April 27, Friday Check In

[enemytosleep]

Another day has come and gone, so now it's time to check in.

How many new words did you write today? Did you reach your goal? Were you editing instead? Researching? Or was today a day of rest?

Sometimes the best way to combat writer's block is NOT writing. That's right, packing up and engaging in another activity, particularly a physical one, can sometimes help clear your mind and get you ready and eager to start writing at the next session. Walking the dog, cleaning the house, or doing crafts are all good ways to take your mind off the story that's plaguing you. If nothing else, your house will never look so sparkling?

What kinds of things do you do when you can't write?

Comments

[0jack]

Cooking, vacuuming, or taking a shower are all sure-fire ways to get my brain banging. Especially the damn shower. I'm considering one of those waterproof notebooks and pens, it's that bad.

I'm slowly back to writing after another illness-hiatus. I got 1300 words out today, which is a pittance for me but better than nothing. Insomnia is killing me. Apparently it's also making me write the opposite of my usual... this one is dark/het/incest, which is just not what I do. But there you go. It is what it is.

[lilly_c]

Having a break from both fic and revision today. I am almost at the rough draft target for casestory which is a good thing given how hectic RL has been this month.

I usually walk to the beach or to one of the many parks we have here. My notebook is always in my bag so I can get ideas down. The last couple of weeks or so I've gone to the cinema a lot, I've been 5 times this week and 3 times was to see The Avengers. Speaking of The Avengers, certain things in the movie are sparking off some ideas. Sometimes I'll start a new book or re-read a favourite.

[crowdog66]

Today all I got written was four paragraphs on morning wake-me-up drinks in the Lethe!verse, but one of my fan artists sent in a new piece of art for the series, so... yay! :)

A shower works pretty well for me (why is it that ideas insist on crowding around when you're in no position to write them down?), or listening to some inspiring instrumental music (the various Star Wars soundtracks are particularly good for this, although just about anything by John Williams will usually do the trick for me).

[bay_alexison]

Taking a bit of a break from my help_japan fic and instead focusing on another short story, close to 450 words so far. I might start more tonight, hopefully finish it. Otherwise, rough draft of story should be able to be finished tomorrow.

Usually I would clean the house, do the dishes, listening to music, make graphics (banners, icons, etc.) whenever I need a break from writing.

[roane]

Managed a few hundred words on the AU, and spent the day swapping emails with one of my betas about a collaboration idea, which I think will be AMAZING. :)

Showers and driving are the biggies for me. I can't TELL you the number of times I've been driving into work and had a plot problem resolve itself or had a scene show up. And my commute is only like 15-20 minutes!

[msmcknittington]

Sometimes I think about buying some of those bath crayons for little kids to scrawl things on the shower walls, but then I remember that I'd have to scrub it off, and that idea goes right out the window.

[pinstripefedora]

Apparently my plan to work on the scene that's giving me trouble was a success, because I wrote 1,350 words today - and I didn't have nearly as much time to write today as I thought I would! :D

Good question! Going for walks, doing the dishes, listening to music, playing video games... of course taking a shower always helps too. There's probably more, but I'm too tired to think of them right now.

[kayjayuu]

I work nights, so my "today" was a work night -- I'll talk about last night (Thursday PM) instead.

Wrote a couple hundred words and finished a section of my story I've signed up to finish for the May challenge. One more section to go, probably about 2K words. I also began further editing of the sections I've had long finished.

What do I do other than writing that helps my writing? Go to work. Invariably I get the urge to write while I can't. (And sometimes I do it at work anyway.)

[lea_hazel]

For years I got most of my writing ideas on the bus. My peak fanfic production years were during a time when I had a two hour commute five days a week.