Cintia
asked
Kate Quinn:
Hi, my name is Cintia and I'm from Argentina. Being a writer is what I want the most in this world, nothing makes me happier than writing, but I'm more and more frustrated with each passing day, because I've been blocked for 3 years. And it is not that I have an unfinished story. I have NOTHING AT ALL. A blank page in front of me, that only makes me sadder... Is there a way to overcome this? How do you handle it?
Kate Quinn
Three years - ouch. I had a bad patch where I went over a year without writing a book, and it was horrible. What finally worked for me was the following. I don't know if it'll work for you, but it worked for me:
First, I stopped telling ANYBODY what I was writing about. Because when I looked back in the middle of my writer's block, I realized that I'd had a number of good ideas that I discussed with my usual batch of friends/critique partners, only to have those ideas fizzle as soon as they came out into open air. No idea why, but talking about the ideas meant they didn't happen - and that's odd, because I discuss everything I write (and still do). But for some reason, at this time, talking about the projects was killing them. So I stopped for a while. (Conversely, if you never talk about your writing projects, try talking about it for a change, whether with a critique partner or with a fellow writers group. See if a new perspective gets you going in a different way. The point is, change it up from your norm.)
Second, I gave up on the idea of trying to write a book; I just tried for something shorter and less ambitious. I'd have settled for a haiku as long as I could finish it. Try changing the form of what you want to write; see if the tension lifts.
Third, I started reading everything I could get my hands on, even more than I usually did. Started reading way outside my genre, too. When you're reading only in your genre, often the thought process is "I suck, why can't I come up with an idea like this?" or "This is so awesome, I'm analyzing every line of this, but I can't reproduce it . . ." So go outside your genre, because then you just enjoy your reading, and that's when synapses start firing. I got one of the best hist-fic ideas I ever had from "Ender's Game." Something totally outside your wheelhouse might jolt your imagination in a completely different way.
Writer's block sucks, I know. I hope it lifts for you soon!
First, I stopped telling ANYBODY what I was writing about. Because when I looked back in the middle of my writer's block, I realized that I'd had a number of good ideas that I discussed with my usual batch of friends/critique partners, only to have those ideas fizzle as soon as they came out into open air. No idea why, but talking about the ideas meant they didn't happen - and that's odd, because I discuss everything I write (and still do). But for some reason, at this time, talking about the projects was killing them. So I stopped for a while. (Conversely, if you never talk about your writing projects, try talking about it for a change, whether with a critique partner or with a fellow writers group. See if a new perspective gets you going in a different way. The point is, change it up from your norm.)
Second, I gave up on the idea of trying to write a book; I just tried for something shorter and less ambitious. I'd have settled for a haiku as long as I could finish it. Try changing the form of what you want to write; see if the tension lifts.
Third, I started reading everything I could get my hands on, even more than I usually did. Started reading way outside my genre, too. When you're reading only in your genre, often the thought process is "I suck, why can't I come up with an idea like this?" or "This is so awesome, I'm analyzing every line of this, but I can't reproduce it . . ." So go outside your genre, because then you just enjoy your reading, and that's when synapses start firing. I got one of the best hist-fic ideas I ever had from "Ender's Game." Something totally outside your wheelhouse might jolt your imagination in a completely different way.
Writer's block sucks, I know. I hope it lifts for you soon!
More Answered Questions
John Meyer
asked
Kate Quinn:
Kate, I'm a fellow author with a historical novel, Operation Ruby Slipper. I knew (and wrote for) Judy Garland, so I've made her my protagonist on a mission for the OSS in WW2. Would like to send you a copy and maybe trade blurbs. Would you post me your e-address? Mine is jmeyr@earthlink.net.
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