writer's block like a mofo

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I know the subject of writer's block is a worn topic here on WP, but I need a chance to express my feelings about this subject.

I have had struggling with writer's block for over a year and a half now, with spurts of productivity mixed in. I believe I know what my problem is and if anyone can relate or help me deal, it would be most appreciated.

I have so many ideas and stories in my head, but once I get them out, I feel like they are the stupidest things ever. I feel like they are trivial, common, average, and disposable, which to me is worse than being awful.

Suggestions?

Glad to see I'm not the only one! I've had writer's block for over a year now. Everyone tells me what a good writer I am when everything I attempt to write sounds like a freaking children's cartoon

Well now! I've got a few suggestions for you.

1. Keep writing - including the nonsense.

Think of it as your writing "muscle" - it needs regular exercise, or it'll get flabby. It doesn't matter what you write, as long as you keep writing. The beauty of the computer age is that we can write tons of absolute utter drivel and then hit "delete"! So do that. Write about your day, your feelings, your left foot. Write odes to gremlins, or describe the perfect banana. Play around with silly ideas. Let yourself go. It's much easier to write when you don't need to worry about whether it's actually good or not. Your serious writings - take them seriously. But when you're unable to think of anything, write nonsense instead. You may find you come back to the serious stuff more refreshed.

It also helps to set a target. My novel was stuck for several months (personal issues - hard to write when your life is falling apart) and I eventually set myself a target. I would write 250 words every night. This is a piddly amount, hardly worth bothering - but it meant I was 250 words closer to finishing every night, which was a damn sight better than 0 words closer... and once I got started, I could easily do 500-1000 words instead.

2. Encourage ideas

This ties in with the nonsense. So you have ideas. Great! Write them down. 99% of them may turn out to be average, mediocre or downright poor. This is normal. Let them in, write them down, see what happens. Let them breed with each other and see what happens. If you don't let the 99% of bad ideas get some attention, you'll be blocking the 1% of good ones too. Remember, you don't need to use every idea. Let them all show themselves, see what happens, and keep the best ones.

And don't throw out all the bad ones. It's amazing how looking back on some half-formed ideas from months ago can sometimes inspire new ones.

3. Read a lot

It's not just enjoyment. Writers need to read a lot. It's called "research". Look for authors you like and read everything they've ever written. But read books by other authors, too. You might find a new favourite, but even if you don't like them you'll be reading a different style and picking up new ideas and techniques. Read fiction. Read non-fiction. Read magazines. Read leaflets. Read anything and everything. How did you do in your English lessons? Revisit them, or take some more; all that stuff about structure, audience, rhythm and tone meant nothing to me at the time but it became relevant as my writing talents improved.

4. Get a second opinion

Perhaps the biggest issue is that we are often our worst critics. You are probably much better than you think. What sounds mediocre or crap to you may be far better than you give it credit. I know, because I do this all the time. Is my novel dramatic enough? Does it do enough to grip the reader? Have I just written a load of drivel? I can't tell. And while it's good to ramp up the suspense and tighten the style and cut out anything too weak, you can go too far and end up damaging it.

So you need someone else to read it. Avoid close family and friends, as they'll be biased (and may not know what they're looking for). I'm lucky enough to have an English teacher and aspiring novellist for a partner, so a number of technical aspects of my novel have been given constructive criticism. Do you know any professional teachers or writers that you can ask for an opinion? Get some good advice; find out what works, what doesn't, and what they think could improve it. You don't have to take any or all of their advice, but feedback is always helpful.

Phew!

I've fiddled with the idea of writing a novel myself. It just seems so daunting. Write a 60,000 word story? Oy! I wrote five novellas this summer. The longest one, at 31,000 words, was a killer. To write something twice that length would definitely slay me. Still, in the back of my mind, I might try. What's holding me back is the fact I always think something is going to happen that will make me quit. This can range from a suicide attempt to homelessness to death. Given my history, those are absolutely valid reasons. Would I live long enough to see writing a novel to its conclusion? Unfortunately, I'm not a fast typist. I henpeck, actually. On a good day I might write 2,000 words, a very good day. 1,000 is more like it. But to turn that into a full length novel? Oy!

Read "War of Art."

Well, you don't *have* to write novels.
Personally, I don't even try. I just write, a bit at a time. 2000 words a day? You'll have your 60k in a month. Terry Pratchett seems to release one Discworld novel a year, and he's had lots of practice.

I download an app called Celtx. It allows you to write on virtual index cards. That way when I get an idea for my story about Charles Fort hunting down demon worshippers, all I have to do is fill one card. Then I look at it and if that spurs something else, I write another one. Or you can just buy real index cards and that way you don't have to fill an entire page at a time.

I'm just getting back into writing, after a two month long funk full of self doubt and pity. The answer to my problem was working on something else. That "something else" is a short story I had been working on some time ago. My suggestion might be to go back to an idea that you might have put aside, and perhaps you can breathe new life into it.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

When I was young, I read an article about Asimov saying he kept five typewriters in his study with five different stories. He said he would start on one, and get an idea that fit into one of the others and would jump back and forth. My reaction at the time was that he was quite conceited, but now I understand what he was saying. Sometimes I get just a couple of lines of dialogue for one story, and then go OH! that triggered something for another story. Oh course word processing software makes it easy to jump around.

I had not known that about the Great One.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

I remember it quite clearly. Funny to think of him scurrying from one typewriter to another, banging away at the keys, then going Hey! what about that other story?

I keep two notebooks in my bag with my iPad.
In one notebook I free write. Whatever comes to mind. I start stories that I have absolutely no feeling about, and just keep writing till I don't feel like writing any more. I write on every other line so, when a good turn of phrase pops up I can use the other spaces to muck around in.
My notebooks are atrocious. I feel like if any one would pick one of them up and try to read it, they would think it was the most childish thing they'd ever seen. But I don't care. Let them look and let them think. Screw em.
The second notebook is for when I do come up with a really good turn of phrase in the first book. I copy the phrases, they become a list of ready made inspirations. (just add words.)

Finally, if I get the block, I write about it until I figure out what the reason for the block is. Almost always the answer is "fear"

I read a little book once, called "Who moved my cheese." it was about some little mice living in a maze. Each mouse had its own personality trait, and they ran around looking for their cheese. To make a long story short, one line from that story stuck hard.
I repeat it to myself everytime I need to.
Here it is: What would I do if I wasn't afraid? Figure out what you would do if you weren't afraid, then be brave and do it.
What's the worst that can happen? They will all think you're crazy?

Thanx,
MindSlinger

Btw, or ps....I get those same feelings you do.
Another thing that helps is to post your writings in places like this for everyone to read.
It's not so much because you want them to read i,t ( though we all want them to read it.)
But knowing you are going to post it makes it more solid and focused in your mind.
Anyway, it helps me.

Just so you don't become obsessed with posting on these threads, like I have ....