The Black Hole of Gaping Plot-Lack -- i.e., Writer's Block

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCKKK.

With that out of my system, I can actually get started on the point of this post -- which is, to those of you capable of reading titles, writer's block. That horror, that menace, that evil being that lurks over every writer's day like a hammer over an anvil. And considerably less productive -- at least a hammer and anvil accomplish something when the day's done.

Not that, of course, that changes anything in the long run; I can place as many ominous similes as I want in its immediate vicinity, but it will still haunt me.

In fact, it will continue to haunt me until I get past the chapters in Spoink! I'm stuck on. For those of you unaware of my massive graphic novel project, Spoink! (which, yes, is also the name of a Pokemon) is a fourth-wall-breaker that is a parody of most manga clichés, while managing to tell an actual story. It's currently in script form (by far the most irritating part of graphic-novelising, behind the thumb-printing), and I'm caught on one of the key chapters because -- let's face it, Victory, it's boring.

Boring?! Oh, Goddess, I can see it now -- the entire novel failing because the stupid exposition chapters ruined it for everyone!

Hence the extended fuck at the beginning of this post.

So, here are Victory's key ways to get the hell out of writer's block. Maybe by writing them down I'll help myself.

1. Skip ahead to the next part. If you know where you're going, just not the finer details of how you get there, just start writing the part you know. Then go back when you have a flash of inspiration (or just really need to get it done.)

2. Go for a walk. Make a soufflé. I don't care how you get the hell away from your project, just get the hell away from the bloody thing before you collapse into a state of quivering inspiration-less jello. And then you'll never finish; how's that for incentive?

3. Start writing. No, I don't mean start writing what you're working on; just a stream of consciousness. No backspace button; take it off the damn keyboard if you have to. The delete key, too, if that helps. Just write exactly what's in your brain until you're either relaxed enough to go back to writing (which may take a while) or you've hit inspiration (which may take longer).

4. WRITE SOMETHING ELSE. A poem, maybe, or a short story, or another novel(la) idea that's been buzzing around your brain. Just don't forget your original goal -- come back to the first piece after twenty minutes or so (unless you're really on a roll).

Ah... I feel much better, now. Maybe I'll go start thumb-printing chapter three again.

Or not. As I said, thumb-printing sucks worse than scripting. -shudders-