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Does anyone have advice for how to break through Writers block with something like a mental sledgehammer?

Straha wrote:Does anyone have advice for how to break through Writers block with something like a mental sledgehammer?

Even if I did, I'd keep it to myself because I am an evil, evil person.

Depends what kind of story it is or what style you are into.

A good guide would be to think of the motives of characters; what they want. To think of worlds as they might be if certain small things were different. To think of how you would act in an alien situation.

Think vague, not specific.

Best idea is to keep writing, even if its garbage. In my experience, even if I turn out ten pages of utter crap, it usually leads to a decent idea somewhere down the road.

victorhadin wrote:Depends what kind of story it is or what style you are into.

A good guide would be to think of the motives of characters; what they want. To think of worlds as they might be if certain small things were different. To think of how you would act in an alien situation.

Think vague, not specific.

No, see I've got this one very good, very dramatic scene all played out in my head but I A. I can't describe the participants well enough without breaking the scene, and B. I just can't seem to get the scene the way I want it.

Well, there's no rush. Build up to this big scene, describe the characters on the way, and take some time to think it over.

Go for a walk, listen to some music, or watch some TV. That's how I come up with a lot of ideas.

Kuja wrote:Well, there's no rush. Build up to this big scene, describe the characters on the way, and take some time to think it over.

Go for a walk, listen to some music, or watch some TV. That's how I come up with a lot of ideas.

I did that, for a week. I think I came up with a better way to do it, and I'm working it in now, but it's awkward. I should have it posted tommorow.

Try taking a shit. Just sit in the toilet, doing nothing and working your mind. Hey, it works for me!

Hearing about writer's block usually cures me of it.

Straha wrote:
No, see I've got this one very good, very dramatic scene all played out in my head but I A. I can't describe the participants well enough without breaking the scene, and B. I just can't seem to get the scene the way I want it.

A similar problem is striking me. I am at a venture in which a rather significant revelation has come to light in Ambassadors, but want to play out the otherwise rather simple scene to take full advantage of it before things move on and get complicated.

And exams aren't helping, admittedly.

Listen to music. The kind of music depends on whether the story is scifi or fantasy.

*Listens to the Red Alert Hell March and has visions of tank battles on a scorched and blasted planet.*






Blimey. Not appropriate at all... but nice.