Screenwriting : Writers block = Major Head ach… by Onyx London

Every writer gets it. And every writer wants to know how to get rid of it. Sometimes it's good to just walk away from a project for a bit and let your mind work itself out. Trying to force it only makes it worse. I've had writers Block on a project for a year now. I can write and work on other things but not the one thats blocked. It sucks but it will pass

Thanks guys its just frustrating I was on a roll and then Bam ! My mind froze

Go do something else, or write something else. I find that I always have two or three ideas for projects. If I hit a block for one I just switch to another script. Before too long working on that other script will usually get you out of your rut. Also another thing you could do is skip ahead to another scene or write a character bio of a character in your script.

Thanks Ross we shall see where this take me

Just to get your mind going again, you might try the Plot Twist Generator - [nine.frenchboys.net/plottwist.php][1] [1]: http://nine.frenchboys.net/plottwist.php

Thanks but that just gave me a headache.

I usually have a couple of ideas going at the same time. Sometimes if I am blocked on one, I work on another idea.

I move on to some other idea. Even if it's only outlining new ideas, etc. Just take a break and get back at it fresh.

get outside & get moving. play...take on the mindset of one of your characters & see what happens;) just don't do anything that'll result in a major headline along w/ a headache;)

Onyx - here's what helps me. Before I ever pen anything, I make sure I have a solid beginning, middle and end in mind. Sometimes I draft all of the specifics in between too, sometimes I don't. I find there are moments in my life where inspirational ideas flow naturally - I make note of those moments and I spend a lot of time there. Mine are as follows, driving long distances (be careful, this is the moment where I ask myself, How did I get here?); spending time at events I would never usually go to (observation is the key); I spend long periods in the shower and I make sure I have pen and paper there by my towel; I have learned to ask myself this when I talk with my eight children, "What is their inner most motivation or fear for this conversation?" Amazingly, it helps in character development by giving the my characters the opportunity of taking a different route than I initially planned. :)

Aha thanks again everyone , ill try them all and let you know .

Conduct an interview with your Protagonist (or any other character) from the persona of his Mother, Clergyman, Reporter, Cop, the Devil, Best Friend, Girlfriend, Father, Coach, Teacher, or GOD. Write down all questions asked and all answers.

My favorite writing block tip that I got from an instructor is: "your character is in the kitchen at 2 am." You find out so much about your characters when you start writing about why they're in the kitchen at 2am. What they're doing and what they're thinking. Why are they awake? What are they eating? Are they even allowed in the kitchen? Are they alone? Try it with different characters.

1) I refuse the wall and see a gate. It's locked and I know the key is ... in me ... somewhere. Got to cough it up. How? 2) either as an obivious question to some invisible muse like, "Then what happened?" or 3) It's a character and their predicament you may be disregarding. It's the Author's Story, but the Characters' Journey. If you do not ... listen ... very carefully, you wind up putting the plot in their mouths, disregarding the moment to moment details they have to ... live through ... to make the plot ... happen. So, they stop. Just some thoughts. I always have a talk with my characters before I even begin scripting.

what a wonderful visual, Nathan. thanks!

Also, procrastination is a meth high yet subtle as carbon monoxide. It's addictive in its lethargy and misery. And make no mistake about it; it can be a deal killer and steal whatever was left of what inspired your story till you forget even why you thought of it. Never underate its lethality. There is such a thing as too late. .

I write an outline as if it were a movie trailer - sound bites and all. It worked for me. Block gone!

I've been sharing this video: You should check this out: "The Secret to Creating Real, Exciting, Authentic Characters that Resonate" By Seymour Englander, Professional Behavior Analyst & Writer Watch and listen as professional Behavior Skills Analyst & Writer, Seymour Englander of TheBehaviorFactor.com, discusses what is needed to create GREAT CHARACTERS.... [www.holdonlog.com/pages/AN-CharacterSecrets.html][1] Good luck! Focus, dedicate time, relax..you'll get there. [1]: http://www.holdonlog.com/pages/AN-CharacterSecrets.html

Stop thinking so hard and it will come to you!

When I've got a case of writer's block, I just turn to a different project for a while, be it a different screenplay or a blog or a short story. Something completely unconnected to the task at hand. It gives my mind a break while allowing me to continue working on my writing skills.

Watch one of those movies on the oscars list from years ago you never got around to seeing. Try to find inspiration in great films with great actors!

Many will disagree, but those who know and have been produced will always say, it all starts with the premise. An idea is only an idea, it is the premise, the web you weave that is the foundation that allows one to build a strong story.

Take drugs. Ha, I'm just kidding. I think you just need to know how to put your mind in a creative and motivated state. How NOT to do that is to wallow in mainstream news and watered-down social networks like Facebook.You need to figure out what to surround yourself with (websites, or books, or images, or music, etc.) and what basic personal needs might be secretly causing apathy.

A deadline. >.<

I pull out my beat sheet to see what I missed that my subconscious won't let me skip past. If I haven't missed anything, I play the 'what if' or 'what kind of trouble can I get my people into today' game. If nothing else, you'll have a whack of ideas for new scripts.

Aha again thank you everyone . Im still working on trying them all out . Thanks for the couple funny comments on here it made my night

i'm going thru the same thing...i try to write each day but some days are better than others....walk away from it, watch a movie, get involved in other things but keep a pen/paper handy (old school i know) never know when a good idea will suddenly hit you

Soldier through! Not working on something because we are "blocked" is a recipe for procrastination. Stephen Pressfield in his great book "The War of Art" writes, The amateur, underestimating Resistance's cunning, permits the flu to keep him from chapters; he believes the serpent's voice in his head that says mailing off the manuscript is more important than doing the day's work. The professional has learned better. He respected Resistance. He knows that if he caves in today, no matter how plausible the pretext, he'll be twice likely to cave in tomorrow. The professional knows that Resistance is like a telemarketer; if you so much as say hello, you're finished. The pro doesn't even pick up the phone. He stays at work."

My favorite cure for writer's block is a great idea. Without a mind-warping idea, you either settle for second best or end up dead in the water. When an idea really grabs you by the short hairs, you can't quit. For me, the pleasure of writing comes when I can't wait to get back to it.

When I get writer's block, I do three things: I clean, I take a walk or I write some more. I find these three activities help clear my mind. If you're struggling with writer's block more often than you want to, you should check out this blog: http://www.writeyourscreenplay.com/category/writers-block/. There's lot of articles on writer's block and other screenwriting concerns. Good luck!