 9/10 times they are right. If they tell you how to fix it, 9/10 times they are wrong. So get a fresh pair of eyes, but be careful who and how much you take from it. Now I need to do a blog about critiques... next month...
• Sometimes, you just need to rewrite. Sorry, but you may want to redo a scene from scratch if it doesn't work. I always rewrote the opening paragraph of my essays in school. So maybe a scene or two needs a full rewrite. 
• Cut. Cut as much as you can. You probably have more int here than you need. Cut the stuff (but then save it in another file. You might want it later!)

 
If all else fails: Pay for editing service, but its costly and you really need to know what you are getting for your money because there are scams everywhere.  Some companies now offer developmental edits to publication, so understand what those are and find the right service for you. Then find the right editor. 

So there you have it! Hopefully, this will keep you writing for months and years to come, words flowing through your fingers onto the page. And when they don't, try something new! 
​
Maybe I'll go have that evening shower now and hope somehow my manuscript edits itself...
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