Writer’s Block? What NOT to Do

We all can relate to the moment when you’re writing – or sit down to write – and then boom, you have no idea what to tell your fingers to do; you’re just blank.

It’s the writer’s worst enemy and can be the hardest, and rarely the easiest, thing to get over. We would do anything to get back on track and out of this torturous, uncreative state. We stare at blank sheets waiting for things to happen and bang our head into the wall repeatedly thinking our brain just needs a kick start. If you’ve done these things, we’re not judging, but…maybe it’s not the best way to handle the situation.

Here are some do-nots that, if you resort to them, could resort to the demise of your story; but he’ll most likely live, I promise.

1. Don’t stare at your screen for too long.

You could be talking or writing your issue out to get your brain working again. Pulling a “Patrick Star” can make you lose your magic entirely.

2. Don’t beat yourself up!

These hiccups usually mean you simply don’t know where to begin. Go back over what you have so far, skim through your special notebook or go over your plot again to pinpoint where you’re having trouble and if it needs to be tweaked.

3. Don’t pick up that tin of Pringles.

You’ll either end up deeper into your dilemma with an empty cylinder or writing about your character eating Pringles. Eating just distracts you further or gives you bad material. Remember, you write what you eat. (I am not eating Pringles right now. ;-))

4. Don’t bring back Dave!

“Dave” is that random guy from earlier in the story that you bring back for no good reason. Trust me, readers hate Dave! Taking an insignificant character that has nothing to do with the other characters or your plot can be one of the biggest mistakes you make. Dave is okay and happy where he is but we don’t need to get into where he is.

These are just a few of the things we do out of boredom that can ruin our vision. Need inspiration? Look back on some of the Creative Writing Club’s past essays and use one of the exercises. You can use music, other books, and even real people for inspiration. Don’t put yourself in a rut and be productive. It can turn out to be one of those rare occasions where writer’s block isn’t hard to get over at all.

Post by: FLVS Student Téa K.
Submitted by Katie Emery, Language Arts Instructor and FLVS Creative Writing Club Sponsor