What can we as writers do if we feel stuck?

[Guest]

PLZ.. What can we as writers do if we feel stuck?

[James]

So I learned there's no such thing as writer's block if you let yourself do horrible writing. Let it turn out differently than what you expect, just get the story down in writing, you'll edit it later. "Trouble is, you can't edit a blank page." --Neil Gaiman

You can also stop writing and do something else for a while so that you start daydreaming & stuff, your subconscious will sometimes come up with something

[Grace]

Several of the comments above made me laugh, but most are excellent suggestions! When I get stumped, I take a break and do something else (housework, laundry, a walk or bike ride, or paint, etc.) and then come back later to try again. Often ideas come to me while I’m doing something else, and then I’m ready to tackle on my writing again. Sometimes I just curl up and read. Sometimes I work on a different chapter and later come back to the current chapter, or work on structuring or outlining. Sometimes I find my mind just too full of ideas, information, characters, etc…that I just need to disconnect and relax my brain by watching a comedy movie or TV show. Laughter can really restore your mood and gets rid of the anxiety or frustrations you’re feeling with your writing. Best of luck to you!

[Chris]

I read more. I read authors whose ability kicks my ass. This eventually inspires me to at least try. But I never read too much of a brilliant author, as my prose ends up sounding like theirs.

[Milton]

Just because you want to write doesn't mean you have something to say. Writer's block is a polite way to say that the person has nothing to say. I write only when I know that I have a high probability of what I write will be published. When it comes out of me, it usually comes out whole which means that it fomented inside until it was ready to be written. That doesn't mean that I will not need to spend far more time editing and polishing it than writing it.

What comes out is a complete idea, not a polished piece of writing. I have written only four books in my life but all of them were traditionally published with a single query each. I have written and had published hundreds of shorter pieces. I don't write just so I can look like a writer. I am not a writer. I have a career I love but writing is an adjunct to that career, and I have found success when I do write.

[Clara]

One of my friends got stuck with her story for weeks (months) and she pushed forward by skipping from one scene to the next. She wrote what she could write, and then linked it all back together. Apparently that worked well for her.

[Aaron]

You could use a system like frase (and many others) and simply click the write button and let AI continue. It may not be what you want exactly, but it may help, and then if you don't like it, tell it to redo it.

[Chioma]

Take a break.
One thing I learned is that you can't perfectly write exactly the same way you started. Once you notice you're getting to a stage of burning out, take a break. Then renew your writing goals and start on a clean slate with a new/different outlook/perspective

[JoAnn]

Read a book that interest you, go to a new location and look around and write down what you see. Just start writing things down on paper that interest you. Go to a mall or shopping center and take the time to described different folks you see as the push pass you going to different locations themselves. Go into a park or woods of some kind, and allow your words to show yourself what nature has for you to see and hear.

[Eleanore]

Just keep writing even if what you're writing doesn't seem to make sense anymore. Write until you feel you've exhausted the possibilities. Then, go back and read what you've written down one day later. You will be pleasantly surprised that some of your ideas from that session will be interesting.