The Counselor

Writer's Block

Article Two: Writer’s Block

Originally, this week’s topic was supposed to be something else, but seeing as how those articles weren’t really coming out right, we figured it’d make more sense to talk about writer’s block. It happens to everyone, and right now, both of us have hit the brick wall of writer’s block. So here goes!

Writer’s block, as all of us know firsthand, is that time in a writer’s life where they are, for various reasons, unable to write. All writers experience this at some point, and anyone who says they haven’t is either lying or a robot. But the reasons for writer’s block are many, and varied, for every individual. Here are a few of mine:

1.       Usually, when I get writer’s block, something about whatever I’m writing is wrong. It could be a sentence, a paragraph, or the whole chapter. It could be just one wrong word. But something is wrong, and therefore, I can’t continue in that vein.

2.       Other times, it’s daylight outside. For some reason, just about anything I write when the sun is up is pure and utter garbage. So when writing novels, I become nocturnal. Some of my best writing comes from a combination of insomnia and being awake around one in the morning. For some reason, being half-awake makes my writing better…

3.       I hit the middle of the novel, and it ends up being difficult to write.

4.       And other times, I simply have no idea what my characters are supposed to be doing or what happens next.

Now, usually, the solution is simple. Or, fairly simple. If I’ve written it wrong, I delete until I get back on track. (Yes, it’s painful, but necessary.) If it’s daylight, I wait until after midnight to continue writing. The middle eventually turns into the end. And if I have no idea what the hell is going on, I keep trying to start the chapter until I figure out what happens next.

If these aren’t your problems when it comes to writer’s block, though, there are other solutions:

1.       Listen to music. I swear, it seems trivial, but it really helps. If you make a playlist of music that reminds you of your characters/storyline, you can listen to it as you write, and it’ll help keep you going.

2.       Do something else. If you’ve been staring at your computer screen/blank piece of paper for three hours now without inspiration striking, it’s not likely to strike if you continue staring. So take a walk, ride your bike, do the dishes, vacuum the rug. Not only will you make your parents/spouse/roommate happy by a.) getting out of the house and b.) cleaning, but you might just figure out something that makes the rest of your novel suddenly make sense!

3.       Talk to someone. Sometimes talking about where your novel is supposed to be going helps you figure out where it needs to be and what needs to be done, therefore eliminating writer’s block! Of course, it helps if the person you talk with can offer advice or at least understand what you’re talking about. So instead of bothering your parents or your deaf grandmother with all the details of the plot of your fantasy novel that involves unicorns taking over the earth, maybe find a friend or someone else who likes fantasy that involves unicorns. Because it helps if their eyes don’t glaze over five minutes into your explanation of your twenty-three book series, and generally, they’ll give better advice if they’re not asleep.

4.       Keep writing. Don’t drop a novel because of an incident of writer’s block. You’ll regret it in the long run. So even if you have no idea what happens or what’s going on, just keep pushing through. Eventually, you’ll finish.

Hopefully, some of these solutions help you. And if not, feel free to comment and say, “Jo, you are the most awful advice-giver I’ve ever met and I can’t believe I wasted my time by reading this!”

Of course, I hope it doesn’t come to that, but I’ll understand.

Anyway, best wishes!

Jo

***

Do you feel it; inspiration crawling from your head, down your arms to your fingertips, until it strikes against your keyboard? No, you don’t feel it? Well, then you’re probably suffering from writer’s block like Jo and I are.

There’s only so much that a writer with writer’s block can say to other writers with writer’s block.

1.     How many times was a form of the word, ‘writer’ used in that sentence?

2.     There’s no definite cure for writing block. Everyone works differently.

Sometimes, writer’s block is actually preventable. Consider these hints your ‘writing fiber’ to keep your story going even before the blockage.

1.     At the end of a scene/ chapter, write the start of the next one.

When you stop at the end of a scene, you tend to want to stop completely. The next time you pick it up, you may not have any idea where you wanted it to go. Then you sit there with a blank page for a while, struggling to remember where exactly you needed to bring your characters. This is easily avoided by starting the next scene, right after you finish the previous one.

2.     Have a couple pieces going at the same time.

I know it seems dangerous, but it’s not. You don’t have to work on them all of the time and you certainly don’t have to upload them. You should just keep them as ideas, so if you ever get stuck, you have something else to work on and you don’t obsess over your main piece.

3.     Have a plot map!

I’m begging you. Please know where your story is going. You can map out every plot point and detail in your head. Sometimes, you need to. Other times, it’s easier to just say, “Alright, this is my start. Where do I finish? How do I get there?” Also, while it’s good to keep it in your head, try to keep a written record, in case you do forget something.

But for those of you who are moaning, “Alex, I already have writer’s block! What do I do now?” there is hope yet! Writer’s block claims many casualties and sometimes it has just cause to be in your life. If your cat has glaucoma, or your uncle has a severe case of athlete’s foot, those are perfectly acceptable times to put the pen down for a bit and tend to these illnesses.

Eventually though, you’re going to have to pick up that pen. And glaring at you will be writer’s block. When this happens, a few of these things may help you.

1.     Plod through it.

It’s going to suck. It’s really going to suck, but you cannot put your writing on hold waiting for your muse. You need to keep writing, even if your barely coherent four-year nephew/son/brother could’ve written it better. You can always edit it later. You have to keep moving. Have a word quota each day that you have to fulfill and don’t stop until it’s done like I said, you can always go back and edit even if you don’t like it.

2.     Skip to a later scene.

You have to be a bit wary of this one. Sometimes, it can go badly. You’ll end up with this gap that you have to fill. It can be a pain to connect the two scenes. Sometimes, it can go very well and a beautiful bridge of loveliness will open between the two scenes. Then the writing starts flowing again.

3.     Work on one of those other pieces you started to prevent writer’s block.

Kind of like what we’re doing with this project. With the other projects, try to have a few out of your genre. Write a historical fiction if you’re into fantasy. Write science fiction if you’d rather write romance. First off, you’d be surprised how much fun it is and next off, it gets your mind flowing in a new direction, which you probably needed if your story is at a halt.

Writer’s block is a severe illness, but is treatable and preventable with early diagnosis and proper medical care. Trust me, nobody likes to see a writer suffer because usually they make everyone else suffer too. The next time you need a little jolt of inspiration, try some of these tips out…or get some fresh air. You probably haven’t had any in days.

-Alex