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Writer's block

by WF- Enzo Administrator
16 replies
How often do you have the block?

Chime in.
#block #writer
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Never.
    Anyone who writes regularly gets ideas about subject matter and content as they are writing.

    I just take little notes about an idea (or subject), and file it away. Ideas generate ideas.

    If you are writing a book or article, you can write little prompts at the end of the file, to be used later to expand what you are writing....or to provide ideas for your next project.

    Unless you are a raw beginner, and have not started your first project, there is no reason to have writer's block.

    And now Chat GPT can be used to stimulate ideas or even to start the writing process.
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  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    What we talkin' here is Thinkah's Block.

    You ain't though nuthin', what the hell you sposeda write?

    The only time woids on a page take precedent ovah thoughts in heads is when alla them monkeys tryin' to write out Shakespeah by accident simultaneously don't.

    The blank page has zero magic.

    Less'n you greet it with thunkin', it remains forevah blank.

    Conversely, once you thunk the thought, you can go write it out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    For me, the cure to 'writer's block' is to write - to just start stream of consciousness writing and before long I'm back on topic and know where I'm going.


    The worst thing you can do is sit staring at a blank page and 'waiting for inspiration'....
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      The worst thing you can do is sit staring at a blank page and 'waiting for inspiration'....

      I think most people say they are doing that...because it's a way of saying "I'm a writer...and it's very very hard".

      Another way I avoid hesitancy about what to write about is having a huge library on the subject you are writing about.

      Sometimes, I just pick up a book, flip through the pages, and I get a dozen ideas about what direction to go.

      I think my main solution is....when I'm about to stop writing, I put a few short notes at the end of what I'm writing, to prompt new ideas...and to remember my train of thought when I was writing earlier.

      But staring at a blank page?

      To me, that could only happen if you get ready to write, and have no idea what you are going to write about. And if you have no idea, why are you writing in the first place?

      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      And, once again, Frank goes to the heart of the issue....and slays it....

      As always. And I'm getting a little tired of it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      For me, the cure to 'writer's block' is to write - to just start stream of consciousness writing and before long I'm back on topic and know where I'm going.


      The worst thing you can do is sit staring at a blank page and 'waiting for inspiration'....
      tbh a stream of consciousness beats a stream of vacuousness evry time.

      In a Cashsmaahs of perpetyooly evolvin' flow, that is the neatest evah anchor of WTF.
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    writers block n: a pretentious term generally employed in an attempt to associate a craft with an art.

    Just write.

    Or don't.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    And, once again, Frank goes to the heart of the issue....and slays it....
    Signature
    Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
    ***
    One secret to happiness is to let every situation be
    what it is instead of what you think it should be.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    Mostly never due to the things mentioned above.

    Sometimes my laziness and sorriness kicks in and I don't do the above (just write) but that's not writer's block. That's a mindset, execution, character type "block."

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    There's an easy cure -

    Just type - "I don't have writers block"


    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author max5ty
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      There's an easy cure -

      Just type - "I don't have writers block"


      Steve
      Also to add to that.........

      my mind just went blank.

      But anyways, I have a voice recorder on my phone and usually start by talking out what my letter or article is about. Sometimes I'll be driving down the road yakking away. Seems I can always talk better than I can write. Thankfully all my windows are tinted dark.

      Then when I'm ready to write, I'll open google docs and play the recording and have it transcribe what I yammered on about. Of course, I edit everything...but at least I have something to start with and edit. It usually always gets me started.

      Gordon also talked about this some time ago. It really works and avoids that writer's block.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jamell
    I get writer's block every but there are different methods I use to draw inspiration.

    1 I listen to the radio
    2 Watch a YouTube video
    3 I go in groups and look for post that are getting lots of traction
    4 Comment sections
    5 I look for an old post that needs to be updated
    6 Change my environment
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  • Profile picture of the author RMRC
    I usually just write even if I have a block and can't find the proper words at the time. When I come back to it the next day it always clicks and I know what I was trying to say so I'll update it and go from there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    visit askthepublic.com

    ask chatGPT for ideas

    youtube video search and a look at the titles

    check out Amazon book reviews on the topic and look for pain points

    go into a related Facebook group and see what the peeps are talking about

    so many ideas and more importantly ways to quickly gain relevancy to your audience.

    So for me, no, not often.

    Oh, and another tip... sit at the computer. Put your fingers on the home row.

    Be in the POSITION to write.

    When I'm stuck I check my body and find I'm sitting there with my hands on my lap. Nowhere near the keys where the work is done. I put my fingers back on the home row and writing becomes a lot easier.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    I wasn't sure what to say in this post.

    But fortunately all the above covers it.


    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author max5ty
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      I wasn't sure what to say in this post.

      But fortunately all the above covers it.


      Steve
      I believe that is what is referred to as swiping in the copywriting world.
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  • Profile picture of the author VermillionFilms
    Literally all the time!
    ChatGPT helps a lot - I wouldn't use it for articles or blogs, but just to generate ideas, like "give me 5 great titles for xyz subject" can work great just to get the creative juices flowing again.
    Or just type a subject into Google and see what questions are listed on page one, start an article to answer one or all of them, that can work great!
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