How do you handle writer's block?

[stormkeeper_lovesall]

Any tips on handling writer's block? I rarely ever experience it, but am having a bout with it now. My current fic was rolling along and I got to 12,000 words -- and now I seem to be a bit stuck. What do you do when it happens?

Comments

[earthwhatwere.livejournal.com]

Let someone read and make suggestions. Sometimes, another person can see where a story needs to go when you can't.

[reve-lucide.livejournal.com]

I second that comment, and would suggest something to you that rivendellrose suggested to me when I posed the same question a bit ago -- read (or re-read) the actual scripts from the episodes. They always provide a bit of inspiration for me. Good luck -- there's nothing worse than getting that far into a story and getting stuck!

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Seconding and thirding what other people said, with the additional note that with really persistent writer's block I've found only two ways of getting through it: just keep writing, pushing through the problems, skipping to different scenes, or starting fresh with a new document that can be added in later... or shelve the idea for a while until your brain settles down and work on something else.

Just don't shelve writing at all, or you'll end up in a position like I'm in with my original work. :P

*Hugs* I hope it gets better soon.

[denisia.livejournal.com]

One tactic is to just keep writing...just let yourself write whatever comes, even if it turns out to be gibberish. Eventually the gibberish will start turning back into your story. If the words aren't coming at all, another way to get around it is to give yourself a break for a day or two and see if it helps. I've also found that listening to music that inspires you to write can help push your brain back into the story again.

Good luck!!

[the-girl-20.livejournal.com]

I agree with rivendellrose, write bits of the fic that you can write at the moment. I sometimes write the end, or a scene that I know I want to get in somewhere.

Or write a ficlet. Something completely unrelated, short and sweet. Try a drabble, just to get the words going down onto the page. I think the trick is to keep writing, no matter what it is you're writing, and it'll come back.