I have a different definition. I believe that starting a project isn't difficult.... heck I can start millions of writings with out a problem; however, when I get done with my beginning scene, I have nothing more to add, since I don't know what happens next. That to me is a writer's block when your just stuck on ANY one project.
With NaNoWriMo you don't have leisure to walk away from your piece for too long. Yeah you might be able to leave it for the night or take a much needed R&R day, but really how long can one go without writing and meet the deadline? If worst comes to worst then go for a change in subjects because the most important thing about NaNoWriMo is the word count... it doesn't have to make sense or even be good--just the amount of words matter.
The problem with writer's block is it so individual and there many reason why some one might be blocked.
- The internal critic is being a bully and telling you everything you write sucks
- You can't focus because the bills are due, the dog needs to be walked, the children are screaming.
- You just don't know what happens next
- Tired of writing or you find yourself in a rout
- you're really procrastinating
- You need facts or information about something for the story to move on
So, here's today's advice: walk away for the day. Try and figure out what's stopping you from writing. Take a walk, nap, do yoga, mediate, take shower. Come back to your writing. If you're still stuck, write a scene later in the story that you already have planned, write a 500 word description about your setting, make a note to insert a needed fact in the story or look it up, basic write something that deals with your story. If you do this for a few writing sessions and still can't get 'un-block' write on a different story idea.
Share with us: What's the normal reason why you have writer's block and what works to get your creative juices flowing again?
1 comment:
I get writer's block from all the things you mentioned but mainly it's the 'I just wrote a decent scene and I want to revel in that moment' that trips me up. Pretty much I have to assume everything I write is crap to keep me going and then when I go back I can say - 'hey that wasn't actually that bad, lol.' To get me over writer's block, I need pressure, pressure, pressure and sometimes caffeine. I've tried writing when drinking or tired and while I can usually pump something out, it's better, I find to pull the proverbial all nighter and be sleepy but wired. Also to get over writer's block I sometimes do chunks of random dialog almost in screenplay format and that might give me the impetus to push toward getting back on tract.
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