Writer's block

@maean_19 (4655)
Philippines
January 9, 2011 9:10am CST
Do you often experience being in a situation where your mind is preoccupied of many things and when you have to decide and write, then it feels like your mind went block? I often experience that. There are times that I was thinking of something to write, but when I have to put it into writing, all the thought are gone. Sometimes, I have read many things and I want to write them down as a discussion or blog, then my mind just don't operate as if it has nothing in it. Too funny really because I am staring my screen without doing anything. So, what you do when you are experiencing a "writer's block? How do you motivate yourself to write especially when you are meeting a deadline or your target for the day?
1 person likes this
11 responses
@eurekafemme (5877)
• Philippines
9 Jan 11
hi, Maean. You are not alone. :) When I am too busy doing other things than thinking of any topic to discuss or write ,it seems that ideas flows in my mind like a spring.however, when I am more relaxed and is about to write it, there's just nothing in it or it just a blurry vision of what seem so clear awhile ago. I guess, all of us have this kind of experience since thoughts are fleeting and they are just triggered by certain stimulus/stimuli in our environment, be ot physical, mental or emotional. But, what is important is that This state is not permanent. And we can always hope that another good and interesting topic will soon flooding our busy mind.
1 person likes this
@maean_19 (4655)
• Philippines
11 Jan 11
Hi Eureka! That is the best thing when you have a 'writer's block", it is never permanent. You just need to rest your mind or refresh it, then creative ideas come. Actually, what keeps us from experiencing it is because of preoccupation and ideas fly away so rapidly because of those preoccupation. Thanks for sharing you experience to us.
@PDBME2 (1014)
• United States
9 Jan 11
My worse writer's block was when I had to write a report on US History from the early 1700's. For the life of me I couldn't even think of what to write. I guess it confused me more when my instructor wanted it written down with certain details. History is not my favorite subject plus the way he wanted it written just made my mind blank everytime I even thought about writing. I didn't hand the assignment in on time but he gave me time to submit it later on without getting penalized.
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@maean_19 (4655)
• Philippines
11 Jan 11
Hi PDME2! I also hate history. That is the hard thing when you force yourself to do or write something that does not interests you. Well, good for you because you are given the time to finish and pass it without being penalized. ..Thanks for sharing your experience.
@trruk1 (1028)
• United States
9 Jan 11
Everybody has that problem from time to time. A lot of solutions have been proposed, but nearly all of them involve postponing the actual writing by doing something else while you think about it. What I do is just stay with it. If that means staring at an empty screen for a while, so be it, but I will not get up from the chair or switch to something else on the computer until I have written something. One thing I do when I am trying to write something bigger than a paragraph and can't seem to get started is to tackle it in the middle or towards the end. If I know part of what I want to say but the beginning just won't come, I write the part I know and the rest will come later.
1 person likes this
@calpro (930)
• India
10 Jan 11
Hi maean_19 I am not a writer but I am trying to write some articles, honestly I have not yet started to write anything. I am thinking to start article writing and I am suffering form the same block. I get many ideas while doing other works to write on but when I sit to write I can't do it. I think that is what the block I face, While writing or contributing here in my lot I do not face any problem. When I want to start an article I will have this is problem. If I am not wrong this is called writer's block. Hope I come out of this at the earliest and start writing something useful to me as well as those who read my writings. Happy Writing & Happy Living Calpro
10 Jan 11
Sometime we have to unwind, try to do other things other than writing to relax your mind. I also experience that mental block, at first thoughts are coming in easily but by then nothing, so i leave it and come back when my thoughts is fresh again.
10 Jan 11
You're right. And you are not the only one. It's not just you.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18366)
• Orangeville, Ontario
9 Jan 11
I don't know how you write but I find it a lot easier to let the ideas flow if I write by hand. The feel of pen to paper makes me write. If I sit down at the computer and stare at a blank screen nothing will come, in most cases. Sometimes I can write on the computer if I have a real strong article/story in mind and know pretty much what I want to say. It might help you to start with writing a journal or morning pages, as Julia Cameron calls them. Handwritten. I find that's easier.
1 person likes this
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
10 Jan 11
Yes, I suffer from writer's block, although I tend to not see it as writers' block as such so much as mental exhaustion. The desire to write is there, but the words won't come to my mind, and so won't appear on the screen in front of me. At times like this I'm in trouble, and there is nothing I can do to motivate myself. However, there's still a lot to do. There's always other work to be done. In the meantime, all I can do is wait for the muse to return. It could be days; weeks; months; who knows maybe even years before she does.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
10 Jan 11
what i usually do is get up and walk around or start working on something else. dont put too much pressure on yourself.
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
I often have it when I have too much time to finish an article or memo. It is normal I guess. I'm sure there is a scientific explanation from somebody out there, for me however, its just a lack of inspiration! I write better and faster when I have a deadline! I usually deal with it by relaxing and finding something related to the topic I need to write. For me though walking around seems to be the cure
@tkonlinevn (6438)
• Vietnam
15 Jan 11
It occur to me frequently. I usually leave my PC and going to drink a cold water or I'll go out to enjoy the fresh air. You should be comfortable to write much.