Writers’ Block

/ Writing / By

Dear Cre8opedia,

I’m stuck. Please help!

Sincerely, Dried Up Writer

If you’ve ever looked down the barrel of a blank page, you share the anguish of many a creative writer. We at Cre8opedia have been there, too. In fact, that’s one of the reasons we created this resource.

Here are a few ways we think Cre8opedia can shorten your visit with writers’ block:

Navigation Note: all links on this page open in a new tab so you can use this page as a homebase.

Writers’ Block Busters

  • Sometimes writers’ block comes because you’re stuck on what to DO next. Well, you don’t have to have the characters do anything. Try some of these options…
    • Spend a few paragraphs, maybe a whole chapter even, on the character’s backstory; give your character some flashback space. Check out Backstory possibilities here. Memories can function as motivation for characters and also give readers some impetus for connecting to your heroes.
    • Chill on the action and flesh out the environment. Look at the Settings menus and spend a little time filling out the details of the space your character is in, whether it’s the wide open prairies or a cramped little car, enrich the experience with intricate pieces of detail. Stretch out a summer storm or elaborate on the texture of the dashboard. Wherever your characters are, delve into the details.
    • Have your character pack a bag for a flight or sort through some old boxes of stuff. A character’s things can give us insight into who they are, can stir up some interesting baggage, and can even generate some new story lines through strange discoveries. Check out the STUFF menus or this post about finding something strange.
    • Get a few more ideas for what to do besides action, by going to the Layering Narratives page. Have your character sit on a bench and watch an old man cross the street… it’s amazing what you’ll discover about your characters and their worlds when you have them stop the action.
  • Sometime you really want action in your creative writing, but your writers’ block is preventing you from thinking of the right way to go next. Go to the Actions menus to pick the perfect word! Verbs have a ton of power in driving your writing and finding just the right one can invigorate your creative writing spirit.
  • Is your writers’ block coming from a lack of obstacles for your character? Is life too easy for them? Go to the Obstacles page for a menu of troubles and trials to toss at your protagonist.
  • If you have a vague idea of what you’d like to do next but writers’ block has strangled your brain, just plug a word into the search bar (side bar and top bar) and see what pages and posts come up.
  • Revisit your overarching story concept. Is it strong enough? Have you deviated from it? Have you picked the exact word you want to define your concept? Check out the Concepts page here for some ideas and make sure you have a solid concept to drive your creative writing.
  • Reevaluate your character’s motivation. Are they committed enough to the story you’ve thrust them into? Do they need a better reason to see this whole thing through? Look at the Motivations page here under the Characters menu for ideas to boost their morale. If you need to, you can add deeper motivation by exploring their character traits here.
  • Take a second to think about your genre. We’ve fleshed out a few for you and you may find some cool ideas in the Genres section.

Go Around Your Writers’ Block

Here are a few ideas that may trigger “the right idea” for you. For everyone, it’s different, but these may take your thinking laterally and even if you don’t end up using one of these in your story, the process of exploring one or two may just shake your brain free from writers’ block. Take a moment and noodle around with one of these, writing as if it actually were happening to your character. Then, you can keep it or throw it out, but the exercise will be fun and rewarding…

  • What if your character discovered a secret door? Secret doors are everywhere, so why not one wherever your character is now?
  • What if your character had to encounter their greatest fear? Check out CREATING FEAR for some ideas.
  • What if a spirit form (ancestor, deceased mentor, lost loved one) suddenly appeared to your character? What advice would they give? Would they be proud or disappointed?
  • What if your character found a magic marble that granted one wish? What would they choose? Would they use it? What would it cost them… and would the sacrifice be worth it?
  • Try genre jumping! What if you cast your character into another genre? How would this affect your story? Try something radically different!
  • What if your character…
    • found some money, won the lottery, robbed a bank,
    • got food poisoning, got sick, fell ill, learned they had cancer, broke a leg,
    • got drunk and wrote a poem to an ex,
    • publicly declared their love for someone, proposed,
    • came out, revealed the truth, owned up to something, said, “let’s be honest with each other…”
    • met god, was visited by a divine messenger, an angel,
    • found something cool at a garage sale, yard sale, flea market, farmers’ market,
    • got lost, lost something, lost someone,
    • learned a secret, was asked to hold a key, was asked to deliver a letter,
    • had an urge or craving,
    • told a lie, cheated, betrayed a friend, (or what if one of these happened to your character)
    • volunteered for something dangerous,
    • took a pill, bought some magic beans, said the forbidden words,
    • started a protest, led a movement, stood up for what they believed in,
    • confronted a rival, bully, parent, boss, co-worker, alien being, an orc,
    • abducted and processed by aliens,
    • interrogated by police, the military, the overlord, the SS,
    • given the microphone at a convention, given the stage at a concert hall, asked to speak at a school assembly,
    • traveled to another planet?

Let us know your block in the comments section below, or add some of your own tips for block busting!

External Links

Check out some of these other sites for writers’ block discussion and tips (all open in new tabs):