What do you guys do when you're suffering from writer's block/procrastination? Lately it's been suuuuch a problem for me, like, RPing is totally fine but when it comes to writing things I NEED to write (like commissions, or even dA contest entries), I leave it off until the last minute, or I plain don't feel like it. So I've decided to appeal to the almighty knowledge of the RPR community and ask..
What's your cure for writer's block/procrastination?
What's your cure for writer's block/procrastination?
Sadly, the only thing that's worked for me, and the only answer I've ever really heard for long term writer's block, is writing.
Lots of it.
When I really need a boost, I create a 10-30 minute lyric-less music playlist, pick a topic, and then don't allow myself to stop typing while the music is still playing. Doesn't matter how crap it is or if it's unreadable or if it goes off topic, just keep writing. The idea is that you won't have time to edit yourself or second guess that what you're doing is good, because it doesn't matter. Loosening up about everything else is much easier when you know that you can start writing and be unstoppable, even by your own self. When you're done, just delete it. Or if you came up with some gems, you can save those out to work with later, but the point here is that you don't have to worry about someone reading your embarrassing word mess so you can feel safe to write anything.
First drafts are only meant as first drafts and any good writer will edit their work carefully and several times over before calling it done, as I'm sure you know. But the point here is that there's no need to worry about the first draft or feel blocked. Just plonk down ideas, make idea soup, and once it's really at a simmer, then go back and try to make the prose as beautiful as the ideas. If you're holding yourself to too high a standard on the first go around, your brain will very often decide it wants to do things that are lower pressure.
Lots of it.
When I really need a boost, I create a 10-30 minute lyric-less music playlist, pick a topic, and then don't allow myself to stop typing while the music is still playing. Doesn't matter how crap it is or if it's unreadable or if it goes off topic, just keep writing. The idea is that you won't have time to edit yourself or second guess that what you're doing is good, because it doesn't matter. Loosening up about everything else is much easier when you know that you can start writing and be unstoppable, even by your own self. When you're done, just delete it. Or if you came up with some gems, you can save those out to work with later, but the point here is that you don't have to worry about someone reading your embarrassing word mess so you can feel safe to write anything.
First drafts are only meant as first drafts and any good writer will edit their work carefully and several times over before calling it done, as I'm sure you know. But the point here is that there's no need to worry about the first draft or feel blocked. Just plonk down ideas, make idea soup, and once it's really at a simmer, then go back and try to make the prose as beautiful as the ideas. If you're holding yourself to too high a standard on the first go around, your brain will very often decide it wants to do things that are lower pressure.
Instrumental music helps me too, especially a good soundtrack. What I like to do is lay back, listen and let my imagination create scenes that fit the music. A lot of the pivotal scenes in my stories were created that way, infact sometimes I'll think of a scene that I like so much that it leads me to create an entire story (usually on the epic scale) around it.
Ugh, I wish I knew. I've been having terrible issues with writing lately - seems like forum posts and LJ comments are about all I'm good for these days. Can't even muster the want to RP, or work on character profiles, or even write up a description for a commission I've been wanting to have done.
...Well, no, that's not quite right. I want to write. I just freeze up terribly every time I think about doing so, and find other things to occupy myself with. Ultimately, the writing never gets done, no matter how much I try to force myself to just sit down and do it. I've heard over and over that writing is the only way to get myself past this, but actually getting to the writing part seems impossible, sometimes.
I don't think it's an issue about my actual writing quality, as I've never had problems with that sort of thing before (...I'm one of those people that hardly edits anything anyways). I do think it might have something to do with characterisation - can't help but thinking that I've forgotten what makes every single one of my characters the awesome things they are. Maybe I have to loosen up my expectations that way, I don't know. Maybe it's that I've fallen out of touch with some of my favourite partners, and have unreasonable wantings for everything - character dynamic-wise, anyways - to go back to the way it was years ago, even though that's pretty much impossible.
...Neuroses everywhere! *explodes*
...Well, no, that's not quite right. I want to write. I just freeze up terribly every time I think about doing so, and find other things to occupy myself with. Ultimately, the writing never gets done, no matter how much I try to force myself to just sit down and do it. I've heard over and over that writing is the only way to get myself past this, but actually getting to the writing part seems impossible, sometimes.
I don't think it's an issue about my actual writing quality, as I've never had problems with that sort of thing before (...I'm one of those people that hardly edits anything anyways). I do think it might have something to do with characterisation - can't help but thinking that I've forgotten what makes every single one of my characters the awesome things they are. Maybe I have to loosen up my expectations that way, I don't know. Maybe it's that I've fallen out of touch with some of my favourite partners, and have unreasonable wantings for everything - character dynamic-wise, anyways - to go back to the way it was years ago, even though that's pretty much impossible.
...Neuroses everywhere! *explodes*
Kim; what you said about my brain wanting to do stuff of lower pressure is definitely true. Whenever I start thinking about writing, I'll look at what I have to write but then probably just go read or something. I think writing, just writing out randomosity, is a really good idea.
Darth; I can actually relate with that! I've made stories based off of songs as well. I think I'll be calling Pandora.com for this one!
Dragonfire; Yay, I'm not the only one! xD I'm sure we can bot get past this with the advice of our fellow RPR awesome people!
Darth; I can actually relate with that! I've made stories based off of songs as well. I think I'll be calling Pandora.com for this one!
Dragonfire; Yay, I'm not the only one! xD I'm sure we can bot get past this with the advice of our fellow RPR awesome people!
This is also a MASSIVE problem for me. It's gotten so bad lately that it makes me not even want to rp because it just takes sooo long to get absolutely anything going in my head; however, once it gets rolling, it's easy to make it snowball. Like everyone else said, music is a great way to get over it. One relatively odd thing that works for me is to get some adrenaline going - imagine/replay a scenario in your head where you know you'd have an outburst of emotion and just roll with it. I know it might sound kind of weird, but if you can just use that spark to get everything going, you can harness that and use it to transfer the imagery in your head to your pen or your keyboard.
Bonebag wrote:
One relatively odd thing that works for me is to get some adrenaline going - imagine/replay a scenario in your head where you know you'd have an outburst of emotion and just roll with it. I know it might sound kind of weird, but if you can just use that spark to get everything going, you can harness that and use it to transfer the imagery in your head to your pen or your keyboard.
That sounds like a great idea! Thanks for the advice!
Writeordie is my best friend. If I find myself unable to write what I'm supposed to write, I write something else. I have a lot of really strange free-write pieces and short stories and drabbles and such, some of which are just plain odd. Once I start writing, it's easier to keep writing.
Of course, I have such epic writer's block at the moment that I'm working on my roleplay replies at a rate of two or three sentences a day, but my partners all know I'm slow, so that's okay. I just need to stop reading ElfQuest and get my rear in gear. > >
Of course, I have such epic writer's block at the moment that I'm working on my roleplay replies at a rate of two or three sentences a day, but my partners all know I'm slow, so that's okay. I just need to stop reading ElfQuest and get my rear in gear. > >
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