Keep It Going-working through writer's block

[jadedinnocent]

I've been talking about writer's block via e-mail and PM's with a few people recently so I decided to start a thread to discuss it.
Please post your thoughts and what you find helpful. I'd really like us to get some threads like this going to help us all out.

[.::Sith::Bitch::.]

Didn't we already have a thread for this or is this De Ja Vu for me? *chuckles* I think, in my personal opinion, that we can use some of the ideas we had in the thread for thinking of a title and use them for writer's block.

I find myself stricken with writer's block every damn story I write. It's ANNOYING as hell!! When will the Writing Doctors find a cure for Writer's Block? I've known quite a few friends to be stricken with this disease and I've come down with it many of times myself. It really puts a toll on the brain. *chuckles*

Some tips I find helpful are:

1) Step away from your story - Writing on your story all day or week will leave your brain tired and worn out. Step away from your story and go have a snack or take a nap! (my favorite one!!). You'd, sooner or later, will find your inspiration again! And if you need to, step away from it for a whole day, week, or even month. (I've known a friend to step away from a story for a whole 2 years and them starting it up again.)

2) Read your story over - Sometimes, reading your story (and sometimes chapter) can help your brain start moving again.

3) Go out and read other stories - Reading other stories that are somewhat similer or in the same genre as yours helps a great bit!

4) Read BAD fiction - Yes yes yes. I know, we all hate reading bad stories and in most cases, want to gouge out our eyes until we bleed to death, but sometimes, reading bad fan fiction will make you see that some people should not be allowed to write in the world and that there are stories out there that should be banned and blown up for the awesomely bad plots, grammar, and content. That right there should get you to working on your story again. I mean, if you don't then you won't be able to save all those readers out there from the Invasion of the Bad Stories! You'd be surprised just how much inspiration to write a GOOD story comes from reading a bad one!!

5) Write an Outline - Some people find this helpful, I do, sometimes (when I'm not lazy) but writing an outline can be helpful. And you don't have to write a normal outline. You could just use bullets and just write down ideas and thoughts that you want to happen in the chapter (in order or course) next to the bullet. This could be very helpful because sometimes, you write out the whole chapter and don't even know it! I've done this many times. I just wrote down my ideas and when I read them back to myself, all I had to do was add a couple of words such as the and's, the but's, the therefore's, ect. and BOOM! My chapter!

6) Listen to MUSIC! Also, a big help is MUSIC. A couple of us, including me, like to have...theme songs...to our stories or chapters. For instance, if you're writing a horror, your theme music may come from Marilyn Manson, Garbage, NIN, etc. (you certainly wouldn't write a horror listening to Britney Spears *laughs* although her music scares me sometimes) Find your theme music and listen to it!! Sometimes, it's helpful to listen to it throughout the whole time you are writing. It'll help you imagine the images from your story in a "movie" sort of way. I actually advise ALL writers to try this!!