Writers Block

Every writer gets writers block. It happens. Even if your heart is dying to get this story out of your head and on to paper. It still happens. So many people ask "How can I cure my writers block?" or some variant there of. Most, if not all of them, hate the answer they invariably get. Write. The only way to get past writers block is to write. The problem I have with that, is that it's too generic. Ok, write. Write what? If I could write I would continue my story. One of the best things I have found to help with this is free writing. Pick an arbitrary amount of time, say, 10 minutes. Set a timer. Then start writing. Don't stop, ever. Keep your pen/fingers moving. Even if you have to write "I don't know what to write" a bunch of times, that's ok. Also if you can't figure out what to write about use a writing prompt, the internet is full of websites with plenty of writing prompts.

When you force yourself to just write and write and write, your subconscious takes over and ideas flow out of you that you might never have thought of just "brainstorming" about the problem.

Now back to your blocked up story. Try using what is going on, or whatever problem is happening as your writing prompt. For instance:

The hero is cornered by a dragon and...

Now continue that sentence, it may seem dumb or stupid but just keep going.

The hero is cornered by a dragon and...the dragon eats him. No that won't work, he's the hero. I don't know what he does. Maybe he finds a rock at his feet and throws it at the dragon and hits it in the eye. Now we have a mad dragon. Ok bad idea. Wait didn't we have a throwing knife in our sock. Ok throw that at the dragon. A hit, right in his other eye. Now run for it doofus...

That's the kind of thing you might expect to get, or you may not. Everyone is different. The point is, just write. It doesn't matter what, but using your problem as a kickoff point may even provide you a solution.

Here are a few sites to get you started.
http://www.writingfix.com/index.htm
http://www.writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/daily-writing-prompts/

Haiku Challenge: Three line story

I was talking with my writing partner via IM and he spit out three lines that I remarked was a complete story.

You cannot change the future!
It is already set in...oh look a penny.
*gets hit by bus*

His response was "for a real challenge, haiku three line story". So we did. Here are my two.

Power flickers on.
Then an explosion happens.
Everybody dies.

Cars speed round the track.
One man makes a daring pass.
Takes the checkered flag.

And his two.

The man does not know
his father is still alive,
and always watching.

The ninja strikes fast.
Throwing shuriken at me.
Shotgun beats ninja.