Tips and tricks to deal with Writer's Block.
If you have spelling or grammar questions, please post them in the International Grammar section.
If you want feedback for poetry or short stories you have written, please post the poem or short story in either the Creative Original Works: Short Stories section or the Creative Original Works: Poetry section.
If you have a book that you want reviewed, click here to submit your book for review.
- Sajarin
- Posts: 7
- Joined: 12 Jul 2014, 17:44
- Bookshelf Size: 0
Re: Tips and tricks to deal with Writer's Block.
-
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 17:00
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sciadoe.html
-
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 27 Jul 2014, 01:10
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bethdearie.html
- hannahoverstrom
- Posts: 11
- Joined: 29 Jul 2014, 10:29
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- annareads
- Posts: 104
- Joined: 06 Aug 2014, 00:14
- Bookshelf Size: 2
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-annareads.html
- Latest Review: "Paradigm Shift" by Bill Ellis
-
- Posts: 32
- Joined: 13 Aug 2014, 19:33
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ravenclaw.html
- moderntimes
- Posts: 2249
- Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
- Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
- Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
- Bookshelf Size: 0
Boy, is that a fact! I worked for a newspaper and you aren't "allowed" to have writer's block!anomalocaris wrote:I find that the fastest cure for writer's block is an editor's deadline.
But in truth... I'm now writing a series of modern American private detective novels -- the first 2 were purchased and published, and I recently completed the 3rd, now searching for representation.
And yes, sometimes I get stuck on how to resolve a clue or deal with a plot sequence, a particular conversation or situation in my novel. How do I get unstuck?
I simply take the advice of Monty Python & Holy Grail and "skip ahead, brother..." ha ha. What I actually do is, if I'm stuck on chapter 6, I just start writing on chapter 7 or 9 or 12, write there a while, and then I quickly find I can go back and finish the place where I stopped. After all, I "generally" know where the book is going, so it's easy for me to jump ahead to a new section of the story and pick up the action from that spot. Later I can rewind.
This seems to work okay for me. So others may wish to try it.
-
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 22:10
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leanndaniel.html
- Craig Meggy
- Posts: 15
- Joined: 04 Aug 2014, 19:40
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- bookomania
- Posts: 12
- Joined: 12 Sep 2014, 04:45
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bookomania.html
I also use this trick (yay!! someone I have something in common with) when i am stuck, i simply try to view the story from another writers point of view. Which plot would they take? How would they want the story to turn out? I have found that this helps a lot, especially when I am not sure which direction I want the story to take.tbughi1 wrote:Daydream. If I'm stuck, I essentially ponder the many different possibilities for where the story could go. I don't think critically about it, I just let my mind drift from option to option. This process could take anywhere from a day to a couple weeks. I like it because it isn't stressful and I explore all possibilities equally this way, like a one-person brainstorm session.
- Ryan
- Posts: 15342
- Joined: 08 Sep 2014, 19:11
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 444
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ryan.html
- moderntimes
- Posts: 2249
- Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
- Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
- Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
- Bookshelf Size: 0
I've found this helps as well. In addition to being a mystery writer, I also review mystery novels regularly for a webzine. Reading other mysteries, even if they're not within the specific "modern American private eye" subgenre of my own books, any sort of mystery helps joggle my brain.
What is necessary however is to not accidentally steal plot tricks or characters from other writers. Not a good idea.
- TammyO
- Posts: 1373
- Joined: 16 Aug 2013, 19:21
- Favorite Book: Persuasion
- Currently Reading: The Husbands Secret
- Bookshelf Size: 131
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tammyo.html
- Latest Review: "Double Identity" by Jaye C Blakemore
- moderntimes
- Posts: 2249
- Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
- Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
- Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
- Bookshelf Size: 0
What did I do? I simply started writing at another point in the book. I wrote several new chapters dealing with other characters and other "scenes" in the novel that I had floating in the back of my mind.
Now I'm at about 10k words and going strong.
- kezzstar24
- Posts: 15
- Joined: 21 Dec 2014, 02:07
- Bookshelf Size: 0
Failing that, a huge drink of water and a visit to the little girls room helps too, as disgusting as it sounds.