Q&A for How to Get Over Writer's Block

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  • Question
    How do you overcome a creative block?
    Lucy V. Hay
    Professional Writer
    Lucy V. Hay is a Professional Writer based in London, England. With over 20 years of industry experience, Lucy is an author, script editor, and award-winning blogger who helps other writers through writing workshops, courses, and her blog Bang2Write. Lucy is the producer of two British thrillers, and Bang2Write has appeared in the Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life and is a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK. She received a B.A. in Scriptwriting for Film & Television from Bournemouth University.
    Professional Writer
    Expert Answer
    Usually, the more experienced of a writer you become, the less likely you'll have writer's block, although that's not necessarily always true. You just have to figure out what works to help you overcome whatever's stopping you. That might be personal motivation, or it might have to do with the logistics of how you write, like your time and resources.
  • Question
    How can I get over writers block when writing songs?
    Community Answer
    Keep writing. Write anything you like, even if it's not good. When you write in a flow-of-consciousness style, it puts your brain into the state of creative flow. That's when the ideas will come to you.
  • Question
    What do I do if I'm already writing a story, and I have writer's block about what should happen next?
    Community Answer
    Go and speak to different people (friends, family, etc.) to hear their take on it. Seek advice and maybe hearing different points of view will clear your head and help you discover what you are looking for.
  • Question
    Is it true that the longer I wait to write, the more I become incapable of writing?
    Community Answer
    Yes. If you stop writing for long periods of time you lose your cool. During free time, like waiting to be called in the doctor's office, find some scrap paper and write out characteristics of your characters or plan out entire chapters (doodling is optional also).
  • Question
    How can I get rid of writer's block quickly?
    Community Answer
    Write down on paper whatever pops in your head, preferably goofy things like, 'John likes to drink hamburgers.'
  • Question
    I love writing the beginning and endings of my books, but I always get writer's block through the middle of the story. It makes it less fun. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    Read or listen to videos on YouTube about writing stuff to get pumped up. Jazz up your story to make it feel like you're reading a book from your favorite author. Try using your favorite book for inspiration. No matter what, never give up. This writer's block is just another step to writing books.
  • Question
    Can I write down my ideas in a notebook that I take with me everywhere?
    Galasy4969
    Top Answerer
    Certainly! Any time you have a story idea, write it down. You can exercise or even draft them when you have free time.
  • Question
    I live in a very crowded, loud, small house. My ears aren’t good with earplugs, headphones, etc. What do I do?
    Galasy4969
    Top Answerer
    Find a quiet place, like a park, library, or even your backyard. Even if you cant find a quiet spot, try to write; you can always rewrite it later.
  • Question
    How do I speed up a short story I'm writing?
    Community Answer
    Keep the message clear and concise, don’t over-explain too many details. Remember, it’s okay to leave the readers guessing!
  • Question
    What should I do if I'm 13 chapters into a book and get stuck?
    Community Answer
    Think of possible fixes. For example: Cut any unnecessary dialogue or scenes (keep more major scenes and important dialogue to help move the story along), consider re-planning the previous chapter to help this one move along smoother, find the problem or black hole in the plot and remove it (anything that doesn’t make sense or doesn’t help the plot evolve), write a short description of the chapters focusing on the events that will take place (planning is always key to cure writers block). You could also take a short break (like a week or so) from writing. This will help you de-stress and better focus on writing. Adding new characters will make writing feel new. Reading other’s work also helps.
  • Question
    What do I do when I get frustrated?
    Kewlio04
    Community Answer
    At that point, it may be best to just take a break. You could read a book, watch some TV, or maybe just take a nap. If it’s really frustrating you, there is no need to continue writing your story, song, or poem (unless required).
  • Question
    What if I think my story is good, but I don’t want to show to other people?
    Community Answer
    You don't necessarily need to show your story to others, but it's better if you do. The feedback they give you could be very helpful in trying to improve your story. Getting feedback and criticism can be scary, but it'll make your writing better. In the meantime, keep revising and editing until you work up the courage to share it with the world.
  • Question
    What if you don’t have time to write the story but you really want to?
    Community Answer
    Even taking the smallest time out of your day (just five minutes) to write something is really important. Writing a book can be very time consuming, but taking it bit by bit, everyday, will eventually get you there.
  • Question
    What should I do if I’m writing a fanfiction, and I get stuck?
    Community Answer
    You can research a character that you know very little of. For example, if you do not know much about Naruto, then you can go to a Wikipedia-like website (or just Wikipedia) and learn more about him from there. Doing some research about a character can help you overcome writer's block!
  • Question
    I always can write the beginning and middle of the story but get stuck at the end. What do I do?
    Nico
    Top Answerer
    Before writing, plan out your story with a beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution/end. If you're stuck while writing, try adding a new character, jumping ahead to the end of the story (if possible), or going back to the beginning; many stories stall because the protagonist isn't given enough to do.
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