Cintia
asked
Eileen Richards:
Hi, my name is Cintia and I'm from Argentina. Being a writer is what I want the most in this world, nothing makes me happier than writing, but I'm more and more frustrated with each passing day, because I've been blocked for 3 years. And it is not that I have an unfinished story. I have NOTHING AT ALL. A blank page in front of me, that only makes me sadder... Is there a way to overcome this? How do you handle it?
Eileen Richards
Cintia,
Nice to meet you! Nothing is more frustrating than having all these stories in your head and not be able to get past the blank page. Trust me, anyone who writes has been there.
Here is what I do:
1) Read. I read my favorite stories over and over again. They are old friends and remind me why I want to tell stories. I read writing craft books to figure out what's blocking me and how I can improve.
2) Journal: I will buy a brand new notebook, grab a pen and just make notes about what's in my head. It could be why I feel sad or inadequate. It could be character sketches or plot notes. Eventually whole scenes emerge.
3) Write everyday. Put words on the page. It might be crap but you can edit. Do a rough outline of what you need to write for this scene and just start typing or writing. This is hard. It takes practice. But you cannot edit a blank page. Sometimes writing with pen and paper help break the block.
4) Do not give up. It took me 7 years and many manuscripts to finally get published. It took a lot longer to get the nerve up to submit my work.
Being able to tell a story is a gift and a talent and is so worth it. Develop good writing habits so that you can write through the down moments of life. Channel this frustration and sadness into a character. It's a good strong emotion.
Please let me know how you are doing and if this was helpful. I hope one day to read YOUR stories.
Eileen
Nice to meet you! Nothing is more frustrating than having all these stories in your head and not be able to get past the blank page. Trust me, anyone who writes has been there.
Here is what I do:
1) Read. I read my favorite stories over and over again. They are old friends and remind me why I want to tell stories. I read writing craft books to figure out what's blocking me and how I can improve.
2) Journal: I will buy a brand new notebook, grab a pen and just make notes about what's in my head. It could be why I feel sad or inadequate. It could be character sketches or plot notes. Eventually whole scenes emerge.
3) Write everyday. Put words on the page. It might be crap but you can edit. Do a rough outline of what you need to write for this scene and just start typing or writing. This is hard. It takes practice. But you cannot edit a blank page. Sometimes writing with pen and paper help break the block.
4) Do not give up. It took me 7 years and many manuscripts to finally get published. It took a lot longer to get the nerve up to submit my work.
Being able to tell a story is a gift and a talent and is so worth it. Develop good writing habits so that you can write through the down moments of life. Channel this frustration and sadness into a character. It's a good strong emotion.
Please let me know how you are doing and if this was helpful. I hope one day to read YOUR stories.
Eileen
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