I’m really sorry to hear that you’re struggling! I’ve definitely
been in the same place, and while I’m not sure my methods for handling writer’s
block are always the best, I’ll try my best to give some advice!
It depends on how *intense* the block is, but when it comes to
smaller hurdles (for instance, you know exactly what you want to say, the words
just aren’t flowing the way you want them to), I try to take a break. As
begrudged as I am to say it, exercise is a great way to get the blood flowing
to your brain. Even just going for a short walk can help to clear out the
cobwebs. Also (and this may just be me) I like to take naps. That being said, I
probably nap more than the average human, so this might not always work. But if
my brain is tired, it can be very refreshing!
With
all that being said, honestly, the best way to get past a block is just to…
write. Even if it sounds terrible. Even if you hate it. Just do it – you can
always come back to it later and edit vigorously. But sometimes the only thing stopping
you from writing what you want is your mentality. So often, I let myself
think “nah, today isn’t a writing day, I’ll try again tomorrow” when I
could probably just push through and manage something if I tried. So even if you
hate what you’re putting on the page, just writing in itself can get you into
the write mindset.
When it comes to longer blocks (or longer fics that you just no
longer have the motivation for), it’s a bit of a different story.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure my advice is the best, since the only long fic I’ve
struggled with, I ended up putting on a semi-permanent hiatus. But the best
advice I can probably give, is just to keep chipping away at it. Even if you
only write a couple of sentences a day, it can help get your mind back into the
zone. If you’re finding the writing itself a little too daunting, sometimes it
can be good just to write out a few planning sentences (or even random
sentences that don’t fit in anywhere, but you might use later. I do this all
the time). All this being said, if there’s a longer fic you’re really not
feeling the motivation for anymore – don’t force yourself to keep going.
Sometimes it can be best to leave it behind, and start on something fresh. I’m
terrible at stopping myself from rolling with every new idea I come up with,
but a change of pace can be good if you feel like you’re stuck. You can always
come back to your older fic later!
But always remember that breaks are important. Especially when
it comes to longer fics. I myself am not very good at taking breaks. I tend
just to write until I completely burn myself out, but I think I’m improving.
Anyway, this got a bit long, but I hope it was helpful! And I
hope you feel better soon!
(The irony of this, is that I
decided to write a mini essay to answer this ask instead of actually writing my
fic.)
Dragon Blog 