writers block
perhaps u've been lucky enuf 2 avoid it 4eva, f so, gr8. but many ppl, especially urs truly, hv run up against this obstacle numerous times & felt like a wimp afterwards.
i will try 2 list a few possible remedies 2 try f / when this happens 2 u, & i can only hope others will chime n w a few as well.
4 most of us, beginner or experienced, the hardest part of writing is getting started, getting beyond that jarring, sometimes numbing confrontation w that blank page, or pc screen, n front of us. sometimes we feel we've hit whats com 2b called writers block, a solid brick wall of resistance blocking us from reaching our goal of setting a gr8 tale down n print 4 others.
how does any1 eva get around this? well, 4 the pro's, there is ample motivation: f they don't write, they don't work, don't work, don't eat. but what about the rest of us? well, the good thing about most of these techniques, or exercises is, they r applicable 2 a script, fiction, short story, or even poetry. i hope every1 who endeavors 2 write will fine at least 1 that they can use as is, or w som slight modification 2 get them rolling.
1. collect beginnings b4 u begin.
f u practice this technique on the regular, u might not eva need the others. ur theme or focus, the wording of a lead, an image 2 begin a short story, or novel chapter, may present itself 2 u as u gather material from books & magazines, or as u plan & define ur project. try 2 keep urself open 2 multiple possibilities as long as possible.
ideas can occur 2 u at anytime but will generally insert themselves n2 ur mind primarily when there is zero possibility of ur jotting them down (they're jus like that), so, i try 2 ALWAYS carry som form of note paper w me at all times so i can make notes 2 myself 4 later reference. wheneva i do take notes, i use all kinds of symbols, which hv meaning mor 2 me than any1 else, like stars, underlining, or even smley faces by notes i think can b developed later on n text.
don't b afraid 2 take samples of the real life happening all around u 4 ur use even when writing fiction. particularly when it comes 2 interaction b/t ur characters. way too much of the character interaction i read n short stories is difficult 2 believe, to downright outlandish. don't get all bogged down trying 2 figure out how to make the beginning or opening the best part of the book. f u think of ur story, short or long, as a meal, that 1st bite needs merely 2b flavorful & interesting, but also 2 hold promise of treats 2 come later. thats how i think ur opening should b. but even f u don't achieve that initially, remember, any opening u hv written down is better than that spectacular opening u r merely conceptualizing n ur mind.
i ll post a few mor tips 2 fight writers block by & by, wheneva i can can take the time from traveling all ova the country. jus got back over the last month after being n (n no particular order): illinois, iowa, texas, florida, pennsylvania, and minnesota. iowa was the coldest. the temperature went down so low overnite, while we were there, the brakes froze to the wheel drums b/c i applied the parking brakes to the rental car overnite. we found out the next day that when the temp is expected 2 drop below 5, u don't put the parking brakes on n iowa. who knew?
perhaps u've been lucky enuf 2 avoid it 4eva, f so, gr8. but many ppl, especially urs truly, hv run up against this obstacle numerous times & felt like a wimp afterwards.
i will try 2 list a few possible remedies 2 try f / when this happens 2 u, & i can only hope others will chime n w a few as well.
4 most of us, beginner or experienced, the hardest part of writing is getting started, getting beyond that jarring, sometimes numbing confrontation w that blank page, or pc screen, n front of us. sometimes we feel we've hit whats com 2b called writers block, a solid brick wall of resistance blocking us from reaching our goal of setting a gr8 tale down n print 4 others.
how does any1 eva get around this? well, 4 the pro's, there is ample motivation: f they don't write, they don't work, don't work, don't eat. but what about the rest of us? well, the good thing about most of these techniques, or exercises is, they r applicable 2 a script, fiction, short story, or even poetry. i hope every1 who endeavors 2 write will fine at least 1 that they can use as is, or w som slight modification 2 get them rolling.
1. collect beginnings b4 u begin.
f u practice this technique on the regular, u might not eva need the others. ur theme or focus, the wording of a lead, an image 2 begin a short story, or novel chapter, may present itself 2 u as u gather material from books & magazines, or as u plan & define ur project. try 2 keep urself open 2 multiple possibilities as long as possible.
ideas can occur 2 u at anytime but will generally insert themselves n2 ur mind primarily when there is zero possibility of ur jotting them down (they're jus like that), so, i try 2 ALWAYS carry som form of note paper w me at all times so i can make notes 2 myself 4 later reference. wheneva i do take notes, i use all kinds of symbols, which hv meaning mor 2 me than any1 else, like stars, underlining, or even smley faces by notes i think can b developed later on n text.
don't b afraid 2 take samples of the real life happening all around u 4 ur use even when writing fiction. particularly when it comes 2 interaction b/t ur characters. way too much of the character interaction i read n short stories is difficult 2 believe, to downright outlandish. don't get all bogged down trying 2 figure out how to make the beginning or opening the best part of the book. f u think of ur story, short or long, as a meal, that 1st bite needs merely 2b flavorful & interesting, but also 2 hold promise of treats 2 come later. thats how i think ur opening should b. but even f u don't achieve that initially, remember, any opening u hv written down is better than that spectacular opening u r merely conceptualizing n ur mind.
i ll post a few mor tips 2 fight writers block by & by, wheneva i can can take the time from traveling all ova the country. jus got back over the last month after being n (n no particular order): illinois, iowa, texas, florida, pennsylvania, and minnesota. iowa was the coldest. the temperature went down so low overnite, while we were there, the brakes froze to the wheel drums b/c i applied the parking brakes to the rental car overnite. we found out the next day that when the temp is expected 2 drop below 5, u don't put the parking brakes on n iowa. who knew?
