In A Writer's Rut - Help Me! D: · 4:25pm Aug 8th, 2014
Sooo, we all get it at some point, don't we. The dreaded...WRITERS BLOCK!
*Enter music of horror*
Basically, I need help getting over my writers block. I KNOW I should be working more on Sister's Forever, since that seems to be my best piece. But, the thing is...I just, CAN'T, you know.
Have any of you gotten to that once scene or one chapter that you know you want to make epic, but just don't have the energy to? You just sorta wish the chapter would magically appear for you?
Ugh.
It's the big racing scene for me, in SF, and I have it all stored up in my head of how I want it to go down, heck, I even have the theme soundtrack for the chapter, but it's like 'uuuuuuuuughhh, don't....wanna....write....it...!"
I tried putting it on hold and starting a shorter story, which was successful, but now I am too lazy to even try at another short story. I don't think I am cut out for these short story things, because I always want to start making it into a series. Rawr.
Anyways, I DO still want to write, I just need to slap myself into shape as far as how to start it up again. Once I get the momentum, I know I will be ok, it's just...starting the swing, that is the issue...
Help, advice, rally talk, anyone?
~A. S
Best thing I know is to just keep writing. Push through the block. You don't have to work on your story, but maybe try little writing exercises like you'd find in a creative writing class. Sorry if that doesn't help.
Watch a racing movie like Days of Thunder
At the beginning of the day, I open a blank Word document. If I'm working on a chapter in progress, I copy and paste the draft in FIMFiction over to the document. I then go on with my day.
If the muse never strikes me, I either end up with a blank page or with the same words I began with. If the muse does strike me, I peck out a couple hundred words, maybe, then I get sidetracked doing other stuff again.
Occasionally, when I get sudden inspiration, I'll type out 2000 or 3000 words in an hour or two. It's very uncommon. My writing is very slow, very gradual, but it accumulates over time. I never force myself to write, but the moment I feel like writing, the document is ready and waiting for me.
Speaking of which, my Word document is blank right now. Maybe I ought to get working on the first chapter of that collab I want to do.
2353726 Good advice, though my daily quota is something like 12,000 words/hour, on a good day.
And I totally feel like a failure when I can't write, you know? For some reason I blame myself and take it real personally against myself
2353726 Something I was thinking of doing was taking a music video, taking the ending into a starter for how said female ends up in Equestria or somthing
2353730
2353735
In my experience, writing one-shots only burns me out more on a story I don't feel like writing. If I'm putting words down, it's on the story I need to write. Simple as that.
And 12,000 words/hour is, like, inhumanly fast. I think you mean 1,200, which is still way too high of an average for anyone who does anything that doesn't involve writing and writing alone. That is probably the reason you're in the writer's block that you're at now: You force performance that you don't feel.
You're supposed to write when you want to write, not because you have to write. Writing isn't a chore; it's a divulgence of one's mind, telling a story and giving others a glimpse of who you are and what you feel through entertaining words. You should never have a quota, or a goal. You write when you want, never when you have to.
2353786 You are right, typo on my part. 1,200. XD
I DO write when I want to write, but the problem is, even if I want to, sometimes the words just won't come :(
2353791
That's what the document in the background is for. When the muse strikes, be ready to write, but when it doesn't, don't force yourself to write things that aren't entertaining.
2353798 Right, right, but I have fans to answer to!
2353804
And if you push yourself too hard, you'll invariably leave them disappointed. Let them wait for your inspiration, don't force inspiration and end up losing it completely.
2353816 That is soooooooo gonna be my quote of the day. Well said.
2353826
That's my prerogative.
I'd rather you keep writing.
2353838 Thanks, friend.
I've recently found that copying out others' writing (like a passage by your favorite author) on a blank document can help stir the creative juices. It's done wonders for me and got me to finally write another Friendship is Software chapter.
This article explains it better than I can.
2353880 Interesting idea...thanks!
Something that helps me focus is music. So when I'm writing it one, blocks out the world around me so I can focus on the book and not the noises in my house. I use Pandora since it let me have multiple stations to choose from and different types of genres for different types of writing.
Something you could do is a one shot of your favorite characters in the,Mlp:Fim universe. This'll give you a little more motivation to write. Or you could try writing one of those "episodes" that you were talking about.
Do whatever you want, don't let any of us readers pressure you into doing so. There's a reason you have followers, it shows that people rally like your work. This would also imply that they're going to wait for whatever the crazy mind of an author will think of.
Choose what you want and If you want any editing, proof reading, stuff like that, I'd be happy to do so.
Till the next one
-R
2366924 Wow, thanks 'fer that, and yes, music often IS my inspiration.....I have soundtracks and everything to my novels and theme songs for my characters. ^.^
2366926
Your welcome. Well I got some stuff to do, but if you want any help just tell me.
2366929 Actually...now that you mention it, I COULD use some help... =]
2366932
Alright, what is it that you want some help on?
2367184 Story ideas
2367188
Ideas for "episodes" or just ideas in general?
2367257 General, me thinks.
2367260
Hmm...well I do have an idea, but I gave it to someone else to write. Only thing is they haven't said a peep about it in over a week so I'm trying to find out if they're still doing it. I will say a quick story you can do is take your favorite shipping and do a one shot off it, that'll give you some time to get more people and develop a bigger story. If I find out that the idea won't be written by the person I gave it to then I'll gladly PM it to you.
2367260
Alright, just wanted to say that the idea isn't going to be used for her and I'll get it to you when I wake up.
2368844 Thank you!! :D
>2369427
Your welcome.
What do you think of it?
2369436 Good! But until then, have you any SHORT story ideas?
2369484
2369485 Hmm....well, I do love my OC's...
2369487
Alright, first give me the tags you would want.
2369490 Dark, sad, adventure?
2369493
Alright I can't do all three but I can do a combination of two, what two would you like together?
2369503 Ok, dark and adventure.
Also, I have recently gotten requests to try my hooves in romance/clop....?? Where to start with that one??
2369509
Got it, but if it's a short story are you doing a one shot or around ten thousand words?
2369524 Define, what is a one shot?
2369509
Keep it romance, but that's just my opinion I don't do clop.
2369534
A one shot is only one chapter and usually ten thousand words. Anyways I won't be able to talk for a few hours since I'm going to go see the new TMNT movie.
2369509
Alright I'm back. A start would be to follow the main characters fall to insanity. Uritalizing the dark tag to explore the cracks forming in his/her mind. The adventure tag could be him running from place to place because the only same part of him knows that he shouldn't be around other ponies. The only problem is I'm not so sure if that would really have adventure, one shots are mostly slice of life and romance. This would be more of a short story.
You did mention how people have mentioned that you should do a romance fix and I would recommend finding your favorite shipping and do a five thousand word or so one shot off it. I have seen a few OctaScratch fics recently, so you could do your take off it and post it in the group with the same name I just mentioned.
I'll come up with an summery when I can, hopefully by the end of today or tomorrow. Keep in mind that I have other stuff on this site to do and am really bad at keeping deadlines.
Till the next one
-R