Creativelly dead inside

[Grogtard]

I feel the pain of having that blank feeling and not being able to write anything to write.  What I do try to write anyway.  It may not be the best things I've ever written but at least I can move the story forward just a little and go back and fix it later.

[skaoi]

Usually, when I'm struggling, I back off the writing.  Sometimes, I back off the whole creative thing and do other stuff like playing with my kids or housework.  If it's really bad, I'll hop on the bike for an especially long or hard ride.  Strangely, the saddle is the only place I ever write poetry.

Usually, if I relax my brain and pull back, the machine reboots and all is right with the world in a few days.

If it gets really bad, I tell my co-writer and she threatens me until I comply.   

I have also noticed, eviladam, that some of your recent posts have looked like things are in a rough spot overall for you.  I don't wish to appear rude, but sometimes talking to someone can really help.  Best wishes for sunnier skies.

[eviladam]

I've been slowlly getting back to writing. I've written a couple of pages of stuff that doesn't really belong in the story, just random ideas I had, mainlly just to get back to putting words on paper again. So far it's going well, but I'm taking it slowlly.

[eviladam]

I still can't write any thing even approaching decent. If this writer's block doesn't break I'm going to bach my head into the wall. (figurativelly)

[Cyclone Jack]

I still can't write any thing even approaching decent. If this writer's block doesn't break I'm going to bach my head into the wall. (figurativelly)

Now now. No need to get violent with yerself.

Here's a little trick that works for me sometimes:

Give yourself a weird little project, something you'd normally never do.

I once challenged myself to write the first chapter of a 30's style pulp adventure -- imitating the language, cliches, etc. Not only was it fun, but it lifted the block quite handily, becoming a dream the character of a completely different story was having.

Or even weirder: a typical genre romance novel scene between a werewolf and a stereotypical gray alien with amnesia! Or...

...you get the picture. Something that will 'take you out of yourself' and, ideally, let your brain play a little.

If you can't think of anything, get a forum member to challenge you.
 

[eviladam]

  Hey that might actually work. I'm going to see what I can come up with. Thanks for the advice!

[Cyclone Jack]

Hey that might actually work. I'm going to see what I can come up with. Thanks for the advice!

You're welcome, and good luck. Sometimes we forget that the reason we started this filthy habit was because it was sooooooooo much fun!

[eviladam]

You sir are both a "hallucinatin' hack" and a genuis. You were absolutelly right. I've been writing spaghetti western style stuff all night and having a blast at it! Thanks again. Thanks a hundred berjillion times over. I don't think I'm ready to start on my novel again yet, but I am writing and it feels sooooo good to be doing that again.

[Cyclone Jack]

You sir are both a "hallucinatin' hack" and a genuis. You were absolutelly right. I've been writing spaghetti western style stuff all night and having a blast at it! Thanks again. Thanks a hundred berjillion times over. I don't think I'm ready to start on my novel again yet, but I am writing and it feels sooooo good to be doing that again.

Yay! 

Glad to be o' service.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Give yourself a weird little project, something you'd normally never do.

The variant on this that I have found most useful is to do a story inspired by each song on your favourite album.  This works better if your favouritie album is by Leonard Cohen than it might if it was by the Spice Girls, though.

[Cyclone Jack]

The variant on this that I have found most useful is to do a story inspired by each song on your favourite album.  This works better if your favouritie album is by Leonard Cohen than it might if it was by the Spice Girls, though.

I actually did that once with most of Springsteen's Nebraska. The stories that came out best were 'Reason To Believe' and 'State Trooper'.