The Introverted Detective: Writer's Block

Hello, fellow writers! I've hit a wall in my freewriting and did some research on how we can beat writer's block. Let's get into it. No time to lose. I have a book to freewrite.

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We've all hit that brick wall we call writer's block and we've all gotten to a point, as writers, where our characters stopped talking to us about what they wanted to do. I am flying by the seat of my pants on the current draft I am writing. In case anyone was ever curious, I have an editing project going, a book promotion going on for the rest of eternity, and this freewriting storyline I've currently hit a brick wall on. I'm flying blind on the plotline.

This is where I want to share what I found on the interwebs. We could all use the encouragement, fellow writers. Let's go find the secret door in our brick walls and keep writing.

Why It Happens

I looked up more than how to beat it; I looked into why it happens. I'll go through them one by one.

Fear is a force against us. Afraid you'll fail? Afraid you are not good enough and you have imposter syndrome? Have you been playing the comparison game? Yep, this is one way to build a brick wall.

Catastrophizing is letting the doubts and negativity of whether you can finish it get to you. Look past those obstacles and keep making progress. You've done it before. You'll do it again (unless, of course, you are planning a murder, then don't).

Paralysis by Analysis is a great way to do nothing. You're asking yourself where to start. This is when you should be writing out the baby steps of a big undertaking and taking it one step at a time.

No motivation is a problem. Where is it coming from? That's what you need to find out. You may even need a staycation or some time away from the project for a bit. If you can solve why you have no motivation to do something it helps you move forward. Get past that roadblock and find the solution to your motivation.

Distracted people don't get all that much done. Right now I'm pomodoro-ing my way to finishing this blog before I have the wonderful pleasure of golf. If you have to Pomodoro yourself to get something done or you have to shut yourself in a room with no distractions you are not alone. Undistracted thoughts focus like beams, but distractions turn off creativity fast.

Beating The Brick Wall

The techniques I found for beating this menace are here. I'm going to explain them individually. Try them all or pick your favorite.

Backward is a good way to do things. Strange, it is. Yet, works, it does. Studies have proven this. You can do anything from brushing your teeth with your other hand to shaking up your routine and flipping it. Leonardo Da Vinci used to write backwards when he needed to do this.

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Much like Elsa, we need to let something go sometimes. Back away from it momentarily. Go do something else you enjoy or take a walk. Invite a friend over for a movie. Read a book. Anything to get you away from what you are doing. Maybe you'll find inspiration at other places and come back with a fresh perspective.

Speaking of taking walks, go outside and exercise. Or stay in and exercise. Move in some way and get the body moving. You need to move your legs, for one, to avoid cramping, and for another, you can reset your brain a bit.

Be willing to look at things in a new way. Perspective changing is good for you. Talk to someone else and get a new opinion. I've done this with my brother-in-law before at the last brick wall I hit. See what others think about your idea. They may find a plothole or a loose string you can tug to keep you going.

Notepads are amazing things to keep in your purse, laptop bag, or even your jacket pocket. Inspiration will hit you at times you aren't working on your projects. Take a quick note before your muse decides to leave you. The inspirations you find need to be written down and retained. Digital notepads and apps are also totally acceptable. Don't rely on memory. We have too much going on to keep that thought prominent in our minds. We might lose it.

Deadlines motivate us in other places, so why not here? Set a goal and try to keep it every week. Even four paragraphs or less a week can keep your storyline moving. Even just a certain period of writing uninterrupted can be a goal. Set that deadline to keep you writing. The muse does what it wants.

Distraction And Our World

It isn't a crime to take a weekend and just write, just you and your word document. Turn off notifications, tell people you wish to be left alone until Monday, and turn on that focus music. Maybe you spend half that time staring at a page. Or maybe you spend that time tuning into where your story and plotline are going. If you have to sit in a secluded place to be alone, do it.

You see, our brain doesn't like task-switching. It cuts off the flow of creativity that makes doing good writing possible. Muses don't come to you at convenient times. You come to her/him/it if anything. It takes sitting in a secluded place, uninterrupted to connect with your work and dial into where it is going. Your characters may start speaking to you when you sit down at the laptop (or standing desk at a laptop) and keep your thoughts going. You may need to try pomodoro timers and other techniques, yes, but you are still trying to keep that flow going.

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Facing a page or a storyline you don't see clearly is frustrating. Taking some one-on-one time with that page could potentially end in a new flow of thought. Take breaks as needed, though, for food, exercise, and water. After this one-on-one with your page, it might clarify why a writer's retreat is worth the time away from the world that distracts you.

Inspiration trips and travels are also a great idea. If you need a change of scenery, go somewhere that you can enjoy alone or with a few friends (if you want to travel in packs). Solo or in a pack, you get to see some new things. Come back to your page after the trip and see what flows out of you. Journal and reflect. Social interaction is also good for perspective and new ideas. We do need people.

Writing Prompts

I have a whole page of them all over my Pinterest. Writing prompts are made so you can get out of creative ruts and hug your brick wall. Pick one and open a word document. I bought a book of them one day. It might get you past the brick wall.

The more unconventional writing prompts are the best for getting past your wall. Do the most unconventional ones. For instance, put on some background music and write based on what could be happening. Pull up a picture of a random person on google images and recreate a character you can save for later. Take an idea you had in the exact opposite direction. Play with killing off or reviving a character in your narrative. Be a kid again and maybe the muse will come back to join your imaginative game.

Freewriting is kind of freeing for me. I find my life coming to life in other characters. The best way to do this is to try not to stop typing for at least five to ten minutes. See what happens in those minutes and roll with it. Some scenes can be more easily done if you start with Dialogue and fill everything else in afterward.

Strangely enough, acting it out verbally and changing positions when you are different character can help you create the scene you want. Be a kid again. Be Jessica Fletcher (she does that!). It is not boring. You may feel silly, but who cares? You're making up a storyline and bringing your vision to life. Exciting may be what you need for your writer's block.

If you started with an outline, revisit that outline and see if it needs changed. Look at where you character needs to be later and pick a point to start at. Start at the end and then work backwards. It might help to jump around with scenes and connect them later.

Out of conflict? Create some drama and put more roadblocks in for your character. Maybe their ex shows up, a dead body shows up in the river, or they find information about their family that makes them upset enough to cause more drama. Block the character's path to what they want.

Try out the perspective of other characters, while you're shaking things up. Can you add more of a character into the narrative? Do it. Can you bring a secondary character to the front of the line? Do it. Even kill a character while you're at it. Explore the world you created. Refamiliarize yourself with the world you put together. Is there a setting you can write about that is new? Did you start something and not finish it? Are there loose ends? Pull at those strings in your draft and ask critical questions. New characters, subplots, secrets, plot twists, betrayal, romance.... Play with the plotline. Pretend you are a kid playing with your dolls and action figures.

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have two five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.