When a writer can't write?

[humanissocial]

I’d argue beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Humberto probably disagrees with you

The only way Hum’d find me beautiful is if I painted my face yellow and put on my biggest smile.

Have you read The War of Art by Pressfield? That’s a pretty good book which talks about the importance of developing discipline.

Someone once asked Somerset Maughham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. “I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. "Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

I like that! It makes sense to me, actually. We have natural rhythms. For me, creativity strikes me passed midnight, almost clockwork. We all have a hormone that changes when the sun goes down, preparing us for sleep. Maybe for me that hormone helps reduce inhibitions.

I imagine that mornings are productive for some people for a similar reason.

[jave_base]

When I have writer’s block I evaluate what might be holding me back. What might be making me insecure?

I also find the ideas flow if I say the narrative aloud and record it.

When I have writer’s block I evaluate what might be holding me back. What might be making me insecure?

I also find the ideas flow if I say the narrative aloud and record it.

Through the course of this thread, I realized my problem isn’t so much of a writer’s block but that of lack of motivation to write.

Hi @ahmwritingco and @jave_base , sorry guys have been very busy.

I think both of us guessed this was the case because none of us tagged you 😅

But I’m back now. I had some shootings going, sorry for my delay… :rofl:

Shootings 💀

[jave_base]

I’d argue beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Humberto probably disagrees with you

The only way Hum’d find me beautiful is if I painted my face yellow and put on my biggest smile.

Have you read The War of Art by Pressfield? That’s a pretty good book which talks about the importance of developing discipline.

Someone once asked Somerset Maughham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. “I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. "Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

The only way Hum’d find me beautiful is if I painted my face yellow and put on my biggest smile.

I’m no one to judge 🤭

Have you read The War of Art by Pressfield? That’s a pretty good book which talks about the importance of developing discipline.

No, I haven’t read it. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll look it up.

Someone once asked Somerset Maughham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. “I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. "Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

That’s such a clever reply 😀

[jave_base]

I like that! It makes sense to me, actually. We have natural rhythms. For me, creativity strikes me passed midnight, almost clockwork. We all have a hormone that changes when the sun goes down, preparing us for sleep. Maybe for me that hormone helps reduce inhibitions.

I imagine that mornings are productive for some people for a similar reason.

I like that! It makes sense to me, actually. We have natural rhythms. For me, creativity strikes me passed midnight, almost clockwork. We all have a hormone that changes when the sun goes down, preparing us for sleep. Maybe for me that hormone helps reduce inhibitions.

My creativity is at it’s peak during showers :woman_facepalming: It’s a problem. Sometimes, if I’ve written myself into a corner, I’ll get the best ideas while shampooing my hair, and then once I’m out of the shower, I forget how it went from plot point A to plot point E 😓. I end up just making stuff up because point A and E are really exciting twists that I don’t want to give up on 😅

[cyaxrex]

I like that! It makes sense to me, actually. We have natural rhythms. For me, creativity strikes me passed midnight, almost clockwork. We all have a hormone that changes when the sun goes down, preparing us for sleep. Maybe for me that hormone helps reduce inhibitions.

I imagine that mornings are productive for some people for a similar reason.

We have natural rhythms. For me, creativity strikes me passed midnight, almost clockwork. We all have a hormone that changes when the sun goes down, preparing us for sleep. Maybe for me that hormone helps reduce inhibitions.

I am very similar. When I used to write creatively, I could only do so late into the evening and early hours. This same pattern has crept into my freelancing work patterns. However, I did discover a way to reset my circadian rhythm.

It’s not for everyone. However, I periodically fast for 30-days. After about the 5th day, I end up getting naturally tied at 8 - 9 pm. I go to bed, then I wake up supercharged early in the morning around 5 am. To date, my most productive and profitable months have been months when I’ve been fasting.

Of course, that sounds counter-intuitive, as you would expect your energy levels and creativity to be rock bottom. However, it works for me to the point where I now shelve some projects in a mental "to do when fasting box."

[ssj1236]

We have natural rhythms. For me, creativity strikes me passed midnight, almost clockwork. We all have a hormone that changes when the sun goes down, preparing us for sleep. Maybe for me that hormone helps reduce inhibitions.

I am very similar. When I used to write creatively, I could only do so late into the evening and early hours. This same pattern has crept into my freelancing work patterns. However, I did discover a way to reset my circadian rhythm.

It’s not for everyone. However, I periodically fast for 30-days. After about the 5th day, I end up getting naturally tied at 8 - 9 pm. I go to bed, then I wake up supercharged early in the morning around 5 am. To date, my most productive and profitable months have been months when I’ve been fasting.

Of course, that sounds counter-intuitive, as you would expect your energy levels and creativity to be rock bottom. However, it works for me to the point where I now shelve some projects in a mental "to do when fasting box."

It’s not for everyone. However, I periodically fast for 30-days. After about the 5th day, I end up getting naturally tied at 8 - 9 pm. I go to bed, then I wake up supercharged early in the morning around 5 am. To date, my most productive and profitable months have been months when I’ve been fasting.

I just stay up and extra hour every day that’s why I work in the peace of night for like a half a month. The early morning summer winds also give me a reason to go for a walk that way rather being glued to my work station.

[sonia_azhar]

Yes a writer can face this type of problem, so the only way is that you have to keep involve yourself with the task you have to done. If you start writing and force your mind to think in that way then ideas and creation get in your mind quickly. Writing also depend on type of writer , if you are a conditional/ situational writer that you love to write on environment, culture,or issues then you frequently get bored when you have to write some technical or to follow some defined parameters. so in that case money is only motivation to write more and more.

[cassandra_irem]

I find it’s often good to take “step backs” to recharge yourself. You could be the greatest writer, but even Rowling knew when she needed to take breaks. You become more critical of yourself the more you work and working yourself to hard creatively can be detrimental. Give yourself your you time when you get speechless. .

[jave_base]

I find it’s often good to take “step backs” to recharge yourself. You could be the greatest writer, but even Rowling knew when she needed to take breaks. You become more critical of yourself the more you work and working yourself to hard creatively can be detrimental. Give yourself your you time when you get speechless. .

You become more critical of yourself the more you work and working yourself to hard creatively can be detrimental.

This is kinda true though. I’m a perfectionist, and it often gets in the way. I keep going back to what I’ve written because I don’t like one thing or the other, and I want to fix that before I proceed with the new chapters. Thing is, rewriting/editing old chapters isn’t half as exciting as writing new scenes.

I’m taking a break and letting things flow. Wrote a few quick paragraphs on a sudden inspiration at 1 a.m the other night, but then that’s it. I didn’t push it. I’m sure once the weather turns cooler, I’ll be back to writing feverishly 😊

[ahmwritingco]

Does the temperature/humidity improve there at night?

We recently had a mini heatwave in the UK during which I couldn’t get anything meaningful done. I do sympathise with you!

[jave_base]

Does the temperature/humidity improve there at night?

We recently had a mini heatwave in the UK during which I couldn’t get anything meaningful done. I do sympathise with you!

Does the temperature/humidity improve there at night?

Not really. Ten minutes away from an air conditioned space or a fan and you might as well have taken a bath in sweat 🥵

We recently had a mini heatwave in the UK during which I couldn’t get anything meaningful done. I do sympathise with you!

Yeah I heard about it in the news. All of Europe seems to have heated up more than usual.

I, for some reason, can’t really be very productive if it’s too hot. Even the Air condition seems to turn me lazier. Actually, staying with just a fan on was better than the artificial cooling. I managed to jot a few paragraphs, at least.

[william_andrews]

For me, I just keep that channel open in my mind… Reality will ruin that flow by supplying endless distractions and triggers but if you can just abandon everyone and everything around you at will then It won’t happen. Which sounds selfish and it IS… But do you want to create or not? Creation - time= frustration and stagnation… I don’t know about you but I have 3 passions in life… And I MUST address their addiction ridden natures to center myself or I will self destruct out of contempt for non creatives and having to participate in and cope with, what seems to me at least to be, their pointless day to day lives… I’ve heard a lot of people talk about writer’s block in my life but I’ve thankfully never had to deal with it… And I hope I never do… It sounds like suffocating to me…