26 replies to this topic

[DazeDreamer]

Ah I keep having writer's block and my muse won't com back! Some advice?

[Illjwamh]

Stop thinking about it. Take a break and do something else for a while. When inspiration returns to you, it will be sudden and unmistakable - and you'll come up with better stuff than you ever could have forced yourself to write.

NOTE: When I said "a while", I was using a term than could mean "a few days" or "several weeks". If you write a lot, it probably (hopefully) won't be the latter. Patience is key. The longest bout of writer's block I ever had lasted for over six months. It was horrible.

[jmf]

it will usaully take about 2 weeks for insipiration to return so take a break and read a graphic novel it does'nt matter what it is just read either way you'll get new ideas.

[enigmaofbishieness]

Sometimes with writer's block, inspiration doesn't just return if you wait. You might need to suck it up and keep writing something, even if it's a different fanfiction. Some of the stuff you come up with might look like crap to begin with, but you can always rewrite it when you're in top form again.

[Illjwamh]

Writing something else certainly can help. A lot of times if you have writer's block it's on one project in particular, so if you have two or three going at once you can jump around.

[DazeDreamer]

-grins- Thaaaank youuuu! All of you rock! Yeah well I guess I do have a few other fanfics I've been meaning to get to. Plus I have to publish them too in FF.net. So thanks!

[jmf]

your welcome which reminds me i need to get back writing myself thanks.

[Yori Uzumaki]

NaruSaku Fan, I give you the cure.

Well for me Music has always been the ultimate inspiration and taking walks while listening to it, is an A+
You can watch movies to get the cure, something might come to you
Before you go to sleep or in your free time, think about it, replay the story in your head from how you thought or think it should be.
Maybe looking at fan art would help
Talking to other fans could also help.
Some times ideas hit you when your in bed. So be sure and have a journal near by so that you can write it down and type it up tomorrow.

There are a lot of simple solutions out there, but those are the tips I hand to you NaruSaku Fan.

[Zahrn]

Ah I keep having writer's block and my muse won't com back! Some advice?

There are tricks to writing.

First, I would get a journal if you already do not have one. Pick an hour in which you cannot be distrubed. Be consistant with this time. After awhile it will come easier and easier for you to write. Use this time to write whatever comes to mind no matter how silly or stupid it sounds. I generally add funny conversations I have or overhear from people; dreams; or whatever I did during the day if I felt it was interesting. The point is to write and feel confortable doing it.

Second, when you write, do not worry about grammer. Concentrate on writing.

Third, if you have an idea, ask some questions in your journal about your characters. What is their motivation? What do they want? Why are they doing this? These types of questions. The more you understand about the character the better off you are at writing him or her.

Fourth, I like to use a technique called Clustering when I am starting out writing. It involves for the writer to pick something in the center of a piece of paper and circle it. Most of the time this will be your main character. From there, draw circles with anything that comes to mind. Connect the circles if they are related, else branch out. You can get a sense of what ideas fit in your story.

[Yori Uzumaki]

I think the third one is the one I need, I have problems with keeping character. :shamefulcry0js: A lot of the people of Naruto are moody.

[Shouri no Hana]

or have factors to snap a character back into character. I keep having Sakura out out of character (mostly on purpose, so she could live up to the promise she made yadda yadda) of course Naruto isn't as oblivious when he is around Sakura so he notices it. So he repeats a certain question that snaps Sakura back into character...it's getting old but I need to use it until at least chapter four.

[Zahrn]

Each chapter should have some rising action. If your story becomes stale, then introduce a 'turn' in your story. Your 'turn' is usually some conflict that your protaganist has to deal with. You can have as many turns as you want that builds up to the climax of the story.

[MonkeysTotallyRock]

*gasp* writer's block. yes, i hate it... everyone has it. some times the best thing to do is to take some time off. rethink the story a bit. one of the things that helps me is listening to cheesy love songs. it inspires fluff. yes, i know, it's a crappy way, but it works. another thing i do is read fluff-filled stories which make no sense -- humor is the seed of life. it helps. laughing is the best thing for the soul next to krabby patties... okay, so may be not everyone watches spongebob. anyways, hope this helps!

[Vespar]

Hey! That's some good advice, Zahrn!
I got to ask you though, do you set yourself a plan about how you want your fic to turn out?

Oh, and here's what i do when I've got writer's block. I take a shower. Seriously. Some of my best written scenes tend to get written when I allow myself to think.
And no. Nothing perverted. =___=;
It's not just showers, but when it's raining and I'm just watching the windows. (Showers just tend to be more dependable than waiting for rain though.)
Course, writer's block that occurs right after said showers don't help.

[DazeDreamer]

Thanks everyone for helping in my writer's block! I'm now working on multiple fics that I've wanted to start/finish and I use music to help me with ideas. I also like to read other fics to give me ideas. Thanks everyone!

(Yes! Post#190)

[Zahrn]

Hey! That's some good advice, Zahrn!
I got to ask you though, do you set yourself a plan about how you want your fic to turn out?

For the most part, I know how my storties begin and end. It's the middle that I usually write as I go.

This is usually how I start a story.

1. The idea pops in my head, and I write down whatever comes to mind in my journal. If I see there is enough for a story, then I work on the plot.
2. Plot: I summarize the plot of the story. I ask myself a few questions. Who is the main character? What does he want? Who is standing in his way of getting it?
3. Once I have my plot, I start with the outline. It's a simple outline in which I write out each scene that I came up with so far as a sentence. Having an outline is good because you can move scenes around if you feel they are out of order or completing remove them if they don't flow with your story.
4. Once I completed my outline, I start to write. Sometimes I write the ending first. There isn't any logic for me on where to start. If something comes to mind, I just open my journal and write it down. Usually my first pass isn't that descriptive, it's more of a brainstorming session, giving the outline more depth and life.
5. Once you have a completed story, I proof read it. Correcting all spelling and grammar mistakes. I make notes if I feel a scene isn't fully developed, feels akward, or doesn't work as I intended it to be. This goes for characters as well.
6. After proof reading and correcting any mistakes, I go through step 5 again.
7. I usually give the story a title, and I "publish" it for people to review and/or read for enjoyment.

[Danni]

that is really good advice zahrn.
but where do you publish it at.

[Zahrn]

Well, you can publish it on your website, one of the many free sites that specialize in fiction, or you can find an online publishing house, there are a few, if you want to acutally get your work published. This will take capital, and I think it will cost you around 500-1000 dollars.

Another route you can go is magazines. They usually have a submission process in which you can mail in your stories. There is a book that is published each year that lists all the magazines that allow submissions as well as another informational tid-bits. The book is located: http://www.amazon.co...glance&n=283155

[Vespar]

Thanks again Zahrn!
I follow pretty close to the way you go about it, but sometimes I don't do an outline. Boy. That screwed me over a few times. ^^;

[Zahrn]

The main thing is for you to be consistant. The most important part is to really take an hour out of your schedule everyday and write. Doesn't matter if it's about your story, your day, or whatever. Just get in the habit of writing.