Writer's block, for me, is when I don't want to write on a story anymore. It isn't that I can't write, because there is always something for me to write. This happens for two reasons. It could be that I am just bored with the project or it could be that I have no idea where I want the story to go. Either way, I just find myself easily distracted or not even trying to work on it. I learned that if this happens, to keep writing anyway.
If I am bored with the project it is probably because I'm writing boring information, not action or exciting but more of background information. I just continue to push through until it gets exciting again. Then in the editing process I can get rid of the excess boriness. If I don't know where the story is going, I just continue to write. Normally my original plan was dumb anyway and the result turns out better than I anticipated. While it is frustrating when you sit down and you don't know what you want your characters to accomplish in the next chapter, it will come eventually and you can always go back through and add the appropriate foreshadowing and groundwork.
The whole fact of the matter is that if you feel stuck, the worst thing you can do is to stop writing.
This is a great point. For example the stress of life is getting to me and I haven't written a word. I find that when I am down in the dumps it is really hard for me to write. I guess I better just start writing and then I will feel better anyway:)
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to write when the rest of the life is stressful. I have heard some people just have a goal to write for a certain amount of time. I have had times instead of having a word count goal I have a goal to write for an hour three days a week. That is also helpful. Good luck.
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