I’m suffering from it alright, the dreaded writer’s block. All my usual tricks are coming up short and I’m about eight thousand words short for Nano. Thank goodness I still have two weeks to go. (And I just used 'short' twice, gads!)
When I get blocked like this I have a few tricks up my sleeve that usually work.
Reading helps get my head in the game.
An artist date to fill the well again.
A fun outing with friends.
A break for a day and let the story marinate.
I rewrite.
NONE OF THIS IS WORKING!!!
So, that leaves me with this very important question. What do you do to get through Writer’s Block?
It might not be of much help to you but, when I have trouble in a novel I simply work on a different one. The plus side of having two many going at one time is having ones to go to when a certain one gives me trouble.
ReplyDeleteThat or I give in. Or take a good bubble bath and think about where things are in the story.
Good luck to you.
You are so right, Dawn. I have a project in edits I’ve been working on when I can’t get anything else done and there is always critiquing to do for partners. There is always something going on in the writing word.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice and the read! I always love to hear your enthusiastic voice here and at WDC.
For me the new routine that's worked so well (for which I credit participating in Mad Dash at WDC since February) is 2500 words a day, every day, seven days a week, without fail. Whether it takes me only 4.5-5.5 hours, or some days 10.5-11 hours, depending on outside distractions, I still plug away till I've written AT LEAST 2500 that day. Usually just one novel, but occasionally it'll be on two, or on the main one plus planning ahead for the next in the series, or the one following the next! LOL
ReplyDeleteIn April it will be a stage play for ScriptFrenzy PLUS novelling-but still 2500 words a day minimum.
Hanne-Marie
writing as Archie Standwood