For me, the hardest part of writing is getting started. Once I get going, one idea often leads to another. But the blank page can give me the dreaded writer’s block.
Some writers swear that they never get writer’s block. Others will reach a crucial scene and get stuck. Sometimes it’a a paralysis brought on by telling yourself that it has to be perfect, which is exactly the wrong way to approach a first draft.
Everyone’s got their methods for dealing with writer’s block. Here are some that various authors have advised:
Just keep the pen moving. Set yourself a quota (whether in words, pages or time), and don’t stop until you’ve met it, even if you’re reduced to writing about how you can’t think of anything to write. Don’t worry about quality right now. You may capture an idea that you can edit later.
Take a break. Yes, I realize this directly contradicts the previous bit of advice. Go take a walk, do a workout, talk to a human. I tend to get ideas while I’m in the shower, probably because there’s no way to write them down and my dogs refuse to take notes for me — they just chew on the pencil.
Approach it from a different angle. Draw a sketch of your characters, or design their house. Select their wardrobe. Pick out songs for a soundtrack of your story (I’ve had some luck with that one, and then I can put on the songs while I write). Do an “interview” of the character who’s giving you trouble. I once had a Eureka moment doing a tarot reading for one of my characters.
Read poetry. It makes you look at language in a different way.
Work on a different writing project. Preferably something in a different genre. Resort to writing exercises if necessary. I always have several projects going at once, so if I get stuck on one, I switch to another, until I accidentally finish something. (Writers I’ve known have different views on this; some feel they can only focus on one project until it’s finished.)
Do research. If overdone, this can become a way of avoiding writing. But take time out to read up on something relevant to your story: the time period, the main character’s hobby, creative ways to dispose of a dead body, etc. You may run across something that belongs in your story.
The morning pages. Julia Cameron (of The Artists’ Way fame) swears by this one. Every morning, make a habit of writing three pages in your journal, on any topic that pops into your head. Don’t worry about whether it relates to your “real” writing; this is just mental limbering up. I thought Cameron oversold this method a bit in her books; to hear her tell it, writing morning pages would resolve conflicts in your relationship, improve your career, and sharpen your senses of taste and smell. (I exaggerate, but only slightly.) It didn’t do any of that for me. But it did get me writing more.
And my own personal method:
The rule of twenty. You can’t figure out what happens next? Make a list of twenty possibilities. The first few will be obvious, but as you reach further, you’ll find more interesting, unexpected ideas. For me, the right one is usually around number 17. Make a list of your villain’s redeeming qualities, or of possible reasons why your character married the wrong person. Make a list of the things your character wants most, pick out the top two, and consider what would happen if they had to chose between the two. Write your main character’s bucket list. It beats sitting around listlessly.
Question:
What’s your best method for dealing with writer’s block? (Besides concentrating on that giant royalty check that’ll come any day, of course.)
Exercise:
Take a scene that you’re stuck on, or use one of our handy shared scenarios. Make a list of twenty ways things could go wrong. You don’t have to show your work on the list, but pick one of them and write the scene.
Belinda learns that her rival Adelaide is about to marry Belinda’s beloved Lord Postlethwaite-Praxleigh (pronounced Puppy) in order to get her hands on his jeweled sash. She races to stop them.
The callow youth is giving up on finding the Jewel of Togwogmagog, and their stout companion must persuade them to keep going.
Private detective Celia Spunk gets a lead on the Chainsmoke Killer.
Goodwife Thankful Goodheart is feeding her hens and minding her own business when she sees that awful Agnes Addlepate giving her the evil eye.
A stranger has come to the Wiltchester Dragon Farm, wanting to buy a baby dragon, but ace dragon breeder Jocasta Entwhistle doesn’t trust him one bit.
International superspy James Buns is about to sneak into the villain’s lair with the help of his unfortunately-named girlfriend.
Write On! will be a regular Thursday night diary (8 pm Eastern, 5 pm Pacific) until it isn’t.
Before signing a contract with any agent or publisher, please be sure to check them out on Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write and/or Writer Beware.
