When You Can't Get Through Writer's Block

[Dee]

I'm a writer. Well, I used to consider myself one, but I haven't written anything longer than a few paragraphs in the last year. Yes, it's been about a year since I wrote anything creative longer than a page or two. However, I used to write like no one's business, and it came so much more easily to me back then. It's much different now, but difficult to explain, so--!

For those of you who have writer's block or have ever experienced it, some of us get through the block and are able to write again. But there are those of us who have tried everything under the sun and then some and still experience the block that just keeps getting worse and worse. Is anyone else familiar with this situation? Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

 

[Sinon]

I get it a lot. It is the main reason I have about 30 projects on the go at the moment. I hit a wall on one, but suddenly an idea for GREAT NEW STORY appears, so I work on that for a bit. Then I hit a wall again. But then AMAZING IDEA, so on and so forth.

 

[Dee]

I get it a lot. It is the main reason I have about 30 projects on the go at the moment. I hit a wall on one, but suddenly an idea for GREAT NEW STORY appears, so I work on that for a bit. Then I hit a wall again. But then AMAZING IDEA, so on and so forth.

I wish I could do that. I have no ideas, my well has run dry, and even if I did have an idea I couldn't expand upon it. I'm just shot, you know? There's nothing there other than a desire to write and anxiety I can't quite pin down. I've had this issue for coming up on 4 years, and have been trying to get through the block with various things, but nothing has worked or stuck. I'm at the point where I'm just going to have to let go of the idea of writing for now, which hurts because I love(d) to write.

 

[Justin]

There's a few methods I try, with varying degrees of success and in no specific order. Sometimes I'll go work on a different part of my story to get some fresh ideas down. Other times I'll pick up a book I haven't read in a while, and analyze how that author writes. Other times, I'll just completely avoid it for a few days just to try and clear my head.

 

[Dee]

There's a few methods I try, with varying degrees of success and in no specific order. Sometimes I'll go work on a different part of my story to get some fresh ideas down. Other times I'll pick up a book I haven't read in a while, and analyze how that author writes. Other times, I'll just completely avoid it for a few days just to try and clear my head.

Yeah, these are all good things to try that I've done a countless number of times to no avail. I've worked on other things, I've written short stories (and this was all around a year or two ago). I listen to music, watch movies, TV, exercise, draw, paint, play video games, change my environment. I've set my writing aside completely. It's been over a year since I've been able to work on anything new. Even editing is a pain in the ass, but I just cannot break through this block.

I fear this is the end of my ability to write. It's been so long and such an issue that I really cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. The will to want to write is there, but the ability has been mangled and I don't know how to work through it. I've had plenty of people try to help me along as well. They've paired with me, been mentors, editors, betas, been spring boards for ideas and for my issues with writing in general and nothing has taken.

This is what I'm talking about when I say this thread is about being past the point of having tried everything, only to end up back at square one and not being able to write anything at all.

 

[Justin]

Is it a single project that you're stonewalled on? Keep what you have already, but try a second version of it from scratch. Maybe you have tunnel vision with your existing work and that's keeping you from continuing.

 

[Dee]

Is it a single project that you're stonewalled on? Keep what you have already, but try a second version of it from scratch. Maybe you have tunnel vision with your existing work and that's keeping you from continuing.

It's not a single project. It's every thing I ever try to do. There's no ideas for old or new projects, and even editing is like pulling teeth. I think I'm at the point where I have to give up writing, but the urge to want to write is still there and it's sometimes painful knowing I can't.

 

[Justin]

Don't give up. Bring a pad and pen the next time you're in public and write down everything. What people say, what they're doing, how they interact with eachother, what's going on in the background, etc. It doesn't even have to be complete sentences or make any sense, but you can take all of that and use it as inspiration for your projects.

 

[Dee]

Don't give up. Bring a pad and pen the next time you're in public and write down everything. What people say, what they're doing, how they interact with eachother, what's going on in the background, etc. It doesn't even have to be complete sentences or make any sense, but you can take all of that and use it as inspiration for your projects.

I do do that, and although I can get what I call fodder, nothing ever comes of it. There's a disconnect in my brain that's preventing me from completing all the steps. It's no longer how it used to be for me. I could write 1-2 stories at a time and have little issue, but now I'm incapable of writing anything.

 

[DrLeftover]

I get it all the time. And I've found the best way past it is a significant change in circumstance.

I start by Doing something else, such as going out and mowing the grass, working with a friend on one of his projects (most recent was building a deck), going fishing, or whatever. ANYTHING but writing.

Change writing topics. If I get stuck on fiction, I'll work on a non-fiction article, a tech essay, something religious, smut, anything and everything else. Eventually, something from one of the others will give me an idea that will kick start the original piece, or it won't. But I don't sit and stew about it, that just makes it worse.

Turn on music. Turn off music and turn on a ball game, ANY ball game. Watch a documentary on TV. Watch some stupid fake reality show. Watch the news. All at once.

Have some Coffee. Hot Chocolate. Sodapop. Water. Booze.

And occasionally, nothing works. Right now, I've got a short story that has been stalled for almost a year, but while it sits and idles, I've got one novel and a couple of other shorts going well and moving along.

 

[Dee]

And occasionally, nothing works. Right now, I've got a short story that has been stalled for almost a year, but while it sits and idles, I've got one novel and a couple of other shorts going well and moving along.

This is essentially where I am. I have had writer's block in the past that I was able to work through, plenty of times, but what I'm experiencing right now is the block I cannot work through. I have done a lot of changing of circumstances. I have simply stopped writing and did other things. I picked up painting and drawing again. I game. I listen to music. I work two jobs so that takes up some time. Other things I do are mere chores around the house and yet nothing. Unfortunately, none of this has helped in any way, so I'm at the point where there's just nothing that's going to work for me.

I don't know if it's going to last a little while longer, a lot longer, or for the rest of my life, but it is what it is and it's rather depressing.

 

[Fatal Dawn]

Writer’s block is extremely frustrating. The motto for me is to write with a purpose. I find myself stepping back from what I am writing to focus and collect my thoughts. When I write poems, I always question my purpose for writing: Who will be the audience? Where do I want to start with this particular poem? What is the overall theme this particular work? Usually things begin to coalesce from there; I assimilate new ideas that fit my project, or, if the idea does not fit, I will stash it away to set the ball rolling for another project.

Also, one trick I find that helps is to get something written (or typed) down. It could be a couplet or a simple, meaningful word. Not only does this boost confidence, it forces my brain to start constructing the finished product. It is no longer an empty page. There is something concrete there. From there, I'm moving matter rather than creating it.

 

[Dee]

Writer’s block is extremely frustrating. The motto for me is to write with a purpose. I find myself stepping back from what I am writing to focus and collect my thoughts. When I write poems, I always question my purpose for writing: Who will be the audience? Where do I want to start with this particular poem? What is the overall theme this particular work? Usually things begin to coalesce from there; I assimilate new ideas that fit my project, or, if the idea does not fit, I will stash it away to set the ball rolling for another project.

Also, one trick I find that helps is to get something written (or typed) down. It could be a couplet or a simple, meaningful word. Not only does this boost confidence, it forces my brain to start constructing the finished product. It is no longer an empty page. There is something concrete there. From there, I'm moving matter rather than creating it.

Yeah, I could definitely do that before I transitioned into this phase of the block where there is absolutely no creativity or ability to be found. I've never experienced this before and it's somewhat frightening in a way considering how easily I could write before all this happened. It's the hardest thing to explain to someone who has never not been able to write anything at all, but it is what it is and there isn't much more I can do about it as I've exhausted every resource.

 

[Jazzy]

Questions: How is it that you manage to write very high quality posts here? Is it because we are providing you the topic to write about?

 

[Dee]

Questions: How is it that you manage to write very high quality posts here? Is it because we are providing you the topic to write about?

It's because I'm not creating something like I would an original story where there are several complex elements being integrated into the process. Plus, yeah, these topics are giving me something to think about in terms of something I've already talked about plenty of times before. Writing about opinions is a lot easier, imo, than writing creative original stories. And, before anyone mentions it, yes I used to write fan fiction, but I'm just not interested in writing it anymore. xD I don't think I could anyway.

 

[DrLeftover]

And, before anyone mentions it, yes I used to write fan fiction, but I'm just not interested in writing it anymore. xD I don't think I could anyway.

Try it.

 

[CommanderMadi]

I'm a writer. Well, I used to consider myself one, but I haven't written anything longer than a few paragraphs in the last year. Yes, it's been about a year since I wrote anything creative longer than a page or two. However, I used to write like no one's business, and it came so much more easily to me back then. It's much different now, but difficult to explain, so--!

For those of you who have writer's block or have ever experienced it, some of us get through the block and are able to write again. But there are those of us who have tried everything under the sun and then some and still experience the block that just keeps getting worse and worse. Is anyone else familiar with this situation? Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

I actually used to have it. What I was supposed to write in few hours would take days to be done. Now, with much more practice, I managed to get over it for a bit, created my own blog and can actually write a whole new article from just an idea that comes to my mind. When I look back at my articles four years ago, I realize that I am much much better right now in every aspect of writing: grammar, discipline, ideas organization, etc.. Reading different articles and practising healthier habits of writing like drafting first before publishing helped me greatly in getting over the block thingy.

 

[Dee]

I'm a writer. Well, I used to consider myself one, but I haven't written anything longer than a few paragraphs in the last year. Yes, it's been about a year since I wrote anything creative longer than a page or two. However, I used to write like no one's business, and it came so much more easily to me back then. It's much different now, but difficult to explain, so--!

For those of you who have writer's block or have ever experienced it, some of us get through the block and are able to write again. But there are those of us who have tried everything under the sun and then some and still experience the block that just keeps getting worse and worse. Is anyone else familiar with this situation? Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

I actually used to have it. What I was supposed to write in few hours would take days to be done. Now, with much more practice, I managed to get over it for a bit, created my own blog and can actually write a whole new article from just an idea that comes to my mind. When I look back at my articles four years ago, I realize that I am much much better right now in every aspect of writing: grammar, discipline, ideas organization, etc.. Reading different articles and practising healthier habits of writing like drafting first before publishing helped me greatly in getting over the block thingy.

That's awesome. I'm glad you're able to get over your block. It would be nice if I could find a way Rico do that for myself!

 

[Webster]

Is anyone else familiar with this situation?  Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

Its' happened to me every so often; I just keep writing..and writing..and writing; usually that just breaks the writers' block, given enough time.

 

[Dee]

Is anyone else familiar with this situation?  Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

Its' happened to me every so often; I just keep writing..and writing..and writing; usually that just breaks the writers' block, given enough time.

Yeah, I was at that point a year ago, and it quickly became much more difficult to write anything at all. Now I haven't written anything in quite some time, almost a year. I essentially gave up writing because it's too stressful and too painful to think about how badly I wish I could do it, but simply cannot.

 

[Webster]

Is anyone else familiar with this situation?  Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

Its' happened to me every so often; I just keep writing..and writing..and writing; usually that just breaks the writers' block, given enough time.

Yeah, I was at that point a year ago, and it quickly became much more difficult to write anything at all. Now I haven't written anything in quite some time, almost a year.  I essentially gave up writing because it's too stressful and too painful to think about how badly I wish I could do it, but simply cannot.

Try writing about different topics...when writer's block stops you in one spot, pivot and go in another.

 

[Dee]

Is anyone else familiar with this situation?  Are you in a position where you're far into the block and just cannot--for the life of you--dig yourself out of it?

Its' happened to me every so often; I just keep writing..and writing..and writing; usually that just breaks the writers' block, given enough time.

Yeah, I was at that point a year ago, and it quickly became much more difficult to write anything at all. Now I haven't written anything in quite some time, almost a year.  I essentially gave up writing because it's too stressful and too painful to think about how badly I wish I could do it, but simply cannot.

Try writing about different topics...when writer's block stops you in one spot, pivot and go in another.

Yeah, I have. In a year, you do just about anything you can think of. Everything from changing the subject, the genre, the location in which you're writing, etc. There's a lot more that I tried, but none of it has worked and so I stopped all together since it was too stressful to force myself.