How Do I Start Writing Again?

I have a writing exercise I use when I am blocked, I sit down and write;

I remember_______________________

the words start flowing, it can be anything at all but it really opens up the word block in my head.

You have made a good beginning with this post. Keep going with just putting down your thoughts and feelings. It will get easier. In one writing course, it is advised that if you just write for a few minutes a day, it will get easier.

I dont know but wishing you the best of luck

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Awesome MySpace Comments & Myspace Layouts

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Hope your inspiration finds you again....it's there, it's just hiding.

Happy New Year.

Christine, I look forward to reading whatever you create!

An idea list of your most favorite things or memories.

I am with April. Just start with the basic statement, "I remember when___", I love to___" Just go with it from there. I have those same writers block rather often, more so now than I did before my work related injury and all these pain meds have come into my life.
I wish you luck and look forward to reading your works.

Hi Christine: One thing that works for me is to think about any given situation, then try changing it up with a "what if" question. It can be any scenario, like "I went to the grocery store the other day." The what if is where you get to creative. "What if, while at the grocery store, a woman ran out of the bathroom screaming..." Or "What if, while at the grocery store, a man walked past my cart, dropping a large box into as he passed." Good luck!

That doesn't sound bad. I am very picky about my poetry and my writing. You want the right words. Put down what you are thinking and then go back to it. It may take for you to write ideas and such then it will get easier. I got the book by Jack Heffron on ideas and it is my favorite book. I have poems published on Triond and on Bukisa. Keep trying and you wll get there.

You sound like you may have writers block also, try writing a few small simple things or stepping back from writing for a bit.

When I am blocked, I do "morning pages". I get up first thing in the morning and write stream of consciousness...whatever comes to mind. I don't edit. I don't worry about punctuation, grammar or spelling. I just write my thoughts. You'd be surprised how this can lead you into being able to write again.

When I'm blocked, I just pick up the pen and start writting about my day. Everything, the smallest detail that I can remember.
No editing, just rambling.
Often this leads me toward a specific piece.
But I don't let myself edit that page, I just put in the folder to look at later for more inspiration if needed .

Gathering is good practice. I like to brainstorm. If I get stuck, I choose a random word or concept and write everything I can think of without thinking of the actual words or structure along the way - you can always worry about that later. Or you can choose unique concepts and get imaginative. Why did the chicken cross the road? Who eats green eggs and ham? Get silly when all else fails and soon the words will pour out :)

Paying it Forward

Paying it forward with wishes for a Happy New Year!

I have ADD also, so I can sympathize. There are times when there's just too much going on in my head, and I can't pull it together, and other times when it's a mental freeze up. All the above suggestions are good, and different ones might work at different times. I do a version of morning pages sometimes, but it can be at any time of the day or evening. Writing for sites like Gather does serve as a kind of kickstart sometimes, so at least you're getting off dead center.

Being diagnosed ADHD and many more things please, please do not ever think whatever you are diagnosed with owns you! If you could not sit and read a book more then likely it was a crappy book!

The meds made me so not myself! I had NOT a creative bone in my body on those things! I am told I was as if an empty shell, here but nothing inside.

Get used to the meds first. Priority number one, if you choose to take them. Once you are comfortable with them, 6 months to a year then start up again, really, give yourself time.

I am not great at anything, however been down the diagnoses trail many times. Creativity costs are expensive. Look at the great writers, photographers, explorers, artists of the past and I will promise you there is a messed up, confused, even socially unacceptable person who in today's times would be diagnosed with something too!

Creativity refuses to be controlled! If you want it, it will cost you.

Stop at the end of the day, in the middle of the sentence--like Hemingway suggested...and, basically is suggested, here, by Apryl and Stephanie.

Complete the sentene the next day--REGARDLESS OF HOW STUPID AND INANE YOU THINK THE SENTENCE IS. CONTINUE TO WRITE, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. CONTINUE TO WRITE, EVEN IF YOU THINK THAT WHAT YOU WRITE IS NOTHING MORE OR LESS THAN DRIVEL.

Continue to write. Still continue to write. Do this for at least 15 minutes, each day. Later, you might need to do it longer. WRITE WHATEVER COMES INTO YOUR HEAD.

Then go over all of the ramblings--after the first day or after the seond day, or after whatever day--WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT!

PICK OUT THE ONE, OR TWO, THOUGHTS THAT YOU LIKE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE ANY OF THEM, THAT IS TOO BAD!

GO BACK AND CONTINUE TO DO THE EXERCISE AGAIN! THIS TAKES COURAGE.....I REPEAT, THIS TAKES COURAGE.....

THOSE THOUGHTS, THOSE IDEAS, THOSE NOTES THAT YOU LIKE: THEY WILL EVENTUALLY EMERGE; YOU WILL SEE CREATIVE WORDS, OR PHRASES, OR FULL THOUGHTS, WHICH YOU WILL IDENTIFY AS BETTER THAN DRIVEL OR BETTER THAN SELF-CONSCIOUS CRAP: THESE
MODEST COLLECTIONS WILL SIGNIFY YOUR INCIPIENT TALENT. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE TRULY EARNEST ABOUT THIS PAINFUL EXERCISE.

IT IS THE ONLY PARIS ISLAND-BOOT CAMP, RELIABLE METHOD, THAT I KNOW OF, TO OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK.....REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU'RE AT IN YOUR WORK OR IN YOUR CAREER.......

Even meager success, with this gruesome exercise, will signify your own ability, gradually, to transcend your personal saboteurs.

When one transcends his, or her, saboteurs-- through grueling dedication--
one will begin to emerge from the macabre citadel of WRITER'S BLOCK.....

Just want to say God Bless you and what ever you write I hope I'll be on line to read it :)

Wow! I can't believe the response I got! So many ideas! Thank you all! I will try them and hopefully have something to put on Gather!

I have no idea really. I'm not good at this kind of thing. Mabey your putting to much pressure on yourself? anyways I hope your writers block ends soon.

I think you have been given some good advice...just start writing and don't worry about how it sounds....

thanks for posting to commentsneeded.gather.com.
have a great new year

I haven't written much lately either but my beginning line is "These are a few of my favorite things"..I've been using it since I first heard the song as a child. Best Wishes to you!

It will come back to you~

Good luck. I like the "I remember" trick Apryl mentioned.

Looks like some good ideas. Hope it comes back to you soon!

Helping Hands strikes again!
Thanks for sharing

Wish i could help.

me too

So glad you found your way, you're doing great so far!!

Good luck in your writing.

I think all writers get writers block every now and then. But Apryl is right, Just write.

Sometimes when I listen to music I get inspired. Also when I have an exreme emotion I like to try to sit down and write.