Breaking the Block

[Brayon]

Lately, I've been experiencing a nasty case of Writer's Block, concerning my main project, and my anthology project. I sit down with the laptop, start to write in my comfy zone, and wham!!! Right against the wall, my mind goes. I read once, the best way to get over writer's block, is to write. Work on a different project. I've tried that with a FanFic, and small flash pieces, but still hitting the wall on my two big ones.

 

So... I turn this question to you, my fellow writers. How do you break the mental block?

[Mikiesboy]

1 hour ago, BHopper2 said:

So... I turn this question to you, my fellow writers. How do you break the mental block?

I'm not sure i can be of much help. Sometimes when i know i'm well and truly stuck.. i just let myself be stuck. Leave it. go and read . come and talk on GA .. let it alone.. let my subconcious do the work and then read over what ive got.. and either have an 'ahha' moment or wait some more.   Sometimes like in the case of After the Past and Changes... i've waited a year or more.   But done other stuff in the meantime.

[CassieQ]

I'll do one of several things.

 

--Work on something completely different.  It helps me to feel productive and then I can usually come back to the story in a few days.

 

--Do something I dislike.  Usually, if I decide the bathroom needs cleaning, writing seems much more appealing

 

---Change things up.  Sometimes, it is really frustrating to be sitting at a computer, so I'll try to go somewhere else and write longhand for a while.  It usually helps.

[Cia]

This won't really help you now, but what I tend to do on WIP that aren't posted on specific days is always end the story when I know where I'm picking it back up again. Usually when I'm in the flow, I'll know where I'm headed, so I'll write a short blurb at the end of the scene, chapter, etc... of what happens exact after that. This way I don't open up the document at a later date and go... Uhhhh....

[mogwhy]

i do a lot like the others have. one that know has said, talk to some one, one on one, about the story and were the block is. 

 

here's to hoping it won't last long

[robertlee]

When I get hit with writers block I usually will sit down, read the last page or chapter and just write anything. Maybe it's not where I thought the story would go or maybe I'll end up throwing it out but at least I'm thinking about the characters and just letting anything get put down on the page. After I write whatever with it usually my mind is opened up again and I can get back into the story. It's a weird one but it's what works for me.

 

Good luck getting back into it!

[Brayon]

@Mikiesboy @CassieQ @Cia @mogwhy @robertlee Thank you, guys. I've been using yours, and @Comicality's advice and it's helped somewhat. I thank you all for posting, and hopefully soon, I can get back to my main stories.

[Comicality]

Something else that I might suggest...if there's a particular part of your next chapter that you feel is significant or dramatic, and that's what's holding you back...try writing that scene first. Even if it's out of order. Sometimes, big revelations or plot twists in your story can be 'intimidating', and your desire to really knock some of these major scenes out of the park can be scary. Especially when it comes to building up to that special moment.

 

Try writing that major scene first and relieve some of that pressure. It hits me too. All the time. Sometimes you've just got to dive in and tackle the scene head on, and then go back and write the rest later. Make sure to link everything up and re-edit later to make sure it all flow's smoothly, but get the intimidating scenes out of your mind. Muses can be fickle. You've gotta trick them into doing what you want, sometimes!

[Brayon]

11 minutes ago, Comicality said:

Muses can be fickle. You've gotta trick them into doing what you want, sometimes!

Ain't that the truth!

[Raphael Farmer]

It sucks when you want to write but nothing seems to translate on the page (or Word Doc in my case, lol). To fight this problem I usually either let it go for the day and come back to it at a later point (either that night or the next day) or I put some music on and try to visualise what I want to write. Sometimes it helps to take your mind off of your project and before you know it, ideas will flood your mind. At least, that's what happens in my case.