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Post by ironfox on Dec 20, 2010 22:59:40 GMT -5
Lately I've been having a hard time with my writing, gaming, art, pretty much anything having to do with creativity. Writers block I suppose. I just don't like anything I come up with. Which is unusual because I'm my biggest fan!
I typically like my concepts, even though lately those too have been feeling dry and boring to me, but it's when I start writing those concepts down that I'm just done with them.
This won't do.
I'm trying to start a writing career soon, I'm nearly through with school, so I'm going to have to find a way to keep that writing energy flowing.
Any suggestions? How do some of you keep the juices flowing?
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 20, 2010 23:12:13 GMT -5
I'm guessing you've heard this before, but don't try to force it. If you're feeling uncreative, go read a book or watch a movie or whatever else you enjoy doing. Clean your house, wash dishes, etc. Inspiration tends to strike when you're not looking for it.
Another thing I'd note, and please don't take this as an insult, is that if you typically think your stuff is good, that's a problem. All of the best writers I know are highly critical of their best work. This sense that it could be better is a driving force for writers (and the reason so many of us are depressive sorts)
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Post by ironfox on Dec 20, 2010 23:52:17 GMT -5
No offense taken there WK. I'm a big fan of my ideas, otherwise I couldn't bring myself to writing them, but critical of their execution.
And thanks for the tip. I have heard that and even suggested it a time or two but sometimes you need some of your own advice.
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Post by takewithfood on Dec 21, 2010 8:25:27 GMT -5
That sounds like the right mindset. I look at J.K. Rowling as a great example of someone who completely geeked out on their own fantasy world, and I think it really helped her writing and creativity. She was in touch with her audience because she was her own audience. So keep that up.
As for getting over writer's block, the only thing I've ever done that really helps is to first find a way to take the pressure off and get away from the keyboard for a while, and in the meantime, I try to do things I don't normally do. Break some routines, watch movies you ordinarily wouldn't like (even if you probably still won't like them), listen to music you don't usually listen to, go hang out with a friend you haven't seen in too long, go to a different grocery store, eat something new, etc. I think new experiences, even if you hate them, help get your brain out of a rutt.
Often the most helpful exercise of this sort for me is to read a truly terrible book, or sometimes watching a really poorly written/directed movie, and usually at the end of a break from writing. I think it forces my brain to think about how I would do it differently, which gets the gears turning again.
I have no idea if any of that works for other people, but it's worth a try, maybe?
Best of luck, at any rate!
~TWF
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 21, 2010 8:30:25 GMT -5
No offense taken there WK. I'm a big fan of my ideas, otherwise I couldn't bring myself to writing them, but critical of their execution. Ah, yeah, thats pretty common and healthy I think. If you don't like your own ideas, you don't have much to work with from the start. |
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Post by Manah on Dec 21, 2010 10:01:55 GMT -5
Indeed. But yeah, what WK says. I usually get my best inspirations while I'm putting apples on a table in a supermarket as part of a job... so, yeah. Doing something unrelated and not thinking about it for a while does get creative potential working.
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Post by spook on Dec 21, 2010 14:55:31 GMT -5
Walking. Or doing other stuff that keeps your body busy, but lets the mind wander. All that fresh air is supposed be good for your brain.  |
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 21, 2010 15:55:48 GMT -5
Walking. Or doing other stuff that keeps your body busy, but lets the mind wander. All that fresh air is supposed be good for your brain. Unless you live in Detroit (or other heavily industrialized area). Then "fresh" air is bad for your... everything. |
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Post by Jet on Dec 21, 2010 16:57:31 GMT -5
Where can you find "fresh" air in Detroid?
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 21, 2010 17:05:34 GMT -5
Where can you find "fresh" air in Detroid? You can't, thats my point  Actually, we've done a lot to improve air quality around here, and sitting on the Great Lakes as we do, our air is surprisingly fresh. |
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Post by Dominus on Dec 21, 2010 17:49:26 GMT -5
Eat lots of fish and fresh vegetables. I find that helps a lot.
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Post by ironfox on Dec 22, 2010 0:05:47 GMT -5
I love fish. I'd be OK if it were the only meat I ate. My soon-to-be wife on the other hand HATES fish. Of any kind. So much so that even the smell of fish makes her sick. I only eat fish if she's not around... at least while she's pregnant. After we have little Ivy Rose the gloves are off!
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Post by ironfox on Dec 22, 2010 1:28:44 GMT -5
I actually can't stand most anime. The only ones I have any fondness for are Guyver, Appleseed and a very few others.
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Post by Manah on Dec 22, 2010 1:31:41 GMT -5
My creative juices are NEVER ENDING! XD they just FLLLOOOWWW within me without stop! ..wanna know my secret? Drugs? No silly! its... ANIME! XD *im probably hated for this, but eh..i just got done watchin some anime so im IN THE ZONE!* lol..just sayin.. Never say that in front of WK, comrade. |
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Post by malice on Dec 22, 2010 2:29:52 GMT -5
My creative juices are NEVER ENDING! XD they just FLLLOOOWWW within me without stop! ..wanna know my secret? Drugs? No silly! its... ANIME! XD *im probably hated for this, but eh..i just got done watchin some anime so im IN THE ZONE!* lol..just sayin.. Never say that in front of WK, comrade. I dunno, while I may not think much of anime, there is a LOT of it and there are tons of different ideas in it. In my opinion that's exactly what anime is good for: brainstorming. Most of the anime I've seen is not properly fleshed out and for all the differences there are just as many INSULTING similarities. However it feels like someone's storyboard. It's not good enough to reach a broad audience, but with a little help from someone less niche there's a lot of potential there. I'm not sure how much time it takes to create an anime, but I know for a fact they use a lot of cheap tricks to save time and production value. This creates a brainstorm that's just a few steps closer to fruition than the page it was first conceived on. So I'd guess there's LOTS of inspiration in anime, however I've never been able to stand enough to get a steady stream of ideas. The small sampling I've gotten has shown me there is indeed a lot of different stuff. A lot of it is too bizarre to use, a lot of it isn't actually that different from stuff we've already seen (a force blast made of paper is still a force blast), but if you try enough times you'll come up with some unique stuff. |
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