Hey guys, I am almost sure some of you writers are feeling the same right now. What are your guys’ tips on how to get through this?
When I’m uninspired I like to do some brainstorming for the next scene in my story:
What is the weirdest/funniest thing that could happen right now?
What if Main Character discovered that Sidekick is actually an alien / a spy / immortal / etc?
Could a random new character join the Main Character? [name_m]How[/name_m] are they going to meet?
What if it turns out there is Another Antagonist? A new villain, even worse than the one already introduced in the story.
Throw a dart at a world map (or close your eyes and click randomly somewhere on google maps). What if Main Character suddenly had to go there? Why? [name_m]How[/name_m]?
What would you do if you were in Villain’s situation? Try to come up with the evilest plan.
Usually, this questions don’t lead to the most usuable ideas but it gets me in the right mood to write, it makes me creative and it’s a way to other, better ideas.
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What I do is either add characters or work on developing other character who need it. Also brainstorming and going through random ideas helps too.
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I like to get a better idea for how my characters act and behave by imagining them in a random scenario that doesn’t necessarily have to do with the plot, like going to a party, camping, family reunion, funeral, vacation, hospital, fair, etc… Sometimes it gives me ideas that I end up keeping for the plot, and if nothing else, it gives me a better understanding of my characters.
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Usually, when I feel uninspired by a story, I take a break from it. I could either work on an entirely different story or I can do things to inspire the creative juices such as taking a walk, listening to music or a podcast, watching something funny (in my experience comedies always inspire me; maybe it’s the laughing that does it). Or as some of the other posters have suggested, try working on a different angle on your story- maybe concentrate on a different character or POV. Make a list of the major plot points in your story or make a list of things you don’t know or aren’t sure about. Try writing short stories about things that’ll never make it into the main story but is something that’ll keep you writing.
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Take a break from writing, but read a lot. I find it inspiring to read enduring classics and modern masterpieces. These books do well for good reasons, and are really inspiring in my opinion. I like to look at what makes those books stand out. What makes them do well? What type of language do they use that so effectively conveys their messages? Also, as someone who loves to make lists, I think making a list of words that you like can also be inspiring. A few words I have right now are “prosaic” “pragmatic” “vivacious,” etc. They don’t have to be super long or rare (they can be), but just seeing words I like can be inspiring. I hope this helps!
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Yes! I forgot to add that too. I’ve noticed that when I read a lot I tend to write a lot, I guess because I’m still surrounded by words. I also tend to pay attention to how a book is written- descriptions, foreshadowing, how to end a chapter, etc. I also used to make lists of words I came across and didn’t know so I could look it up later which somehow morphed into finding unusual or unknown words, keeping a list of them, and seeing if I could use them in whatever story I’m working on at the moment. It’s actually fun thinking of ways to insert a word I usually wouldn’t use.
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