For the past three years, I’ve been trapped in hell. At one time, I fancied myself a writer. Among many of the things I wanted to do with my life, I knew that one of those was to write. If I was incredibly lucky, perhaps see my book in a library some day.I have always had plot lines running through my head, stories, backgrounds, conversations, and characters. It was like plucking fruit off of a tree. They were all right there for the taking. I wrote plays, I wrote short stories, I wrote whole novels (though most of them weren’t really any good). It gave me a sense of accomplishment and a sense of joy. That I had brought a whole world to life through my words. And that I could make someone else see what I saw, using my words.
Then, roughly three years ago, it just stopped. The idea’s were still there, the people, but I could no longer sit down and write about them. Since it started about the same time my daughter was born, it would be rather obvious to assume the two were connected some how. Maybe I was too tired, maybe I just had too many other things to do. Who knows. But I did know I could not write.As time went on, and my daughter got older, I tried once again to sit down and put my thoughts on paper. I couldn’t. Whereas before rhymes would flow from my mind in perfect rhythem, now I was struggling just to get the first 2 lines together.Logically, I realize that perhaps the reason for my writer’s block had something to do with the fact that for 2 years I had no car, and no outside stimuli. Babies, while adorable in their own right, aren’t very good at intellectual conversation.However, that has not been the situation for the past year. I do not feel as dried up as I once did, and I do get to talk with people that can converse in more then 3 word sentances.But, yet, I still cannot write. It’s almost agonizing. I have characters in my head who want their stories to be written, but I cannot accomodate them. I sit down to write, the idea and the plot waiting before me. Then I proceed to look at the monitor with a “duh” look on my face for the next 10 minutes.I have written a few character background stories for different characters I roleplay, but nothing beyond that. And I don’t really count them as my stories since I have taken the setting from the game I am playing at the time.At this point, I’m almost to desperation. I have had to cut many of my hobbies out while I am a mother, but this was one that could stay no matter what I was doing. Yet, this is the one that I am having the most problems with.I’m just tired of not being able to do the whole brain to canvas thing. I want to write, and at times I feel I need to write, but it never happans.Ultimately, I am looking for ways to combat writer’s block. I know many people here write (and do it well). I was looking for insight in how to finally pull myself out of the cursed place, and start doing what I am supposed to be doing.~Kitashla
I love to write. I don’t write here too much, but I do so on my homepage, at school, wherever I can. When I am not writing I like to draw. When I’m sick of drawing, I write some more. I know what it feels like to not know what to write, but I have not had problems writing things. It’s just a different link missing for me – but it all amounts to the same thing: writer’s block. I suggest writing a scene. Just one, short scene. Describe something that has happened, you have seen happen, a dream – just about anything you can think of – and write it as well as you can. Keep rewriting it, working on it, as if it were a whole story. Then step back and figure that you have accomplished something. Because you have, and that’s the beauty of it. You’ve written something. And eventually you’ll write more.
Getting out and doing things does also help. Reading other people’s things doesn’t help me though. I just want to copy what they’ve done. When you stare dumbly at the computer, write anything that passes through your mind. I sit dumbly at my desk looking at my white lined paper, wondering why it’s still white. Then I’ll write something like “This sux” or “you suck” or whatever rageful comment is on my mind. Then I’ll continue until I can’t think of anything else or I get bored. Then, I start to really write.
All of these things may not work for you, but they does work for me. And I’m slowly but surely getting to the point where I’ll be able to write a story with a real plot. And then more. And more. So good luck to you… and keep writing.
take a book or a story that you really like, and then find a passage in there that you completely adore. build from that. your own ideas and words will flow from the words and ideas of another author, and pretty soon you’ve got pages of the stuff.
but then, that’s never worked for me.
Actually, I’ve tried that, and that has worked.
I’ve written long drawn out character histories for characters I RP or play online. I’ve been told they are quite good.
My only problem is I really need to sit down and draw on my own well. I feel so cheap writing from another’s idea’s. I know it’s silly, but I feel like if my own imagination can’t get the job done, then it’s not worth doing.
I’ve been writing meaningless stuff for now. Snippets, parts, one or two lines at most. Nothing has been very good, but at least my notebook isn’t completly empty:)
~Kitashla
just to give me an opportunity to talk about myself for a moment: i force myself to write. every day, without fail, at least two hours of it, all in one go. don’t sit around waiting for the next big idea to hit you, just sit down and make it happen. soon your writing will be just like anything else, a natural everyday function. two hours writing, five hours of reading, and you’ll only get better and better. the day you miss out on either (or both), you’ll feel as though the day has been wasted, as though there was no point to you getting up that morning. basically, just do it.
incidentally, another good way to get yourself writing again is by getting something published. you’re sitting around and all of a sudden this letter arives, and it’s a $50 check for your first story, published in some crummy little magazine. and it hits you that you can actually make a little money out of doing what you love, and then you warm up that typewriter or sharpen those pencils because greed has got to you. and believe me, it’s the best and purest kind of greed there is.
Agonizing isn’t it? I’ve had it and I’ve had it BAD.
The only sugestion I can make to you is to write everyday. Don’t strive to work with the thoughts roaming your head. They obviously want to be difficult.
Each day write what happened, little funny conversations you had, silly things the cat did, or any other eventful (or uneventful) action that you may have seen. What is special about writting this is that it requires LITTLE to NO thought. Yet, they are stories an poems within themselves, IF you don’t try to work with it. Don’t try to make it anymor than it is. Just let it flow.
Eventualy and hopefully these little stories will begin to gain your natural talent for writing. Little by little they will begin to take on your flair and natrual ability.
Then you can beginn to look back on them and twist them, add stuff, develop the entry.
It works for me some days. Regretfully not all days but everytime it does I am relieved.
Good Luck and if all fails…we can start a club…(that’s suposed to be funny…)
There is some sound advice here- the most important being continuity, any continuity. I used to do a lot of writing, the skin on fingers calloused up bad but in the right shape to hold a pen. So no problem.
I understand what you mean about the influence of a child. They become the priority of day and night, and then that time when there is no time when your own cycle changes to that of the baby.
Four years down the line and a straight job makes it harder, though for a while I was rarely able to put pen to paper. I just knew that one day I would again, and until then I did the same as you. Detailed bio’s for RPG’s, I wrote whole campaigns, short articles for magazines I would never send to and, get this, I even wrote a cook book!
But it is just continuity, any continuity.
If you can’t get past that block on what you feel is inside, then there is a reason. It might not be ready to come out. Write something else or take a complete step away from writing and be creative with something else- drawing works for me, as does mail making or cardboard monsters for my kids. The ideas are still in my head, the words still want to be spoken, but it is a refreshed and ready mind that applies them to the blank bit of paper.
Go back and read your old work, it will remind you how good you are. And it won’t take much to get back there again.
Remember, writing a book is just a useless exercise at throwing 30,000+ words at blank paper and watching them disappear…
Online there are many, many magazines or publishers, try them, see what they say and feel that rush when something is accepted or, even better, paid for. And enjoy it.
Good going.
Actually, I might dig that cook book out…