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.
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:
Select
a movie you wish to enjoy.
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?
In a
writing journal or spare writing tablet, jot any ideas you’ve gathered. If
you’re feeling inspired, get to writing now!
If the
movie you watched was part of a series, watch more films from this series!
Book:
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.
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.
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?
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:
Subscribe
to a local newspaper, magazine, journal or other news outlet if you haven’t
already
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.
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.
Try to
formulate characters and links for the tale. Write all of your ideas down
so you don’t forget.
Music:
If,
while listening to the radio or a friend’s CD, you hear a song that
inspires you, write your thoughts down.
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.
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.
Music is the one thing that has majorly helped my writer's block lately.
When I'm really stuck, reading a romance novel, or even just a few chapters of a book has cleared my head a little.
I agree that journaling is a big help, especially when something just pops into your head.
I was at work when I got my last story idea, and couldn't write it down, so I went into the bathroom [so I wouldn't get caught using my cell] and emailed the plot to myself.
Good ideas. Music is a big inspiration a couple of movies have inspired me to write.
I have not kept up with my journal lately .. i will now.
Thank you.
WOW, that was some amazing ideas that you had. I have had very bad writers block..I think due to my depression that I am going through, I have never really been able to write during times a depressive state. I don't like to thrive on the negative when I write as some people do. However I did pull one off around Halloween last year called Mortal Demise. check out my work if you don't mind and let me know what you think, I will continue to read through these lessons and hopefully overcome my block. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I love listening to the start of a cd and when i next look, i've listened to it all and it's started again without me realising.
You can get so absorbed in the story and that's what i love the most, but right now it's so hard!
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..
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