Writer's Block

i think this happens to all writers at different times and everyone has their own way of combating it. as for me, i generally take a break, look at ebay or mylot and then in a few minutes i think of the word or phrase that i was looking for. dont be too hard on yourself, that only seems to make it worse!

Try taking a break from writing for a day or two. Come back and see, if you can come up with anything.

i'm a mercurial writer, that's why when an idea or an urge strikes, i really need to sit down and write immediately, otherwise, the mood might not be there anymore and like you, i'd have an unfinish article glaring at me for weeks, hehe. i am often inspired by a thought or a feeling, and that gives me the 'plot' of my article. however, once i started it, i'd better finish it. you wouldn't believe how many articles i have with all beginnings, i'm even thinking of making a book out of it - "compilation of unended crap", lol!

I start saying that I HATE writer's block. Damn, it's the worst thing ever for a writer. When I want to write something, it's always when i've got inspiration. I usually use life experiences to make the novel more realistic, and I go in order, writing first the beginning, than the middle and the end. If I feel like i can't write, I just stop for a while.

I had this problem a lot when I was doing some of my writing courses in university. I found my solution was to read related literature and let the inspiration come. Of course, my writing consisted of short stories about personal/observed experiences, so I read other short stories related to what I happened to be writing about that night (a childhood experience.. an event in school... a character sketch, etc). I'm a big fan of really thinking things over before starting on it, perhaps even writing up a rough outline of events that will happen, how you imagine it to end. Naturally you don't have to stick with the outline and you can revise it as you go along.

you might want to make a layout or an outline of your story... that way you'll be able to see the storyline of what you are doing... try putting events that happened in your life where you can relate your life without thinking too much of ideas.

I get my ideas from dreams, and also from seeing something and getting an idea from that. You do not have to take a whole event, just part of it and change it around. For instance, I was in the Food Court once, and I heard two men talking business, and then I thought what if they were plotting a murder and one of them was a hit man? Also when you get mail, and instead of writing a story about having to go on a trip to see your aunt or whatever, you think about the mailman's shoes and you think what if there was a fire in a leather factory? So writing is looking at something and seeing something entirely different. You have to turn your imagination upside down.

The thing that works for me is reading. I will keep reading until I am inspired to write something of my own. Plus, it helps to see what other people are writing & to compare it to yours. How can I write that well or better? What am I doing well? What can I do better?

I write constantly. Maybe not always on paper, but in my head. I have learned to keep a notebook in my car, in my purse, by my bed, and just about everywhere else. If something strikes me that I should write about I will jot down the idea. Later, when I have more time, I will go back and read over my ideas and expand on them. I write about life, about my family, about illnesses within my family (not just immediate, but extended also) perhaps I have a friend having a hard time with something and I might write about that just not put in names. I got mad at my spam e-mail one day and in 5 minutes flat I had written a hilarious article that I was paid very well for...all because I was sick of the spam in my inbox. Step outside the box and stop concentrating on writing and look around you at what is going on. Is it funny? Is it scary? Is it sad, is it happy? Now, expand on that in your mind and jot down your ideas. Give yourself a break and stop trying so hard and the ideas will flow to you like a river! Don't be so hard on yourself! You can do this! The more ideas that come to me the more I write and they just flow. If they aren't flowing then I take a break. Perhaps for a few days even but I always come back to my writing.

Maybe you can try grab a copy of Stephen King's ON WRITING: MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT. He laid down the foundations for writing there. Atleast, how he write his stories, and that maybe other can do it too.

Wow I know what you mean, every writer has had their writer's block. I mean I do use things that have happened in my life or situations that our happening in the world today. There's so much going on in the world. And maybe you've always wanted something and never had it happened for you, you could simply write about your dreams.