Kai asked: Hi, my dream is to become a successful author, but when I start to write, I always get hit by bad writer’s block. Any suggestions?
Good question, Kai. Writer’s block happens to pretty much everyone at some point. If I’m in the beginning of a new story, I like to take some time to plot the book out. Come up with my act one, two, and three, and how the story will end. If I know those things, sometimes it’s enough to keep me going. Sometimes it’s not, though.
I’m stuck right now in my book. It’s a little, one-page scene to finish a chapter and I just don’t want to write it. I have three choices.
1. Do nothing. Ignore the problem and get nothing done. (This will only work for so long. I’m on a deadline!)
2. Skip the scene and keep writing the story. I can always come back and write the tough scene later.
3. Make myself write the tough scene.
Number three is usually the best thing to do, though I often do number one and two as a way of procrastinating. I make myself write that scene, word by word, sentence by sentence, until I’m done.
Now, if you don’t know what to write for the scene, here are some ideas. These aren’t mine. I heard them from a wonderful western author, Stephen Bly, who was the keynote speaker at a writer’s conference I attended a few years ago. I wrote them down because they were equally brilliant and hysterical. This is titled, “What am I gonna do now?”
- Shoot somebody. This will catch the reader by total surprise.
- Introduce an obnoxious new character who will really tick off your protagonist.
- Go to the quirk, to the flaw, of your main character. Ex. Bad temper, someone asks about the scar on his face, his trick knee gives out, etc.
- Lose something important. Adrenaline flows when you lose something.
- Embarrass your protagonist
- Have the protagonist kiss the wrong girl. This annoys the reader.
- Put the protagonist in a hopeless situation. A bomb. A deadly diagnosis.
- A crucial side character disappears.
- Start a rumor about your main character.
- Go to the attic. Uncover something mysterious. A locked box. A letter from Matt Damon. A gun that’s the property of the LAPD.
Just MAKE yourself write something . . . even if it’s terrible. You may write three pages and only be able to salvage a single sentence, but that one sentence can be the one that gets you going again!
I love Stephen Bly’s Top 10! I had to start over reading the list when I realized he was talking about the character, but nonetheless, enjoyed it.
Something I do when I get stuck in my writing is take a break from the computer (or typewriter). Take a walk. Go for a drive. Play with my boys. Go to a place with lots of people (mall, park, airport, etc) and just watch. However, I always take a pen and notebook just in case I get inspired. Sometimes thinking about a scene without being forced to write it down immediately allows new ideas to flow. Who knows? Maybe a child climbing on a jungle gym could inspire a way for your character to hurdle her particular mountain. Or a shopper with an armload of loot resembles your pirate with more treasure than he can carry. You may not actually make progress on your writing, but a break will help you relax, analyze the situation, and come back strong for the next push.
God bless your efforts!!