Posted by Elaine Sedlock on 1/5/08 7:37am
Msg #229032

OT: Any writers out there w/a cure for writer's block?

I write (or shall I say DID write) to pull in extra cash on the side. I used to write full time. But for the past several months it just seems like I can't write anything! I have tons of column material in my head; but every time I try to sit down and put it into written words I can't seem to get it out. Maybe the SA business has taken over the writer's portion of my brain?! But if I don't get past this I may have to take a 9-5 job soon! I've noticed most of you notrot members are very skilled writers and figured perhaps someone out there may have a little something to offer to get me back on the "write" track!

Reply by Lee/AR on 1/5/08 7:59am
Msg #229033

Apparently, you need an assignment and a deadline. Harumph--I need a column titled "It wasn't like this the first time." And I need it in 2 days. (Feel free to discard title...now get busy!)

Reply by Elaine Sedlock on 1/5/08 11:01am
Msg #229050

Lee, you're absolutely right! I may just use that title too! n/m

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 1/5/08 8:17am
Msg #229035

The best incentive I ever found to pound the typewriter was an overdrafted bank account and rent that was due. I'd suggest you go out and blow all your money, then wait for the overdue notices and bounced checks to come pouring in.

Reply by Elaine Sedlock on 1/5/08 11:11am
Msg #229051

That's kinda why I'm attempting to pound the typewriter now! The overdue notices have been coming in already! LOL! But, seriously, no money to blow left! On the other hand, I've got two boys graduating from Navy boot camp within two weeks of each other in Great Lakes, IL and I found a Master Card w/ some credit available while I was organizing my makeshift SA office in the space equivalent to a closet. For once in my life I've actually bought into an advertisement -- "somethings money can buy, and others are are 'priceles.'" I'm going to both of them come hell or high water and hopefully the high water comes first!!! Thanks Hugh!

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 1/5/08 9:39am
Msg #229043

Elaine
I have several author friends, I would be happy to ask them for suggestions if you like.

Reply by jba/fl on 1/5/08 10:24am
Msg #229046

According to Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance...

the way to overcome writer's block is to just write - pen to paper and just write. As another poster said, deadlines help, so give yourself one - pretend!

One of my favorite tools: write an intro, then a conclusion - the rest is just filler, so fill it in.

Just start -

ps: not wishing you luck here - this is work and you have to just do it.

Reply by Elaine Sedlock on 1/5/08 11:19am
Msg #229052

Re: According to Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance...

You're absolutely right jba/fl! "pen to paper and just write" is good advice! So is the deadline suggestion and the intro/conclusion. Best of all is "the rest is just filler, fo fill it in." It's the filling I have no problem with! The problem comes with the intro! I think it's because I'm writing for a local paper and everyone is all up in everyone else's business and all my anecdotes would come back to me in some way shape or form and bite me in the butt! I've thought about starting an "A friend of mine" column and letting the chips just fall! But no one would be fooled by that for long!

Reply by jba/fl on 1/5/08 11:21am
Msg #229053

"A friend of mine" column...

But your friends could be from anywhere in the world due to www. That's a great idea!

Reply by Elaine Sedlock on 1/5/08 11:29am
Msg #229054

Re: "A friend of mine" column...

Yes, great idea in theory, but not in this hick (I'm not a hick (?) so don't know how to spell it), town because everybody knows me even though I know virtually nobody! But still, I might find a way to do that. I could ask my editor to let me use a pseudonym -- and I'm sure she would. Problem would be that anybody would know exactly who wrote the column. SUCKS!! Maybe I need to venture out and cut loose in another county where no one knows me? We'll see. In the meantime, I keep on filing away the "fillings" for the stories I will one day tell.

Reply by jba/fl on 1/5/08 11:50am
Msg #229059

Google: writer's block - much there to peruse. n/m

Reply by Elaine Sedlock on 1/5/08 11:39am
Msg #229056

Yes, Sylvia, please do ask your author friends! I'm really

in the biggest writing slump ever and have tried all the ordinary run of the mill suggestions to no avail! If I can't get some stuff written asap I'm gonna be in even worse financial trouble than I already am! Tell your friends I need new writer's block advice -- not the stuff you read in all the writer's manuals etc.! Thanks! you're a sweetie!

Reply by Patricia/VT on 1/5/08 12:42pm
Msg #229063

Re: Yes, Sylvia, please do ask your author friends! I'm really

Sylvia, I'm a writer and a voracious reader. For me, reading fuels my writing. Sometimes when I'm stuck, I'll browse in a thesaurus, or a book my son, a writer, gave me years ago, Grambs' Describer's Dictionary.

Reply by Patricia/VT on 1/5/08 12:45pm
Msg #229064

oops!

Sorry Elaine, I meant to address my remarks to you.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 1/5/08 4:47pm
Msg #229080

Re: Yes, Sylvia, please do ask your author friends! I'm really

OK, up to now I have heard back from 3 of my friends.

Trish who writes for Harlequin says her suggestion is for you to think of a GREAT first line. Something follows from a great first line.

Barbara, who writes for Mira as well as Harlequin and Silhouette says she has been struggling with writers block for the last 6 months. But she's kept writing anyway. Very slowly, in fits and starts, more than once abandoning one project for another. She forces herself to write every day so her writing "muscles" won't atrophy, just as she jogs every day even if she doesn't want to, so her leg muscles won't atrophy.

Jo, who writes for Signet says as you have the material try writing it in longhand and for some reason it is important to have a pen and paper you enjoy.

Jo and Barbara continually make the best sellers list. When I hear from my other friends I will let you know.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 1/6/08 1:04pm
Msg #229129

Re: Yes, Sylvia, please do ask your author friends! I'm really

Elaine
I just heard from another friend. As well as being a well published author for Signet she also has writers workshops. Here is her response.

What I tell people in my writing workshops is to look first for what
they care about in the story. What matters to them? Second, who are
they writing to in a given story? What do they want that group to
understand? Third, one writes out the key points one wants to make
(keeping in mind why they matter to the person doing the writing).
Fourth, once that's done, one sits down and writes as fast as one
can--for a short block of time--not self-censoring anything. Once
it's written down, one can edit, rearrange, etc.

The key is to know and remember why one cares about writing THIS
piece. No matter what it's ostensibly about, a writer who focuses on
what matters to him or her is going to feel much more like writing the
story.

Hope this helps your friend.

Reply by MichiganAl on 1/5/08 10:23pm
Msg #229091

When I get stuck, I remember how we used to have to do it in high school and college. You'd have to show your entire work product; notes, outline, rough draft. I just write down ideas and random thoughts without any intention of forming sentences or anything cohesive. Then I write an outline. The main point of my article, followed by any other points. Then under each one, how you support each point. After that, I can start to put together some paragraphs.

Also, I'm sure you know that sometimes NOT thinking about it is what spurs the idea that gets things moving. I keep a notepad and pen next to my bed so when that genius idea hits me at 4 a.m., I can capture it. My best brainstorming happens before I fall asleep.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 1/6/08 3:30am
Msg #229114

Jack Daniels n/m