Hello Writers Block my old friend

[respoftw]

The age-old question:

Do you power through it and try to throw words on paper anyway or do you take a break and wait until the words come back?

**Edit**: Thank you to everyone for their suggestions! A few of you suggested that I try doing something else so I pulled out an abandoned fic that was stagnant at 300 words and finished it.

here be aftercare kink fic mcshep style

Comments

[marzipan77]

Sometimes I power through, but usually I change tracks and write a scene or two on another story. I've been struggling with my Original Fic sequel lately, so I'm writing a kind of silly SG1 crossover. After a few weeks, now, my original fic is tugging on my thoughts, giving me new hope that I can tweak it into something good. By focusing on something I can complete, something I have confidence that I can write and post, it keeps me from getting too down on myself.

[respoftw]

Yeah, that’s a good approach and I’m glad it seems to be working for you!

I’ve been flitting about through various WIPs adding a hundred words here, a sentence there, doing some editing in another place entirely...but finding something to focus on is impossible. :(

Still, progress is happening. Just not progress that will lead to me getting anything finished this weekend like I had intended!

[melagan]

I've done both. Sorry, I know that's not much help.

[respoftw]

<3 Just knowing that it happens to other people is help!

[nagi_schwarz]

I have also done both. Depends on what the block is. If I just have zero energy for words, I wait till I feel better. If I have energy for words but no words for a current project, I just write something random till I feel like my word flow is back (who knows, it could turn into something useful later).

[respoftw]

It was more of the latter so I managed to direct the energy into a previously abandoned fic!

[brumeier]

Sorry you're blocked. ::hugs::

What works best for me is stepping away. Either trying to work on a different fic or doing something really different like scrapbooking. I like feeling that I'm still being productive and creative, just in a different way. And it gives the words time to build up.

I hope you find a way through it!

[respoftw]

I kind of did, thank you! Well, something got written and posted anyway, lol

[brumeier]

Kudos!!

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Depends on the material.

I almost never get the usual sort of writer's block. If I can't write it is typically because I feel like crap. So...

If I am blocked on creative writing, it is most often because I am missing a critical piece. I have learned to set it aside and wait for that piece, because I'm getting nowhere until that happens. I work on something else. And while it usually resolves soon, I have pieces that have simmered for decades before I found that missing piece.

If I feel like crap but need to meet a deadline, it's usually nonfiction. I read fanfic or do something else pleasant to generate energy. Write a paragraph, read until I get another spoon, write a paragraph. When it's really bad, sometimes I'm down to a line at a time. I am good enough at this that my editors can't tell the difference, but that's after decades of practice.