Thursday, October 6, 2011

Writer’s Block

Things are going so well with your story. You are writing and writing. Inspiration is literally shooting out rainbows from you head to your fingers, sparkling on the way down. You have such fun. What a great story. What an enjoyable thing to write. What fantastic characters and plot. All is going so well.

…And then it comes.

Writer’s Block.

The bane of my existence.

It comes out of nowhere. A giant blockade full of barbed wire, duct tape, and sometimes even fire, rising up like a ten foot thick, steel wall blocking that rainbow midsentence.Splattered Stone Wall

All that inspiration is gone. That wonderful plot: Gone. Those interesting characters: Gone. All the magnificent things that you thought were about to happen: Gone. All that is left is confusion, frustration, and a dead rainbow splattered across that seemingly impenetrable wall.

It is the down falling of us writers.

Want to know why I have not posted anything for weeks? You probably have guessed the answer by now. Yep, writer’s block. It has hit me hard. In every area, from blog posts to stories. I’ve been completely dry. I’ve just been staring at that steel wall blankly, hoping by some miracle it will fall down and let my rainbow continue its delightful flow to my fingers.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you hope it will work, just staring at the wall does not always help. Sometimes it does. Just a little time is often all it takes for it to crumble into little pieces and let your muse flow again. But sometimes it doesn’t.

SledgehammerSometimes it takes a sledgehammer and chainsaw to pull it down bit by bit. You have to pound that wall with all your might. It may seem impossible, but it can be done.

I have quite a few “sledgehammers” and “chainsaws” I use to tear that wall apart and conquer that evil known as writer’s block.

-Go on Walks
This helps me tremendously to get over writer’s block. I often get inspiration being outside and alone, walking around and thinking about my story. I almost always conquer writer’s block this way.

-Take a Shower
This might be just me, but pretty much all my ideas have formed in the shower for some strange reason. My mind is always going during showers and when I start thinking about my stories all sorts of ideas pop up. It is much like taking walks, so I suppose getting alone and just thinking works wonders.

-Listen to Music
Music can do all sorts of things to our muse. We listen to a sad song and it pulls on our heartstrings and brings a sad, dramatic scene of a story to mind that we realize we must write. We listen to a happy tune that makes us laugh, and a prank our characters should play on each other comes to mind. We hear soundtracks from battle scenes of movies and realize we must make an epic battle scene of our own. It just goes on and on, and helps a lot! Instrumental music and movie soundtracks help me the most.

-Write Nonsense
This might be odd, but it does often help. If you just sit down and start writing anything and everything that pops up in your head, you might very well find inspiration starts to form. I started a whole story by doing that once. Plus, it is quite fun!

-Talk to Your Story Characters
I know what you are thinking, “Whaaa?” Writers are strange beings, okay, I will not deny that for one second. (*lightbulb* Blog post idea! Huh? What? Oh…just thinking (typing?) out loud. Ignore me…) Having “conversations” with your characters often brings up ideas to break down that wall into one great heap. My characters have often whispered ideas into my head. *still not denying I’m crazy*

-Watch Epic Movie Trailers
This one may sound strange (or not, compared to the previous one) but it does wonders. Nothing gets me more roused up than watching an epicsauce trailer for a movie or show I like. Being as how I write fantasy, I love to go to YouTube and watch Lord of the Rings or Narnia movie trailers. They are so exciting and thrilling, they get my mind whirring with all sorts of ideas and ready to start writing again.

-Read
Well, where else would inspiration come from than a book? Reading something, especially a book the same genre as you are writing, brings all sorts of ideas and inspiration. Not copying what you are reading of course, but just getting ideas. It helps tremendously.

So, you see, breaking down that evil wall of doom and despair known as writer’s block is actually possible. It might not seem it, and often it takes more of a heart-wrenching swing of that sledgehammer instead of just a tap of the finger to make it topple over, but it is possible.

We can defeat writer’s block! We can conquer it!

Grab your sledgehammers, writers!

*Pow!*

Wall and Rainbow

7 comments:

  1. I TOTALLY know the feeling! Writer's block is the most frustrating thing ever! But your tips for conquering it are most effective! ;D

    I love listening to music to inspire me! I listen to the song Oraanu Pi almost on a daily basis. If my story had a theme song, that would probably be it! XD

    I talk to my characters, too! Sometimes I feel like they're leaning over my shoulder saying, "Seriously? You can do better than that!"

    Lol, sorry for the long comment. ^^;

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  2. I get writer's block sooo much! It is definitely frustrating.

    I will have to look up that song! Music just helps me get into the mood so much. I am always looking for new songs to inspire me.

    LOL!!! I feel the same way! My charries are so hard to please sometimes. :P

    And don't apologize! I love comments! ;)

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  3. WOW! Lauriloth, (I'm sorry for commenting here) You sound AMAZING!!!! I... *humph* Okay, I' just going to TRY to get my thoughts out.... *Takes deep breath*
    Okay, so I was editing my blog and I accidentally hit a wrong button or something, so it took me to this list of people who had "Elves" in their interest list (Yes,yes, it's true, I love elves) . So thinking nothing of it, I scrolled through the names and looked at there interests, thinking, "Wow! I'm not alone!" And I come upon your name and I read your interests, and if I am not mistaken, your interests where (to name a few) LotR, Elves, Serving God..... I stopped... AND SHOUTED WITH GLEE! YAHOOOO!!!!!! I found an AMAZING PERSON! So I searched far and wide on your blog for a place to comment, and here I am, Preparing to tell you that... *Takes a deep breath* I am an elf from this place my kind like to call the under ground.. Okay I'm no REAL elf, nor are my friends, but the UG is actually a website that (I think ) Would be perfect for you! We "Elves" would love to have you join our "clan"!
    www.heedtheprophecies.com . All you have to do is go there and click on the green writing on the top, intitled "The under ground" and make an account and type away! Hope to see you there!
    Samantha, follower of the one

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  4. Hi, Samantha! No problem commenting here at all!

    I feel so honored that you decided to join my blog and ecstatic to find another person as obsessed with elves as I am! :D

    That website definitely looks like an awesome place! Thank you so much for showing it to me. I've read The Door Within Trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson and looooved it! I have yet to read his other books though, but I hope to real soon. I would love to join that forum though.

    Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know about that place!^_^

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  5. Your VERY welcome! Hope to see you there!

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  6. Milady Lauriloth - good day to you and I am honored to know you are my newest follower! I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit with you and your bubbly personality just jumping off the screen! Blessings to you as you set forth on your adventures with Jesus leading the way - especially in the world of writing! May your words flow and become the honey of inspiration to all who read you. Story is so very powerful - story from the heart of a passionate storyteller anointed by the Lord - is world changing!

    I look forward to your musings - I do a bit of random musing myself at The Writer's Reverie. Sort of my little creative playground - feeding my own muse.

    Now, you must take some time and scroll through my blog reading list. There are some sites there you MUST visit! Have you been to the Rabbit Room - a must for all elves!!!

    I am also following some excellent writer's sites with great articles about making your writing better and best! Then, there are some author sites, and I am a historical fiction fan so Colonial Quills is really very interesting with lots of authors discussing historical fact-finding and publishing details.

    I hope I can be an encouragement and inspiration to you as I know you will be to me.
    Joy!
    Miss Kathy

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  7. Thank you so much, Miss Kathy, your comment lifted my spirits! You are such an inspiration and it is a thrill to have you as a member of my blog!^_^

    I will definitely look through your reading list. Those sound like some really great sites. I look forward to exploring them.

    ReplyDelete

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