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gabriella
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How to get inspired when the inspiration is gone.I hope they help you, too. Please feel free to leave other suggestions for other writers and aspiring authors on the blog about how you overcome your own writer's block, too. 
Jen "Those who control their passions do so because their passions are weak enough to be controlled." William Blake my blog
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Nestat
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Nice blog, gabriela. But I'm always curious about the phenomenon "writer's block". I've never suffered from a "lack of inspiration", though that is probably because I have only written one story. But also, I don't plan or think about plot or characters or anything, I just write. What I write may well be rubbish and need a lot of editing, but at least it happens by itself. What I do suffer from is a random hatred of writing. It happens spontaneously and when it does, I can plan, plot, dream, have my being filled with myriad flashes of inspiration, discuss my writing, anything. But I cannot make words appear on a page. All I can do is sit down at my computer every few days and try to write, and discover if the muse has returned. Does this count as writer's block and do others recognise the problem, or is it symptomatic of some freakish form of schizophrenia?
This post was last edited by Nestat, 13 Mar 2010, 23:14
Writing for yourself is writing for others: "My book could very well end up being reconstituted as a trestle table in a home for battered women." - Alan Partridge
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gabriella
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Quote: Nestat, Saturday, 13 Mar 2010 23:13Nice blog, gabriela. But I'm always curious about the phenomenon "writer's block". I've never suffered from a "lack of inspiration", though that is probably because I have only written one story. But also, I don't plan or think about plot or characters or anything, I just write. What I write may well be rubbish and need a lot of editing, but at least it happens by itself. What I do suffer from is a random hatred of writing. It happens spontaneously and when it does, I can plan, plot, dream, have my being filled with myriad flashes of inspiration, discuss my writing, anything. But I cannot make words appear on a page. All I can do is sit down at my computer every few days and try to write, and discover if the muse has returned. Does this count as writer's block and do others recognise the problem, or is it symptomatic of some freakish form of schizophrenia? If it's a form of schizophrenia, then I fear at least 90% of all writers/authors are mentally deranged and ill. Of course, that might explain a lot in my case.  I think I would say that is a form of writer's block but it could be coupled with events taking place in your life that inhibit the 'need' to write. I think all of us go through spells where we don't write or don't want to. For me, that is dangerous ground for me to step onto because once the procrastination begins - I'm hopelessly lost. It takes days, weeks, sometimes months to "get back in the swing". I have to write every day, even if it's for 10 minutes. I don't care if it's good or not, I just have to keep the mind writing and thinking. As long as you keep going back to your writing every few days, I think you're safe from being committed to some failed schitzo writer's asylum anytime soon. 
Jen "Those who control their passions do so because their passions are weak enough to be controlled." William Blake my blog
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Crossmouse
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That's an interesting blog. What you are saying, in many of them, is that you should write something that doesn't require any imagination, so the act of writing will prime the imagination juices and get them flowing. That is very much like an aspect of neuro-linguistic programming, which holds that the physical activity or posture of the body (i.e. body language) can determine the mental state as well as reflect it. Like the 'Smile, it'll make you feel better,' line, which is incredibly irritating, not least because it works.
The other side of this, I have found, is that I can trace a block to writing too much about something else. I had a block most of last year, which bothered me until I realised that I was channelling all my imagination into a new teaching job and I simply hadn't any juice to spare. Once I realised that I relaxed and the juice started flowing again. Sometimes, I reckon, working out where the juice is flowing may be more helpful than worrying that it has dried up. At least you could ration it.
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Athene
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Unless you actually have to make a living out of writing, I don't really see why writer's block would matter. If you don't feel like writing for a day, a week, a month - so what? Go and do something else! I'm not sure that forcing oneself to write about something/anything is likely to be terribly productive: wouldn't it just make writing seem like a chore? But I do know that a lot of writers, including many professional writers, make themselves write a certain number of words every day, whether they feel like it or not. That just seems so strange to me. I write because I enjoy writing. When I stop enjoying it, I stop writing. Is that writer's block?
This post was last edited by Athene, 14 Mar 2010, 17:39
Scias te fortasse Romanum esse si animal convivialissimum arbitreris esse caprum (Henricus Barbatus) my website
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dancingsue
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I agree with Rosalind. Don't beat yourself up about it - go and do something useful until new ideas pop into your head. Writing was invented so people could get their housework/gardening/payed employment done!
the long and the short of itTriclops: a collection of forty short stories by Avery Mathers, Susan Howe and Lee Williams.
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sulcus
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Personally I don't encounter block since the intrusion of real life means my writing time is limited and I am always trying to play catch up with my own material.
"A,B&E", "Not In My Name" and "52FF" (flash fiction anthology) all available on Amazon Kindle"How a psychopath makes sweet love. I can get you ringside. Royal box even."
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maybee
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Quote: Athene, Sunday, 14 Mar 2010 17:38Unless you actually have to make a living out of writing, I don't really see why writer's block would matter. If you don't feel like writing for a day, a week, a month - so what? Go and do something else! I'm not sure that forcing oneself to write about something/anything is likely to be terribly productive: wouldn't it just make writing seem like a chore? But I do know that a lot of writers, including many professional writers, make themselves write a certain number of words every day, whether they feel like it or not. That just seems so strange to me. I write because I enjoy writing. When I stop enjoying it, I stop writing. Is that writer's block? I agree with, Athene, I can't see how 'writing' when forcing ones self can be that creative? To me, you would just be doing the act - but with little creatively to show for it. You are either in creative mode or not. But what I can add, is that, once the 'creative juices' are flowing again, and you are in that 'writers vein' keep it going, till you run out. Then do something else you enjoy! And when you get bored of that, maybe, go back to writing?
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Marita Hansen
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I don't suffer from writer's block, as I have too many ideas flowing in my head and never enough time (even though I'm neglecting my art (the paying job) to write.) What I suffer from is "burn out" as I find it emotionally depleting waiting for the reviews and then re-editing it. I'm sure others suffer from this too, but when you have a passion you're willing to suck it up and soldier on.
Well anyway, I need to stop focusing on the first few chapters, and just get on with re-editing and re-writing the rest of the book.
Marita.
Perseverance - the word every writer should know very well.
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Nestat
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Quote: Marita Hansen, Monday, 15 Mar 2010 01:05Perseverance - the word every writer should know very well. My aunt, who I live with, used to have a parrot called Perseverance. One day...
Writing for yourself is writing for others: "My book could very well end up being reconstituted as a trestle table in a home for battered women." - Alan Partridge
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Struggling with writer's block?
13 Mar 2010, 21:12
