How do you get rid of writers block?

[WKD]

I've been struggling to write recently. I know what I want to write, with the story and all that, but just haven't been able to get the words to sound right. I have been working on the second chapter to my book for a week now and only have two paragraphs done, and I don't really like how either of them sound/feel. Any tips to get out of my current situation? (EDIT: Thank you everyone for your help! I managed to get some progress on my second chapter using your tips!)

 

[NotaNuffian]

 

[gaylolis]

i just do other things until i feel like writing again.

it's mainly a hobby for me. if i don't have fun anymore, i'll find something else that can make me happy in the meantime.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Here's what I do:

1) If I can't write because I'm tired (recently finished an entire manuscript), I take a break for a month or two.
2) If I can't write because I literally have no idea of what to write, or continue my chapters, I watch documentaries, read books or play games to find an inspiration.
3) If I can't write, but I need to write, I force myself to it. Like writing in short bursts (100 words, 200, 500, etc.), until I get into the 'mood' and 'explode' writing stuff. Think of it as warming up, but definitely you need tons of focus and self-discipline.

Like someone here said before, "Writing is like a muse waiting to be seduced." So we (as the authors) have to work our way to gain her.

Edit: Oh yeah, don't throw away anything you wrote, even if you don't like it. Take a break, then once you're fully rested, read those again. You might find you actually written something good.

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

droogs

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

It sounds like you should skip the part you are struggling with and write a different part until you can figure out how you want to say it.
You could also try just spitting out words and see what fits, review and rewrite a little later.

A part of it might just be that you are being too perfectionist about it and that is holding you back.

 

[MajorKerina]

Threaten your creativity with a sharpened pencil if doesn’t do what you want.



Basically what you need to do is to just write you. Write, even if it’s crap. And you keep writing crap until it stops being crap. Also you can edit it in post. The best way to avoid such issues is to keep a routine where you absolutely reach a certain goal daily and weekly with a couple days off from writing. Then you’re too panicked to ever not write.



Another good thing to try is to plug where you’re stuck into an AI creator and see what nonsense it comes up with. *Plugs this in*



AI - “Then you can either be impressed by how much better the AIs are getting at creative problem solving or annoyed that they never get anything right. It also helps when dealing with writers block to have someone else read over your work and give their opinion on it.”

What the robot said.

 

[Premier]

Just write, just get stuff down on the page. You can fix it all after you’re done. Don’t worry about perfecting the first part, build the framework before worrying about the paint job.

 

[Mephi]

I once read something that said that writers block was just you getting in the way of yourself. Too much trying to find the perfect script, too much feeling negative of your own work.

Best way is to just write. I pull out tarot cards, do a reading, and write whatever the cards tell me is going on, no matter how I feel about it. If its crap, I fix later.

 

[Le_ther]

I've been struggling to write recently. I know what I want to write, with the story and all that, but just haven't been able to get the words to sound right. I have been working on the second chapter to my book for a week now and only have two paragraphs done, and I don't really like how either of them sound/feel. Any tips to get out of my current situation?

How about grammarly

Writing's not easy. That's why Grammarly can help. This sentence is grammatically correct, but it's wordy, and hard to read. It undermines the writer's message and the word choice is bland. Grammarly's cutting edge technology helps you craft-

[This post was banned for advertisement]



But in all honesty, I have the same problem with the fact I can't translate my thoughts into a story and execute it properly. It's not that I want a perfect story but I want to atleast start with a understandable one.

 

[Onic]

Have you ever tried sacrificing a baby to the writing god? On a serious note, based on my experience writing for over a year, the only thing that can cure writer's block is writing. If you don't like what's going on in your story right now, keep writing until you get to the part you know you'll enjoy writing.

It's normal to feel like the chapter you're writing is boring and a drag, especially when you can see the good part of your story ahead of you; all you have to do is push through it every time. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

 

[georgelee5786]

Exercise sometimes helps

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Procreate, and then you won't have time to write anymore.

 

[Jemini]

I've been struggling to write recently. I know what I want to write, with the story and all that, but just haven't been able to get the words to sound right. I have been working on the second chapter to my book for a week now and only have two paragraphs done, and I don't really like how either of them sound/feel. Any tips to get out of my current situation?

Simple. Try to identify the cause of your writer's block and address it.

So far as writer's block goes, writer's block is not the disease, it's a symptom. So, try to figure out what it's a symptom of.

The most frequent causes of writer's block are stress, burn-out, lack of proper nutrition, and lack of proper sleep. If none of those 4 things apply, try working on your plotting or on a different writing project for a little while.

 

[M.G.Driver]

I always understood writer's block as 'you are not invested enough in the current story', which means somewhere along the way you made the story not fun or not impactful enough for yourself.

Usually it's a plot thing for me, that will force me to go back and rewrite it so it makes more sense and is more exciting etc. Not sure if it applies to others, but that's how it is for me.

 

[lambenttyto]

I've been struggling to write recently. I know what I want to write, with the story and all that, but just haven't been able to get the words to sound right. I have been working on the second chapter to my book for a week now and only have two paragraphs done, and I don't really like how either of them sound/feel. Any tips to get out of my current situation?

I would ask you this: who are you trying to get the words to sound like?

The story is not the sum of how its words sound, and most likely the words will sound like "you" if you don't edit too much as take that out by accident. This is called author voice, and you want that in your prose, because it's what makes your prose unique.

 

[Redadam04]

Take a break. Find a quiet place.

Play a stressful game. Sometimes, stress can trigger enlightenment.

Why do you think? Because if you are losing in the game, you will eventually get tired of it. Then, you will say this, "Fuck this. I'm gonna write a new chapter."

 

[LuoirM]

Dude beat me to it

 

[RavenRunes]

Three things:
1: READ
2: WATCH something you find inspiring
3: WRITE any old trash. Even if it's just a 1000 word daydream of you ahem...with that cute crush...it's crap and no-one will see it, but out of it will, 99% of the time, come that one sentence you needed to unlock your brain again. Seriously. Even if it's just a diary entry of your day. It'll be there, it's just unlocking it.

If it's not there, you have no further use for your head so it may as well come off and then you can stop asking us how to unlock YOUR brain, I mean, it's YOUR brain it isn't ours.

Lol no, all you need is a fresh perspective and that means getting away from that blank page, don't force it, it'll come. In the bath, on your daily walk/jog, in that boring meeting where your boss is droning on. It's there, don't worry.

 

[Viator]

Try automatic writing. Just write as fast as you can without thinking about what you're writing or bothering with punctuation, for 5-10 minutes. Sometimes it helps to knock things loose and give the brain a jump start.