Cure For Writer's Block, Anyone?

[aletes_muse]

I know it doesn't seem it since I've posted stories on this LJ in the past few days but, in all honesty, Come Hell or High Water chapter three has been all typed up for over a month now and, like I said, the prologue has been on my hard drive for about two months. Right now, I'm sitting on chapter thirteen for Come Hell or High Water and ... I

Comments

[graylor]

Read something you love, or used to love--something that will inspire you. Also, you could just lay aside what you've been working on and write something totally different--that has kick-started my writing in the past. Good luck.

[aletes_muse]

Thank you ... I think I'm going to go and hunt out Flowers in the Attic then. One of my guilty pleasures :P.

Then again I could always just write fluff.

[romaine24]

I'm not on your flist, but thought I would answer anyway. Hope you don't mind.

If your story is planned out and there is a future chapter that really interests you write that one. This is what I do sometimes, and then when I'm writing it the pieces start fitting together of how to make that chapter happen. I can then go back and fill in the missing pieces.

There are, of course, sections of a chapter or a complete chapter that need to be done for continuity sake but really are not that much fun to write. Those sections I actually force myself to sit down and write them. Afterwards, I feel so much better because I've completed the task and that is a good feeling too.

Ah, one other thing I'm sure you know, music always helps. I've been known to close my eyes while typing and let it flow. I think my beta's hate me for that.

Good luck!

[aletes_muse]

No, I don't mind you answering the post. The more, the merrier and all that!

Yeah, my story is quite thoroughly planned out and I think it would make sense to write a different scene. Maybe it is just this particular one that's causing me trouble

[aletes_muse]

I admit that I had to go and look up The Artist's Way -- I had never even heard of it but, from first glance at least, it looks quite helpful and interesting so thank you very much!

Thank you so much for your advice. I know have a hankering to go and bug my younger cousins to have a water fight with me -- maybe it's not exactly what you're suggesting but it's always fun at least. Then maybe I'll free write. My art is atrocious and I'd get too wrapped up in complaining about it :). Like I said thanks for you help and saying about The Artist's Way ... I think I'm going to go and trawl Google now.

[enchanted_jae]

A good prompt always helps me.

[aletes_muse]

A prompt has helped me in the past -- maybe I should post asking for prompts. Or go and actually join some of the communities that give authors prompts ... I don't think I belong to even one *sighs*. Thank you!

[khateh]

I usually write on more than one fic at a time (right now I have 4) and if writing for one doesn't work well, I switch to another one. They're usually quite different as far as setting/general mood goes, so the change from one to another is big enough.

If I have a deadline for something and it doesn't work, I read something that would get me in the mood I need writing for the fic and then, hopefully, I'm in the right mindset to write.

If I have problems with the plot development, I discuss it with my betas, tell them what I'd like to do beyond this point or where I'd want it to end and see what ideas they have. Discussing my fics with someone gives me a lot of ideas and helps me write.

[aletes_muse]

First off I have to say this: four fics?! You're working one four fics?! I take my hat of to you (well I would if I was wearing one) because I find it hard enough with two. Then again, I thin what you're saying is probably right. If I actually started writing something that was a bit removed from what I'm currently doing it could help me ... it's interesting, so thank you for mentioning that.

As for discussing things I may just do that -- I have a lovely woman (ravenqueen55) helping me out with this so maybe I should fire off a quick e-mail to her. Thanks for helping me out -- I have been getting very frustrated with it lately.

[khateh]

My big problem is that I have a lot of plot bunnies swimming around in my head, demanding attention ^_^ I have to choose what to write and I've decided four is the limit. I don't think I could focus on just one, becuase I'd keep thinking about the other ones :)
Another thing which might help while writing a long multi-chaptered fic is writing short fics (even drabbles). I've done a few for the weekly prompts at dracoharry100 and it gave me the opportunity to write completely different things. (it helped me work on my phrasing and deciding what's really important to be said because 100 is a very demanding limit :) )

Glad to help :)

[aletes_muse]

The plot bunnies always seem to niggle at my brain when I'm working on something else, so I guess your way is a good way of going about it. Usually I just jot them down but then, by the time I've managed to get 'round to them, I have absolutely no idea what half of my notes mean!

I don't know if I could fit anything in 100 words, in all honesty! I did a few a while back -- like months -- but I didn't like them. I have an awful tendency to get an idea in my head and just run with it. I know, maybe I should have ask people to give me prompts when I get writer's block. Write a fic and get myself out of a slump. Yeah, prompts. Sorry -- I also have a tendency to write what I'm thinking at the moment without it making any discernible sense! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

(Er, I don't suppose you know any other prompt comms?)