Arugh! I hate writer's block!!

[Sonnenburg]

Keep a notepad, text file, back of a hamburger wrapper, tatoo, whatever is convenient for you to put something down on. When you come up with ideas, put them in there. It doesn't have to be a full story idea, just a "that's interesting" or "that's different" kind of thing.

When writer's block comes, open it. Pick one. Start writing about it. It doesn't matter if it sucks (which it probably will), the point is that you're doing it. Even if nothing productive comes from it, do it anyway. There are at least two results of this.

1) You are continuing to write. The difference between a real writer and one who is just playing is the level of commitment. Like your job, you have to be willing to do it even when you don't want to. You should write at least five times a week; and writing a lot on one day doesn't count. It makes it a habit.

2) How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice.

Other things that often happen is that, like priming a pump, the ideas start coming again. You just needed to get things started. In fact, it's often preferable that you don't go straight into your story or project. This is called pre-writing, and it's comparable to stretching before a race. You can think of writing while you have writer's block as running laps to stay in shape.

[PROMETHEUS]

When writer's block comes, open it. Pick one. Start writing about it. It doesn't matter if it sucks (which it probably will), the point is that you're doing it. Even if nothing productive comes from it, do it anyway. There are at least two results of this.

Good advice as always, Chuck. I do that myself often, but the biggest problem (for me, anyway) is not having material to write on; it's trying to finish the existing chapter. I have several files in my IA folder that I just drop all the marginally related ideas and snippets of dialogue into for later use.