Let's diagnose and defeat writer's block!

Wikipedia defines writer’s block as “a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” However, I have come to believe that in most cases, writer’s block is a symptom, not a condition.

Before we can cure writer’s block, we have to diagnose it.

Writer’s block is almost always presented as some mysterious disease. A writer sits down to work and nothing happens. The ideas are gone. The words don’t come. It must be writer’s block!

At times, writers certainly lose their inspiration or face challenges that prevent them from working. I’m not saying we shouldn’t call this writer’s block. What I am saying is that in my experience, there’s usually some underlying cause, and it’s often something that’s easily remedied. Instead of blaming our inability to work on a vague condition, we can figure out what’s really preventing us from writing and fix the real problem.

Today, let’s dissect writer’s block and figure out what causes it. We’ll also explore some solutions for curing writer’s block, and I’ll share some writing tips that have helped me stay inspired.

What Causes Writer’s Block?

The true causes behind writer’s block are probably infinite. Each of us requires a different set of conditions to be productive and creative. Some writers can trudge through a draft when they’re tired while others will just stare at the blank page with an even blanker look on their faces. However, there are a few common causes that we can identify:

1. Physical ailments – If you’re sick, exhausted, hungry, or dealing with a headache, you might find it impossible to write. Allergies interfere with my ability to focus on anything, including writing, a few times a year. Whether you face these kinds of ailments occasionally or on a regular basis, it’s important to acknowledge the real problem and then look for a cure. That might mean taking a break so you can take care of yourself. I recently struggled with writer’s block because I had a nasty cold. I cured both my cold and writer’s block by drinking lots of hot water with lemon and honey.
2. Mental and emotional stress and distractions – It’s hard to concentrate when you’re in a bad mood, stressed out, depressed, or angry. In cases of a bad mood, a little positive thinking might pull you out of it. You can also use relaxation techniques to calm your anger or alleviate your stress. It’s normal to be depressed after any kind of loss or trauma, and these times may call for taking a hiatus from your creative work. If depression persists for more than a few weeks or months, it’s important to see a doctor.
3. Lazy days – Sometimes you just don’t want to write (or do much else, either). There’s a deadline looming but the sun is shining and the beach is calling. You swore you’d finish this chapter today but you’d rather take a nap. Technically, this probably shouldn’t be included on this list, because the problem isn’t that you’re blocked; you’re just feeling (or being) lazy. However, I know there are writers out there who use writer’s block as an excuse for being lazy. This is common when writers get burnt out and what they really need is either a break or a little motivation. Look for ways to get your energy levels up (eat healthy, nutritious meals and get plenty of exercise) and revisit your goals to regain your motivation.
4. The grass is greener – This is a close cousin to the lazy day. It’s not that you’d rather get some rest and relaxation. You’d just rather do anything in the world other than work on your writing project. In fact, you’d rather surf the web, organize your closet, or schedule a dentist appointment. You may even be seduced by a brilliant new idea that is tempting you away from whatever you’re supposed to be working on. The grass may look greener, but it’s not. The only cure here is sheer willpower. You can also use a reward system: get your work done and then treat yourself to a little something special.
5. Avoidance and procrastination – Sometimes we go out of our way to avoid a difficult writing challenge. It could be that we’ve gotten our characters into a sticky situation and can’t get them out of it or it could be a poem for which we just can’t seem to find the right rhythm. You might know, deep down inside, that you have to scrap some of your work or make heavy revisions to get yourself unstuck. Maybe you need to do some (boring or tedious) research. So, you just avoid it altogether. Instead of procrastinating, push yourself to face these obstacles head-on. You can also skip ahead and work on some other part of your project. If you’re truly stuck, then ask a friend to take a look and offer advice. Often, someone else can see a solution where we can’t because we’re just too close to our own work.

I’m sure there are many more causes for writer’s block. I’ve experiences all of these in varying degrees. As I’ve grown more experienced, I’ve learned that whether I need to take better care of myself, push harder to get things done, or face up to an undesirable challenge, writer’s block can be cured, and usually, it can be cured easily.

A Few, Final Writing Tips for Combating Writer’s Block

• Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, drink plenty of water. Schedule time for rest and relaxation. Don’t run yourself down.
• No matter what you’re working on, some other project or activity might sound more enticing. Try to see one project through before starting another and reward yourself when you push through something difficult or unpleasant.
• On the other hand, if you have two projects going, you can rotate back and forth to maintain your interest in both.
• Get advice from other writers. Often, they’ll see a solution where you see no way out.
• Sometimes, defeating writer’s block is just a matter of  getting inspired. Keep a running list of ideas and things that inspire you. Whenever you feel uninspired, this list will be there for you.

How Do You Handle Writer’s Block?

Do you believe in writer’s block? Is it a real condition or a symptom of some other problem? Is it possible to become uninspired for no reason whatsoever? Do you have any writing tips that would help other writers stay inspired and unblocked? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Tips for developing story writing ideas.

Short stories, flash fiction, novels, and novellas: there are countless stories floating around out there — and those are just the fictional works.

It’s no wonder writers get frustrated trying to come up with a simple concept for a story. One look at the market tells you that everything has been done.

But what makes a story special is your voice and the unique way that you put different elements together. Sure, there might be something reminiscent of Tolkien in your work, but so what? Echos of Lord of the Rings can be found in some of the most beloved stories of the 20th century: Harry Potter and Star Wars, for example.

I’m not saying J.K. Rowling and George Lucas intentionally used elements of Tolkien’s work in their stories. Maybe they did; maybe they didn’t. But I would bet both of them read and appreciated Lord of the Rings. Whether they were conscious or not of its influence on their work doesn’t really matter.

Developing Story Writing Ideas

There are a myriad of ways to develop story concepts. You can start with an event from the news or a character you’ve created. You can base your plot on an old legend or fairy tale, or you can combine two of your favorite genres.

• What happens when you mix Hamlet with Star Trek? Well, you might get something that looks like Star Wars. Take a traditional legend or folk tale and send it to space or place it in a magical fairyland to give it a new twist.
• It works both ways. You can take a modern story and put it in a historical setting. Star Trek is about explorers who are deeply humanitarian. Could there have been such explorers on Earth thousands of years ago?
• If you can create a believable and complex character, then chances are, you can also evolve a story from the character’s emotional landscape and personal experiences.
• A romance horror story, a western set in space, a chick-lit war story, and a fairy tale about the business world are all ways you can combine genres to inspire writing ideas.
• Instead of starting with a story, start with a big idea. How do you explore abstract concepts like sacrifice, redemption, rebirth, and wrath through story?

Sometimes, by brainstorming through all these established genres, stories, and themes, you’ll find that a pretty original idea emerges.

More Specific Story Writing Ideas

Let’s say you’re writing a story about a homeless teen who squats in a family’s Manhattan apartment during the day while they’re at work and school. It occurs to you that there are some parallels to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Instead of writing your idea off as unoriginal, use the fairy tale to infuse your story with archetypes and symbols that are universally recognized: three teddy bears on the child’s bed, three differently sized chairs in the living room, the family eating porridge for breakfast.

Here are some more specific idea starters based on fairy tales:

• Little Red Riding Hood in Suburbia: There’s a stranger at grandma’s house.
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears in the Big City: A squatter makes herself at home.
• The Gingerbread Phone: A smartphone becomes self-aware.
• Dystopian Cinderella: This fairy tale been done and redone. Cinderella is apparently an exhaustive source of story writing ideas. Set your version in a bleak future.
• The Little Badass Mermaid: Take any old fairy tale and turn the heroine into a badass.
• Beauty is the Beast – What if the gender roles were reversed?

What’s Your Story?

Our world is full of patterns and cycles that repeat infinitely. Every story you write comes from every story you’ve read. Some writers consciously use old tales as a foundation for their work; others are surprised when they realize there are blatant similarities in their work and someone else’s.

I’m not suggesting you go out in search of stories to rewrite (and I’m definitely not suggesting you avoid coming up with your own original ideas). I hear from writers, on a regular basis, who are frustrated because they analyze every detail in their stories and stress out when they realize certain elements already occurred elsewhere in the literary canon.

So, I want to put forth the simple truth that everything has been done. Your job is to do it your way.

Where do you get your story writing ideas?

Final sneak peek at forthcoming book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises.

101 Creative Writing Exercises is slated for publication in early February.

This book of creative writing exercises will take writers on a journey through different forms and genres while providing writing techniques, practical experience, and inspiration.

Each exercise teaches a specific concept and each chapter focuses on a different subject or form in writing: journaling, storytelling, fiction, poetry, article writing, and more. Every exercise is designed to be practical. In other words, you can use these exercises to launch projects that are destined for publication.

Before the official announcement and publication, I wanted to share one more sneak peek at an exercise from the book. This is from “Chapter Four: Speak Up,” which focuses on dialogue and scripts. The exercise is called “Body Language.” Enjoy!

Body Language

Sometimes what people say without actually speaking tells us a whole lot more than what comes out of their mouths. Using body language to communicate is natural. We all understand it intuitively—some better than others.

As a writer, you can closely observe people’s body language and learn how humans speak without words so you can bring unspoken communication into your writing.

Imagine two characters, a man and woman, who are complete strangers. They are in a bookstore. Their eyes meet across the room. You wouldn’t write “Their eyes locked. They were instantly attracted to each other.” That would be boring and unimaginative. Instead, you would let the scene unfold and describe it to the reader—how their eyes met, how he gulped and she blushed, how they both suddenly felt warm, how the two of them slowly worked their way toward the center of the store until they finally met in the horror section.

The Exercise

Write a scene between two (or more) characters in which there is no dialogue but the characters are communicating with each other through body language. You can also write a nonfiction piece. Surely you have experienced nonverbal communication. Take that experience and describe it on the page.

Your scene can be a lead-in to two characters meeting or conversing. The scene should comprise at least two pages of non-dialogue interaction with two or more characters. Here are a few scene starters:

• A cop, detective, or private investigator is tailing a suspect through a small town, a big city, a mall, amusement park, or other public area.
• Strangers are always good for body language exercises. Think about where strangers are brought together: public transportation, classes, elevators, and formal meetings.
• Kids in a classroom aren’t supposed to be speaking while a teacher is giving a lecture but they always find ways to communicate.

Tips: What if one character misinterprets another character’s body language? That could lead to humor or disaster. Maybe the characters are supposed to be doing something else (like in a classroom where they’re supposed to be listening to the teacher) but instead, they’re making faces and gestures at each other. One helpful technique might be to go inside the characters’ heads, but don’t get too carried away with he thought and she wondered as these constructs are basically inner dialogue.

Variations: As an alternative, write a scene in which one character speaks and one doesn’t: an adult and a baby, a human and an animal.

Applications: There are depictions of nonverbal communication in almost all types of storytelling from journalism and biography to memoir and fiction.

Look for 101 Creative Writing Exercises early next month!

Two approaches to creative writing.

When I’m working on a story, I try not to think about technique too much. I focus on forging ahead without overanalyzing every step in my creative writing process.

My top priority is to get the ideas out of my head and onto the page.

However, in retrospect (often during revisions) and between stories, I often evaluate how I approached a project so that I can better understand my own creative process.

Hindsight is 20/20. I might decide that I didn’t do enough character sketches and therefore have to do more extensive rewriting. On the other hand, I might determine that I spent too much time writing down every idea and detail when I could have focused on the narrative and gotten it done more quickly.

Every creative writing project is different. Some writers might use the exact same process over and over; I don’t seem to work that way. However, I do take what I have learned to make the next project smoother. Recently, I’ve been thinking about two basic approaches that I have used when developing a concept. The first is an internal approach, which starts with character (or in nonfiction, with a human subject). The other approach is external, which starts with a situation or an event in the greater world.

The Human Condition

A few years ago, after struggling to get past the idea phase with several novels, I signed up for NaNoWriMo and successfully completed an entire first draft in just 30 days. I played by the rules and took the competition’s advice to heart by starting with just a couple of characters and not much else.

The result was that my entire approach was character based. I situated myself inside my main character’s head, placed the camera on her shoulder and just started writing. Miraculously, a plot emerged.

I ended up with a story that explored the human condition with themes of loneliness and companionship complemented by themes of loss and gain. None of it was planned, and I was truly astounded that anything beyond a lengthy character study came out of it all. What I learned was that by going inside the human mind and heart, and using that as a starting place, we can create touching, meaningful stories that help us better understand what it means to be human.

• How does someone’s internal landscape, made up of personal experiences, attitudes, and beliefs, affect interaction with the outside world?
• How does a character react in his or her special way to various situations?
• Most importantly, how does a character handle conflict?

These kinds of stories are most often found in literary fiction, but they are sprinkled across all forms and genres of creative writing, including poetry and nonfiction.

The Social Condition

Lately, I’m working on a different type of story. I started with a situation rather than a character, although I did have a vague impression of a group of characters. My concept was borne from two things: a world (this in the science fiction genre) and a situation at the social (or historical) level. I was looking at society and history for ideas (or rather, by looking at those things, I became inspired). I started far away from the characters, seeing them only from a great distance.

This approach has been a lot more fun for me but it’s also a lot more work. World building and creating histories is no small task. Every day, as I write more and more about the world, I find myself looping around a creative cycle that is bringing me closer and closer to my characters with every go-round as I discover how their actions affected the greater society.

Starting Places in Creative Writing

Story is conflict. In a story about the human condition, it’s a personal or intimate conflict. In a story about society’s condition, we’re dealing with bigger conflicts that affect the masses: stories of war, for example. However, in the latter case, stories about big events can also incorporate character stories via subplots and therefore give you the best of both worlds.

Whether we start with an event and find the characters who were involved or start with characters and find our way through a story, we have to start somewhere.

Where do you start? Do you like to approach story from far away so you can tell a big, sweeping tale or do you prefer to start with a character and tell a more intimate tale? Or do you approach from somewhere else altogether?

Get the grammar rules for using that and which.

There’s a lot of confusion about that and which. These two words are often used interchangeably, even though they’re not necessarily interchangeable.

Historically, that and which may have carried the same meaning, and some English dialects may allow for that and which to be swapped without affecting the meaning of a sentence.

However, in American English, the grammar rules offer a distinct difference between the two words. By the time you’re done reading this post, you’ll fully understand the difference between that and which, and you’ll be able to use both words correctly.

That and Which

As with most grammar rules, there are exceptions and exemptions from the standard ways that and which should be used in a sentence. To gain understanding of confusing word pairs, it’s always best to start with the basics. As we look at how to properly use that and which, we’ll focus on basic, standard usage.

That and which can be categorized into several different parts of speech. Both words can function as adjectives and pronouns. Additionally, that can serve as a conjunction and as an adverb. Today, we’re looking at how that and which should be used when they are working as relative pronouns.

Relative Pronouns

From Wikipedia: “A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause within a larger sentence. It is called a relative pronoun because it relates to the word that it modifies.”

Like adjectives and adverbs, relative pronouns modify other words. Adjectives modify nouns:

• I have a car.
• I have a red car.

Adverbs modify verbs:

• I am walking.
• I am walking quickly.

The main difference between adjectives and adverbs is that adjectives usually modify things (nouns) while adverbs modify actions (verbs). Relative pronouns also modify words, but they often do so as clauses rather than as single, descriptive words. In the examples below, the clauses are italicized.

• Bring me the bucket.
• Bring me the bucket that has apples in it.
• The bucket, which has apples in it, is blue.

The difference between the words that and which, and how they are used as relative pronouns, depends on whether the clause they belong to is restrictive or nonrestrictive.

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses

Restrictive Clauses Are Necessary

A restrictive clause is necessary to the meaning of a sentence. For example:

• The bucket that has apples in it is the one I want.

If you removed the clause “that has apples in it,” the meaning of the sentence would be lost. The clause is necessary to the meaning of the sentence and is therefore a restrictive clause. Because it’s a restrictive clause, it should take the relative pronoun that.

Nonrestrictive Clauses are Unnecessary

• The bucket, which is blue, has apples in it.
• There are apples in the bucket, which is blue.

If you removed the nonrestrictive clause “which is blue,” from either of the sentences above, the meaning of the sentences would not be lost. We’d still know that the bucket has apples in it. Note that in the second example, the nonrestrictive clause adds information about something that has already been identified. Because the clause is unnecessary to the meaning of the sentence, we know it’s a nonrestrictive clause, and therefore should take the relative pronoun which.

• Use that before a restrictive clause.
• Use which before a nonrestrictive clause.