Writer's block

what do you have to write?

lyrics

Concentrate on the parts of yourself that you are afraid or even unwilling to venture into. Just a quick suggestion...

just say any crap that sort of rhymes, it's E-fuckin-Z.

i have this same problem. and was even going to start a thread on it...

i do so much well received writing for my classes. but i have to be frank with myself and admit that i think it sucks, almost like my professors are generous because of my past successes. this impression that i'm being allowed to sit on my laurels is weighing on me, a bit like i'm going to be found out.

what do you do when you reach what feels like a point that outstrips writer's block ? where you feel creatively burn-out or exhausted...

Self-centred subthread, following on from Mike's question: it's been four or five years since I managed to do anything creative regularly or just randomly got any inspiration while doing something completely different instead of sitting there banging my head against it, and three years since I did anything which didn't completely suck (and yeah, I'd say everything I've ever done was useless, but at least it happened). Should I just accept that whatever it was has gone and give up?

I'm mainly talking music here, but that was really the last time I ever sat down and did anything slightly creative unforced: writing, occasional doodlings, even programming. Hell, I can't even be bothered to read or go and see bands - formerly my favourite thing ever - any more.

I have tried both "just keep forcing yourself to do stuff and eventually it'll come naturally again" and "leave it alone completely for a while" with no success. When I look at old stuff I usually think, "Hm, this isn't very good," but I also think, "How did *I* do *this*? I mean, my brain just doesn't work like that. Where did all these little details come from?" and it all seems so alien, I can't understand how it could've been anything to do with me any more.

I'm incredibly frustrated by it because it doesn't seem to make sense - writing tunes comes as easily as breathing these days and yet I always get completely stuck on the words.. when i was younger the complete opposite was the case..

Write instrumentals.

Writing tunes for me goes in and out. Whenever I get the inspiration to write a song (usually once or month or more) I lock myself in my room and write for as long as I'm interested enough. A good creative stimulus is collaboration, I've found.

:)

Jim - don't waste good tunes for lack of words. Plagarize or write any old crap that enables you to get the song moving, then it'll take on a life of its own and the words might come. Or ask bandmates to help out.

Open the newspaper, take a peek.
Turn on the TV any day of the week.
Freddie Starr's Hamster, Page 3 titties,
US bombs, Afghan cities.
Fleet Street, Wapping, it's all the same.
Sensationalism is what's to blame.
Media junkies getting another fix.
Tripping to the newsstand to get our kicks.

try freestyling some shit, after ten minutes you'll get all the cat/hat/mat rhymes out of the way and stuff that's on your mind comes out. then write that shit down.

But what if the cat and the hat are really what's on my mind? I tend to think a lot about the cat. And his hat.

Oh dear.

well, in that case, you're well ahead of the game. just throw 'motherfucker' in a few times, you're halfway there already.

1) What's wrong with instrumentals?

2) Get yourself a four-track and pop a tape of the music in it. Just start scatting and improvising over the top while the tape is rolling. Write down anything that sounds like words.

3) Call up your ex. You know, the one who ripped your heart right out of your chest and handed it back to you on a plate, the one you're still totally and completely hung up on. Sit down with guitar, and words will come pouring out like rain. Works every time for me. Maybe one day he'll cotton on to the fact that I only ever call/text him when I need some creative fuel...

Nothing's wrong with instrumentals per se, but the style of music doesn't really lend itself to being without a vocal melody. But other than that there's been some good advice and even an idea that I plan to act on straight away...

Grr.

BLOCK REMOVED. i was talking to a friend on MSN and she said "fucking hell I think I can feel you glowing from here" after I just finished a Richard X review.

I suggest taking a long, unplanned holiday to your number one fan's place.

I know this will probably be difficult to arrange.

I tend to worry about there being nothing there that's blocked rather than writer's block.

I kinda wish I was Jess right now.

I realized tonight that all of my Long Fiction Projects which have been finished have had built-in devices as emergency exits to scoot around writer's block: one of them had a parallel story told in flashback; one of them was a retelling of an existing story, which meant I never had to ask "what happens next," only "how do I get there," or "how am I changing it"; one of them was told non-chronologically from multiple viewpoints and voices.

The current one is a sequel, and a couple days ago I took advantage of its escape hatch, without really realizing that's what I was doing: when I decided to write a sequel, I decided there was an aspect of sequelhood I didn't like -- the whole "well, okay, the story ended, and in your head you the reader made up various things which might happen next, only now, whoops, I have a sequel, which is pretty much a book-length explanation of how you were wrong -- or worse, that you were right and have now wasted your money" aspect. So I ditched it. The sequel is two stories, both of which take place after the first book, but they can't coexist: a character is alive in one, and dead in the other; certain actions are explained one way in one, and another in the other; and so on.

So it's the old "move on to a different project" solution, but I've managed to do that without actually working on something entirely new and leaving the other thing to fester or ferment: I'm being productive on the thing I want to be productive on.

I think I'll run out of ways to do this, though.

i broke my writers block in January. the flow has slowed down a bit now but at least there's a constant trickle..

I remember reading something by or about Barbara Kings*lver. In it, she said that she had not time for writer's block, in that she was trying to write with little children in the house, and so whenever they went down for naps she would madly rush to her typewriter/computer and write furiously until one of the children woke-up (er, this is parapharased - maybe only one child).

I've pretty much taken that story to heart, in that when I cannot find the words to write on a specific topic (such as a short story) I just switch to another writing task (email, blogging, letters, editing, etc.) and I find that just working with the words helps to get ideas flowing. The idea that time is precious and to make the most of that which we have been given tends to give me the kick in the butt that I need.

(Gone.)

I've had the same problem in the last 6 months or so - nothings happened that used to happend real easy. I think I'll do the "phone ex and get some bile" suggestion - quick and easy songs! Just add exs!

Writing songs hasn't been a problem lately, but getting them to come out right has been difficult. That's the problem with Reason. You sit down to write a certain song that has been bouncing around in your head, but it gets completely twisted around and turned into a totally different tune and you get bogged down in making hi-hat patterns.

I've been having total writing writer's block, though. That's freaking weird, I've never had a problem with it before in my life. It's not helped by HSA coming over every time I sit down at the computer and asking "What are you working on?" and trying to read over my shoulder. GAH! That makes me paranoid.

Writer's block is the fear of writing shite. Or, what's worse, dull or pointless shite. This represents a fundamental misunderstanding. Writers must move their bowels regularly. Shite is the expected product, not an anomaly. Wallowing in it and pawing through it are part of the job. So is learning when you've pushed a metaphor too far.