Writer's Block....

Writer's Block- a situation where an Author seems to loose what to do next within their work. In yesterdays post, I mentioned that I'd be doing a post on this and here it is.

A group I am part of on Facebook called "Writer Unboxed" helped me out on this one. I posted the question "How do you overcome writer's block?" within the group.

Well, today I'm going to share several of those replies in hopes that it'll help you to overcome writers block if you fall into this situation. Several members of the group had some outstanding views on this. I've even decided to use some of their advice within my own writing.



Lisa Janice Cohen : I think you have to know what is blocking you. Writer's block isn't one thing--it can be the resistance to writing, a sign that something isn't right with the current work, you need some time away from the idea, you need to let your creative brain re-charge, or you are not feeling well. Or any of dozens of things going on in your life. For me, writer's block is a signal that I need to take better care of myself and look to my life's balance, more than it being something specific to writing.

Rebeca Schiller: I have several remedies for Writer's Block. The first one is take a hot shower or bath. The hot water and steam always help me relax and I can think more clearly. Second, read something that is not related to your book. I'm writing about two modern-day Marxists who have launched a magazine modeled after the New Masses. The story touches on the Spanish Civil War, the Blacklist, The Tea Party, etc I keep away from those subjects and read historical spy thrillers from authors like Alan Furst or David Downing. Third, I watch a lot of movies just to listen to the dialogue and patterns of speech. My book is very chatty and I want my dialogue to sound natural, but distinct for each character. Fourth, I take a lot of photos for visual stimulation to help me describe scenes better. And these last two go together, exercise and sleep. When I get in a hard workout and a good night's sleep, I feel like I can write just about anything. 

Jo Eberhardt: Writer's Block is every bit as real as Surgeon's Block and Travel Agent's Block, so I do what they would do -- I assess why I'm having trouble with this aspect of my job, where it all went wrong, and then formulate a plan to fix it. (Sometimes I may need a break from the project, sometimes I may need to make adjustments to my project, and sometimes I just need to force myself to write.) 

Kathryn Magendie: I ask myself why I am not writing, because it is never for lack of "words" - there are always words. So, maybe it's fear or whatever I'm avoiding that needs to be addressed. I really don't call it writer's block, more like "get off your arse, Kat, and write the danged book, because that's the fun wonderful part!" 



Some pretty good ideas. (Thanks ladies for you're input). Most important thing I can say is just remember.... rough spots are part of the writing process. Without them, everyone would be writing. (In my opinion)