Use other media

Use other media

A Lesson by Violet Rose
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This lesson will describe how to start writing again after doing what you already do - enjoy yourself! Watch a movie. Read a book. Glance through the newspapers.

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Lesson One: Using other media

 

            This is one of the easier and more effective methods of defeating writer’s block. I’ve divided the lesson into small groups based on what media you wish to use. Make sure you watch a movie you would normally enjoy or read a book that you already had on your library wait list. Also, don’t choose a movie or book that’s designed to make you think; the goal is to be inspired, not enlightened.

 

Movie:

 

  1. Select a movie you wish to enjoy.
  2. Sit and enjoy. (If you didn’t enjoy the movie, repeat step one) Make sure to pay attention to the plot. In which situations could the plot have split and gone somewhere different? Which character did you enjoy the most? Why? Most importantly, was this genre and setting the sort that you would be comfortable writing in?
  3. In a writing journal or spare writing tablet, jot any ideas you’ve gathered. If you’re feeling inspired, get to writing now!
  4. If the movie you watched was part of a series, watch more films from this series!

 

Book:

 

  1. Go to your library or just browse Writers Café for a book you think you might enjoy. If you choose the library, make sure to borrow several books in case you choose a couple duds. You might want to consider the genre and target age. Read the introduction; if the first three paragraphs haven’t hooked you, give up on it.
  2. Keep a reading journal and begin reading. In your journal, record thoughts and suspicions about characters, foreshadowing clues, symbols, ideas of where the plot will go, what you like about the book at certain moments, etc. Study the book and the author’s style.
  3. Once you’ve finished the book, take a moment to reflect. Use your journal. Were there any plot holes? Where could the story have really gone elsewhere? Who was the most important character? Did everything come together in the end? Do you feel the story ended crisply?
  4. Are you inspired? Write! If not, go to your next book and repeat steps three and four.

 

Note: If your writer’s block seems undefeatable, I’d highly recommend a romance novel. Find the most romance of romance novels. If it doesn’t have two gorgeous models half-garbed in ancient clothes, or if the pages aren’t orange and yellow, you haven’t looked hard enough. Romance novels are notorious for their detailed flowery language, easily-manipulated characters, the vocabulary and their plot holes the size of craters. These make lots of food for inspiration for blocked writers.

 

Newspapers, Magazines, Journals:

 

  1. Subscribe to a local newspaper, magazine, journal or other news outlet if you haven’t already
  2. You will need a box, scrapbook, tin or other container. Whenever you see an interesting story in the paper, clip it out and put it in this container. You can also clip pictures of people, places or events that may be useful later.
  3. When you feel you’ve gathered enough clippings, lay all of them in front of you. You may use tape, markers or whatever you need to organize them. Try to formulate a plot. How could these events be related in another world? Car accidents, new laws, dramatic conspiracies – you never know what can be linked together.
  4. Try to formulate characters and links for the tale. Write all of your ideas down so you don’t forget.

 

Music:

 

  1. If, while listening to the radio or a friend’s CD, you hear a song that inspires you, write your thoughts down.
  2. If it is a friend’s CD you’re listening to, make sure to ask to borrow the CD, or ask for the name of the song and artist so you can get it later.
  3. Sometimes music only gets you so far, such as a setting for a story you don’t know the rest of. Parts and pieces are valuable, though, so write these down.

 

NOTE: As you may guess, a journal is critical to recovering from writer’s block. Keep one wherever you go. You never know when a great idea will hit you. Just don’t do what I do; never ever write while operating a vehicle. Pull over if you have to!

 

NOTE: Never steal an author’s creativity. Falling in love with pirates or princes is fine if you’ve just read a great tale of their adventures, but there is a bold line between fan fiction and an original book.

 

ONE LAST NOTE: This method isn’t likely to help you write a best-selling novel, but it will help you with the block until more ideas flow in.


Good luck! Tell me about your results!



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Comments

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Posted 7 Years Ago


Good stuff.

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Posted 7 Years Ago


i find this very helpful ive been stuck with writers block for a long time and usually only have brief moments of creativity

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Posted 8 Years Ago


This looks really helpful! Thanks for creating this! :)

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Posted 9 Years Ago


This makes all the sense in the world thanks for the lessons. It is much appreciated. Thanks!

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Posted 11 Years Ago


this is amazingly helpful!
thanks

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Posted 12 Years Ago


this is really going to help me. I always get writers block with my books and all of the people who read it keep asking for more. Hopefully some of these ideas will terminate my writersblock for good.

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Posted 12 Years Ago


i always use music...im running low on songs
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Joy

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Posted 12 Years Ago


I have done this before, But I have forgotten these steps.Thank You for the reminder.

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Posted 13 Years Ago


I find getting a quote, and commenting on it in the poem is a good way to get the verses flowing...

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Posted 13 Years Ago


Does anybody really go potty in the bathroom anymore, or should we just go ahead and call it the "Secret Cell Phone" room? I am very guilty of that.

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Added on January 10, 2010
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Violet Rose
Violet Rose

The Promised Land



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Writing is my air, my bread, my daily bed. If I do not write, I will wither. Because even Writers' Cafe has its creeps, I'll leave you with some quotes that have been important to m..