Writer's Block Haven: Advice for writers from writers.

[LovelyLoisLane]

Hi there!

I've been reading many fan fics on this site and as you know writing many of my own. I've noticed that alot of authors seem to be stuck on a chapter and not able to move on. I know that I myself have that problem on occasion.

I attend Long Ridge Writers Academy and there we have "Writer's Block Havens" Group meetings where fellow students and visiting professors discuss their stories and try to find ways to get around the small problems. Obviously you can't do that in an online message forum, but here is my idea.

Each writer will add a tip or twenty that you use yourself, and we can also use this as a thread where writers can ask for advice, information or brainstorming ideas.

I'll go first to break the ice. Here are some problems I have come across when I write.

1) Lack of inspiration! This one is bad, because you just don't feel motivated to get on the computer and write anything because you know you will wind up hating it. The best way to get around this, I've found, is to go do something else. Watch a movie, read a book or other fan fics, or even take a walk. We get our inspiration from outside sources, wether we conciously know it or not, so it's where we should go when we lose inspiration.

2) Not sure where to start, continue or end? This happens alot, sometimes you can't even get a good start, sometimes you are in the middle of good story and BAM your brain is empty of any idea on where you wanted to go in the first place, sometimes we are almost done, but the ending is just out of our grasp.

Here is where it's best to re-read what we have written, and for me, create a plot structure (I try to do this before I get started, but if you have already begun you can also start after you've gotten into your story.) Make an outline with three sections. Beginning, Middle, End.

Your beginning should list your ideas on what you want your story to be, what major characters you want to introduce and what you want the pull to be (the reason that gets your readers interested) You should have a list of possible sticky situations your character could be put in. Conflict is the basis of any good fiction. Also figure out your character structure, who is the protagonist/hero of the story, who is the antagonist/villain of the story and what are their basic ideals. Your middle should have a list of possible climaxes for your story (the point where most of the excitement takes place) List what you want to happen as well as how you want to head back down from the climax and start to go toward the ending. Your ending, it may seem like the easiest part of writing, but it isn't. Your ending should list ideas on your characters final thoughts as well as ways to resolve the problem so it makes sense and all parties (character groups) are taken care of.

3) What is in a name? Well alot of things. Sometimes a name comes to you and you've got it, it's easy to say, it works well and even the name gives the reader an image of the character. Sometimes however, names don't come to us that easily. I find that consulting other books, or even a dictionary for weird names can work, switching around letters to make those names even more different. Another easy way to get names is to a consult a baby names catalog, magazine or online page. I myself own two baby names books, it gives my friends a chuckle but it provides me with a nice supply of possible character names, as well as place names. You'd be surprised how some foreign names work better for locations than people.

NOW, the basic writing tips.

The writer's notebook: Most writers are inveterate scribblers. They carry notebooks with them wherever they go. When an idea pops into your head, you'll need a place to jot it down. An inexpensive spiral binder works well enough, or a lined empty address book if you don't have a lot of room to carry a notebook. Use your notebook for observations of people, places, conversations overheard or simply topics you want to investigate. Your notebook jottings can become a source of characters, settings, dialogue samples and ideas for plots.

Working materials:
DICTIONARY - Unabridged dictionaries at collegiate level work the best, electronic dictionaries (on your computer or on a website) also work well. For more complicated words such as foreign, scientific or medical terms, you may not be able to find them on your computer's dictionary, for this a book dictionary works better.

THESAURUS: Either in a book or electronic a thesaurus gives similar meanings to millions of words. It's a indispensable resource. Consulting a thesaurus for just the right word can make your work pithy (profound) and crystalline (clear), as well as keep you from using the same word or phrase too many times.

SPELL CHECK: Even well known authors make type-o's and spelling errors so don't be embarassed to find that your piece has several errors in it's original draft. Mispelled words and type-o's can sneak into any piece quite easily, but they are also easy to catch. ALWAYS run your story through the spell check just once more and proof-read the piece to check for errors. Online the edit button is also your friend. Sometimes you can see errors only after reading your work for the third or fourth time, don't be afraid to edit it.


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[clarkoholic]

This is a really great idea! Especially for writers, like me, who have no training.

Thanks for the tips LovelyLoisLane

[Issue42]

I absolutely ADORE this thread. I'm a new writer as well. I've taken a few college writing classes, but that's about it. I love writing, except when I lack that certain inspirational feeling so key to writing good fiction.

When I feel blocked, especially for Smallville fics and stuff:

1. Watch smallville or the thing that inspired me again.

2. Re-read what I've already written.

3. Sometimes if I'm really stuck and don't know what to say, I just start writing the first thing that comes to mind. Doesn't matter if it has anything to do with the topic or not. It's just to get the creative juices flowing again. Once you've gotten back into writing a bit, you may feel more in the mood/ or, a good idea may have started to unfold beneath your fingertips. A lot of times, what i write at the beginning gets pasted somewhere else. It just gives me a little edge. Usually, I only use a sentence or two. Sometimes, I don't use it at all. But it gives me something tangible to work with. The hardest part is getting started.

4. Don't edit as you write. Get everything/all you ideas, down on paper first. Even if your thoughts are jumbled, you can rearrange later. Once you have a paragraph or even page, THEN go back and re-edit. I suggest waiting about a day to look at it again. It's important to stay attached but removed at the same time.

5. Have a friend read it. You'll be surprised with some of the suggestions they may come up with. Even if only to fix a pesky sentence or two. The insight of other's can be key in deciding whether your story is realistic or too far-fetched.

6. I like to have other people go over my work. Sometimes, I have characters in my head, but they don't come alive on paper. Friends can help point out if the details seem a little vague for them. Chances are, you knew what to say, and left it out because you thought it was a given.

[Rapierhomme]

One piece of advice that I was given was "when stuck, go in reverse". If your stuck about what to have your character do, have them do the opposite of what you had planned (i.e. have them go up a ladder instead of down, etc.). It's worked for me in the past.

I agree with what Issue42 said. Watch whatever it was that inspired you to write your story.

It also helps me to take a break from sitting in front of the computer. Take a drive, pop a CD in the player, and just let the inspiration come to you.

[VersesBatman]

This is going to sound weird but I find that reciting dialoge out loud helps me develop it. Just don't do it in public or you'll get strange looks.

[Issue42]

Absolutely. It's a must to read what you've written out loud. Especially dialogue. It's the easiest way to detect flow problems. If it sounds funny to say, it probably needs work.

Sometimes, and this sounds odd, but I have conversations with myself. If I can't figure out what the character would say, I just start writing myself into it. A lot of times, that in itself, begins to evolve into the character.

It's important for me to put a little bit of myself into each character I write. They become more real to me and I think to the reader. Adds a bit of needed reality at times.

Also, putting your problems into writing gives you another chance to address them and work them out in your head. Sometimes I'm surprised with how many other people have the same problem as myself.

[Rapierhomme]

Originally posted by Issue42
Sometimes, and this sounds odd, but I have conversations with myself. If I can't figure out what the character would say, I just start writing myself into it. A lot of times, that in itself, begins to evolve into the character.

It's important for me to put a little bit of myself into each character I write. They become more real to me and I think to the reader. Adds a bit of needed reality at times.

I do the same thing. It really helps to develop a character that the reader can relate to.

Another thing I've done is to buy a microcassette recorder. I'll be thinking of ideas while I'm driving down the road, and then I'll dictate them into the recorder to type them up later. I've also come up with entire conversations between two characters that way. The only drawback is the weird looks I get from other drivers on the road!

[Issue42]

Originally posted by Rapierhomme
The only drawback is the weird looks I get from other drivers on the road!

LOL!!! I get weird looks from my room mate sometimes. She's like, "What ARE you writing?" And I'm like, "Oh, just my story." then she's like, "Ah." Hehe.

One thing i found very difficult to accomplish was the post and pre dialogue. I don't know what you call it. You know, the he said/she said stuff. Describing how somebody says something.

There are certain ways to write it that make the story flow better. For instance, instead of saying "he said angrily" (that's telling), say something like "his eyes smoldered," (that's showing).

You can picture what somebody would look like with smoldering eyes, not too happy right? So the reader gets the impression he's mad. It also leaves room for reader interpretation as well. Sometimes that's more like real life.

All we're given is the appearance of others and what they do. We have no idea what they're feeling exactly unless they tell us. All we can do is imply and draw conclusions.

[Andie]

Not to nitipick, but a smoldering gaze would be a much more elegant choice there. "Smoldered" is an awkward metaphor for a body part since it literally means to burn slowly. If you don't want your reader to briefly wonder if your character's face is set on fire, a smoldering look or expression or gaze makes the metaphore much more distinct =) Point is - purposeful metaphors are always more effective than haphazard ones.

OTOH: Include too many "he said angrily"'s and people will think you went to the JK Rowling School of Egregious Adverb Abuse In Fiction. I try to avoid adverbs whenever possible. "He said angrily" can also be:

• he spat out
• he said, eyes flashing anger
• he said, anger radiating off his form
• he hissed
• he said, face contorting into a furious scowl

You get the idea. Good writing shows a good command of the English language, and varying your sentence structure, syntax and word choice are all ways to show that.

[ferd]

This is a great thread.

I have written a few FanFics, have some in progress, and have plans for many more. I do find writing very enjoyable, and a wonderful hobby, but I have fallen victim to a case of writer's block from time to time. I personally know nothing can be more frustrating to one who normally takes great joy in creating stories, to one day no longer be able to do so.

I thought I would try to help out my fellow writers by adding a few of the things I use to help get me through the rough points of my stories. Maybe they will be helpful in steering some of you back on the right path in your own creative writing endeavors.

---

One tip I learned from a writer (Cameron Crowe, the screenwriter of such films as Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Fast Times at Ridgemont High...etc) in one of his movie commentaries, is that he often makes cd "soundtracks" to listen to as he writes. Songs that make him think of the characters, songs that remind him of scenes in his head, songs that simply inspire him. Then as he brainstorms and writes he listens to the music.

I do this, and I personally have found it extremely inspiring. I make cds for my stories, and I listen to them at work, in the car, and at home, and I find the music really helps me get into the right mindset for my story.

Music can really affect mood, so if you are writing a sad scene, try listening to sad music. Action scene, put on something fast with a lot of drums, a love scene perhaps something instrumental and romantic.

For Smallville stories especially, look how the different episodes use current music to "set" or add to the scene. Try to picture the scenes of your story, and then play the music over it as you write.

--

Try taking your writing somewhere else. If you normally type on the computer, try taking a notebook out to the park and writing some stuff long hand. I personally find writing on paper can be a little more creative, and the freedom of being able to write in a park or something very liberating.
Sadly enough I once took my pad of paper to a graveyard to write one of my sad funeral scenes. The peace and tranquility of the locale really helped put me into the scene better than sitting on my couch with my laptop could. (Does that make me a method writer? )

Personally I get bored with always the same ritual of writing, so I try to shake it up now and again.
If one story is making you crazy, you can try to give it a rest for a bit, and work on another. Currently I have a pretty dramatic story, and a funny story both going. I work on them according to my mood. I don't always feel into high drama, nor do I always feel like making jokes, so I find having a cushion to fall back on when one story has me stressed is very helpful.


I'm sure I have more tips, but there's some for now. Hopefully they are useful to someone.

[President_Luthor]

Music is a great way to either set a mood you're trying to establish, or put you into a certain mood when you write.

Taking a walk outside is also a good way to clear up all the literary cobwebs in your head. It's also a great way to run into unexpected sources of inspiration: hearing people chat at a cafe, watching some event at a park, etc.

And if you like realism in your stories, you can just turn on the news or open a paper for ideas. Truth is often stranger than fiction!

[Ruby Red]

The "compilation CD" is a good idea, i might try that.

And i absolutely agree about the music. I have to listen to music, it helps me to concentrate. Plus different kinds of music help me too, if i'm writing a tense, angry type of scene, i'll listen to something similar music wise, if it's sad, something slower.

And if i get writers block, i write anyway. It could be pure rubbish and more often than not it is, but it helps me work through any frustration. Another thing i do is open up a game of Freecell or Spider Solitaire and play a few games of that and because it helps my brain to switch off, it allows me to think stuff through rather than become more frustrated.

[globalbudd3]

Hey everyone, great post LovelyLoisLane!
I agree with everything everyone had posted.

Re: inspiration
There are period of time where there is a lack of it and I do exactly what LovelyLoisLane wrote-that is to get inspiration from your surroundings. As for me, books and music (as Ferd already mentioned) is a great source of inspiration. I can't believe that there are writers like me out there who use music as an inspiration. In my ff, there are quite a few songs that I had listened to when I wrote them. I still remember them all

RE: re-reading & planning your story plots
If you're a writer like me who like complicated plots, a multitude cast of characters and intertwined storylines, the key is trying to keep track of them. I find that sometimes I move parts of my story into a different direction and forget to resolve some of the earlier mini-plots.
Proof reading really is the key here.

Re: taking notes
I wish I take my notes but usually the development of my story play in my mind like a movie. Lots of time (not all the time) I could
"rewind" them so to speak.

Re: putting down all your ideas
While this may be a great idea, I often find that I tend to "re-edit" ideas or rather let my initial ideas evolve to different ones. What really helps with me again is proof reading. I often find that some of the ideas I was thinking earlier does not seem to
to be as great as my story evolve. I always tired to keep in mind of plot(s) with respect to character(s). The whole point of any plot is how they "advance" or "contribute" to character development.

In the end, everything is always easier said than done but if you're passionate about writing and telling your story, then you will always find the motivation and inspiration to write it.

[Superboy2]

I have a question, and I'm hoping someone has an answer. I tend to use, "he said, she said, he told her/him, she told him/her, Clark told her/him, Chloe said to her/him. I try to use, "He explained to her/him", or Clark explained to him/her. What other word can I use for this, so I don't keep saying," "he said, she said, he told him, she told her, etc. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Ketchup]

he/she asked, he/she retorted, he/she replied, he/she remarked, he/she laughed (if its something funny), he/she called out, he/she whispered, he/she joked, etc. It also helps if, when ur writing a dialog, you imagine it in ur head. "Would that character really say that in this situation? And if he/she would, would they be asking a question, joking, or just saying something? Are they sad, happy, excited, etc. in the way they say something?" Those are some of the questions I consider when writing dialogs. Hope this helps =)