That awkward moment in fanfiction
when...you don’t know what comes next pt 2
So you’ve got
writer’s block
I took awhile to decide whether or not I wanted to write
anything new after I completed my first story.
Completing a new story,
as discussed before, was emotionally exhausting. But I wanted to do it again. The
problem was finding a way to do it.
I just got out of a relationship with a thirty chapter
story; I wasn’t ready to jump into another.
I wanted excitement, something brief with no commitment whatsoever.
I wanted a story fling.
So I wrote a one-shot for a different fandom, read stories
that were completely different to my own and that dealt with completely
different things, and finally, started writing on this blog again.
Anyone whose suffered through writer’s block knows the only
way to conquer it is to get busy.
Write. Edit. Read. Review. Repeat.
Here’s a few tips to beat any form of writer’s block with a
stick, whether caused by a completed story or a prolonged hiatus:
1.
Get in touch with why you loved your fandom/OTP
in the first place: rewatch/reread the series/movie/book; read stories
from the fandom; watch videos made for the fandom; look at art depicting your
fandom; whatever you want to get the inspirational juices flowing.
2.
Accept challenges/prompts/requests.
3.
Write things out of your comfort zone: a
different genre, write from the perspective of a different character, write
something you haven’t yet.
4.
Read. Fanfiction, original fiction, an old
favorite, something on your To-Read list, an article from a magazine; as long
as you’re reading, you aren’t doing nothing.
5.
Get some fresh air.
6.
Do your chores: believe it or not getting your
mind off of writing can be just what you need. Doing mundane tasks keeps you
focused on one thing and lets your mind wander like it should whenever it’s
been stuck in one place for too long.
7.
Get out: you know what that is right? The thing
you did before you had to meet self-made deadlines, before the
write-write-write mindset?
8.
Don’t write anything. Maybe you need a well
deserved break from it all. Whenever something enjoyable feels like work, it’s
a sign that you’ve forgotten what it is you enjoyed about it, and that’s okay.
9.
Have a conversation: your cat, pet rock, the mailman,
your sister, you husband; whoever. Being in touch with people on any level is
important as a writer.
10.
Explore: haven’t been to that famous church a
town away? Why not make a plan to go? Always wanted to try that café down the
street? Now’s your chance!
11.
Eat.
12.
Listen to a debate: from the news, on the
internet, between friends or family; you’ll either drone it out and discover an
idea or you might take the argument in and have some new perspective on an old
topic.
13.
Jam to some music: you don’t have to dance in
your pajamas at an ungodly hour, but just taking a few minutes to let yourself
go, and stop worrying about life so much
14.
Relax: do something that calms you that doesn’t
involve writing – maybe play a videogame, cook, fix up your car, take a nap, internet search cat videos, work out.
15.
Watch a movie.
16.
Splurge a little: buy that new book you've wanted, that pair of shoes, maybe go on a road trip or eat at that fancy place that have those amazing pies you've been day dreaming about. Go on. I won't tell.
17.
Take pictures: mental pictures or actual
pictures, try and find something interesting about the world and maybe it’ll
inspire you.
.
18.
Go people watching: just watch and observe,
make up tales out of your head based on the lives of random people and the
story you’ve wanted to write might just hit you
19.
Exercise: a walk in the park, a cycle down the
street, sit-ups in front of the tv, whatever floats your boat. The increased
oxygen to the brain is a good thing.
20.
Share: talk about your writing or your ideas
with just about anybody; having the chance to verbally bounce off any
insecurities or thoughts you have as a writer can be greatly comforting when
you realize you aren’t alone.
21.
Review: you’ve got a few stories on favorites
that deserve a shout out, how about writing them in in-depth review of why you
enjoyed their work? They’ll appreciate it.
22.
Do a good deed: Karma is a wonderful thing when
it’s on your side
23.
Watch some comedians on Youtube (Michael McIntyere for example):
whether you roll your eyes at the cheesiness or find yourself actually laughing,
you’ll hear how they manage to craft a story to people and how they get the
audience into their inside jokes.
24.
Edit: maybe you have a few uncompleted stories
on your computer like I do, find the time to edit it and it’ll be completed and
published before you know it.
25.
Learn something new: be it about your fandom,
your stories, yourself or something completely unrelated. There’s a lesson in
every experience
Here’s other lists that may help too:
·
Got any tips of your
own to beat writer’s block that wasn’t mentioned here? Share it below J
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