Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

One thing every writer hates...

...Writer's block. I'm sure if there was a cure I'd stock up on it, 'coz I'm terrible at not being sure what to put next. Then again, if nobody every had writer's block, books would be published left and right. Right? I guess one of the best things to do is to put my current work on hold and work on my fanfiction (oh, how I love fanfiction). Or, simply write a short story. Nothing long and dramatic, just something to get the thoughts flowing again.
Seriously, though, am I the only one who finds this truly and honestly frustrating? Staring at that stupid vertical line that's blinking mockingly at me from the blank white page...It's especially frustrating knowing that if I want to write for a living, I have to get things done by a deadline. Not helpful at all!

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Comment by Bruna Britti on May 29, 2010 at 1:47am: I got me thinking on the same thing. That's why I'm here reading your post, I'm totally writer's block at this moment, looking up at my white page. Gee, I confess its frustating! =/ As you said, the most dificult part is when you have to get things done by a deadline. Imagine you, not able to finish a page, and your editor calling up to know when you gonna send it? At least, I do like you. Whenever I'm on this way, I take my fan fictions and workn on it. Always help me =D
Oh... sorry for my english. It is not so good. =/

Comment by Kay Elizabeth on May 29, 2010 at 9:10am: If you need something to kick you into gear, check out this post in the forum.

One word. one minute. Just write.

Trust me. When you have a REAL deadline looming, writer's block disappears. There's nothing like the thought of a pay check (or losing it) to motivate you! ;) I find taking a break and getting some fresh air helps.

I love quotations too. Read some and see which one attracts your attention then write a piece based on that as a starting point. Here's some I like.

We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation. ~Francois De La Rochefoucauld

The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice that which we are for what we could become. ~Charles DuBois

Comment by scribbler on May 29, 2010 at 7:41pm: Have you tried picking up a book or magazine? When you read, it stimulates ideas. Just a chapter or two can be enough or half an hour, whatever comes first. You'll also learn from their style at the same time. This isn't my idea. Faulkner said it first. :)

"Read, read, read. Read everything- trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write." William Faulkner

Comment by scribbler on May 31, 2010 at 8:08am: What kind of fanfiction do you write, Lora? It's a great idea to follow your passion, you know. :)

Why write anything else if you love writing that?

Comment by Garry Edward Lewis on June 1, 2010 at 4:43am: I find at times like you I have to just walk away for awhile, think about other things activities with the family, go fishing and not actually fish but instead take a walk through the timber listen to nature think about my story while I do, next thing I know ideas start popping up again I grab some scratch paper jot down some quick notes, when I arrive back home head for my lap top and start in again! So I can most certainly relate to what your saying Lora.

Comment by Dairenna VonRavenstone on June 2, 2010 at 2:22am: I only get writer's block when I'm highly stressed. That being said, I've been highly stressed for about two months so really, every single story I'm writing (and there's five or six of them!) have suffered.

I usually walk away for a while, read back a few chapters (or pages) and try to write something small OR move onto a different project all together, which is probably why I have five or six technically on the go right now.

The good thing is, I don't have deadlines. I self-published so I have my own imaginary deadlines that I can change as I want. I can't work with deadlines. If I know something is due in a month I leave it till the five or six days before and THAT would get me no where fast.

It doesn't really help that I can't get in contact with my publishers so I can actually get my promotional books to start really pushing. And it probably doesn't help that my actual 9-5 boss is kind of overworking me since I'm techincally the only employee there. Ah well.

I'm also curious to know what kind of fanfiction you right. I read a lot of fanfiction of varying genres and its exceptionally hard to find GOOD fanfiction.