Anybody with demolition experience...

[gridlore]

.. know how to rig C-4 to blow Writer's Block?

This empty screen is mocking me. All the words and ideas are right behind my eyes, swirling there like jets stacked up over an airport, but the runways are closed..

I'm trying my usual tricks, writing something other than Traveller, writing haiku about the Giants

Ninth inning, our lead
Vanishes in summer fog
Bullpen blows the save.

But not one word is coming through.

*headdesk*

Comments

[deathbytamarind.livejournal.com]

When you figure how to make writer's block your prison bitch, let me know. I've been suffering from it for about two years now.

And here's some haiku for you.

Relief pitching not
Time bombs that threaten the lead
Is what we need now

[persimmon.livejournal.com]

Write anything at all. Shopping list, obscene limericks, revised nursery rhymes, naming all the objects you can see that have corners, lyrics to a song, until you have more than 300 words on the page. Save the page, print it, then find the 17th, 43rd and 171st words on that page, incorporate these into a sentence. Then ask the next person you see to name three numbers from 200 - 300, and use those words in the next sentence.
Total your phone number, subtract it from 300, add up sequentially the numbers remaining - and THAT word starts the next sentence.

This is much less headache-causing than banging your head against the desk, reasonable problem solving, and it gets you past the omigawd stage. Fingers crossed for you.

[isomeme.livejournal.com]

My more-often-than-not fix is to get up from my desk and walk away until a ready-for-writing idea forms in my head, whether that takes until I reach the door or the next town. Often I find that simply changing scenery and activity level is enough to dislodge the block. Also, having that usable idea and not being able to type it right away (as you walk back) builds energy and gives you time to further pester the Muse while she's in the neighborhood.

Here's my baseball haiku:

Excitement in stands
Mom is screaming, cats are scared
Must be a good thing.

[kengr]

Dunno if this will help, but the last time I got stuck on a story (I just could *not* figure out what was going to happen next), I thought about what I *did* know would happen later.

I was ablre to write some of *that* and *then* the ideas on what would happen in between came.

Try wroiting *something*, *anything*.

Heck if all else fails write Ditzie into a porn story. :-)

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

The answer to writer's block is simple.

Chain self to keyboard.

Type. Type anything.

Sentence yourself to an hour of this.

You will find yourself typing something that gives you practice at writing.

And if nothing else I would expect to see long LJ posts whining about your writer's block!

Cheers.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

As for getting my story started, I follow Lois McMaster Bujold's advice:

"What is the worst thing you can do to your main character? Do it. See what your main character does about it."

[ashi.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like that one...

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

What're you trying to write about?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Doing planetary write-ups for Lunion Subsector. I did get about 500 words done on the nobility of the area, very rough, but there.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

So, what is the worst thing you could do to the subsector that they could have historically recovered from (or somewhat recovered from)?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Well, this is for Traveller, in an established sector of space. So mostly I'm taking the established setting and adding elements. The big plot I have..

Strouden is a world where an ethnic/religious minority rules the majority. The majority were admitted as refugees several centuries ago, and bred like rabbits, but their religion (think along the nature of the Quakers as a loose guildline) made them accept their place.

Now, a crisis has developed. Strouden is a monarchy, and the Royal Family also hold the Imperial title of Count Strouden. By long tradition, the Count lives at Capital (over a year away). When he decides to retire, or falls ill, the current heir to the Eirta (Grand Duke, roughly) is rendered sterile, formally renounces all claim to the throne, and is sent off to be the new Count. About ten years ago, word came to send a new Count, but the Heir announced that he had already secretly wed, and had children.. with a member of the majority faith! And he converted! Much ado, Heir goes into exile, next oldest kid goes to Core.

Now, the Eirta is dying.. and the old Heir is back, claiming that he *never renounced the throne*! He's promising big changes in the social structure for all, and the previously quiet majority is begging to rise up. Everything from marches to bombings. The Heir is being quietly backed by a huge corporation that wants to break a monopoly held by another Megacorp.

The big fun part of this? The planet holds 9 billion people, and is the most technologically advanced in the area. The economic and military stability of the region depends on Strouden being stable.

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

I wish writer's block were suceptible to C4, as I've got a near terminal case. *sigh* Well, the only good thing that can be said for writer's block is that its a sure cure for writers cramp.

[todkaninchen.livejournal.com]

Try writing action adventure...

...in either Dick and Jane style or Dr. Seuss...

...simple, difficult, really wierd.

(Bonus pounts for totally inappropriate content.)

A Child's FM 3-22.9

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

See Dick

See Dick pull the charging handle to the rear

Pull, Dick, Pull!

"Is the chamber empty?" asks Jane

"Yes! It is!"

"Release the handle, Dick"

No we are ready to fire!

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Re: A Child's FM 3-22.9

[todkaninchen.livejournal.com]

See Dick.

See Bob.

Bob is evil.

Bad Bob, bad!

See Jane.

See Jane's dress.

See Jane's dress torn.

Bob tore Jane's dress.

Bob is a bad man.

See Dick.

See Dick's pistol.

Dick has a big pistol.

See Bob.

Bob is laughing.

Bob has a shotgun.

Run, Dick, run!

See Jane.

Jane is crying.

Jane is scared.

See Bob.

Bob is leering at Jane.

Bob is tying Jane's hands.

Struggle, Jane, struggle!

See Dick.

Dick says "I will save you, Jane!"

See Dick's rifle.

See Dick aim his rifle.

Aim, Dick, aim!

See Dick squeeze the trigger.

The rifle goes "Bang!"

See Bob.

Bob has a red spot on his shirt.

Bob has a sucking chest wound.

Bleed, Bob, bleed!

"I will get you yet!" Bob says.

See Dick.

See Dick shake his head.

"No, you won't." says Dick.

See Dick aim his pistol.

Dick's pistol goes "Pop".

See Bob.

See Bob twitch.

See Bob die.

Die, Bob, Die!

Bob is dead.

See Dick.

See Jane.

See Dick and Jane.

See Dick leer.

"I'll untie you later." says Dick.

See Dick pick up Jane.

See Dick carry Jane away.

The End.