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Writers' Block - Printable Version

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Writers' Block - Parvacake - 11-03-2014

So I'm getting something I haven't gotten in a few years: writers' block. Like, a horrid case of it. I had nonstop RP going for me for a little while and as it started to slow and even out I found myself feeling...burned out? Drained, I guess?

Maybe it was just the overabundance of RP I dabbled in, but as of late the thought of RPing save for maybe a few special cases doesn't interest me. I find myself repeating the same words, phrasing, and not being as descriptive as I once was. I'll resort to a few words of dialogue followed by /shrug or /think or some other emote just for the sake of filling in space.

I was looking back and reading at some of my RP from a few months ago compared to how it is now and the differences are staggering. At the beginning of the summer I was using rich language and descriptors and it felt more like reading a book rather then posts. Since about a month ago it's greatly gone down from there, and I had someone suggest it might be subconsciously tied to my brother's passing (which happened about a month ago) but it doesn't feel like that's it.

Any suggestions? I've tried reading and watching things to help with inspiration, taking breaks, playing other games, and am currently about to start a dual storyline with a friend and our characters for both ourselves and for my FC and hoping that it helps a bit.

If not suggestions, then if you ever had writers' block how did you overcome it?

RE: Writers' Block - Nebbs - 11-03-2014

Sometimes you need to just do other things to let the creative desires come back? 

Personally I find a more random and improvised RP can spark plot lines that you would never have thought of. To do this just RP with others with no plans. Listen to what they say and IC have your character offer some level if help. I find it best to think how you help enable the others RP.

This builds up into many connection over time that have a life of their own. Thnk tapestry rather than a single thread.

Well that's me anyhow.

RE: Writers' Block - Moonlit - 11-03-2014

Oh oh! A topic I can help with. 

A few things to consider:

Do you have a tumblr (or other blog -- but I suggest tumblr and in a moment I'll get to that).

If no:
I strongly suggest you reconsider. Tumblr is rather easy to use and I'm totally all for helping you. However, this is such a firm suggestion because it's amazing for creative juices. Outside of being an RP connector it also allows you to have certain themes on your dash to inspire you.

If yes:
Search for blogs with themes. Things you may want to look into:
-Fashion
-Environmental
-Musical
-Writing (like quotes, etc)

http://writeworld.org/ is glorious for inspiration and is a blog you can follow on tumblr. 

The other good thing about tumblr is that several writing prompts often come up through the community. They can be reblogged as tools for people to ask you questions or for you to answer and write.

Other Links:
{May be NSFW}

Character Questions:
Masterlist (Also a great resource for prompts and advice!): Click me
30 Days of Character Development: Click me
Get to know your characters: Click me


Writing Prompts:
Daily Tumblr: Click Me
Writing Prompts Subreddit (anyone can contribute): Click Me
A site that picks from several preexisting prompts at random: Click Me
A true random generator: Click Me

Character Inspiration Blogs:
Armor: Click Me
Weapons: Click Me

A really important concept with writing block is that often it is not something that just "goes away." More often than not we need to kick ourselves into getting over it. I will listen to piano music in order to try and get into a creative mood. http://www.solopianoradio.com/ is a great link for that. It only plays piano music.

I know people sometimes do timed writing. If your writer's block is really bad you may wish to consider it. You set down a timer. Write everything that comes to your mind, it doesn't matter the context. Example:

You sit down
Set timer for five minutes
You just write for five minutes

Some people do this once daily other every hour. It depends on how much you want to push yourself.

RE: Writers' Block - Parvacake - 11-03-2014

(11-03-2014, 08:36 AM)Moonlit Wrote: Oh oh! A topic I can help with. 

A few things to consider:

Do you have a tumblr (or other blog -- but I suggest tumblr and in a moment I'll get to that).

If no:
I strongly suggest you reconsider. Tumblr is rather easy to use and I'm totally all for helping you. However, this is such a firm suggestion because it's amazing for creative juices. Outside of being an RP connector it also allows you to have certain themes on your dash to inspire you.

If yes:
Search for blogs with themes. Things you may want to look into:
-Fashion
-Environmental
-Musical
-Writing (like quotes, etc)

http://writeworld.org/ is glorious for inspiration and is a blog you can follow on tumblr. 

The other good thing about tumblr is that several writing prompts often come up through the community. They can be reblogged as tools for people to ask you questions or for you to answer and write.

Other Links:
{May be NSFW}

Character Questions:
Masterlist (Also a great resource for prompts and advice!): Click me
30 Days of Character Development: Click me
Get to know your characters: Click me


Writing Prompts:
Daily Tumblr: Click Me
Writing Prompts Subreddit (anyone can contribute): Click Me
A site that picks from several preexisting prompts at random: Click Me
A true random generator: Click Me

Character Inspiration Blogs:
Armor: Click Me
Weapons: Click Me

A really important concept with writing block is that often it is not something that just "goes away."  More often than not we need to kick ourselves into getting over it. I will listen to piano music in order to try and get into a creative mood. http://www.solopianoradio.com/ is a great link for that. It only plays piano music.

I know people sometimes do timed writing. If your writer's block is really bad you may wish to consider it. You set down a timer. Write everything that comes to your mind, it doesn't matter the context. Example:

You sit down
Set timer for five minutes
You just write for five minutes

Some people do this once daily other every hour. It depends on how much you want to push yourself.
 This is all great! I'll spend today looking into it. Though I've always wanted a tumblr and I think started one a while ago but didn't get how to use it.

RE: Writers' Block - Moonlit - 11-03-2014

(11-03-2014, 08:46 AM)Lilithium Wrote:  This is all great! I'll spend today looking into it. Though I've always wanted a tumblr and I think started one a while ago but didn't get how to use it.

You and I shall chit-chat about the wonders of tumblr and how to use it. <3

RE: Writers' Block - Blue - 11-03-2014

Whatever you do, do not think that the way you are RPing now is "bad" or disliked, it's the whole opposite really. I've had moments where someone's overzealous RP emotes (we're talking about four lines of text and up, at the standard chatlog size) made me want to leave or blacklist them, and discussing it with other friends it seems I am not the only one who is bothered by too long descriptions in /em.

Dynamic emotes and phrasing is perfectly acceptable, makes the whole conversation with other roleplayers a little more friendly too in my opinion (I hope I won't get flamed for stating it, it has happened before).

As for how to pass a writer's block, I get it every so often with all the fanfictions I write and my best advice is.. get inspired. If you find yourself unable to write it probably means the project you are on has lost its charm and it's time to move on something new. Start from scratch, take the chance to write that little something you always wanted to but never had the time do to it, and you'll find not only that your writing is back, but that spending time on it will likely also refresh the drive for your other writing projects and give you new ideas for them as well.

Though, of course, this is an advice that applies mostly for actual writing stuff that you can halt and resume at will; I'm not sure it could be applied to roleplaying writer's block (I'll admit I didn't think there could be such a thing). I do know of RP character block though, and the advice for that is generally move your character in a completely different offset or try roll an alt and see how it turns out.

In any case, cheer up. It's nothing bad!

RE: Writers' Block - Parvacake - 11-03-2014

(11-03-2014, 08:50 AM)Blue Wrote: Whatever you do, do not think that the way you are RPing now is "bad" or disliked, it's the whole opposite really. I've had moments where someone's overzealous RP emotes (we're talking about four lines of text and up, at the standard chatlog size) made me want to leave or blacklist them, and discussing it with other friends it seems I am not the only one who is bothered by too long descriptions in /em.

I understand that. Though I should have probably better described that it wasn't so much that my posts were long but that they were just a lot more...alive, I guess is the word for it.

Thanks for the words of encouragement Smile

RE: Writers' Block - Maril - 11-03-2014

(11-03-2014, 08:50 AM)Blue Wrote: Dynamic emotes and phrasing is perfectly acceptable, makes the whole conversation with other roleplayers a little more friendly too in my opinion (I hope I won't get flamed for stating it, it has happened before).

I agree with this, but I find there's a thin line between the right amount and too much. Personally I get a bit "turned off" by the RP if someone for example puts their characters thoughts into emotes, because I like to try and figure out what a character is thinking and such.. That and none of my characters can read minds. In that lieu, sometimes people can end up describing things far too well so you sort of get the same feeling. But probably my biggest "issue" with big and very descriptive emotes is that they take a lot of time to write, which slows down everything, and I consider mmo-rp as being rather fast paced. Having slow emotes is fine when you're just a few people, but have more than 5 and stand about in an environment where people come and go and I've seen people who do these types of emotes falling behind in such a way that they couldn't respond to the persons action (Lets assume it was them saying goodbye) within the expected time for that and thus completely missing it. 

And then there's that part of me that starts to feel like the worst ever roleplayer when my mighty "Long" 5 line emote is dwarfed by 10-lined emotes of pure poetic beauty xD But we don't talk about that :p 

... And to be on-topic: I've nicknamed the fall/winter period as burn-out season, it seems to be somewhat of a tendency that people burn out during this time. It could be for a number of reasons, and figuring out why wont always solve it - For me, I start to struggle with my motivation because I am prone to winter depressions, and it always ends up affecting my RP in some way, as I become a little less pro-active. All I can really say is: Do what you feel like. Read a book, pick up a new hobby (I can recommend knitting), walk about in circles.. But don't forget that RP can sometimes help you get into a better mood as you have fun and such. Getting hooked into a longer running plot can rekindle something you thought you'd forgotten ^^

RE: Writers' Block - OttoVann - 11-03-2014

I can be your hero baby...

I can only write when I want to it sounds like you are giving yourself a deadline. Just hang loose for a while, rp with that new goofy Rose Knight and take it day by day

RE: Writers' Block - Coatleque - 11-03-2014

I can sympathize with Writer's Block. I have it all the time. I think in my case, though, it's more of an issue of me being easily distracted by scrolling OOC stuff.

RE: Writers' Block - Askier - 11-03-2014

I've found the best cure for writer's block, least for me, is just going on a walk or run. It gets the blood flowing and supplies the brain with increased oxygen, which helps your brain come up with creative juices you need to rp.

Plus it pulls you back and out and let's you think at different angle. Plus its proven that every time you enter a new room or go through a door way, your thought patterns change, hence why people sometimes walk into a room and forget why they went in.  Lol.

RE: Writers' Block - Throm - 11-03-2014

I can sympathize 100% on this one.  While sometimes time itself is all that's needed to clear the block for me, I've found the ADD approach works the best.  I'll write up something completely different.  Perhaps about a different alt, perhaps even a different genre tangent all together that will help me drum up something that will provide an exciting twist for the story that's suffering block.
And in the end I've been fortunate enough to have met folks along the way that I can bounce stories off of, and who in turn feed me story content that inspires me to try and meet their creativity.

RE: Writers' Block - Kellach Woods - 11-03-2014

I am gonna steal these tumblr writing prompts I think. I sorely need something to get my ass back in the game.

RE: Writers' Block - Parvacake - 11-03-2014

(11-03-2014, 12:04 PM)Askier Wrote: I've found the best cure for writer's block, least for me, is just going on a walk or run. It gets the blood flowing and supplies the brain with increased oxygen, which helps your brain come up with creative juices you need to rp.

Plus it pulls you back and out and let's you think at different angle. Plus its proven that every time you enter a new room or go through a door way, your thought patterns change, hence why people sometimes walk into a room and forget why they went in.  Lol.

So that's why I never remember why I went into the kitchen...lol