Insimenator.org

I'm prone to get Writer's Block before I even get to write the tenth chapter of my story. Imperfection is not an exeption. I already know what I want to write, I just can't think of how to write it. I do daily writing exercises and such but when it comes to actually putting pen to paper (being a figurative term here) my mind blans! :'( Can anyone help me with this?

When I get writer's block, I tend to do things I know will inspire me, like listening to music, watch a movie, or something along the line. Or I put down the writing and do other things.

Inspiration never shows up when I need it, only when I'm not prepared for it. I read a lot, so I tend to have several pieces of note paper stuck in between the pages, to have something to note down on when I get an idea, or when I see something in a magazine or on TV that I might use for my own stories. I wish I had some mind recording device, though, because I tend to get ideas while in the shower...

I also have this perfection thing when it comes to my stories, so if I don't feel like writing, I do minor or major fixes to things I've already written. I don't know how it's like for other people, but doing that often gives me inspiration. I've several times taken this little piece of writing that was crap, and turned it into a great chapter.

You can't always force inspiration. For me it rarely works, and usually only happens if I'm brainstorming with other people. Trying to brainstorm with myself never works, unless I already have an idea to begin with...

First, don't be too hard on yourself. Most of the time this is where writer's block stems from. You become so concerned with being able to write eloquently it prevents you from starting. The time for criticizing yourself is when you do your editing. Just write. Worry about the finessing later. Often what I'll do is just start to summarize the plot of what I want to happen. Eventually, what will happen is the summarizing will start to turn into actual writing and, at some point, I'll be able to go back and fix the beginning of it. :)

What I've also done in the past to help me along was create achart of the five senses. The titles along the top of the columns would read "See", "Taste", "Touch", "Hear" and "Smell" and under each column I would list what my character might be experiencing for each. I would do one for each character, but I would focus the most on the spreadsheet for my POV character.  I wouldn't use everything I wrote down, but it worked well to help me put them in their surroundings and, therefore, help me more effectively write the scene.

Something else I find helps me is I have more than one writing project to work on. When I find myself feeling stuck with one, I put it aside and work on something else. At times, writer's block can stem from boredom. 

I tend to just lie on the floor thinking for a while and jotting down thoughts that come into my head then I pick out sections that sound best and start arranging them in the order that they seem to fit in and then it's just easier for me then.

I do the same as joy also, I tend to have a few projects on at one time. Normally its a series of short stories as well as a multi-chaptered one so if I get stuck on the longer one, I can bring my brain back to life with the short ones.