kaykayelle

There are a lot of knowledgeable people here who seem to write an awful lot. I was wondering what you guys do when you get stuck on a story, or when you get to a point where you just don't feel like churning out the next section/chapter?

I'm at that place right now. I know what I want my next chapter to contain, roughly, and I started it a bit, but my motivation is totally gone. It's really sad; I was so into this story last chapter. I always seem to get mid-story blues. Anybody know a good cure?

Silversun

When I get stuck, which happens a lot these days, I force myself to read good stories, either fanfic or professional, of a style that I consciously want to imitate. Although even then I really do need to give myself a push to start writing again.

You know what I found? That a lot of the time, what you think is writer's block is actually just not knowing exactly how the next chapter should be written. Have you considered revisiting your ideas for the next chapter and seeing if they really do flow, and that you like where the story is going? That might help.

kaykayelle

Hmm...maybe my idea doesn't flow all that well. I kind of feel lie i am skipping somethign from one chapter to the next (the one I am trying to write.) Arrr...now I am even more confused. But at least I think I know what is wrong. Thanks for the help!

girl in a cardigan

I usually just step back and do something entirely different -- swim laps, run the treadmill, watch TV, etc. I have to get away from the whole story and not think about it. After a while of clearing my head, I can go back to the piece with a fresh perspective and new ideas.

Scythe

When I get stuck, I have a looong break. Then I re-read it and usually get another idea

Silversun

I actually find that when I take long breaks, I get even less motivated. During my breaks I don't think about how my story is supposed to go or how I'm supposed to work inconsistent stuff out, so the bit that blocks me still blocks me when I come back to it.

Mr. Impatient

I have a list of ideas that I want to develop into stories/fics. If I get stuck with one, I will often start on another one. If I don't seem to be able to write anything, i usually try to work on fanart, icons or something else that uses creativity, just in a different way. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but at least I have created something by the end of the day.

Orton

Thats exactly where I am right now, I've written 8 chapters of my story and they went great and I've written 4 pages of of chapter 9 but I wanna hurry it up but it wouldn't make the situation realistic but I don't wanna drag it out either

nki

yeah...i think when you don't force yourself with the story, it will come out naturally and better, readers will see when you just forced the story and just did it for the sake of writing something...so..slowly but surely...

Orton

Thats very true, I actually got into it, and loads of people liked the chapter so I was happy, but it didn't come out forced I got the ball rolling again

kaykayelle

I got into mine and I wrote probably the longest chapter of the story.

I think taking time off (more than like a few days purposefully not working on it) is bad, at least for me. It gets me even more unmotivated and the last thing I want to do it write then. It seems like there is no getting back to it.

If I get stuck, and I know what I want to do a little bit more ahead of the story, sometimes I will go ahead and write a little more into the story. I sometimes get chapters waiting to be published for months because I haven't gotten to the end of the story. Those chapters are usually my best, too, because I have had all of that time to reread and revise them so that they are exactly the way I want them. Plus, since I am not rushing to publish them, they are more detailed and just overall better. You might want to try that.

Orton

thats True for me too. I would only ever leave it, maybe for a day then I would write again, but I always write a little bit of my fic each night

kaykayelle

I don't write everyday, because frankly that is too much work, but I don't let a day go by without thinking about it. I like to run through stuff in my head while I'm in bed before I fall asleep. It helps me to visualize things, so that whe I do get around to writing it out, I know exactly how I would like to do it.

Chiqa

Seriously, taking a shower helps. hehehe... I usually get my best ideas or work kinks out while hot water is flowing through my hair.

Basically, take some time off and do something else.

Oh, and I spend hours staring at my word document when I'm supposed to write a story. Just try to write the first paragraph and you'd be suprised that you end up getting into the story.

Orton

I write a bit every night even if its a page, I never think about my fics during the day... cause I'm busy with school. But at night I'll sit at my word document too and stare at it for a while and end up writing a page or so

Orton