Writer’s block is to writers what pneumonia is to your average Joe. It’s deadly and nobody wants it. But one can try exercises that will help to force the creative juices. Here we will discuss what you can do to overcome writer’s block.
Writing Exercises
Grab a pen and some paper. These you will need to jot down notes. Then use a laptop or whatever medium you use to actually write. Then present yourself with these two scenarios:
- Prior to the age of sixteen, describe a time when you tried to do a good deed, but it backfired miserably.
- Prior to the age of sixteen, describe a time when someone in a position of authority and/or trust let you down.
Consider one or both of those situations and write a few hundred words about each. To do so, you might have to reach back a little. Some peoples’ memories are better than that of others. But we all have a past and a real life. And truly real life can be more interesting than fiction. That is not to say that you should write a story entirely from those experiences. You can fictionalize them. You can take the important points in the story and dramatize them. What matters is the story’s core principal.
Writing About Real Life Experiences
One reason why these exercises work is because it forces you to consider situations that many people have faced. For example, you might write about a terrible mistake that you made trying to do that good deed. People will be able to relate to that. Your story needn’t be about someone younger than sixteen. But readers will understand the character. Because you had good intentions, the story becomes more complex. Also, you can take the principal of the story and mold it into anything you want.
The second question is significant because a reader will relate to how it feels to be let down. Also, they will be likely to consider times when they have let someone else down. Much like the first exercise, you can take the core principal and mold it into anything you want. Questions like these help to create sympathetic characters in complex situations. And, because you are basing the story on a real situation, it will be more believable and more interesting.
Overcoming Writer's Block
However you answer these questions, make sure you write the story right away. It only needs to be a few hundred words. Then take those few hundred words, consider the story’s potential, and get cracking on the story you intend for it to be. Good luck!
Derek Clendening - I'm a freelance writer and have combined writing with my love of football. I'm very opinionated about football, which you can learn more ...
