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Writer's Block. It sounds like a fearsome condition, a creative blockage. The end of invention. But what is it, really?
Part of why Writer's Block sounds so dreadful and insurmountable is the fact that nobody ever takes it apart. People lump several different types of creative problems like writer's block into one broad category. In fact, there's no such thing as " Writer's Block " and treating a broad range of creative slowdowns as a single ailment just creates something monolithic and huge. Each type of creative slowdown has a different cause — and thus, a different solution.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the terrifying mystique of Writer's Block, it's better to take it apart and understand it — and then conquer it. Here are 10 types of Writer's Block and how to overcome each type.
You can't come up with an idea.This is the kind of writer's block where you literally have a blank page and you keep typing and erasing, or just staring at the screen until Angry Birds calls to you. You literally can't even get started because you have no clue what to write about, or what story you want to tell. You're stopped before you even start.
There are two pieces of good news for anyone dealing with writer's block : 1) Ideas are dime a dozen, and it's not that hard to get the idea pump primed. Execution is harder — of which more in a minute. 2) This is the kind of creative stoppage where all of the typical "do a writing exercise"-type stuff actually works. Do a ton of exercises to overcome writer's block, in fact. Try imagining what it would be like if a major incident in your life had turned out way differently. Try writing some fanfic, just to use existing characters as "training wheels." Try writing a scene where someone dies and someone else falls in love, even if it doesn't turn into a story. Think of something or someone that pisses you off, and write a totally mean satire or character assassination. (You'll revise it later, so don't worry about writing something libelous at this stage.) Etc. etc. This is the easiest problem to solve writer's block.
You have a ton of ideas but can't commit to any of them, and they all peter out.
Now this is slightly harder. Even this problem can take a few different forms — there's the ideas that you lose interest in after a few paragraphs, and then there's the idea that you thought was a novel, but it's actually a short story.
You have an outline but you can't get through this one part of it.Some writers work really well with an outline, some don't. For some writers, the point of having an outline is to have a road to drive off, a straight line to deviate from as far as possible. Plus, every project is different — even if you're an outline fan usually, there's always the possibility that you need to grope in the dark for this one particular story.
Actually, there are two different reasons you could be getting stuck:1) Your outline has a major flaw and you just won't admit it. You can't get from A to C, because B makes no sense. The characters won't do the things that B requires them to do, without breaking character. Or the logic of the story just won't work with B. If this is the case, you already know it, and it's just a matter of attacking your outline with a hacksaw.2) Your outline is basically fine, but there's a part that you can't get past. Because it's boring, or because you just can't quite see how to get from one narrative peak to the next. You have two cool moments, and you can't figure out how to get from one cool bit to the other.You're stuck in the middle and have no idea what happens next.
Sort of the opposite of problem #3. Either you don't have an outline, or you ditched it a while back. Actually, here's what seems to happen a lot - you were on a roll the day before, and you wrote a whole lot of promising developments and clever bits of business. And then you open your Word document today, and... you have no idea where this is going. You thought you left things in a great place to pick up the ball and keep running, and now you can't even see the next step.
You can specify a custom time of writing, regardless of the quality of the writing that is produced, and the allocation of free time to write or write thoughts, and challenge the negative thoughts that haunt the writer regarding the level of his writings and his abilities with the practice of some exercises on writing. And take a break, go out for a walk fresh air tattoo. And stop writing for a day or two and then come back to it again.
Most often these tips to succeed in overcoming the block, but in all cases, the writer must not panic and only stretched with this crisis for a long time, as happened with Henry Roth
No....not at all................unless the depression has a huge biochemical cause and may lead you to do something unwholesome! Russia's best literature was written before Bolshevik revolution.
which were depressing times. Dostoevsky's "Notes from the underground - a masterpiece - was written during his stay in the death row cell at a very young age.....
Depression comes and goes but writing shouldn't stop!
The best writers I find, are the ones that can channel any form of emotion into their work. Depression doesn't necessarily need to lead to a writer's block, but in turn, taking or exploring another direction you haven't thought to before. All forms of perspective are important to consider, and if you challenge the depression by turning it into creativity it will surprise you with the outcome in writing.
In addition to the answers I would like to add that this depends on:
1. What type of writing you are doing
2. Your personality; If you can stay neutral
Thank You
One way to battle depression is to write. Writing allows you to think of ways to create a story and you do not think about being depressed. Even if you write sentences to work with in your writing; you mind is on something creative, You become more involved in your writing and you will soon feel less depressed.
Actually, the condition known as "writer's block" is the outcome of some unfavorable factors which are non conducive to create organized words. You may take a pause to get refresh but long gap will detract you and you will not be able to accomplish your master piece.
To get on track, you should read your work over and over again until you feel new energy, new ideas and new enthusiasm to complete your unfinished task. It will give you pleasure and a better vision for your ongoing work.
Yes,depression affects the writer block. The writer keep away from writing until he is feeling better. If he is depressed he can not concentrate on his work
May you can write painful writings which may touch hearts of others.......not very sure....thanks.
Depression may or may not create a writer's block; it all depends upon the kind of writer you are and what the conditions of depression are, like, severe depression or just a mild one. I believe, in severe depressive mood one doesn't even feel to write, or do anything. But mild depression may provide you even creative ideas and more imaginative thinking, though the thoughts may be depressive but you can put them to creative use. Many famous writers suffered from depressive tendencies and they wrote well. Virginia Woolf was always disturbed; Edgar Alan Poe had always dark thoughts; Ezra Pound slipped into depression now and then, and so on. To put it in other words, creative writers are a little weird people, you may call them cynics or sometimes depressed or, even slightly abnormal, but that is what is needed to produce something different. So, depression can be put to better use, and one should not stay away from writing in depressive moods.
