Writer's Block

Writer's Block - the condition of not being able to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.

I recently experienced the worst case of writer's block I've had since I became serious about writing. Sure, I've had moments when I've been too busy to put down new words--kids' events, family vacations, work commitments... But this was different. I literally sat in front of my pc screen for hours, my mind complete mush. So I reached out to some of the most talented authors I know--my amazing friends and CP's. This is some of what they suggested.

Tori Kelly: Reading helps me every time. I always get inspired by seeing others who do it so well.  Also, I never write scenes. This is a trick Brian Farrey Latz shared at a SCBWI conference. Free yourself to write a scene that will never go into the book. Mostly writer's  block is about being too much of a perfectionist.

Elle E. Ire told me that when she experiences the dreaded block, she watches a show that inspires her, reads a book in its entirety, and / or forces herself to write a crappy scene just to get through it. She might also jump ahead and write a later scene she really wants to write to get going again and then go back and connect the dots. Or she'll just let herself take a break from writing. Unless she has a deadline, she gives herself permission to do that once in awhile.

Vivi Barnes: When writer's block strikes, I have a glass of wine and watch mindless episodes of the Bachelor. Wish I was joking, but... In my opinion, having writer's block isn't about having nothing to write about; it means that something isn't working. Literally--a block. Look at what's stopping you and see if anything can be adjusted. Cut a chapter out, go a different direction with a plot line, head off the beaten path a bit and see if it makes a difference. If all else fails, there's always the rest of the wine bottle and episodes of Bachelor in Paradise! 

Rina Heisel recommends taking a walk alone, reading in a similar genre (and think to yourself as you read through it--how would you do it), or binge watching an awesome TV show. Also, she says you must allow yourself to partake in these activities GUILT FREE reminding that it's really an investment in your process.

Diane Bohannan: I force myself to sit alone with the computer. We stare at each other for a long time. Then I type whatever comes to mind. It isn't always a story or a blog, sometimes it's just thoughts. Let the thoughts move in whatever direction they want to go. Write anything and don't judge yourself on what comes out. The first stuff might not be wonderful, but it'll uncork your brain.

There are tons of fantastic blogs online with great tips.  Peggy J Sheridan directed me to this awesome article author Dorian Cirrone wrote on kicking writer's block. Here's another great post by author Nathan Bransford explaining why he doesn't believe writer's block actually exists.

So, if you've been experiencing the inability to write, I hope some of these suggestions and articles help you. I'm very happy to report that I'm finally writing again and am almost done with my WIP. I'm so happy that I'm a part of a such an amazing writing community. The authors I've met online, my own amazing writing groups: the OWLS and the Revision Warriors, and the SCBWI organization are always available to provide guidance.

Authentic Characters

FIRST,

OUR WINNER IS....
                               
                                     Carrie at In the Hammock Blog

Congratulations! We'll get Allegiant right out to you!!

Yay for the giveaway!! Thanks to all who entered!


NOW...

CHARACTERS!

Why do we love them? Hate them? Love to hate them? We've all sympathized with the nasty villains, or hated the heroine because--how could she not see that coming???

I have a tendency to get attached to certain characters. Everyone has a favorite. Don't deny it! :)

So, what's the recipe for a favorite character? For me, it's the character's voice and authenticity that draws me into a story world, and then, I'm hooked! I'll buy all the books in the series or stalk the author to see when their next book is coming out because I'm 100% sure I will love it.

For instance, Buffy. You've seen her here on RW. She iconic.

Why? She's a mess, but she fights through it all. Loss and pain, she's got it covered after a few tears, or not. Things happen that are out of her control and we watch to see what she'll do. This is the kind of character that will connect with the reader.

We've talked about interviewing characters. Here's some questionnaires extraordinaire that might help you write the I-can-touch-you, you're-so-real-to-me-it's scary characters.

Most of all, we have to stay true to who our characters tell us they are. We can't shape them. They shouldn't reflect us, they should surprise us. As writers, we should respect their perspective. Even if it goes against what we think is right or wrong. The character has an idea of what is best for them even when we're screaming, "Don't open that door!"

That kind of character might be intimidating to write. He or she will have a voice--one that can't be tamed.

What if that person is awful? What if he has bad habits that are distasteful even to you? Is she or he dealing with something that is beyond your knowledge? Dive into research and interview people who have dealt with things outside your scope. Be bold and write a character that will jump off the page!

Will you take the challenge and write a character that is authentic? Even if it's scary? Share with us! We want to know!

Perspective Is Everything

I have an amazing friend who I’ve known since junior high school. She’s the type of friend that I know will always be there, no matter if we haven’t spoken in weeks (or possibly even months when life gets really crazy). As Grey’s Anatomy’s Meredith and Yang would put it, she’s my person, and that means sometimes she has to tell me things I don’t want to hear.

One of those things stuck with me for a long time. It’s also something that, after giving it a test drive myself, I realized how relevant it is to my character’s lives, too.

Whenever I complained about different types of stress in my life, she’d say something like, “If you can’t change the situation, change your perspective.”

My reaction was pretty much

Here's the thing, I had it stuck in my head that if I was stressed out, it was because the situation was stressful. I was more or less trapped in it. I felt powerless to change it and that created more stress. “I’m stressed out because I care so much!” I’d say, and believed that changing my perspective meant I’d have to stop caring.

Well at some point, I decided to try it. Instead of getting worked up, I focused on what I could reasonably do to change the issue and feel good about my effort, whehter it was successful or not. And you know what? It actually worked, and I found out that being a stress-ball did not make me work any harder or change the situation. All it did was make me miserable, which in turn affected the people around me. I had to let go of the stress and focus on what was in my control and what was not, and I’m a happier person for it.

Yes, sometimes it is easier said than done, but seriously, accepting that freaking out over something wasn’t going fix/solve/change anything, allowed me to change my perspective. (It’s all very circular and Zen-like) J

So how does this relate to writing?

PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING

Your POV character’s perspective affects the tone of your scene, word choice, decisions/actions, expectations, and pretty much anything else you can think of, including what the reader takes from the story.

Every time something feels off with a scene I’m writing, the character’s perspective is the now one of the first things I look at. Where is his or her head at in the scene? Are they thinking/feeling/speaking/acting accordingly?  

Keep the character’s mood in mind throughout every scene. Are they happy, excited, scared, sad, hurt, angry, or any combination thereof? Once you sync up with their head space, look at the description, dialogue, body language, internal thoughts, etc. It should all be colored by that character’s perspective. Many times that off feeling comes about when something doesn’t match up with how the POV character sees or experiences the world you’ve put them in.

If your character just had her heart broken, how does she view the other characters around her? Would an angry/hurt character describe a boy and girl holding hands as cute? Probably not. She’d more likely think about pulling them apart and encouraging the girl to run while her heart is still intact.

If the sky is blue and the sun is shining, would this same girl describe the day as beautiful, or would it be hot and oppressive? What would she notice about her surroundings? It all depends on her perspective.

Do you consciously think about your character’s perspective while writing a first draft or is it something you work on during revisions? Have you ever tried to change your own perspective?

Happy writing!