How Do You Avoid WRITER'S BLOCK? (Rick Bragg Should Learn This)

Self | May 28, 2003 | PJ-Comix

[PJ-Comix]

I am posting this thread because I am CONVINCED that Rick Bragg made use of interns to write the major portions of his articles because he suffered from the VERY COMMON plague of Writer's Block. Too bad Mr. Bragg didn't consult YOURS TRULY before he made way too much use of intern services (not in the Bill Clinton sense).

I too once suffered TERRIBLY from Writer's Block and with HUNDREDS of my articles posted both on the Net and Off, it is safe to say that I know how to AVOID writer's block (I use "avoid" rather than "overcome" for a specific reason). Yes, I once suffered so badly from Writer's Block that MONTHS would go by between my articles. It was KILLING me and therefore learning to avoid writer's block became an absolute OBSESSION with me.

Therefore I undertook a careful study of this ailment (which ALL writer's suffer from) and learned how to "avoid" (not "overcome" which is impossible) Writer's Block. Some of my techniques are so SIMPLE that you would think I was kidding you if I prescribed them. Other techniques are how to learn to relax. Still others remedies are a mere understanding of the relation of writing to language.

One big problem is that many people try to write when they are TIRED. Big mistake. Best thing to do when you are tired is to SLEEP. If you try to write while tired you merely REINFORCE your writer's block.

With the NY Times scandal I see that one angle about it that hasn't been sufficiently analyzed is the WRITER'S BLOCK factor. Yes, there were many other reasons for the scandal but I believe at the base is the problem of WRITER'S BLOCK.

Jayson Blair didn't trust his own abilities so he faked stories. Rick Bragg didn't have time (more likely he suffered from Writer's Block) so he had interns fill in for him.

I don't want to BRAGG (pun intended) but if you look my stuff up on the search engine I doubt if you could find many people more prolific than YOURS TRULY. At one point I was even writing THREE articles per day (During the "Write For Cash" Days) on a variety of topics from the History of Pizza Pie to Medical Properties of the Blood of Horseshoe Crabs to the cargo of the HMS Bounty. If you would have told me this back when I went MONTHS between articles I would have thought you were crazy.

Oh, and if you do suffer from Writer's Block (not really "if" since ALL writer's do), the good news is that it can be EASILY overcome. I went through a LOT of trial and error to learn my techniques for overcoming this condition.

[PJ-Comix]

Anybody out there suffer terribly from Writer's Block? Welcome to the Club. We all get that ailment. And, yes, I still suffer from Writer's Block but I have learned how to AVOID it.

[PJ-Comix]

FYI

[2ndMostConservativeBrdMember]

You haven't slept in a while, have you? :o)

[PJ-Comix]

Believe it or not I sort of slept-wrote an article recently. I was starting to write an article around 8 PM and soon fell asleep on the couch with the TV on. I then woke up after midnight, pissed off at myself for losing valuable time on the article. However, when I looked at my yellow legal writing pad, I had over 20 pages written down even though I don't conciously remember writing more than a couple of pages. All I had to do was add a few paragraphs the next day to finish up the article and then I actually cut about 700 words from it. It was like I wrote it in my sleep. However, that is rare (actually it was the first time that happened). Best is to SLEEP when you feel tired since trying to write when tired is almost impossible.

[diamond6]

Do you have any other tips on how to avoid writers block. I have been trying to write a book for the longest time and it gets very discouraging when nothing comes to mind. Your help is very much appreciated.

[Larry Lucido]

One big problem is that many people try to write when they are TIRED. Big mistake.

I'd reply, but I can't think of anything to say. Time for bed, I guess.

[PJ-Comix]

Here are some articles from my "Write-For-Cash" days. Actually there are even more articles that I wrote than are indicated on the search engine since I didn't find out until I was halfway into that program that you could include your name in those articles:

HORSESHOE CRAB'S MIRACLE BLOOD

IMPACT OF THE P-51 MUSTANG ON WWII

IMPACT OF SHAY'S REBELLION ON THE CONSTITUTION

TOLEDO WAR

THE AMAZING TEXAS LONGHORN CATTLE BREED

[2ndMostConservativeBrdMember]

Are there 2 kinds of writers block? You know, the kind where you can't write at all and the kind where you can't write anything interesting?

oh oh

I think I have the second kind now!!!!!!!

[2ndMostConservativeBrdMember]

I think horseshoe crabs are rather tasty. If I eat a lot of them, will my blood be really pure or will it only effect my intentions?

[PJ-Comix]

Do you have any other tips on how to avoid writers block. I have been trying to write a book for the longest time and it gets very discouraging when nothing comes to mind. Your help is very much appreciated.

Good question. Actually avoiding writer's block when writing a book takes a different technique than writing an article. I once wrote a political/satirical/sci-fi novel called "Medfly" (alas never published). At first I had EXTREME problems writing it.... Until I realized that you don't really write a book when you write a book. Get the notion of an ENTIRE book out of your mind. Instead, write a chapter at a time. Put your energy ONLY into the current chapter you are working on.

I found that getting myself into the same physical routine every day helped a lot. I used to go spearfishing in the Kelp Beds in Malibu. I totally relaxed my mind and concentrated ONLY on the spearfishing. Of course, I would tell myself that my subconcious mind would work on the CHAPTER while I was spearfishing. It worked like a charm. Once I got myself into that routine, it became easier and easier to write each succeeding chapter (remember you ONLY writer chapters---not a book). Pick a physical routine that you find enjoyable and stick to it. And tell yourself that your subconcious mind will work on the chapters while you have fun and relax. It really does work.

Oh, and if for some reason you still have difficulty. Then WRITE to friends and relatives about what you are doing. It doesn't even matter what you say but WRITE lots of postcards and letters to them EVERY DAY. Why? Because it sort of "unrusts" your mind to do the simple exercise of writing. It doesn't matter what kind of writing as long as you WRITE anything. So you might as well write to friends and relatives. Believe me, that works incredibly well. However, remember the SPECIFIC advice I gave you for writing your book---Oops! I mean chapters.

[oprahstheantichrist]

Writers block is why I never graduated from college. Couldn't do the term papers. I just sat there for days in mental anguish.

Okay, don't keep us in suspense. Other than not being tired, how is it so "EASILY overcome?"

[oprahstheantichrist]

Writers block is why I never graduated from college. Couldn't do the term papers. I just sat there for days in mental anguish.

Okay, don't keep us in suspense. Other than not being tired, how is it so "EASILY overcome?"

[Cicero]

I have two solutions to writer's block.

One is to have something even more unpleasant that you are trying to avoid doing. For instance, nothing drives you to the word processor faster than a big pile of student papers that need correcting.

The other, which I use more consistently, is simply to sit down and start writing. Then revise, and revise, and revise.

In this way I've written six books, maybe a hundred scholarly articles, and I don't know how many reviews.

I tell my PhD students not to do too much research before they start writing. They can always go back and add or change things. If you spend too much time thinking and researching, it paralyzes you.

Anthony Trollope put in a certain number of hours every day. If he finished a novel before the allotted time was up, he pulled out another sheet of paper and started the next novel. And they are GOOD.

[PJ-Comix]

You need to let your subconcious mind write your stories. I never do anything with my concious mind except gather the info and write the notes. Then I let my subconcious mind collate the information and the story just flows. BTW, I find it easier to write it all out longhand and then type it up later. And when I am writing it in longhand, I am only dimly aware of what I am doing. I basically lose track of time. You know your subconcious is working when you think only 15 minutes went by and then discover it is two hours later.

[PJ-Comix]

Do you have any other tips on how to avoid writers block. I have been trying to write a book for the longest time and it gets very discouraging when nothing comes to mind. Your help is very much appreciated.

Check my replies. I am giving you SPECIFIC answers (although I am still only scratching the surface since the topic of avoiding Writer's Block is vast). I remember I once helped a woman almost INSTANTLY overcome Writer's Block when she told me how hard it is to put words on paper. So I told her it is a lot easier than INSTANTLY knowing how to use verbs and modify nouns. She looked at me quizzically and I explained that is what she is doing when she is talking. Then I told her she has all the time in the world to do the same thing on paper. Just think of yourself as "talking" in print. The light went on in her eyes and no more Writer's Block at that time (although she and all of us will still get it). Remember, the trick isn't to FIGHT writer's block. It is how to AVOID it.

[2ndMostConservativeBrdMember]

When will my Italian Charm Bracelet arrive?

[IncPen]

I'm a writer, editor, director, producer, designer and illustrator (among other things).

My observation is that, when it happens, I'm blocked because I have too many options. For me it's never been about coming up with an idea- I have millions. It's about knocking them down to a usable- and appropriate- number and getting on with it.

That said, your 'free the mind' technique has worked for me (what do you mean we're going for a boat ride!? We're on deadline!).

Another thing I do is to tell myself, just before I start, "Home run... Knock it out of the park". I visualize a home run, or a complete success. Believe it or not, the best responses I've ever gotten to my work has been after using this technique.

[PJ-Comix]

Writers block is why I never graduated from college. Couldn't do the term papers. I just sat there for days in mental anguish.

Too bad. I could have gotten you through college. I would have told you to write write write about your daily esperiences in letters and postcards to friends and relatives. No less than 5 per day. I guarantee that would have "keyed" your mind up and overcome your writer's block. Oh, and DON'T let your concious mind write the stories. All your concious mind needs to do is the research and make the notes. Your subconcious mind WILL write the stories.

BTW, I took a writing course in college and it was a horrible experience for me. Most of the time I just looked at a blank page wondering what to write. I didn't know the techniques back then.

[Cvengr]

Best way I've found is simply to read what the Clintons get away with and did while in office. There will be no shortage of verbosity again.

[PJ-Comix]

I'm blocked because I have too many options.

Write down note of ONLY the info you plan to use. When you finish the story, cross off the notes you have used and add in the ones you haven't.