Screenwriting : Ye Olde Writer's Block by Cheryl Allen

Cheryl Allen

Ye Olde Writer's Block

Uggh, OK, so what if your ability to write is tied to pathos and you find yourself, to the discredit of your creativity, in an unprecedented place of happiness? Certainly there is something between Sylvia Plath and crickets in the head? What do YOU do to bust up writer's block?

Kody Chamberlain

Write, and it goes away. Every single time.

Eric Christopherson

All you need is bum glue and a chair. Or as Jack London once put it: "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."

Mark Mccoy

my book of thoughts

Anthony Moore

Re-read what you've written, figure out the least likely thing that could possibly happen on the next page, write it down, work from there.

Bill Hartin

While writing my feature-length screenplay, LAUDERDALE, I stalled at the dreaded midpoint. I knew my ending and could see it but the path there was just boring, calm waters. So I put it aside and wrote a short script about my dilemma titled, THE WRITER'S MUSE, which I produced and directed and it won for best short film in a local film festival.

Doing so blew out the cobwebs blocking LAUDERDALE's tortuous path to FADE OUT. Not sure it will work for you but who knows...?

Iris M Mora

Write something else. Write something completely different and that will give you the time for your brain to come up with something related to the previous story. Then you can go back. Two stories for the “price” of one. I write poetry in between. It has helped me every single time.

Chad Stroman

I've hit it a few times. What I do (that might not be the best options) in no particular order:

Start another project that I have on deck.

Watch films in the same genre not to copy but for triggered inspiration.

Watch obscure films or old classic films.

Read professional produced screenplays

Read amateur non-produced screenplays

Read a book on screenwriting, story, plot, character, etc.

Read a book specifically on breaking writer's block.

I've never had to do all of the items above but usually engaging in one of the above takes my mind off of the "block" and gets the frozen gears freed up and moving again. Then I go back, re-read what I was working on from the beginning and attempt to do so with a fresh set of eyes.

Hope it helps.

James Drago

Chad and Iris, I agree. Write something else. Also DO something else. Get out. Clear your mind. Live outside the writing world for a minute.

Litho Freeman

I agree with Anthony, write your outline, re-write your outline and dive more into the idea of the scene, character, and theme. In my experiences I've been able to understand or add a bit more to the story when i feel like i cant write......Now if your past that point and already writing your dialogue, I would say take a nap, or soak in a bath, be still until the next line comes to you.

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