Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

Writers block can be frustrating. I began a new book in September 2011. By November, I had five chapters finished and then that was it. I was stuck. The holidays filled my time and when I looked at my new novel on my computer, nothing came to me. I couldn’t have added chapters if I tried, and I wasn’t about to try and type a bunch of garbage. I know many articles say to write everyday, regardless if you don’t feel like writing, but I just don’t work this way. I write when I have things to say, not because I have to, but because I want to.

January 2012 approaches and by now I have reread and edited my last three novels so many times that I’m ready to scream. I need something new. I need my new novel. Frustrated that I can’t seem to connect with my muse, I try the trick that often works for me. I go to bed and before I fall asleep, I focus on my book, my characters, and what I want them to go through. Most importantly, I focus on the last chapter where I was stuck.

At 1 am my story took shape, not completely, since I tend to like the book to tell me where it needs to go, but I knew my next chapter, and a few twists I wanted to add along the way to completion. I jumped out of bed and went and wrote some things down so I wouldn’t forget.

The next day I reread the chapter I was stuck on, and away I went. I typed for hours. I’m now on chapter thirteen and I couldn’t be happier with my story’s development. I’m sure there will be other times where I’m stuck in this novel, but for now, I shall allow the words to flow.

What do you do when you can’t hear your muse?


http://www.lahilden.com/index.php?cat...

I turn to my outline when I'm stuck. I'm a big fan of structure and I use an outline to make sure I have a solid structure. My book never adheres to the outline, but when I get stuck, I can look at the outline, rework it and find where I can go based on the beginning, middle, and end of the book.

Also, for the first draft, I try not to concern myself so much with the connective tissue of the story. I do write chronologically (I hear some don't), but for scenes that aren't necessary to the main plot, I don't care if what I write is horrible on first go. I just need to get back to the main plot somehow and go from there.

Nick, I just wrote an article about Left and Right Brain thinking and how it affects your writing. Since you outline, I assume you are a left brained thinker, I'm a right brained thinker. I found the research I did on this article very interesting. Unlike you, if I get stuck, I have no outline, but I do know the destination my characters are heading. The story tends to write itself, which I assume yours does too since you don't really follow your outline unless necessary. I read that some authors write chapters out of order and put them together like a puzzle when they are done. Everyone has their own ways of doing things, I find it fascinating.

Here's the article if your interested.

http://www.lahilden.com/index.php?cat...

This is going to sound repetitive, but I do just what you did. I keep writing. I start with writing scenes and then connect them together beginning to end and then go back to work out the parts that don't make sense. Of course it doesn't always go smoothly, and I can't tell you how many times I wrote, and then rewrote my most current book. Eventually it somehow gets done.

I'm a right-brain thinker and my story did write itself! I thought I knew the direction my main character was going in, but I was surprised when she didn't go that way. It just did feel right for her to go the original way.

When writer's block strikes, I try very hard to write, but I am not always successful. Fortunately, when the block leaves, my fingers fly over the keyboard.

I've read several things from people that say writer's block is a myth. I also notice that they don't care much about the quality of what they write and admit they churn out a great deal of "crap." For those of us that are serious about writing, we know very well that writer's block is a real thing. I usually try to roll along the best I can if I'm in the middle of a project. Sometimes I break through it. Other times, you simply have to move on and hope life provides inspiration. And I tell you, once it finally passes you usually have a flood of inspiration that you can barely keep up with. It's a mixed blessing.

Sherri, while I agree that many writers churn out crap, I also don't believe much in "writer's block", only temporary "writer's confusion". It's all in your mentality and how you write. The people who churn out crap and don't believe in writer's block most likely use writing (crap) to get through their block, then they don't go back and edit themselves later. That is a failing on their part. I prefer not to believe in writer's block, because of a warning I received once by a very wise man. This wise man (his name is Sean Stephenson) said, "Seeing is NOT believing. Believing is seeing." If you don't believe in writer's block, you cannot experience writer's block. "There IS no spoon." (really)

Sometimes music helps me, sometimes it just distracts me more. I have a folder of favorites at dA of artwork that reminds me of the story I'm trying to write, and sometimes that does the trick. When all else fails, I go to http://nightowlr.com/writtenpuppy/pup... and set it for the lowest. Surely we can all write 100 words just to see a cute picture of a puppy, right? :D

I'm not the kind of writer who tries to force out words when I hit a snag in my writing. Really, what's the point of churning out drivel that you just have to go back and rewrite anyway? I'm not saying that authors who do that are wrong in their methods, I'm just saying that's not how I work. The story has to want to be told. I can't put words down on paper that don't make a lot of sense or don't contribute to the storyline, just for the sake of writing something.

When I do hit a roadblock in my writing, I walk away from it for a bit; let it percolate in my head; let my mind work on it because I know the scenes and characters and dialogue are in there somewhere among all the other thoughts whirling in my brain. A lot of my ideas come to me when I'm on a hike with my hubby and dog, but the trick is to remember them all once I get back home! :)

For as long as I've been writing, I've had more than one story going. If one isn't working, I try to work on the other, or, I'll blog, or sometimes look for places to submit my work and not write at all.

I walk away from the keyboard and pursue some a-muse-ment....

Anne wrote: "For as long as I've been writing, I've had more than one story going. If one isn't working, I try to work on the other, or, I'll blog, or sometimes look for places to submit my work and not write ..."

Anne, I'm the same way. I have two banker's boxes full of unfinished manuscripts. If I temporarily run out of ideas for the current one, I sometimes can pick up another one and run with it for a while until the ideas start flowing again for the first one.

Writers block is indeed a real thing and not a myth--but when paying the bills means applying fingers to keyboard, it can't be allowed to happen. *shrug*

Outlining (even vaguely) the story can help. That way if you get stuck on the "next" chapter, skip to another place and write the end of the book, for example.

With nonfiction, my challenge is to not get lost in the research. Sometimes I must force myself to stop the research and start writing.

Writing fiction is very different for me. It takes a different kind of focus--I can't multitask with fiction. The nonfiction I can, and once wrote 3 books (and dozens of articles) within the same 6-month period. Again, when paying the bills is involved, you do what's needed. *s*

Others milage may vary.

I have found that when I get blocked there is some element of the story that just isn't working, but it can take me a LONG time to figure out what it is. And then to take the action necessary to "unplug" the blockage - namely, deleting huge sections. Oh,man, does that hurt, especially when it is something that I had loved. Those blockages take forever to fix because I am unwilling to see the problem. :) As soon as it is deleted and I see more clearly, the writing just flows. But for those days (months) where nothing is coming and I try to work on a different project - but can't because of the blockage - I worry that nothing will ever come forth again. So as painful as cutting out the parts I love is, it is worth it when the words flow once more. I do copy and paste the axed sections elsewhere in case they may be of some use in another story; so far that hasn't been the case. :(

I know exactly what you mean A.C. I often cut and put the big sections I cut in another file, thinking I will have use for these cut pieces, but it never seems to work out that way. I still can't find a prologue I cut from one of my books, which stinks because I wanted to put it on my webpage. I've looked in two computers and it is gone. :(

Right now I should be working on a book that I know I have to take an ax to. Too much description of wedding plans and so this info must go. One of the main reasons I'm procrastinating is because I am just so tired of rereading this book. But these scenes must be cut for the story to flow better. I hope once this is done the book will be ready. Of course once I edit yet again, it will need another read through. Ugh!

Sometimes I work through it, sometimes I stall. I have days where I'm Absolutely Sure I won't be able to write and all of a sudden it's 3 hours later and I have pages done.
Sometimes I'll write on a blog entry if nothing else is coming.

I research, or edit. There's always editing to be done, and usually once I start editing, I can roll from there. Also I try to write at the same time every day so my Muse knows where to find me. I call it my date with my Muse, lol.