Foo - Writers Block

Bleh. I'm co-writing a pretty important new piece but I've been suffering from the block for about 2 weeks now. Normally I would take a break and work on something else but with a deadline approaching I find myself repeatedly just sitting in front of the computer.

Any ideas how to get the words flowing again?

Assign yourself some wonton therapy - polish the silverware, clean your bike, etc. - sometimes repeatitive physical action which requires NO thought can clear the cobwebs & mist from your mind!

http://www.drinks4less.ie/product_images/v/Bushmills_Malt_10_Yr_Old__69961_zoom.jpg
To borrow the advice of my Druncle John: The best way to test an idea is to see if it lasts through the hangover.

Also Hemingway would force himself to stop writing every day at 2pm, no matter how frantic his creative frenzy was, and immediately start drinking. He did this both because he loved his booze, and also because it kept his idea well from running dry:

The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day … you will never be stuck. Always stop while you are going good and don’t think about it or worry about it until you start to write the next day. That way your subconscious will work on it all the time. But if you think about it consciously or worry about it you will kill it and your brain will be tired before you start.

My favorite wanton therapy is to repetitively lift a glass of Irish. Works wonders. :) Good luck!

Bleh. I'm co-writing a pretty important new piece but I've been suffering from the block for about 2 weeks now. Normally I would take a break and work on something else but with a deadline approaching I find myself repeatedly just sitting in front of the computer.

Any ideas how to get the words flowing again?

I write cr*p. Just put down what ever relevant thoughts come to mind. Order doesn't matter, grammar doesn't matter, structure doesn't matter. Just dump it out.

As it comes out, the rest will emerge. Worst comes to worst, you'll have some notes to print out and use as reference.

Or you can make a real rough outline of what points you need to cover, fill them in a bit and reorganize them. Then you can use that as a guide.

Whatever you do, don't start a nice first paragraph and then polish it. That's doom.

Good luck. Said he, slacking off when he should be writing.

Ooh, another one occurred to me:
Try writing with a pen or pencil. It feels completely foreign to most of us who have become Borg-assimilated and therefore more comfortable composing with a keyboard. Something about forming the letters & words wakes up dormant connections in the brain and can give you a fresh start.

Hire jsharr to point a gun at your head and scream.


Heck, he may even pay you for the opportunity.

Go to different bars, try and pick up the best looking chic there by saying you have writers block and you need to be "unplugged." Counts if it goes.

Excellent suggestions by Chris and AK. I employed those methods many times to get the ball rolling.

There was a blurb in NPR... write a check to an organization you HATE, give it to a friend who will send it if you don't finish writing. Something like that. =7

You have to jump in with both feet. Type something off-the-wall like, "it was a beautiful warm day...'. You'll be suprised at how the creative thoughts will flow.

You have to jump in with both feet. Type something off-the-wall like, "it was a beautiful warm day...'. You'll be suprised at how the creative thoughts will flow.

You know what I like that one so much I may send a draft to my co-writer that begins, "It was a beautiful warm day when the Supreme Court decided AT&T v. Concepcion just to see how she reacts.