Writer's Block || 1

[kitty_fic]

I've been planning to do a discussion or essay on writer's block for a very long time, but I actually found this topic completely overwhelming and nervewracking. I'm certainly no expert and I'm sure that many people have written many more inspired things on the topic than I ever will. However, it's something I suffer from and is often on my mind. So, instead of writing up one huge post about it, I've decided I'll just share several bite-size bits on the subject instead.

I'm not sure how many of these posts there will be. I'll share tips or tricks or resources as I come across them. Some of this will be my own words but most of it will certainly be things that I've seen or run across elsewhere. I claim no originality here and I'll try to share my resources when I can.

I invite you to share your thoughts and opinions and what works for you in the comments as well. My hope is that even one of these posts or tips will help you :)


Some common causes of writer's block:
- Anxiety
- Unpreparedness
- Unhappy with your story or idea/Revisions went horribly wrong
- Fear of failure
- Distraction
- Lack of ideas/inspiration
- Too many ideas
- Stuck on one part/No idea what happens next
- Bored with your story/idea
- Can't find the right words/emotions/etc

Share: Which of these defines your block most accurately? Or is it something else entirely? Figure out what's specifically blocking you and try to rationalize it. Find something that works for that specific problem. It's much easier to think about the specific problem rather than to consider writer's block as a black hole.


Some things that may help:
+ write down everything clogging your mind (free flow writing/mind mapping)
+ breathe deeply (meditate/concentrate)
+ take a walk/connect with nature
+ exercise
+ sing out loud (in the shower or car or anywhere)
+ talk it out with someone who is willing to listen
+ draw, cook or craft (shift your creative energy)
+ laugh
+ hug
+ find quiet

Share: Which one of these will you try today? What has worked for you in the past?

Comments

[eidheann_writes]

Anxiety Anxiety Anxiety

I was kicking ass on my fanfair until I hit the point where I was facing *gulp* smut.

It took TWO WEEKS to write ~1 page. I whined, I websurfed, I looked for any kind of distraction because I was completely 100% certain I wasn't going to be able to do it. Some people advised me to skip ahead and keep going, some people advised me to just write and let my beta sort it out later. I ended up powering through (but, again, 2 weeks effectively lost to it) and I STILL feel I haven't completely gotten my feet back under me.

Currently, I'm kinda doing a hybrid. I'm starting to work on the end, knowing I've got a good chunk of middlebits that still need to be filled in before I can consider the draft done. Just doing what's easy, I guess, as a reward to myself for getting over it.

So, anxiety is my problem, and a carrot/stick is my means of accomplishing?