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Overcoming The Writer's Block

Writer's block is that dangerous disease that almost every poet suffers from at one point or the other in his poetic journ

 



Writer's block is that dangerous disease that almost every poet suffers from at one point or the other in his poetic journey.According to Wikipedia-


Writer's block is the phenomenon in which a writer temporarily loses the capability to continue writing. It is characterised by the loss of inspiration or confidence in creativity.

Now the best thing is to avoid the writer's block. This can be done only by writing everyday. Eoin Colfer, author of the "Artemis Fowl" series, in an interview said that every writer must dedicate at least 10 minutes a day for writing. "And no matter what, write something! Be it poetry, prose, or even just a journal."

Okay, now you did not do this! Prevention is better than cure. But now you need a cure. Here are some ideas that might help.

1. Continue reading. The beauty is, that there is no such thing as a reader's block. What you read might inspire your next write.

2. Set up a word bank for yourself. New things usually inspire lovely poetry. Get new words. Not only will this help you expand your poetry, but also make your poem look beautiful.

3. You feel there's nothing happening in your life? Look around! There's always something to inspire you. A leaf falling from a tree could inspire a lovely poem.

4. Just write as it comes. Sometimes, when you try to hard, you lose the magical touch. Don't focus on writing amazing stuff. Focus on writing stuff, firstly.

5. Work on your previous poems! Edit them. If new ideas are not coming into your head, elaborate your existing ideas.

6. Change your style a bit. Maybe the old style restricts your imagination. Maybe you need something new to inspire you.

7. The most important one- WAIT! Inspiration will come. Your mind will speak to you, and your mind will speak to the pen, and the pen will speak to the paper. If you rush yourself, you might get into trouble. Writer's Block can be frustrating. Fight it with your patience.
Talk to your friends. Don't give up on writing.

Quotes on Writer's Block-

"Don't believe in the inspiration myth: you do not need to be "inspired" before you can write. Inspiration results from thought; therefore, inspiration does not strike an idle mind."

"
I think writer's block is simply the dread that you are going to write something horrible. But as a writer, I believe that if you sit down at the keys long enough, sooner or later something will come out."
by Roy Blount, Jr.

author of Crackers and One Fell Soup as well as others

"Ideas are the cheapest part of the writing. They are free. The hard part is what you do with ideas you've gathered."
by Jane Yolen
author of Owl Moon and Sleeping Ugly as well as others

"The golden rule of writing is to write what you care about. If you care about your topic, you'll do your best writing, and then you stand the best chance of really touching a reader in some way."



by Jerry Spinelli
author of Maniac Magee and Fourth Grade Rats as well as others
"Try drawing or painting a scene you're working on. Often this will help free up you imagination."
by Kevin Henkes
author of Chrysanthemum as well as others.

Included in the list

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Comments

1 - 57 of 57

  • LittleAnn
    April 4, 2007
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    You have some really great tips here... Thanks for sending me the link!
    Annie

  • smplife
    September 3, 2006
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    you are so right. Thanks for sharing this, and I really feel like I can conquer this dreaded "writer's block" whenever it tries to come about.

    I think my writer's block usually comes because I think a poem I wrote isn't good enough. I seem to try too hard to make something fit into a specific form. I tend to stick to a strict form of poetry which really does keep me from writing most of the time.

    So just to comment on this column a little bit more, I would just like to say that the idea of devoting at least 10 minutes a day to writing really does help.

    So again, nice work in this column, It really helped me alot.


  • neoladyem
    July 12, 2006
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    This are really great tips to get out of writer's block. I sometimes seem to get it from time to time. Now i know what to do to get out of it. You did a mangiceft job on this. I bet you have helped alot of people from this column.


  • Somebody-New
    June 21, 2006
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    this is awesome advice!
    i must admit i do suffer from writers block often and these are awesome tips to stop it from happening!!

    great work, and thanks so much for sharing your secrets

  • The Pole Star
    June 16, 2006
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    Oh! I never noticed that ur item has been syndicated! So congrats!


  • AngelicMistress gold member
    June 16, 2006
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    TERRIFIC!!!!! THANKS VERY MUCH!!!!!

    Thank you for this advice..... I am going through this right now!

    So, I will follow as you say, and hopefully all will get better.....

    Be blessed with love and light
    AngelicMistress

  • StrmDncr
    June 16, 2006
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    I think everyone is different when it comes to writers block. I'm just getting over an 18 month break from writing. I had no inspiration, no need to sit at the keyboard, nothing. In fact I didn't even want to write most of the time. The hardest part of a block, I think, is finding quiet time. I can't write when people are near by, or when the TV is on. Don't get me wrong, I can write about anything, a cup of coffee, baseball, cars, romance, history, you name it. But, if I can't get enough quiet time I'm no good. And, the mood has to be right. Sometimes I just don't feel like writing yet, there are times I could write for hours.

    I think reading is one of the best help aids you can find. LOL, and watching movies you really like. I find inspiration in both.
    Great column and some good tips as well.

  • TylerLee
    June 16, 2006
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    the best

    Thanks alot for this! You see After every single poem i write i have an exstensive writer's block. I'll deffinatly try some of these. One thing you forgot to metion those was music, and even video games. These 2 influence younger minds alot.


  • AtVaR
    June 15, 2006
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    Thats just normal though. Most all people feel as if they cannot put their true feelings into words that do them justice. I believe it is true. No matter how skilled with words, you cannot match the raw emotion with the words. You can however, instill in others the emotion you feel with the words you write. Poetry isn't about putting feelings on paper. Its about putting feelings into the reader. Graphic artists and music composers feel the same thing. They have a feeling, or a picture in their head, and they cannot do it justice through their words, drawings, paintings, or music. But as I'm sure you have discovered, simple words/pictures/musical phrases can create the greatest of emotion in the reader/looker/listener. If you can create something with all three of these elements, then its three times more powerful in effect


  • brokenpoet
    June 15, 2006
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    Write about your writers block? Very, very, good advice. Thank you! I applaud your comment.



    Melissa
    Edited on Jun 15, 11:27 p.m. because ''.

  • brokenpoet
    June 15, 2006
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    Thank you so much. I'm suffering from writers block and I think it's because I just *know* I'm going to write something way horrible. But you know you must write out all your clutter to get to the good piece! Or, in other words, clear the clutter of your mind.


    Thanks for posting this it is not only a big help to me, but to others.



    Melissa


  • foofina
    June 15, 2006
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    Thank you soooooo much for posting this! I am suffering from writers block as of now, and I would like to thank you for your tips! These were really helpful!

    ~FOO


  • Abby Eyeball
    June 15, 2006
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    I've got scattered writer's block, as of now- meaning, I write, but not as frequently as I should be. This is utterly amazing, I don't think I've come across a writer's block column until now, and it's good to read this because it's incredibly true. Writer's block is the most terrible, terrible disease a writer can get. You never know when or if you're going to recover.

    Abby Eyeball


  • Billiebaby
    June 15, 2006
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    THX so much for those advice. I'm sort of having writers block right now. I think its because I'm bored of my old style. I want to try new styles. Yet I don't my writing to sound like everybody else's. I'm trying to write a poem right now. I can FEEL the poem within me, but the wording just comes out so boring to me. Its not as great as the feeling I have inside me...


  • Perhaps
    June 15, 2006
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    I really liked how you said 'There is no such think as Reader's Block'- That's so true! I often find myself struck by an idea when I've been stuck for a while after reading- even rereads work for me, sometimes better then new books.


  • azure85 gold member
    June 15, 2006
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    This is very encouraging to many, and full of great hints for those with writer's block. Thank you!


  • Maureen silver member
    June 15, 2006
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    Thank you for the helpful advice!

    Maureen


  • June 15, 2006
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    Thanks. Great advise and extremely accurate!


  • pine-needles
    June 15, 2006
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    WOW! amazing column full of great tips! thank u so much for writing such practical, helpful, straightforward column! i think my issue is mostly having a subject... maybe another thing u can do if u cant seem to come up with anything fresh and/or dont seem to have time to writw something new is work on some of that rough material u wrote "firstly"... then maybe u are still kind of "writing" and keeping that momentum going, and it might take some of the pressure of trying to make it perfect the first time that might kill off the desire to write (and not just have written).

  • PapaKhep
    June 15, 2006
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    EXCELLENT IDEA!

    Thank you for urging and inspiring us to write! It is so very true that if you do not write you might get stagnant; but again, we write because we have to. anyway, for you tip on revising and rewriting, that is an excellent idea. I DO IT ALMOST EVERYTIME I want to share my poetry.


  • Khadidja the Wise
    June 15, 2006
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    Inspriring and comforting

    Writer's block adieu! Great message! I had been suffering from a severe bout of writer's block for 4 months or so, but thankfully I have now started my rehab therapy ;-).


  • Nanette
    June 15, 2006
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    Oh my soul!! This is a good post! We all need to read this. I suffered from this for the last 3 weeks or so, my last write was actually a short poem om this topic and the pure frustration of not knowing what to do. I suppose it is a beginning Thank you for posting this.


  • Lencio Rodrigues
    June 15, 2006
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    So true, even I think its true if you dedicate sometime to writing, could be anything - like I do, do you call my work poetry lol!!! then the writer's block could be avoided. Thanks for writing this column, which is so very important for all of us. You think like me and thats what I like about you. I do have my word bank lol!!!, but sometimes I just tend to write and not use any big words, as you know my poetry style is varied!

    Love and light,
    Lencio


  • Andu
    June 15, 2006
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    Thanks, I really needed to read something like this! Thanks for sharing this! One thing that sometimes works for me is to listen to new music and follow the lyrics well... It doesn't work miracles but it's a good kick start!


  • R.R. Lim
    June 15, 2006
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    Very good advice Risen Sun! I shall take this column as my temporary self-philosophy. For I am also currently suffering from a major case of writer's block, and the poem that I entered in your contest 3 months ago( as destiny) was also the latest one I wrote. 0_0

    Great stuff!
    Riche


  • PrettyRagDoll
    June 15, 2006
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    This could not have come at a better time. One thing I am trying to do is read and write down all the words I do not know. Then I look up the definitions. Nerdy, I know, but it has begun to work for me. I will be sure to try these other suggestions as well


  • raspberry Greeters member
    June 15, 2006
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    A very informative column.. Somehow.. my muse either sleeps on a holiday or works well. So, when she needs tht vacation.. I give her that A good column. Well done Udit.


  • AtVaR
    June 15, 2006
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    heres my example of what I just said... lol

    allpoetry.com/Poem/1045746

  • AtVaR
    June 15, 2006
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    I often find that the absolute best thing you can do about writers block, is to write about it. Not something long and profound mind you, but something short and simple.

    This doesn't seem to work if your muse is dead though.


  • Sailorswench
    June 15, 2006
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    This helped me a lot. I'm going through a block now. I'm constantly reading and journaling, so maybe will come of that.


  • Nicolette gold member
    June 14, 2006
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    I needed to read this column this morning because the poetic fire has been burning quite low the last couple of weeks! I agree with everything you've written here, especially about the 10 min per day and the reading. I have files upon files of quotes and phrases, stacks of poetry books,etc. that I keep - I find that those help to spark the pen (so to speak). Because I've been so busy lately (with work) I've neglected my writing and I am feeling the effect of that! I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist...and that is NOT good for the ole writer's block. So thank you for this!

    ~ Nicolette


  • sanmdr
    June 14, 2006
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    people who are obssessed with writing... should worry about writer's block ...
    helpful suggestions though... in general ... brought forth with care and consideration ...


  • DawnBaby
    June 14, 2006
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    Excellent

    Excellent! This happens to all of us who write I believe. Nice to have some ideas for what to do when it does happen! Thank you Risen Sun for the great advice and informative write. Very appreciated. Thanks!


  • shadowlyn infinitas
    June 14, 2006
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    fantastic.. this is great advice that i feel like i should go and follow at this very moment, and i'm going to bookmark it because i know i'll need this again. thanks for combining so many great tips, i'm currently suffering from writer's block and this just might do the trick. very good. best wishes!
    ~love-music-darkness


  • MusicName
    June 14, 2006
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    Oohh, nice advice, very helpful.


  • Wistful Muse
    June 14, 2006
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    Informative

    Thanks, I'm actually going through this right now. 1 - I don't set aside the time 2 - I'm waiting for something to hit me and inspire me. I just need to look around and make the time! Thanks.

  • kittywizkas
    June 14, 2006
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    I've had a terrible writers block since somewhere before February. I cant think of anything to write. If I'm ever walking by myself, I think about things that are going on or just anything that comes into my mind and ideas come into my mind but by the time that I have paper or a keyboard, the ideas are gone or I just dont want to put effort into it. I'm trying to get over my writers block and write something beautiful. This column has helped me a little bit. Thanks for writing such a helpful piece.
    Love always
    {K}itty


  • Rejected Freak
    June 14, 2006
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    this was a great collumn my personal cure for writers block:

    "When you have nothing to write about, write about not writing, and break the block"


  • StarEyes
    June 14, 2006
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    how very true!!!!!!!! I have had writers block a few times and boy is it ever frustrating!!!!!!!! But it does pass, and then I can't quit writing!


  • SimpleSarcasm
    June 14, 2006
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    I couldn't agree with you more. I know one thing that helps me and that's to play scrabble. Manipulating words seems to kick my muse into gear. That's just my humble opinion.


  • R S Adams Jr silver member
    June 14, 2006
    Edit | Reply

    supportive

    Good stuff here. There are a couple of other things I do. Wherever I am, in my car, visiting friends, lying in bed, watching TV, I sometimes have a flash or a sudden thought and then it disappears as quick as it came. I always have a paper and pen handy and I write my idea down quickly [otherwise some people can think you are ignoring them] and I go back to it later. That helps me.

    I also only remember my dreams for only a moment, so I have a pen near my bed and as soon as I awake, I write down my dream.

    Thanks for your ideas. I worry a little about this 'writer's block,' because I have never had it, and I am waiting for it to hit.


  • CarCrashHumor
    June 14, 2006
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    great write! im happy someone wrote this!! im definately bookmarking or printing this!!

    =]


  • Xxthe angry gothxX
    June 14, 2006
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    i am so happy that somebody poted something like this because i feel that my poetry keeps on palling, it isnt even funny. its like poeple dont read anything anymore or something in it isnt strong enough or of that sort. i will have to print this out or leave it bookmarked so i read it and keep the tips. THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS!

  • swordtail
    June 14, 2006
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    good syndication, i gotta try these sometime


  • majix
    June 14, 2006
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    Can't think of anything

    I try to use a combination of "Writer's Block" or "I just can't take the time" as great excuses to not write. The "Inspiration" excuse is good too. I save that for not finishing so many of the pieces I actually start.

    Thank goodness! Otherwise, all my time would be spent writing! If I had a new idea, I would be so busy writing, I wouldn't have time to write about it and my hard drive would be filled with hundreds of thousands of pages. It would be impossible to find anything. I'd spend so much time just indexing it all that I would never have time to write.

    Now, I have lots of time. The more I don't write, the more time I have to write. Also, the deep, all consuming, depression I get into as a result of not writing is good for my writer's soul. Maybe someday it will give me something to write about.

    Great article...


  • DarkenedAuras
    June 14, 2006
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    This is excellent in fact I have done 4, 5, and 6 as a matter of fact I worked on one poem for almost a week just adding 2-4 lines at a time being as it was in 4 line stanzas I would get 50% or 100% of a stanza a day I don't have near as much trouble anymore though


  • Your Messiah
    June 14, 2006
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    What a great idea! I had writer's block for about 8 months and it only seemed to end the April that just went buy. Which is wonderful, because lately I've been overflowing with muse. Reading from my favourite poets often helps me when nothing eventful is going on in my life. Though that is rare. A little while ago, I had writer's block and wrote a sonnet about it! Hehehe, this is wonderful and I'll be sure to try some of this next time I'm stuck.

    -Cory
    .x


  • Gone2007
    June 14, 2006
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    Great idea to put this..i think it may have just helped me. Thanks!!

  • CorazonQuebrado6
    June 14, 2006
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    Thanks for this its very helpful in writers block!


  • heather 802
    June 14, 2006
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    This is definately very helpful, I'll remember to try and write something every day Thanks for this, I'm sure it'll come in handy at some point. Take care, Heather x


  • June 14, 2006
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    thanks! i needed that! totally bookmarking this!

  • The Pole Star
    June 10, 2006
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    This is a very nice coloum...U CAN ask for syndication...I think so that it is possible. However I have heard about this disease for the very first time LOL


  • Raazi
    June 8, 2006
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    Sure.


  • kryspin
    June 8, 2006
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    some good tips on how to avoid it, any tips on getting through it? I've got some. I'd like to run this in spindicated's next edition. sound cool?


  • Frodofan silver member
    June 8, 2006
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    Good column, you going to get it syndicated?!

    I can second a lot of these ideas, because I have done them myself and they've broken writer's block. Pushing the limits of forms, taking more notice of things around me, looking up random words in the dictionary, reading poetry, writing random thoughts down. Good job.


  • June 8, 2006
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    Excellent

    This an excellent write , keep up the fantastic work. I will have to keep this write in mind for the next time I get some severe writers block.

    Cheers
    Terry

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