Overcoming Writer’s Block (1)
You stare glassy eyed at the computer screen or blank page – nothing’s happening. No inspiration, not even a hint of a plot or a hint that just won’t gel into a full blooded story. So what to do?
Freewriting is one way out. Write for five or ten minutes on anything and see what happens. I’ve not written a new story for years, got some ideas but that’s all but here I’ll start as if I’ve no ideas. I’ll write very quickly with very little critical thought and no censorship.
What is a story, it’s an event or a series of events a plot or series of plots where various characters interact with ech other and with what’s going on in the world. So how does that help me? Hmm well lets think of a character. He’s someone with a quick temper so obvioulsy now I have to find a situation where he flies off the handle. How? Animal, veg or mineral? Animal. A dog that follows him around for no apparent reason so he turns on it and tries to kick it the dog runs off yelping. Hmm not really much of a story there but what if dog owned by a woman who tells man off? Again not going anywhere but what if he suddenly fancies this woman? Dog comes back and man pats dog with fake affection whilst keeping his temper under control. Do we need his temper? Yeh cos otherwise a very cliche romantic situation. I’m stalling now. Dog, woman, man, temper. Dog does not like man so endeavours to get on man’s nerves so much that woman realises that man is not going to change his temper so leaves him. Hardly an exciting ending. Am stalling again. Blokced. What next? Write story from dog’s POV. Maybe too cute. Turns out dog is NOT owned by woman and dog inadvertently brings man and woman together. End of story with dog going into dog’s home? Better twist there.
Ok not much happened in above and I forgot to time myself but probably about five minutes. However something was beginning to shape up at the end of the piece. It could easily trigger off a change in direction for the plot. Title? A Dog and His Man or A Dog’s Best Friend.
The whole point is to get the juices going even if it’s only a tiny trickle.