Writers' Block

Let's face it; whether you're a best-selling author or new to the world of writing, you know that there are moments when your work just seems like a disaster. Everyone has them. When you have your plot, your have your charecters, you have a scene, and backround, and everything else you can think of. And yet you just can not come up with a single damn idea of where this story should go. Many people give up, or stare blankly at the computer screen for an hour. While both these options are understandable, neither will get your story back on track. So, when the curse strikes next, here's something you can try.
Coming from someone who gets writers' block as often as other people get the hiccups, I find this stategy to be woonderful and amusing. It's called the whatif game. Get a sheet of blank paper and write down everything you can think of that might happen, or that a charecter might do. Does it have to have anything to do with your story? Does it even have to make a vague amount of sense? No, and no. Here's what mine might look like: what if joey found a diamond ring what if abby robbed a jewelry store what if dinosaurs weren't extint what if um um um um what if there was a volcano on the corner of fifty first and lexington...
The catch? You can't let your pen stop moving, even for a second. Even if you have to write um um um for a while, as demonstated above. This is guarenteed, if not to get your story revved up immediately, then at least to get your juices flowing. And failing that, in a worst case scenario, it will definately make you laugh. Sometimes a bit of relaxation is what's best for the weary author's mind. Seriously. Just try it. And....good luck!

xoxo
~ Rebecca S. Read more!

The Checklist of Circumstance

It is well-known to all writers that character development can be difficult, however what can also be difficult is creating character dynamics, in general. Picture it: you just became inspired and you discovered your protagonist for your latest prose piece. You quickly sit down to write, and you come up with a great first page. I mean something exemplary; you truly start off with a bang, and though you are too close to be objective, you can tell that it is good material that properly represents your character and the direction for their journey. But where do you go next as it pertains to other characters?

You just finished a page about your hero/heroine on the tail end of their trip to Calcutta, India, but whom are they coming home to? Should they be married, have children? Should their parents be alive? Many writers absentmindedly choose the relationships of their characters' life, as with a pen and checklist. Some writers do carefully think through the the life circumstances and status of relations in their protagonists' life, but do all really take time to think about what the character would bring to the main character that originally made them sit down to write? I can say that I don't always, and I wonder what's the consensus on that front? Make this post a forum to pique each others' curiosity.

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Seamless Transitions

The logistics of writing fiction can be flummoxing. In fact, all writers can suffer from some misdirection in this particular problem. The task is order -- sheer structure. How should the structure of a short story, poem, novel, or memoir piece be? This is a vast topic and therefore, cannot be thoroughly discussed, however it is often difficult for beginners in the writing craft to have a seamless transition of text that is cohesive and readable. Of course to some, such things come easily, but this is one thing that holds many people back -- the order of information about characters, setting, events, and all of the other components of good writing material.

If the order of your story is hard to follow, it may turn many readers off, unless you can properly pull it off. With age, and experience in writing and life, writers find their style; their "signatures"; and they discover what makes their writing styles different from other writers. Some writers turn out to be very straightforward in style, while others create mazes and intricate tapestries of creativity. I may be biased in this assessment, but I believe that writers who do have very intricate writing styles turn out to have the best material, though that may not always hold true. This goes back to finding your voice as a writer. There is so much writing in the world that writers should be unique in their style. Have some panache. Put some chutzpah into your work. It is important to go out on a limb and take chances while writing, but don't go too far, because the audience may not follow you -- something that boxes infinite creativity in our world. I personally find that my writing style isn't so straightforward. I jump through time a lot, use a lot of memories, and write orders that seem most natural to me and my voice. Life is not black-and-white. Write accordingly.

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The Road to Reality

The following is the launch of true blogging here, and it would only be fitting and appropriate that I will be discussing difficulties that I face while writing. Hopefully, it will be relatable, and we can all agree that the craft we all care immensely for is one whose sheer existence should be commended.

It is no wonder that much of the world doesn't spend it's time writing. To write is to listen to an inner voice and share it with the world, and many cannot hear what that voice is saying. While the qualitative analysis of literary pieces is severely subjective, it is not a stretch to say that logistically, writing literary pieces well can be one of the most arduous creative tasks to be undertaken. This is why instead of putting the pen to the paper, many opt to simply curl up with a novel or short story, so that they don't have to seek inspiration within themselves, but instead, it is already tangible and within their grasp. Many leave it to the 'professionals', in every sense of the word. However, sometimes the professionals, those aspiring to become professionals, and perhaps even pure amateurs lose their way and can no longer hear that voice -- hopefully only temporarily. When writers -- professional or otherwise -- find the timbre of their inner voice fading, we have a choice. We can either continue writing while being uncertain of our voice, or we can discontinue our tenure of creating literature until we fully regain that magical tone.

Seeing as how there are such large amounts of types of literature and all authors have different ways of writing and thinking while they write, it would be ludicrous to imagine all of the world's problems when it comes to writing, however, I can share my own personal problems. Be warned that I am no professional -- just someone trying to feel their way through the intricate craft. Perhaps the most difficult thing about writing for me is creating dialogue. Earlier into my life as a writer, I shied away from large quantities of dialogue, but as I've grown older, I've realized that I have to face it. What is so difficult about dialogue stems back to character development -- another toughie. As a writer, you have to know what your character will and will not divulge to the specific character they are speaking with, or simply another person, in general. The writer should ideally whole-heartedly know the character and hence deduce what will or will not be emitted from their mouth. It can be argued that I am being over-calculating, but there should be a thoroughbred level of consistency in character development. Unfortunately, I have never fully known a character that I have developed. It is to my belief that a person can never fully know another, and that includes characters that I have created. It is arguable whether or not we fully know ourselves. I don't know -- I haven't figured out yet. While still in reality, as opposed to fiction, I don't believe that I, or any other writer for that matter, can truly transfer reality onto a page. Reality cannot be fabricated; people have to experience life through their own eyes. However harsh that may sound to all writers, including myself, it is the truth. Fiction can only simulate real life, and can hence only go so far. Even non-fiction and memoir pieces cannot truly mirror life. Books and poems may spur emotion in readers, but it cannot give them experience or physical feeling. It is our job as writers to continually come closer to reality -- while always knowing that it cannot truly happen. However, writers, do not be discouraged. The road to reality is a magnificent one. I urge you all to continue enjoying the search for inspiration, and enjoying the work of those who already have. Writing worthwhile literary pieces can be difficult, as writers, we must keep in mind that we are sharing a story with the world, and those tales can become very important to a person. It would be a disservice to all parties involved to not search desperately for a trace of a voice.

-Nico

I am a fifteen year old high school student that is simply trying to find his way in complex modern society. I have acknowledged that we are all blind and in the dark, trying to get a minute glimpse of this room called the world. Frustration frequently arises along with the ins and outs of life, however it is my love of New York that smooths out any and all qualms held with the rest of the world and life, in general. While I do attend a school for mathematics, science, and engineering, liberal arts are what I'm most interested in. The fact that I am most comfortable with my more creative side is what prompted me to join Writopia Lab, and continues to drive my vitality. Read more!