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Giftorcurse
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21 Feb 2010, 12:23 pm

I've tried everything I could think of, but nothing seems to work. I've been thinking alot about my novel recently, and I'm still stuck on the first chapter. The writer's block not only applies to works of fiction, but to message boards as well. I just can't come up with good threads. Most of the time, I sound like an idiot.


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21 Feb 2010, 12:43 pm

I understand what you mean. Sometimes I feel like all the creativity has been drained out of me. I've had writer's block for months at a time. I suggest finding something that will inspire you.


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kip
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21 Feb 2010, 1:54 pm

I get writers block too. What I do is just skip ahead to the parts I do know. Right now, I'm working on my own novel. I know where I want them to go, but I'm not sure where they came from, so I'm kind of ignoring the beginning. Once I get the rest of it fleshed out, it's a bit easier to go back and poke the first bit into existence.


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pakled
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22 Feb 2010, 11:36 am

why not go around it? I presume you have the storyline figured out. Just pic up where it's interesting again, then go back and connect the plots...


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23 Feb 2010, 12:44 am

Heh, you're what, sixteen? You have lots of time so no need to force it.
I was recognized at an early age for my writing talent, but after highschool I made an odd decision: I didn't want to write anything that came off as naive or amateurish, so I decided to live life for a while (like, decades) until I had some deeper stuff to write about. I have kept a sporadic journal all these years, but never took a shot at the novel which is still sloshing around in my brain. I have a notebook for jotting down stuff I plan to use. But I've been blocked too, essentially for years. I guess there's a desirable middle ground between forcing yourself too hard (as you seem to want to) and not forcing yourself at all, and getting nothing done (as I feel I have).



mjs82
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24 Feb 2010, 2:52 am

pakled wrote:
why not go around it? I presume you have the storyline figured out. Just pic up where it's interesting again, then go back and connect the plots...


If you don't have all the chapter plot points mapped out, that's probably why you're stuck.



Villette
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24 Feb 2010, 11:34 am

I have this problem too. btw what sort of story do you plan to write? i want to write an existentialist novel and am failing hopelessly.



Giftorcurse
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24 Feb 2010, 3:21 pm

Villette wrote:
I have this problem too. btw what sort of story do you plan to write? i want to write an existentialist novel and am failing hopelessly.


I'm stuck writing this very Philip K. Dick-esque, multilayered, existential sci-fi novel with a stream-of-consciousness style of narration.


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Batz
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26 Feb 2010, 9:08 pm

Giftorcurse wrote:
Villette wrote:
I have this problem too. btw what sort of story do you plan to write? i want to write an existentialist novel and am failing hopelessly.


I'm stuck writing this very Philip K. Dick-esque, multilayered, existential sci-fi novel with a stream-of-consciousness style of narration.


In a sense, I can see why you're having writer's block. In my opinion, if you're having writer's block, one could think that you are trying to write like another writer -- in this case Philip K. Dick. Writing like another writer is one of the ways how to get writers block.

If I can make a suggestion, when I get writers block I use my experiences as the basis of my stories. As they say, "No one knows you more than yourself." What do I mean by this statement? What I'm trying to say is that it usually by using your own experiences can you make a great -- or potentially great if you don't believe that experiences can make great stories. Now you can use your experiences as a theme for your story, or even as you use them as a plot point or as character development.

Granted you're still going to get writers block sooner or later -- but at least if you use your own experiences as inspiration for your story or novel, you can probably make a story more interesting and you think writers block more easily -- even significantly.

Just a suggestion if you want to use it. Hope it helps. :-)