Anyone got any tips for side-stepping writer's block?

[SithSolo1]

I'm writing a 7 page paper, which my parents joke could be summed up with line: "I am a man of few words," on how I am as a communicator and I just can't get my thoughts on the screen. Everytime I go to type something I start analyizing how I should word it or is it something I should put and 15 mins later I end up either scraping it or maybe a 5th grader's sentence. It's driving me batty. Anyone else ever experience this? How'd you get over it?

Thanks,
J.

 

[edmicman]

Just write whatever you're thinking, whatever pops into your head. Edit it and make sense out of it later when you have stuff there.

 

[kranky]

Write an outline first. Start with three points, then expand each of those to include three sub-points. That should be enough to get you going.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: kranky
Write an outline first. Start with three points, then expand each of those to include three sub-points. That should be enough to get you going.

Yes, outlines definately help me

 

[ggnl]

Take a break. If you get your mind off the paper for a while when you come back you'll often be able to come up with fresh ideas.

 

[robphelan]

"The night was sultry"

 

[WannaFly]

I found it easier to use paper and a pen to make an outline then detail it with ideas, THEN type it.

 

[DnetMHZ]

get really drunk or high. or both.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Write it, take a break, edit. The technique is even better if you can leave a few days between the writing and editting steps.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
get really drunk or high. or both.

I concur worked great for me when I was in school

Ausm

 

[Ogg]

just give up

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Start transcribing exerpts from published authors who wrote about a similar topic.

 

[Titan]

Writing doesn't have to be good, it just has to be written.

Get to it!

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: WannaFly
I found it easier to use paper and a pen to make an outline then detail it with ideas, THEN type it.

Yep ... ditch word. Pen & paper works much better for me to start from rough outline & ideas. Once it starts coming togetehr I switch to a word processor.

 

[Anubis]

start drinking

nothing loosens you up like a few cold ones

 

[SithSolo1]

Originally posted by: Armitage

Originally posted by: WannaFly
I found it easier to use paper and a pen to make an outline then detail it with ideas, THEN type it.

Yep ... ditch word. Pen & paper works much better for me to start from rough outline & ideas. Once it starts coming togetehr I switch to a word processor.

Yeah thats great...but I have a writing disability, hence Word.

 

[badmouse]

Stop trying to write something good, and deliberately try to write something bad. Pretend to be a complete doofus and just write randomly about the subject.

Works for me.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
get really drunk or high. or both.

I concur worked great for me when I was in school

Ausm

Yea that would probably do the trick, even though I don't do such things. How many great writers/poets did? A lot of them methinks!