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How do you get out of writer's block?


Srepmohc

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How do you get going writing stuff when you've got writer's block? Any tricks or tips for priming the pump? I used to go for drives late at night, and sometimes the late night mood and solitude would help, but I don't really have that option anymore. Thoughts?

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Write a bad song.

 

Writers block, as far as I can tell, is our brain telling us don't do that because it sucks. Sometimes you got to tell your brain, "you're right, it sucks, but I'm going to write it anyway, because writers write and that's what I do."

 

Sometimes you'll take something away from it, other times it's bad enough to leave it alone and move on to the next thing. Being a good writer = knowing the difference.

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Write a bad song.

 

Writers block, as far as I can tell, is our brain telling us don't do that because it sucks. Sometimes you got to tell your brain, "you're right, it sucks, but I'm going to write it anyway, because writers write and that's what I do."

 

Sometimes you'll take something away from it, other times it's bad enough to leave it alone and move on to the next thing. Being a good writer = knowing the difference.

 

Exactly what I was going to say.

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Write a bad song.

 

Writers block, as far as I can tell, is our brain telling us don't do that because it sucks. Sometimes you got to tell your brain, "you're right, it sucks, but I'm going to write it anyway, because writers write and that's what I do."

 

Sometimes you'll take something away from it, other times it's bad enough to leave it alone and move on to the next thing. Being a good writer = knowing the difference.

 

I really like that ^^^

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I think writer's block happens when you become too critical of your own work. "It's not good enough".. "No one will like it"..etc. Often self-doubt causes this block. You can try to "write a song", but can't necessarily try to "write a GOOD song" A good song comes not only from inspiration but also momentum. When you know you're onto something good, the song almost writes itself. You also have to accept the fact that not every song that you write will be a smash hit. Sometimes you just have to filter out the critical mind, as if you're writing a song for no one to hear.

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Break up with your significant other. ;)

 

They always beat me to it!

 

And you're right, nothing gets the song juices flowing faster than a good old break-up!

 

Here's my best break-up song:

 

"The Best Song That I Ever Wrote"

 

Outdid myself when I wrote that song,

plumbed the deepest depths of me

to immortalize a passion

forever meant to be,

but I can't sing that song no more,

for the words are all untrue.

The best song that I ever wrote,

shoulda never wrote for YOU!

 

The melody came like magic,

the words came out like wine,

but the story came out different

than true love's grand design.

Here today and gone tomorrow,

guess you taught me a thing or two.

The best song that I ever wrote,

shoulda never wrote for YOU!

 

It ain't no laughing matter

when a love so right goes wrong,

but I can take the jokes behind my back

when a jukebox plays that song.

It's knowing that your last embrace

was just a backdoor toodle-oo.

The best song that I ever wrote,

shoulda never wrote for YOU!

 

=O]

 

Del

http://www.thefullertons.net

( •)—:::

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I`m late to the party…. but here are some techniques I use from time to time to start the engines…

 

1) stop judging, just write: our biggest subtractor is ourself so just go with the flow. You have an idea but the lyrics suck but the melody and chords are there… just jot it down, keep working… having too much time to analysis our work is a big no no so write until there`s nothing left to say. You`ll have plenty of time to analysis and edit.

 

2) listen to a song you really admire and while listening to it, try to write lyrics that coincide with the melody note for note. Mimic the phrasing, the same amount of syllables, even the rhyme scheme, etc…

 

3) write down the chords to that song from beginning to end and using those new lyrics you just composed, write a new melody. I do this a lot when I`m really into a song and wished I wrote something along the same lines. Even if its a ripoff, you`ll eventually make it your own with revising the lyrics, changing a chord here and there, etc….

 

4) for some strange reason, I seem to write under pressure or when I have very little time so try picking up the guitar when you know you only have 20-30 minutes and see what happens.

 

5) think of something people say a lot and make that the name of your song… something like, "it is what it is", or "gotta be in it to win it", or "you`ll never know till you try", etc… use those phrases to write a chorus.

 

6) start with the end in mind… how do you want the listener to feel during the song. Let those feelings and emotions dictate the words, the language, the imagery, the thoughts…

 

 

 

 

 

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I read that when Stephen Sondheim had this problem he occasionally smoked a doobie and laid down in the middle of the floor. I'm guessing the trick here (aside from the doobie) is to stay away from the piano and just let your mind wander.

 

For me I think you must acquire a certain confidence, and maybe even arrogance, in your own ego and abilities, based on things you have accomplished in the past in order to propel yourself forward. And realize in spite of this that you have written crap before and will write crap again. And that's OK. The more you write, the better the odds. Like walking a tight rope, once you venture out, it's not inspiration that gets you to the other side, it's confidence.

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For me I think you must acquire a certain confidence, and maybe even arrogance, in your own ego and abilities, based on things you have accomplished in the past in order to propel yourself forward. And realize in spite of this that you have written crap before and will write crap again. And that's OK. The more you write, the better the odds. Like walking a tight rope, once you venture out, it's not inspiration that gets you to the other side, it's confidence.

 

I think that's one way to move toward the root of it. I believe the root is self judgement. Just as those we criticize are people we tend to recognize as possessing our own perceived shortcomings, so too is it that we find creative paralysis the results of self judgment. There's no one to blame but the blank page and ourselves. Me, I, myself, mine.

 

Nope, that's not a good one Lee! How about... nope, that sucks, where the hell did you get THAT?! I used to be able to do this. I'm slipping. Wait, I've got it... no... god I'm lame.

 

So yeah, confidence is really just a move toward foregoing self judgement. Writing is a craft. You put your best out there without judgement, and more importantly without self judgement, then you begin to assess the work, it... not us. Is THAT any good? Not "what the eff was I thinking? It could be better. How bout this? Yeah that's better.

 

Lack of self judgement does not equal lack of ability assessing quality work. Just the opposite. It's not us were working on, it's the work. Got to get our big fat ego out the way and look at the work.

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I listen to a lot of homegrown music. Some is very good. With that in mind I sometimes wonder if writer's block is......nature's way of telling you that something is wrong and that you should wait for the right time.

 

I get it occasionally and when I do I try not to push the river. I just play for a while and try to let go of the need to write.

 

Of course that only works for recreational writers like me. If you are writing for a living and to a deadline......all of the above advice is much more germane.

 

*wave*

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The three bears had been having some trouble recently and had ended up in family court. Mama and Papa bear were splitting up, and baby bear had to decide who he was going to live with. So, the judge wanted to talk to baby bear to see what he thought about living with either of his parents. When he asked baby bear about living with his father, baby bear said "No, I can't live with Papa bear, he beats me terribly."

 

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.fifa15online.com/

http://www.eafifa15.com/

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The three bears had been having some trouble recently and had ended up in family court. Mama and Papa bear were splitting up, and baby bear had to decide who he was going to live with. So, the judge wanted to talk to baby bear to see what he thought about living with either of his parents. When he asked baby bear about living with his father, baby bear said "No, I can't live with Papa bear, he beats me terribly."

 

Right.

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1. Don’t be a perfectionist. Don’t struggle to get each note and word usage right. Just write, and when it’s all finished, go back and edit. Don’t spend too much time on the title.

 

2. Turn off your inner editor and just get the words and melody out, no matter how terrible you feel they are. It's easier to revise bad words than revise a blank page

 

3. Change your mindset: start at the end of the story, not the beginning. Work backwards, or start in the middle on something easy. The 1st verse is maybe the hardest you'll do, so leave it until later.

 

 

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There's really no secret. Just write. Put one word after another. Don't think. Just write. You can fix it up later. You can make it good later. You can throw it out if you don't like it. Just write. It's only words. No one cares. Just write.

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Usually inspiration appears after strong feelings, and most of the times, they're not related to music... Sometimes you need to take a break, and reset the mindset by falling in love with someone, fighting in a bar, jumping from somebody's window, smashing your car.. And when you come back to your instrument - music will appear by itself)))

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I have to usually stimulate some part of my brain other than the music-writing part in order to fill up the hopper with raw material at the ready. I'll read or watch movies or get in touch with an old friend or drive around old haunts I haven't seen for years...it's very weird what works. Changing chairs in the living room can even have an effect. I'm very place-aware. Every place I frequent feels like its own world with its own unique atmosphere and stimulates my imagination differently. Even just looking at say, a photo-essay book of some far-off land and culture stirs all sorts of things up.

 

Also, listening to people talk is a great resource. What they say so often can become a lyric with little or no alteration. The melody and music in phrases and the call/response of conversation. It's all music, everything, really. The universal language.

 

nat whilk ii

 

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Write a short story of fiction, just anything at all and from that pick the hi-lites for a lyric.

 

I walked into a restaurant and immediately noticed something was not right. The room had long tattered drapes covering half the windows and the floor was worn from years of use. Over in the corner is a girl sitting in a booth that looks a lot like someone I once saw in a movie. That is not whats wrong though. She had long dark hair and a short white dress. Opposite her is a man, a much older man, dressed like someone from the 40's. Kinda sleazy kinda sophisticated but not the right kind of man for her. Might be an uncle or probation officer, no, or a private investigator. Yeah, that must be it. She must be in trouble and this guy is there to get the information needed to help the girl. He doesn't look like a trust worthy man and my bet is she is desperate and this guy is all she can afford....

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