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Conquering Writer's Block - The Myths vs. the Truths


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We've all gone through it. You check your word count for the hundredth time in the past few hours you've had the draft open on your laptop, and it's dismally low. You've hit that "delete" key so many times you're sure it's about to break. How do you push that sort of mental blockage out of the way?


First, like any problem, it helps to deduce what is causing the writer's block (and what isn't). Unfortunately, this is also the most difficult part, because there are plenty misconceptions we believe in and plenty more real causes that we overlook. And according to that, you can switch up your writing routine.


Truth: Needing a change in scenery. Sometimes, if we've been sitting for too long, we start to get distracted or to feel disengaged. Go out and do something that keeps your mind off of writing. At best, an idea will hit you at an unexpected time, and at worst, you'll come back an hour later with a refreshed mind and a new perspective. If you have another work in progress and you've been hyper focused on this one for a while, try switching gears and working on the other piece instead for some time. Even if it's a different piece, you're still getting writing done for the day.


Myth: Feeling uninspired. A brutal myth to start with, because if there's one mood we can name while staring at a blank document, it's "uninspired." But inspiration is never consistent. It's what drives you to begin your creative writing piece in the first place, but it also comes in short, powerful, unpredictable bursts. Motivation and discipline, on the other hand, are consistent and cumulative. When motivation goes away, stick to discipline. If you want to finish your writing piece, sometimes you just need to sit yourself down with no distractions and write. If you're like me, structure helps provide the scaffolding for aimless imagination. You could construct a list of what you need to happen next, and make another of the moments you don't know how to correctly write, then save those for later. Write a different section you're excited for that's supposed to come later on and try creating an outline of how you can lead into that. Another strategy I like to use that any folks who dislike structure could use is writing different variations of the scene you're stuck on and see which one enhances the plot best. Bottom line: You're not uninspired. Your imagination is still there, but it's still finding its way to the surface.


Truth: The storyline. No, this does not mean you need to change your plot. Oftentimes, when there's nothing to write about, it's because the storyline currently isn't set up for the next thing to happen, and this can be solved by adding/changing small details here and there. Example: the hero has saved the hostage and successfully escaped the villain, but the story can't end here because the hero's mission is to defeat the villain later on. So what next? The problem here is that not enough happened during that rescue. What if you went back to the previous scene and added a new lead (or a new obstacle?) Maybe one of the people who helped with the rescue stays back because they found something that relates to their past, then barely makes it onto the getaway car, clutching a new clue to their chest. Maybe the hostage becomes problematic. Or maybe one of the side characters is too "bland"—if this is the case, create a subplot for them. Is there more to them than the hero thought? Will they get in the way later on or make an unexpected save? Have they been waiting for this rescue to happen, and now they're going to make an outburst about something they've contained for too long?


Myth: You need to add something new. This one really just depends on your judgement, but one thing that makes the story even more difficult to conclude is adding a new element just to resolve a current spot in the plot. I like to think of the elements of a story as the ingredients in a cake. You have one chance to set up all the ingredients and mix them up before putting it in the oven and getting a fully baked cake. Whatever icing and sprinkles you add to enhance it further, you can only add so much before there's just too much frosting. Similarly, your finished story needs to be made up of elements that you've already incorporated into the storyline; if you add too many new things after it gets heated with an intense conflict, it takes away from the flavor of your plot. So if you think of adding something new—like a subplot or clue or secret weapon—sneak it in somewhere earlier in the story to make it seem more natural. Or even better, try using an element you introduced earlier to resolve the part you're stuck on.


Truth: Looking for perfection. This is the one we struggle with the most. Every time you try out a new scene, it feels too boring, too forced, too basic, too stupid, or all of the above. Even if it's fine, you keep finding details to fix until you decide to cut the part out altogether, and you're left at square one. Even though you may have heard this a hundred times, I'm going to say it again: keep writing and worry about editing later. If you keep your creativity on a leash, you'll never see it fly. Yes, the ideas you write may crash and burn, but they can provide inspiration for better variations of them. And the only way you can come up with great ideas is to practice writing the less-than-great ones.


Any other tips I missed? Which ones do you struggle with the most? Comment below! Be sure to subscribe for membership on the home page if you'd like to stay updated on more articles like this one!


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