Tips to Overcome a Writer's Block

[naqlada]

* Every writer should try some different approach or new surroundings from time-to-time so as to enliven his spirits and come up with new ideas for the story.
* Do not waste time on trivial matters. Rather, concentrate on the present problem of the writer’s block and how to overcome it. So that you can continue to work and complete it.

These two work for me. I can't tell you how many times the ending gets written(re-written) first or how a change of environs can stoke the fires of creativity.

[Raithfyre]

I agree that this is generally decent advice. However, I'd warn potential writers to be careful of becoming dependent on these sorts of things. Maybe it was just me, but for a long time, I justified my lack of progress by saying that "my environment wasn't right," or that "I was just having a block and I shouldn't worry." Essentially, I let my problems becomes excuses.

There's a quote, I believe by Stephen King, that goes roughly like this: "The difference between amateur and professional writers is that amateurs find time to write and professionals sit down and do it."

King probably said it more eloquently, but I think my point comes across: don't get complacent with whatever reasons you have that keep you from writing. Sure, it's good to try changing things up or whatever to have a better experience, but you can't spend all your time looking for the "perfect wave" of creativity.

[Tempus]

I already knew my answer before opening the thread, but Raith beat me to it.

The problem with "how to write", "how to get rid of writer's block", etc. type videos / articles is that by the very act of looking at them you're ignoring the single most popular piece of advice they give: start writing. Without applying the advice, you merely become a database of knowledge.

Good writers, artists, composers, programmers and so on will all tell you that you need to be regularly doing. Finding ways to improve and optimise your performance is important too, no doubt about that. But there's no point in buying a set of weights and a devising a healthy diet if you never begin using either.

And perfection is always just out of reach, no matter your skill level.

[SHiNKiROU]

If "Write." is a cliched and undirected advice:
Write another part. If you are having trouble with the emotional scene in 6/10 way between, work on the another unrelated scene.
Or, write something imperfect in place of the block, knowing you will change it after you found a good idea.

[SundownKid]

IMO, if you have a writer's block you should go and read something new to give you some ideas. If the writer's block isn't caused because you didn't outline the story properly, then it's because you're facing a dearth of ideas and you should expand your knowledge. If you can't write a romance, read romances, etc.

[TehTumbleweed]

All very helpful ideas and very true. It's a good thing I happened upon this thread, I had forgotten the most important thing. Keep writing, always. Write EVERYTHING down.

When I took creative writing/literature classes, the teachers always said this: just write. Don't worry what you're writing about, just writing something-anything that pops into your head. As long as you are actively writing, there is no doubt that you will eventually come across what you were searching for.

Anything that pops into your head, just write it down, go through the motions, no matter how side tracked you think you are getting, write, write, and write some more. It's the best way to write, I'm speaking from experience.