Saturday, October 27, 2012

Writer's Block

Hi, guys! So, first of all, I got interviewed by the wonderful Patrice Cadwell this week! Check it out here.

So anyway, I have writer's block a lot. Like, seriously. A lot. Usually when a) I'm feeling lazier than usual, b) I'm Twitterpated, or c) I don't understand a character's emotions. So, like, 58.23% of the time.

Writing is about translating emotions into words. And it's hard. Sometimes, you just don't connect with your characters. You don't understand what they're going through. You just have a picture of your main character in your head, standing on a cliff and looking out at an endless sea called Mourning. You can see the wind shoving her hair into her eyes, and you can see the way she digs her fingernails into her palms and pretends that she's okay with being lonely. But the words don't come. Because seriously, what is she really feeling? What is she thinking? Why is she so afraid to cry?

So, when I have writer's block, I play piano. More specifically, I write music for my manuscripts. I think I've mentioned this briefly in other places, but I've always been too lazy/awkward/shy to put anything I've written on the wonderfully wondrous web. I wrote the following YouTube clip while I was revising my newest manuscript, tentatively titled BENEATH THE DISQUIET STAR, and honestly, it helped me me fix like, three plot holes.


So, how about you guys? How do you get over writer's block? 

5 comments:

  1. I find something fun, usually the internet, and rule that I can't do it until I've done a set amount. That usually motivates me enough to get over it. I wrote the entire first draft of my novel in three months by not having 'recreational' internet until I'd written my daily 1000 words. Didn't miss a day.

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  2. That song was absolutely gorgeous!!! You wrote that?! You're so talented! I couldn't write music like that if my life depended on it. :)

    Writer's block is hard for me. It's a lot becaus I lose enthusiasm for my book. I get bored with it. Which is never a good sign, I guess. :)

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  3. Your. Song. I just love it. How is it fair that you can write with words *and* with music? You are gifted.

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  4. Wow, that is a beautiful and amazing song!! The same style of music I play when I'm on the piano. I write books, play music, but can't manage to combine them. Good for you for sharing it!

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  5. You are so talented, Amy! That was beautiful!
    Whenever I get blocked, I doodle to music. That solves most problems I have. :)
    Olivia

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