Writers Block, Tips for writing through it Part 4

Tips 4; use brainstorming.

Shoot the hero. No particular reason other than to get the story moving. If it’s a romance novel make sure the hero’s love interest uses a magnum handgun. We don’t want the hero chasing a wimpy girl.

There are hundreds of ways to brainstorm. Get on the Internet and look some of the methods for brainstorming. It will get you out of your rut.

Brainstorming methods.

1. Focused writing;

Write down the reason for your writers block. Get it out of your system.

Write why the hero is doing nothing.

Write why the hero is running out of time, and write about someone (mentor, sidekick or love interest) telling him he running out of time.

Write why your hero must save the day and why it is more important than the hero realizes. Could be a TV new story about a killer that everyone knew had problems but no one did anything about.

Write about a theme (it doesn’t have to be the theme of the story) or a word phrase. The hero puts on tennis shoes and decides to just do it.

Write about what the hero could do. He could do nothing, something small, something big, or everything.

Write about the unintended consequences of the hero’s past actions. He saves one person but that causes another person to be killed.

2. Brainstorm lists;

List the hero’s actions. Actions that need to be done. What are his day to day actions.

List the villain’s actions. The villain is busy planning, leaving red herring, dropping the kids off at school. What does the villain do on his day off?

List the sidekick actions. Partying, cleaning up after the hero, buying grocery.

List the throwaway characters actions. Time to change the smoke alarm batteries and stumble on the dead bodies.

List the story world actions; flood, fire, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, 911.

3. Take the long view;

Write about how the story is impacted if the villain wins?

Write about how the story is impacted if the hero wins but how it is still bad for the story world?

4. Brainstorm audience expectation (customer satisfaction);

Write about what the audience expects.

Write about what the audience wants.

Write about how to give the audience what it wants but unexpectedly.

Remember when brainstorming don’t criticize yourself or others.

Write on, draw on.   Professor Voltage.