The first time I drove past this giant rock mountain, I hit the brakes. Thank goodness I was on a very quiet residential street! All the thesaurus words for BIG apply, but I like "mammoth." And it's someone's view from the front yard! I'm guessing, but I'd say it's about 20' high and 30' wide... I stood against it and didn't get to where the green moss comes down. I'm 5'1".
This is my literal interpretation of One Big Enchilada of a writer's block.
Every writer knows about it, when the words are Bad, Wrong, or Silent. It's a very bad day at work for a writer, like an OSHA warning to a contractor. "That plot roof is about to cave. Why aren't your main characters harnessed to the scaffolding?"
I personally believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that a full-time writer understands it's just a bad day, not a wrong life decision. Also, they can look at the bookshelf, see their prior success, and feel better. So they push. The plot roof get decorative shingles and the characters buckle up and then fall accidentally for suspense.
But how about for the part-time writers? The ones who can fall back on a day-job paycheck? Or, even more terrifying, how about us newbies? Us poor saps who still work full-time for the man and sneak in writing time like we sneak in bite-size treats on coffee-break?
When we see a problem or our storyline peters out, we will give up?
I heard somewhere that Charles Dickens wrote his first books while working full-time in a bank. This has encouraged me for literally a decade -- until I watched a Biography episode on him.
Baloney. Wrong. Answer over.
He had a hard childhood, yes, and he had issues with his mother. Sounds like 99% of humans to me. But his day job as an adult was writing, whether journalism or stories. And, while I'm glad my grade school days were spent on a pair of roller skates and not working in a rat-infested blacking warehouse, I'm still jealous. Plus, that experience plotted up some of his best works.
So, what's a non-child laborer to do when her story run dry?
"Climb every mountain? Ford every stream?" (insert singing nun from The Sound of Music)
Essentially, yes. Unless you want to be a quitter. Here are a few Girl Parker Approved methods of scaling that rock.
- Walk away. Many folks say you absolutely must write every day. I believe they worked that rat-infested warehouse and it has tetched their thinking. Take a day off.
- Do laundry and fold clothes for an hour. And don't watch TV while doing it. Let your mind wander. Repeat if needed. If you run out of laundry, I can supply more.
- Go for a long walk. It will clear your head.
- Go to the gym and cue up some rockin tunes. Believe it or not, Adele just helped me fill in a much stronger backstory for a character. Thanks, Adele!
- Run through the NPR headlines. Guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing.
- Read the daily front page of Wikipedia. Ditto to above.
- Flip through old family pictures. Something may trigger a long ago heard tidbit.
- Bake something high in calorie, put your feet up, and read a good book. You can't know your craft if you ignore it.
Do you have any good tips for getting over a stopped-up story, minus Roto Rooter? Please share!
I also like to read stuff that makes me laugh, so I'll visit DamnYouAutoCorrect.com. The Oatmeal.com, The Onion, etc. Sometimes all it takes is one big belly laugh and I'm no longer taking myself - and that big rock - so seriously.
Posted by: Beverly Diehl | 09/21/2011 at 01:33 PM
Great list, Lori. In my limited experience, I've found that my writing only comes to a screeching halt if I run into one enormous roadblock--fear. The only way for me to conquer fear is to step on the gas and shatter the barrier.
Posted by: Angi Hansen | 09/21/2011 at 02:28 PM
I read. Usually reading someone else's work gets my own creative juices flowing.
Posted by: Kelly Hashway | 09/21/2011 at 02:28 PM
BEVERLY -- Great suggestions! And so true - a good laugh somehow makes what's happening in my story a lot easier to deal with. Thanks!
ANGI -- This is where I'm the opposite of you. I need more gas pedal and less avoiding!
KELLY -- So true. Sometimes, I'm inspired by something I read or by someone's style. Sometimes, I just get intimidated by another's obvious genius. That's when I revert to laundry. =)
Posted by: Girl Parker | 09/21/2011 at 03:00 PM
What about filling out a character worksheet?
Posted by: Elizabeth Young | 09/21/2011 at 08:06 PM
ELIZABETH -- Ab-So-Lutely!! I did an exercise where you put your protagonist in one column, the antagonist in the other column, and you ask them questions. "What do you want?" "What are you willing to do to get it?" "Why do you feel that way?" Oh man, the results!! Great suggestion, E.
Posted by: Girl Parker | 09/21/2011 at 08:13 PM
The only thing that works for me is patience and making myself sit at my computer everyday. When I first started blogging, I posted every single day, and believe it or not, that actually (over time) got me writing even more!
Posted by: Julia | 09/22/2011 at 07:26 AM
JULIA -- I know just what you mean. I began blogging this year and suddenly, I was writing too. Finally!! Now, my WIP gets in the way of my blogging. Classic conundrum!
Posted by: Girl Parker | 09/23/2011 at 11:41 AM
I love that you offer your laundry up for other writers.
You are such a giver. :)
Posted by: amber | 09/24/2011 at 01:02 PM
You realize I now can't get that Sound of Music song out of my head, don't you? hee hee! When I suffer from writer's block, I go for a walk with Roxy Lee and sit on one of the benches in the park, notebook in hand. I just know something, or someone will inspire a story! Your tips are fantastic! Must try the flip through old family pictures. I'm sure that one would inspire many a blog post!
Posted by: Bella | 09/26/2011 at 03:51 PM
You just reminded me. Several years ago the New Yorker had an article by Steven King (the only time I've read him) describing the More Than a Writer's Block..the, the, Writer's Himalayan Range...he faced while recovering from being hit by a van. (!) Archive it (is that a verb?). For openers, he describes the accident and the driver who hit him as coming straight out of one of his novels. While they waited for the ambulance, the guy cheerfully gave him a running commentary on his injuries. That's ALMOST as good a description of writer's block/fear as yours, which I love. Looks like many writers refresh themselves with your blog.
Posted by: Nancy McPherson | 09/27/2011 at 04:45 AM
AMBER -- I'm super humble too. And my load of whites that lives in the dryer would be grateful.
BELLA -- Sorry! I had that song stuck in my head for days afterwards, too. I like to go for a walk too. People watching is always good fodder. If you find any good family pictures, please share!
NANCY -- HAAA!!!! I can totally picture that scene. I'll definitely have to look that up. I started reading Steven King's book, "On Writing." Yes, I was afraid to begin with (he freaks me out), but it's just about the best writing advice around and very entertaining. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Girl Parker | 09/27/2011 at 11:39 AM
I read some of his book, too. I can never forget how he said his babysitter was a heavy woman who would sit on his face and fart to discipline him. He said it prepared him for a life of dealing with literary critiques...
Posted by: Nancy McPherson | 09/27/2011 at 06:11 PM