writers block...

I alternate between making faces at it and ignoring it.

And when those tactics don't work, I write through it.

Just keep putting words down on paper (or pixels up on the screen).

Don't worry that you aren't writing your novel. Just keep the word flow going. You can just go back and cross it out or delete it later.

Comment on your surroundings. Oh look, there's a spot on the carpet which I have never noticed before. I wonder which kid is responsible for it. OR I hear the cat out in the hallway hacking up a fur ball. OR My charming husband just came home from walking the dog and for some reason felt the need to slam the door so that the whole house shook. Isn't he thoughtful? I will have to thank him later. If you are not at home, eavesdrop on conversations going on around you. Watch the people and write what you see. Start quoting songs and movies. Do a short writing exercise. For example, open a dictionary, point to a word and write for a minute or five minutes using that word as your starting point or theme.

Above all, show no fear. Writer's block feeds on anxiety. Don't forget. You're the one with the words. Just keep writing them.

(Sounds a lot easier than it is sometimes, but I swear it works.)

COuldn't agree more. If I get stuck I just start a personal commentary on how stupid my protagonist is, or how I can't stand what I'm writing and how STUPID I am and how stupid the whole story is and why did she go into the kitchen first before checking out the rustling sound in the darkened living room and eventually a plot point hatches and I'm back on track, or even on a new one. December is for editing!!

Caroline68

Funny, I just did a blog entry on that subject! (See my sig for the link) Getting away from it for a bit usually works for me.

-Mak

If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane.

My NaNoWriMo blog: http://eyewryte.blogspot.com

I read a suggestion once that sounds awful, but has worked for me in the past. Might not be the best idea during a wrimo, but you can do a variation of it. He said to delete the last page you wrote, and do it over. You end up doing it differently so it can put you on to new ideas. For wrimo, you can just skip to a new page and rewrite the whole last scene over and see if that helps at all.

I do like taking a walk, or just doing a chore like washing dishes or doing laundry, something mundane that I can do on autopilot while mull over the story.

All good suggestions. Yesterday I wrote two long scenes three times each, leaving all the versions in and making notes about how each version would require fixing other scenes. I wrote the murder scene that doesn't happen until much later in the plot. One year, in desperation, I created an entire glossary of racing terms, their meanings, usage and derivation, and used each in a sentence--a good 2k that never appeared in the finished novel but clarified my thinking. Other times I throw in something completely unrelated to my story and discover that it leads to an interesting twist.

In the worst cases, when I feel utterly unworthy to touch a keyboard, I go back and read some of my other writing. Since there is some good stuff there, I feel encouraged enough to return to work.

In all cases, bum gum is the ultimate solution. Just sit down keep writing, keep writing, keep writing.

Nikki
nikki@nikkiandrewsbooks.com
www.nikkiandrewsbooks.co,m

"If you're stuck being a caterpillar, at least be a spectacular caterpillar."

The idea for wiping out the last page and picking up the story again sounds like it would really work, although perhaps a bit risky for nanowrimo.

I'll definitely file it away for future reference though.

I go walking. Sometimes, it's just pacing around my apartment, but yeah. It's how I've always written; I do a little bit, then walk until something else comes to me, then sit back and write. I think it's getting my eyes off the screen, getting myself moving... just works.

-Kathleen Ann

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." -Jack London

I wish I had a good way to deal with it, but I tend to cope differenty every time. I was having a horridly difficult time sitting my butt down today and writing, and when I finally did, one of my characters threw a fit about how stupid this novel was, and about how much he wished he could be in a more interesting story.

After he snapped out of it, it started to move along a little bit!

I never know what to do though -- that was just by chance. I think I'll try to get in some walking, it sounds like that's a helpful method for a lot of you.

2004: The Stapleman (lost)
2005: The Monstrum (won)
2006: Hurbru's Angel (won)
2007: The Lioness (won)

I always introduce a bar.

Goes back to my days of playing dungeons and dragons when I was younger. I'd always start adventures in a bar or tavern and something would happen and get the adventures off on a quest.

Works for nearly any story too. Even star crossed lovers can meet in a bar... rumors can be heard in a bar... fights can break out in a bar... characters can meet the person of their dreams in a bar... challenges can be thrown down in a bar... characters can just weep their sorrows out in a bar... and comedy, forget it. There are so many funny things that can go down in a bar forget it.

Worked for my current story. I had no idea where I was going other then a couple scenes worked out in my head and a good idea for a few characters. I started them in a bar and let them interact for a couple pages. Sure enough the ball started rolling and I've been doing great so far.