Young Writers Society

What is a good way to get rid of writer's block? I'm still a student in school and by the time I get home, my creativity is gone. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips?

Are you saying that you are only inspired at school? If so, I recommend jotting down anything and everything that you think may inspire you somewhere (ex: notebook, hand) you will find after school.
I also recommend taking a shower if you are in the middle of a writers block. I don't know why, but water helps clear my head so I can think clearly.
I hope I've helped some! Let me know if anything works for you.

I can't write anywhere BUT school! That's where I get through my writer's block. Heck, I practically fit the entire story together at school.

Another thing I do is I listen to soundtracks to LOTR or Harry Potter. They get me in the mood to write fantasy, and I'm not distracted by words.

Well personally I find listening to music and/or watching TV actually helps, if its something interesting. Classical music sometimes gives me ideas because I wonder what story might fit with the music, and it also helps create mood. My own problem is actually not having ideas but writing them - the moment I sit down its like I freeze up (keyboard-fright? lol) and everything just goes all..ick and stilted and I never get past the first chapter (even a few PARAGRAPHS is a miracle). I used to write hundred-page stories at the drop of a hat, but now that I'm painfully aware how stupid those stories were, I cant seem to write more than a few pages. Its very demoralising. I havent finished a story (except a few short stories, at which I am notably pathetic) in YEARS. Poems are all I can do now.

Anyway, sorry to rant. I cant really help you with writers block much seeing I get it so badly myself, but try getting up, going for a walk, swimming, anything that will give your mind a break and let it cool down after a school day. Take up a hobby, do new things, anything to shake yourself out of your pattern and make things interesting. You never know, inspiration can sometimes just strike (usually at the most inconvienient time) and voila! you have a story!

Good luck

My advice is dependent on what kind of block you have. Is it a general 'everything' block, a block on starting something new, or a block on continuing a specific piece?

If you can't write anything, take a break from writing altogether for a little while and just rejuvenate yourself with other hobbies, as has already been suggested. I find that video games, hanging out with my friends, and going out to watch people help me freshen up ideas. Also, listening to a lot of different music helps as well. It helps me, anyway.

If you have a block starting something new, I suggest a freewrite/stream of conciousness writing session. Just start writing, no matter how silly or full of errors your writing ends up. Start and go and see what kinds of ideas you come up with. Even if your page looks more like a journal than a story, that's fine. That's rather the point. You can unlock a lot of hidden gems of ideas this way.

If you're blocked on a certain piece, set it aside and come back to it in a day or two or three - but no more! You don't want to forget about it. If you find yourself repeatedly blocked, it may be a sign you need to start it from scratch or introduce a new twist to keep the plot moving. If neither of these help, only then should you start to rethink it.

Also, I find that music helps no matter what block I have, because I can listen to the same songs over and over and get something new out of them every time. My all-time favorite band (now defunct. ) is Dispatch. And many of their songs inspire me to write. I'll listen to one song, get an idea, and then listen to another song that refines it. Then I develop on my own and find new ideas when I go back to the music. It's not really like a music-fic at all. The lyrics and melodies are just places for me to start and make something of my own.

Reading also reduces block, because it lets you see how other people go about doing what you want to do. One of the best ways to learn, after all, is by example.

Good luck!

Edit: Lastly, I suggest investing in a small, pocket-sized notebook that you carry with you -wherever you go.- This way, if you get an idea in a random location, you can jot it down for later. It could be a word, whim, a thought, a phrase, a doodle, a story-starter, or even a first page. Whatever. I love my little notebooks; they've saved me an idea or two on many, many occasions. Keep yours with you always. Except maybe in the shower.

You can find them for cheap at your local department store. And if you can't, yell at them and pout your way to a different store.

Hehe, I think up most of my story at school, I have a note book, which I write in EVERY homegroup (well, the teachers havn't complained yet, so I don't see why I should stop) and freewriting, I try and do that everyday, and I have gotten better at writing my story since, so it has it's benifits. Mostly, I think writer's block is when you get really really frustrated with yourself over your work. The best thing to do is take a break from whatever is frustrating you and KEEP IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD AT ALL COSTS! Otherwise you'll end up being frustrated anyway. Music helps, freewriting about the frustrating thing can help.

Hope that helps a little at least.

Éloeré reminded me of something.

Whatever you do, do NOT talk about your story with anyone else! That could possibly kill it... it's like letting it out before it's been written. And then the need to write it kind of disappears....