The Muse is Gone Options

[xayeidemon]

What do you do when you've hit a dry spell and you can't write a single thing? What do you folks do to beat teh ebil writer's block?

[Sighfienerd]

What do you do when you've hit a dry spell and you can't write a single thing? What do you folks do to beat teh ebil writer's block?

Missss Xayyy - I think someone has been reading the Cave.

But in all honesty, writer's block must be ignored. Muses are a bit whorish, and they like to be wooed. The more you write - the more they'll be drawn to you. (Muses hate being ignored - it seriously pisses them off.) Write...no matter what crap is spewing from your fingers. Eventually, something good will turn up. Tell yourself that you must write 500 words each time you sit down - even if it's worse than The Notebook. (Read 3 pages of that in the checkout line at la groceria and - gag me- worse than Bridges of Madison County.) Sheer crap - but heck!! They made movies out of both of them!

Pm me when you get a chance - I want to give you my email address.

[Magnavox]

When I get writer's block, I always ask someone to give me a challenge, that way, I'm not just writing for myself, but for someone else too. Even if it turns out really crappy, you're still writing something, you don't have to post it and it also gives you some guidelines to follow and makes you more focused. I've found that that stays with you after you've finished the challange and you can carry it on with what you want to write.

[wonderland]

Like Sigh said, I try to write something every single day, even if I end up deleting it all, at least I know I've tried. I'm kinda funny about reading, I am usually reading at least three books at a time, and sometimes, Internet stuff, too. Writing is the same way, right now I have at least two dozen SG stories I am working on and an AR series that has six or eight uncompleted stories in it. I just work on what calls me, I guess that's what Sigh was referring to as a muse.
However, I have to tell you that I am rarely satisfied with what I write and will work on them even after I have posted them. There are several that, given the chance, I would probably un-post, I can't read them without squirming. There are probably only one or two that I haven't touched since I posted them.
Although I don't watch TV alot, I also mentally re-write TV shows I am watching (thinking "oh that would have been so much better if he had said...") and books, too.
Also try writing outside of your comfort zone, that does stretch you intellectually.

[xayeidemon]

Missss Xayyy - I think someone has been reading the Cave.

The what? I have no idea what that is.

I like what you said about whorish muses. And the 500 word thing sounds like a good idea. I'm definitely going to give that a try.

When I get writer's block, I always ask someone to give me a challenge, that way, I'm not just writing for myself, but for someone else too.

Also try writing outside of your comfort zone, that does stretch you intellectually.

I see. So if I combine those two, along with Sigh's 500 word thing, I come up with this: Someone give me a challenge (500 words) that doesn't involve anyone on Stargate.

How's that?

Wonder, I know what you mean about fics you're never satisfied with. That one I did about dead Jack and the pseudo undead but not really WTF is Old!Daniel? Yeah...it's at the top of my list of stories I wish I'd never let see the light of day.

Thanks for your ideas, guys. I was beginning to lose hope!

[wonderland]

Thanks for your ideas, guys. I was beginning to lose hope!

Anytime, that's what friends are for.

[aliaras]

Hmmm. I seem to have a lot of trouble with this. I don't just have whorish muses, I have rather persnickity flaky muses that come and go as they damn well please.

The 500 word thing hasn't worked for me :-( I forget to do it...

I'd say get challenges from people. That's what I do with art - go ask someone to tell me what to draw. It then starts drawing itself after the first 30 minutes (usually). Although no few of those have ended up in the campfire as well.

[xayeidemon]

I went looking around for some challenges, but a plot came to me in the process. That was nice. What wasn't nice was the fact that I got to 276 words before my bout of inspiration petered out. It's better than nothing, though.

[danielfan]

My problem is I have the beginning and end to my story. I just can't get the middle details in line. I did finally have a break though this week I realized I needed to let readers get to know the origional character more in the beginning.

[wonderland]

My problem is I have the beginning and end to my story. I just can't get the middle details in line. I did finally have a break though this week I realized I needed to let readers get to know the origional character more in the beginning.

A trick I use with original characters is to pre-write the background, so that you know who they are and why they do what they do. Where they went to school, what they studied, what kind of environment did they grow up in. It can be rough, since you're not gonna post it, but it helps form a clearer outline of the character and their motivations. It also takes a little time, but I find it is worth it in the end.

[mithwriter]

Want your muse to return? Listen to music...lots of music until something clicks. You'll know it when you hear it, believe me.

I've found the biggest inspiration for projects I'm working on don't come when I'm sitting in front of my pc trying to write, but when I'm not thinking about it at all...

For me, the Muse is like a cat. Go chasing after it and it'll run under the couch and refuse to come out. Sit down, ignore it, and before you know it there's something warm and fuzzy on your lap begging for attention...

This post has been edited by mithwriter: Sep 9th 2006, 9:57 AM

[Ty_dA_maNn58]

A trick I use with original characters is to pre-write the background, so that you know who they are and why they do what they do. Where they went to school, what they studied, what kind of environment did they grow up in. It can be rough, since you're not gonna post it, but it helps form a clearer outline of the character and their motivations. It also takes a little time, but I find it is worth it in the end.

I do this sometimes too, I plan the whole character out, every single detail. and then I make a few changes and he ends u being a minor character (which doesn't bother me, I feel it makes him more then a minor character..although I do not use him much)

Want your muse to return? Listen to music...lots of music until something clicks. You'll know it when you hear it, believe me.

I've found the biggest inspiration for projects I'm working on don't come when I'm sitting in front of my pc trying to write, but when I'm not thinking about it at all...

For me, the Muse is like a cat. Go chasing after it and it'll run under the couch and refuse to come out. Sit down, ignore it, and before you know it there's something warm and fuzzy on your lap begging for attention...

I totally agree with you there. The greatest ideas I get come from nothing big, just everyday life, stuff that happens to me or my friends. Or what I want to see, Even when I was a kid watchin X-men cartoons I would tell my friends 'ohh it would of been cool if wovlerine did this and then rogue did...and I could go non stop makin stories like this up (I was like 8). And about a year ago..(actually a year ago Oct 5th) I started writing down ideas for scripts and such. And the times I write the most are when I just sit down..I can type out tons of stuff without thinkin about it, It's when I focus on the story, try to think of a direction and stuff that I get writers block.

One major influence is of course the music and movies. I will be at my computer (down stairs) and have the tv on, either on a hockey game (in season of course), some crappy sitcom I wont pay attention to, or music. It just doesn't feel comfortable without it.

Of course the type of music I listen to depends on what I'm writing (I only listen to rap, but there are different types of artists)

If I am writing a story about drugs and shootings and such, I'll listen to some hardcore rap, violent stuff, stuff to get me pumped. (N.W.A., Onyx, D12, Eminem, Papoose)

If I am writing something dramatic I will put on an artist who's songs have meaning (Immortal technique, pumpkindhead, Sticky fingaz, Rass kass, Eminem Papoose (last two count in both categories)

If I am just writing something in general, I'll put on some Dr.Dre or Jay-z something to just relax to.

Also I was writing a vampire themed script and I would often write from 1am-6am and on space they used to show angel during these hours (2-5 actually) And this had both a good and bad effect on me. good cuz it set the mood. Gave me a little direction, showed me some experience, what the viewers saw, and I could also add something that I felt Angel was missing, and do it different, learn from the mistakes so to say. (such as not ending my series with the largest cliffhanger in history)

But of course with the good comes the bad, I found a few times that my story was too familiar to Angel or Blade. Which isn't entirely bad because those are great shows/movies, but I don't want another one..well I would love to write one, but I also want my own ideas.

[mithwriter]

...And about a year ago..(actually a year ago Oct 5th) I started writing down ideas for scripts and such. And the times I write the most are when I just sit down..I can type out tons of stuff without thinkin about it, It's when I focus on the story, try to think of a direction and stuff that I get writers block.

This is one of the most common problems I hear about from people who don't have that much experience in writing either narratives or scripts. I think the single biggest thing that writers forget is where the heart of a story is, any story. It's not the plot, and its not specific scenes or dialogue that you're trying to string together. These are simply smaller parts of the bigger picture. What you have to work out is the theme of whatever story you want to write. For example, I tend to write stories/scripts about people who are stuck in a place/ situation they don't want to be in and how they cope with the insanity around them. Can they get out? When they get out is it everything they hoped it would be? What price are they willing to pay? What obstacles lay in their path? What will they have to give up to obtain their goal? Who's getting in the way? Why are they getting in the way? What's they're relationship to the main character and how do they relate to each other thematically? I give them a history, give them other characters who are sympathetic or contradict their point of view and off we go. I create a very distinct environment for them to roam around in. It doens't have to be fancy, but it has to directly reflect the characters and themes.

Also I was writing a vampire themed script and I would often write from 1am-6am and on space they used to show angel during these hours (2-5 actually) And this had both a good and bad effect on me. good cuz it set the mood. Gave me a little direction, showed me some experience, what the viewers saw, and I could also add something that I felt Angel was missing, and do it different, learn from the mistakes so to say. (such as not ending my series with the largest cliffhanger in history)

But of course with the good comes the bad, I found a few times that my story was too familiar to Angel or Blade. Which isn't entirely bad because those are great shows/movies, but I don't want another one..well I would love to write one, but I also want my own ideas.

Well, if you think about, they have a very similiar theme. Both of them take place in cities teaming with life (which they're not - vampires, remember?) and lost souls (both literally and figuratively) and the battle to claim the lost by both the Forces of Good who want to save them from the Forces of Evil. As you can see, both have similiar themes, but I never actually explained any of their story.

One of the most important things in deciding when working in a specific genre (like vampires/horror) is to understand the stereotypes (both successful and unsuccessful) that exist not only in film/tv, but in literature as well. When it comes to books, for example, most people will think of Ann Rice and her Lestat books. If you compare Lestat to Blade and Angel, you'll find similiarites and differences. Once you understand what those elements are you can put your own twist on them, make a story that is unique to your own point of view...

Oh crap, I'm rambling again, aren't I? Sorry 'bout that.

[Revan]

I plan on writing a fic... I wrote up a few pages worth of historical data on my main character, and I have some ideas for stories...

I gather the best thing to do would be, to just write?

Would it be advisable to first create other characters and their historical data? Yeah.. I like parameters.

[Pegasus Angel]

Writers block - I usually have loads of ideas floating around in my head, so when I sit down with my notebook, I do a kinda spider diagram with the main theme in the middle and the put ideas around it, linking it up to the main idea.

When I have a big spider with loads of legs lol, I start deciding which bit is going to be written 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc. I can even then do a small spider diagram for each 'leg' from the original spider, but usually I know whats going to happen by then, due to the plan.

Focusing too much on the intricate details and plot ideas when you have writers block is not necessairly a good thing, it can annoy the hell out of you or be depressing. Writing should be fun, not an arduous task...

I plan my fics on the move, not when I'm sitting there holding the pen. I walk a lot so I run senarios through my mind as I'm doing that, then when I get back I write it down the ideas, so as not to forget. Later I'll then go back to it and maybe write a scene or two or do a bit of research on the net or from a book if necessary...

Talking with others also helps to give you ideas...