The main thing is to keep moving, keep writing and get past that block!
How?
It's different for everyone. There have been times when I've had a block, and I stare at my computer screen until I go cross-eyed. Or, I'll avoid writing altogether and do something else, but that isn't productive. Because, I know, and most of you know, I won't write for a very long time.
You can't wait for inspiration to strike, you have to push past it, sort of like that runner's wall. If you're jogging and you hit that wall and stop every time, you won't improve. You won't further your distance. So you hit that wall, and you keep running. Eventually, it goes away.
So does writer's block.
I have spent time searching the internet for help, but there isn't much help out there, just advice.No one is going to give you a magical key or formula for bypassing this experience.
Find what works for you.
Here's what works for me, and yes, every time is different, but the one that works the most? Writing.
I'll go on Pinterest, type in "fantasy art" and start browsing. I write fantasy, so it helps me a lot. I'll find an awesome piece of artwork that inspires me and I'll write a piece of flash fiction for it. I'm getting quite the collection, because I found I enjoy this exercise very much.
I also have a book of 1,000 Awesome Writing Prompts by Ryan Andrew Kinder. I have it on my Kindle. I popped it open one night, went to the first real prompt, (because he included some freebies in the first few pages for previewing) and was immediately inspired to write a short story. So I finished that short story before I moved on to the next one. Now, not every single one of them is inspiring, to me, that is, but I am going to make an effort to write something off of every prompt. What was awesome, though, is just one prompt not only inspired a short story, I worked out some issues for a couple of my other projects I'm working on.
I will also listen to music or watch a fantasy movie. More often than not, I've got the soundtrack to so many fantasy movies queued up and ready to go. I have a Writing playlist on my iPod. I even subscribe to lots of musicians on Youtube. I will find fantasy music, plug into it, and start writing. There are days, though, when I don't have a lot of time. So I'll go to Youtube, find some "Epic Fantasy Music" that lasts an hour and hit play. When it's over, I step away from the writing if I have to. Otherwise, if I have time, I'll find something longer and keep going.
There are so many places to find inspiration. No matter what you write. It's up to you to find it!
So those are my helpful tips. These are things that work for me. Leave a comment and tell me what works for you! Maybe I'll try it.
Have a good week, all!
3 comments:
Writer's block is the worst, but I think what always helped me out was something I read awhile ago - I can't remember. Basically, writer's block is NOT the inability to write, it's the inability to enjoy what you're writing. So you feel like you're just churning out garbage, but in actuality it's no worse than normal. :)
Music or movies usually inspire me. Everyone just has to find what works for them as far as inspiration.
I don't know that I feel like I have writer's block. I think if I'd sit down and focus, I could, but I have some other thing entirely going on right now... I'm working on it...
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