Writer's Block...it sucks!

Writer's Block . . . it sucks!

Writer's block happens to the best of us. If I ever met a writer who said they never had writer's block, I would shake their hand and ask what their secret is (even though they are probably lying).

For those who don't know, writer's block is exactly what is sounds like. It's when a writer can't figure out what to write next. It can happen during many stages of writing. It can happen right when you're in the middle of a very important scene or it can happen when you've finished writing and don't know what your next project should be. 

Basically, you hit a mental wall where your brain says, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

It sucks. It really, really sucks. 

I would love to sit here and give you the "sure" way to beat writer's block. Unfortunately, I can't. Because it doesn't exist. Everyone is different. What may work for me, won't necessarily work for you. What I can do is give you some tips that I find useful. 

First, if you're in the middle of a writing project when "the block" hits and you've been at writing for days, I would suggest stepping away from the project. When I was working on BLOOD, if I had a block, there were long stretches of time where I didn't even look at what I had written. I just closed my notebook or laptop and walked away. I found sitting and staring at a blank page just didn't help. I would find myself stressed out about the fact that there were no words written, and that didn't help the writer's block.

Another suggestion is actually the opposite of my first suggestion (I know, I'm so unpredictable). If you've only just picked a project back up and you're stuck on how to proceed, just try to write. Even if it doesn't make sense. Force yourself to put words down. It at least helps to get you going. Don't worry about it making sense. That's what editing is for. 

What I found helpful in the past is writing scenes that are already in my head, but not the next point in the story. If I was stuck, I would open a new document or grab a new piece of paper and write down any scenes I had been thinking of that were separate from the one I was stuck on. Sometimes, it helped clear my head a little bit and I became more focused on the scene I was working on. 

You can also try going in a completely different direction than what you were planning to do. BLOOD was outlined a couple of years ago, so I had some vague idea on where I wanted to go. However, I found myself trying to stick with the outline instead of just going along with the story. I was getting stuck because I was bored. Anytime I felt this happening, I would make the story change directions. Because if you're bored with the story, what's to stop your readers from being bored with it?

I could go on and on listing different ways I try to combat writer's block. But that's not the point of this post. The point is, it happens to everyone. Don't sweat it. Don't get frustrated. Do you think that JK Rowling didn't suffer from writer's block on occasion? Or Stephen King? All the great writers have. The important thing is to remember the story. 

If none of these tips help or you just can't keep going with the project you're working on, work on something else. The longer you stay frustrated at your writing, the less likely you'll finish it.