Writers' block!

Duane · 12-09-2008, 11:15 PM

Lightning flashed across the sky, like a smile on a depressed womans' face. The wind howled like... monkeys' scr... I have no idea how and when I'll ever get this novel started, much less finish it within the decade. I could write about writers' block, but only a a horrible writer would type about such an unimaginitive topic. Ha... reminds me of those lame jokes in Jay and Silent bob strike back, "Who'd see such a lame movie" says jay, and they turn and look out at an audience of dull-witted teenagers, drugged up idiots and the like who really had nothing better to waste their money on. What's worse is that I've spent hours staring in front of the lap top trying to think of something witty to type. Nothing too witty but nothing too simple either, has to be funny, just not too clownish... WAIT!!! A man his wife and their son go to a hotel in Colorado, where he takes over as the caretaker and he.... DAMN IT, STEPHEN! 7 kids ban togethor to face, no only the evils of a twisted bully and his thugs, an evil creature that kills and eats children ... DAMN IT, STEPHEN! 4 boys go out to see a dead body... a big black man who has magic powers is sent into a prisons deathrow. An 11 year old kid who lives.... Stephen... you are a genius... but you keep stealing all of the ... damn...

"Wow... huh... atleast I've finally got the novel started."

Luke grinned as he red what he has typed and groaned. This was the work of a completely pathetic "writer" and he knew it. Either he starts working on a novel and it turns out like a Stephen King novel, or he types random things as he is doing now. He is absolutely terrible, but he is persistent. To him that is more important than having real talent... delusion is his best/only friend.

SKULHEDFACE · 12-10-2008, 12:58 AM

It is my personal opinion that writing should not be forced, and once you begin to force it you ultimately doom yourself. I can understand that you may really want to write and get something going, but sometimes I think these things need to come naturally. That doesn't mean you can't be productive while you wait for that great moment when everything begins to flow and your novel takes off. It's my suggestion that instead of sitting in front of a typewriter hoping that something will come to you.. come to it prepared.

What I mean is carry a notebook around with you and jot down whatever little ideas may come to mind throughout your day. Or take notes of instances that might occur out there in the real world, anything you can look at from a different perspective and put your own spin on. The more you accumulate little details and ideas the more likely you'll be able to sit down and start stringing things together. I highly recommend keeping some paper and a writing utensil near your bed too. I have had several great ideas come to me while on the brink of falling asleep, or when I wake up in the middle of the night. Unfortunately they tend to be forgotten, or slip away the more I try to remember unless I manage to scribble them down.

Another suggestion, besides deciding what the story itself will be about, is fleshing out your main character(s). Really go for it and try to shape them into a real person whether you end up using all of the little details or not, I think it may be able to help you in the long run by seeing things from their perspective.

Then again what the fuck do I know? I don't write professionally and have little to no experience in the field so I could be talking out of my ass entirely. These are just little things that have helped me in the past, and that may lend aid to your writer's block.

Darth Nihilus · 12-10-2008, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKULHEDFACE

Then again what the fuck do I know? I don't write professionally and have little to no experience in the field so I could be talking out of my ass entirely. These are just little things that have helped me in the past, and that may lend aid to your writer's block.

Having read many books written by people who write professionally, I would be willing to bet a small fortune you could give better advice than they could.

Duane, remember to write down anything you think has anything to do with any story. If you have an outline for a plot for a story, write it down. You may hate it today, but in three years you could read it, love it, and turn it into the next Great American Novel.

Man In Room 5 · 12-10-2008, 06:10 AM

The worst thing to do when you have writer's block is sit in front of a blank screen or paper. If you can't write or aren't in the mood then don't even try. Instead, try to do something that will change your mood. Personally, what works best for me is going back to my favorite books, movies and music for a while--even if it's not the genre I'm currently working in.

You can also try touching up something you already wrote. Nine times out of ten when I edit something I already wrote it shows me something I missed or could have changed and that sparks a new idea. I can then play this new idea close to the original if I want to write in the same vein or I can try to build up from it and create a chain of associations until I'm far from the original idea and nobody will realize I spawned it from something I've already written about.

Duane · 12-10-2008, 12:08 PM

I don't have writers' block, this is the novel I'm working on. It's about an amatuer writer struggling to write a novel. It's a bit based on what's going on with my writing. In short Writers' Block is the name of the novel, thanks for the advice, though.

Albert Mond · 12-10-2008, 12:16 PM

I tried to write a novel about a novelist, once. This is better, I think.

Eclipsing the Son · 12-10-2008, 12:20 PM

Reminds me of the episode of South Park where Butters, as Professor Chaos, keeps bases his plans on Simpsons episodes by mistake.

Duane · 12-10-2008, 12:24 PM

It'd be alot better if I had even half the talent JCC has.

jack_the_knife · 12-10-2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane

It'd be alot better if I had even half the talent JCC has.

Try the Hunter Thompson approach.

SKULHEDFACE · 12-10-2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack_the_knife

Try the Hunter Thompson approach.

Get hopped up on a cocktail of drugs and booze and be inspired?

Despanan · 12-10-2008, 09:03 PM

I have found that sometimes, you can't write one story because you have another story you need to write first. I couldn't get any work on the play I'm writing now done until I finished writing "The Devil and the Hiker".

Eclipsing the Son · 12-10-2008, 09:29 PM

Really Despanan? What's it about? Any songs in it? Mind sharing a scene or two?

Despanan · 12-10-2008, 09:53 PM

You certainly are posting right behind me tonight EtS. What gives? I already told you I wasn't gay, and even if I was gay there'd be no way I'd sleep with you.

Sorry man, you're just too goddamn ugly.

Duane · 12-10-2008, 09:59 PM

This thread is about my Novel, not some stupid feud you two have! Take it to pm... you think it needs more sex scenes? Maybe a drive-by shotting?

Despanan · 12-10-2008, 10:02 PM

It kinda reminds me of a Neil Gaiman short story...The Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves... I think was the title.

Anyway, good start, but I don't think it's a strong enough concept for a whole novel...at least not yet.

Duane · 12-10-2008, 10:03 PM

Your right! It needs something powerful!!! It needs... me to give the main charatcer character development, and more characters... and ME!!! as a side character!

Eclipsing the Son · 12-10-2008, 10:09 PM

I think that despanan should share some of his play's script to inspire us. I read his short story but it wasn't that great. Hopefully we'll get more hummus out of his script.

Despanan · 12-10-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane

Your right! It needs something powerful!!! It needs... me to give the main charatcer character development, and more characters... and ME!!! as a side character!

CHARACTER!

Duane · 12-11-2008, 10:19 PM

Okay, I lied. Our "hero" has another friend. He goes by the name of Duane, Lord of Chords, Baron of Darin', King of caching. I'll spare you from having to hear the whole list of idiotic titles he's given himself, it's a long list. On we go... he works at a store his dad owns, when I say he works, I mean he runs around the store rocking out to AC/DC and the likes. Seldom helping costumers who enter the establishment. At first you might think he's an okay guy, but he get's on your nerves after the millionth time he shouts at you to keep the spirit of rock alive. Why I'm typing this down I'll never know, but the novel is really getting somewhere compare to how I was doing a while ago.

Moving on now. I walk into the store and fake a gag as I see Duane rips his shirt off, and begins to air the guitar solo to Highway to Hell, his vast gut hangs over his belt like a half way deflated beach ball. At the same time a group of skankiliciously hot women flee as the Duane, as he likes to refer to himself, chases after them.

"Come on! Don't be so shallow, I have a great personallity! I thought that's what you wanted! Oh shit... it's all a game to them... get our hopes up and in the end, run along with the jackass in the mustang..."

He turned around, and began dashing towards me bent over swing his arms like an ape. He grinned, and duck-walked around me.

"Welcome to the House of Hair!!! Gah ha ha ha ha! Let me guess... you came all those long tiresome blocks just to see me, how nice of ya!

At times like this I would absolutely love to just bean him over the head with... well anything, but he's taken far too many blows there already, he's also a bit to charming of a guy ,in his own obnoxious way, that is. However, when it comes to women in this part of the city, it just sad, and nothing he can say or do can change the fact that it just sad. I don't see why he can't settle for an average looking girl with a great personallity, who won't leave him at the first chance she gets. People like that never get it, and that's almost as sad, if not sadder.

Duane · 12-29-2008, 04:16 PM

What do I know? Last girlfriend I had was back when I was 19, lasted 4 days, the parents found out that I was a bit older than they thought. One more thing, the nonsense I spew is just horrendous, isn't it. I just go on and on, and it's very obnoxious. I don't let it get me down, though, in the end I'll get a publishing deal, write some terrific novels, and get togethor leggs. Life's going to be fucking sweet then, alas I've been stricken by the bane of mediocre writers... all writers... Writer's Block and it only gets worse and worse.