Young Writers Society

It's story time, boys and girls. Sit back and make yourself comfortable...

So, about a year and a half ago, I was watching a movie in my History class, when suddenly, an idea struck me. It was a weak little plot bunny, but I kindly nurtured it in my head all day. Originally, the plot was going to be something much different, but when I got down to writing it, it began to take the form it has today.

Over the next couple weeks, I threw myself into this thing. It was a historical novel, so there was A LOT of reaserch to do. Now that I look back on it, I would consider myself an expert in this particular topic. So I researched and researched and wrote a few preliminary scenes. This book idea was my heart and soul, I spent so much time thinking about it. I took breaks between writing, and my family pestered me about what the heck I was doing cooped up on my laptop all day.

Eventually, I had to tell them. So I told them the plot and how hard it was to write and things like that. Of course, they, my mom especially, was delighted. She always knew I was a big writer, and now she knew I had big ideas. Telling them had both good and bad consequences. The good ones? They left me alone in my writing, and took me to some historical places to do with my story in the area, which was GREAT inspiration. The bad one? They pestered me to write. My mom has adopted this philosophy, that runs to this day- Codex, you will publish something before you turn 17! *Deep breath*. So I had a problem.

This is about the time, unfortunately, that I hit a roadblock in my writing. School was getting me down, and I just wasn't as inspired anymore. I was in a writing slump. Eventually, I saved my story to my Documents folder under password lock, and put it away for a few months.

Now, with some magic-magic time warp, we'll skip ahead. I'm in a new grade now, new age, new haircut, everything. I was back into writing, churning out fan fiction and nurturing plot bunnies. Until I remembered (it was always at the way back of my mind), my story. The story.

I clicked on my Documents, which was full of drafts. Do I dare open this Pandora's box of writing again? My mouse hovered over the document, and I clicked. I entered the password with shaking fingers, and it popped up on my screen.

So I read it. I read the whole thing. Obviously, half of it wasn't even nearly up to my standards, so I moved all the scenes I didn't like to the bottom of the document. What was left? About 3,000 words. Yikes.

Periodically, I checked on it. I sat with my fingers poised over the keys, but not much came. I sighed, and closed my computer for the fiftieth time.

So we fast forward a little more to something about a week ago. In school, I take a Creative Writing elective. There, I can type whatever I want. It's like writing independent study. So, I sat, talking with my mom and complaining about my lack of inspiration. "Well," she says, "why don't you type your story?"

I sat. "Uh..." I said, like the genius I was. "C'mon!" my mom looked excited. "You should be writing! That's the only way to become a published author!"

So I dragged myself over to my laptop and went to Google Docs. I copy pasted the whole document, reject scenes and all, and saved it there.

In class, I wrote. I wrote some filler scenes, easy stuff. It was alright, but didn't make for much. So here we are now, dear readers. My story sits in Google Docs, waiting for me to type it. My mom, in my business, constantly reminding me to write. My creative writing teacher, stands behind me in class and tells me to buck up and write. My sister, complaining about her lack of fan fiction ideas.

Once again, yikes. We come to the part in this story where the words give way to blank pages, waiting for me to fill them.

The End.

So I ask you, readers, to help fill these pages. Do you have any advice, or tips for people like me, who are stuck in a road block like this? Do you have any tips to get writing minds turning? Any general help you can give me would be REALLY appreciated. Thank you.

I've never had particularly bad writer's block, mainly because I tend to avoid actual novel writing as much as possible.

However, last year whilst doing NaNoWriMo I knew that writer's block simply wasn't an option, and so did a few things to ensure that I never ended up staring at the pages willing for words to come out. Here are a few things that I recommend:

1) Set a certain amount of time a day aside for writing. During this time, all you can do is write. It doesn't matter if what you're writing is awful, doesn't make sense and is riddled with typos. The main thing is that you're writing. The good stuff comes later, when you go back and rewrite it. Even if you delete everything you write in this time, it's a really good way to just barrel past whatever block you have.

2) Write about your characters. Again, this may just be a way for you to get writing again, but something you could do is just write about your characters. It doesn't need to be connected to your story - you could simply write a simple profile of them, or a day in their childhood. This will hopefully connect you to the story again.

3) Take a break. Remove yourself from your writing, from your natural writing place, close down your laptop and maybe go for a walk. Just relax - you don't necessarily have to think about your novel as you walk, but it's a nice way to let off some steam and not have to do anything in particular.

These may not work for you, but if they do then that's great! Good luck with your novel.

-Amy

Thank you very much

Try going back to your research. When I hit a massive writer's block in my historical-based fantasy, I dug up another research book and started applying it. In detail. It gave me a whole bunch of conflict when I started factoring in more historical undertones.

While you might think you've seen everything about a topic, oftentimes more gets published as years go on. So researching again could bring in some new discovers you hadn't considered before, and provide some new insight.

First things first. Do not, I repeat, do not write your book on Google Docs. You know those Terms of Agreement things they make you sign? Well it gives them full rights to anything you put on there. So stop using Google Docs.

Now back to your original question. Whenever I hit a writer's block, I would take one of my characters and put them into a really wacky situation. For instance, my story takes place in the middle ages. So I'd go and stick them in a modern day library and see how that works out. It usually worked for me.

Another thing I do is read. Reading gives me inspiration. Obviously, don't steal from the book, but take certain scenes you like and twist them into your own (by the time you're finished it will be drastically different.)

First things first. Do not, I repeat, do not write your book on Google Docs. You know those Terms of Agreement things they make you sign? Well it gives them full rights to anything you put on there. So stop using Google Docs.

I assume you're referring to this section of their TOS:

You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.

In the case of Google Docs, unless you make your documents public, no one else can view them, and they will not show up in any search engines. Otherwise, your documents may show up in search results and be viewable by anyone whether you are aware of it or not.

You still own all the rights (intellectual, publication, copyright, etc.) to all your original material. NOT Google.

Licenses allow for use by someone who is not an owner. In order to store and/or display your content, Google requires a license as they do not own your work. You may revoke this license by removing your content.

They explain it here:

The first thing to understand is that this language doesn't give Google ownership rights to your data. You, and you alone, own your content. Whether you wish to keep your content totally private, or share it with the world, that's your choice.

However, in order to honor this choice, Google Docs needs permission to display your content as you see fit. This is what we mean by a "license to reproduce." We need to ensure that when you click the "Publish document" button, or use the "Invite collaborators" option, we have the license to carry out your wishes. It is this agreement, between Google Docs and you, the user, that section 11.1 of our Terms of Service reflects.

Basically, there is nothing wrong with using Google Docs. You do not lose the rights to your work just by using Google Docs. Unless you give your rights over to Google, you will always retain those rights.

And this, my friends, is a perfect example of how rumors can lead to embarrassment and a tomato red face.

Sorry.

emeraldmaria wrote:And this, my friends, is a perfect example of how rumors can lead to embarrassment and a tomato red face.

Sorry.

It is something to be aware of, though. Be sure to read licenses very carefully— Facebook, for example, does own the rights to anything you post.

And I think the thread's gone off-topic enough.

Thanks guys, really Love the tips.