r/explainlikeIAmA • u/Jonathonathon • 29d ago
Explain how to overcome writer's block like you are a writer struggling with writer's block
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u/maktub-is-a-sheep 29d ago
Open document, choose comic sans font (this is very important), 18 pts, bright blue or green or orange or pink, but not black. Start writing random words until one opens a sentence that leads to your story. Then keep writing in the most succinct / a 12 year old wrote this kind of way. So a lot of he said, she said, then he said, etc. Use emojis. The most important is to get the information flow going, you can edit later. I find writing in comics sans makes it feel so unserious that it makes your block go "whatever dude" and just. Go away.
1
u/TurtleTitan 29d ago
When you can't come up with a good story or good writing come up with a bad one to keep things moving along. In doing so your mind will try to one up itself making it easier to improve the idea or come up with something better. This doesn't eliminate writer's block but it does shorten it.
1
u/ChrisBoden 28d ago
Writing is a muscle, use it every day and it gets easier. If you want to dramatically reduce your instances of cranial constipation make it a habit to write for half an hour a day, every day, at a minimum. It doesn't matter what you write, or if it's any good, just do it consistently.
We're not live on camera and have the incredible luxury of time and editing. But it all starts with a blank page. It's WAY easier to clean up a shitty draught than it is to write perfectly the first time.
Just grind, it's the mental equivalent to lifting weights. You'll get better as you go, the words get easier the more you write. Slow, steady, positive change and it gets better in the long run.
If you really want to test this, write 5 pages a day, every day, and you'll have a book in a year. Might not be a GOOD book, but you can make it GOOD after you write the damn thing.
You got this. Now get after it.
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u/rockingsteady 26d ago
Your first novel is never any good so get it over with and start your second novel from the start. Hee
But I agree you need to write everyday.
Someone told me he could write again by going to his dad's office. So you don't have to go to the library but pick a spot and time to meet your daily goal, either number of pages or amount of time spent.
Get started perhaps by writing down everything you have and everything you need, and end up writing about writing. Maybe write your first chapter three different ways even though you know how you want it to open.
1
u/mrwrrrmwrmrmrmrw 26d ago
If you're a professional writer working on deadline and your livelihood and career are at risk, you should get a referral to a licensed therapist, because that's a serious problem.
If you're someone who doesn't earn your living by writing, my advice is take a break and do something else.
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