How to Combat 'Writer's Block' While Giving Your Story Depth
Somedays, you can't do much but stare at your keyboard.
It's awful, isn't it? So what do you do when that happens? Well, if your story isn't completely hopeless:
Don't scrap your novel.
Don't walk away from the laptop.
Grab a cup of coffee and get ready for some fun ways to get your brain cylinders banging.
1: Use Pinterest as Your Go-To Wealth of Inspiration.
For all you writers, both women AND MEN, I would strongly recommend this. You may know Pinterest as the DIY website for exercise, cooking, and fashion, but let me tell you that amongst it's cookie and clothing coating, there lies amazing artwork, armory, writing tips, survival instructions, and psychotic disorder reference sheets that will aid you greatly in your writing endeavors. It will be fun and informative as well.
Even though you may have to scroll past a few pictures of frilly, lace-lined boots when you search "combat", you are guarantied to find several websites and videos displaying how to throw a knife or become a martial artist in minutes. Boom. Take notes, kids.
2: Sit Your Character Down For an Interview.
This can also be pretty fun. Find or come up with general questions to ask your character. It can be any or all of you characters, depending on how much time you have and how developed they are.
Honestly, all of your characters should probably have some sort of backstory and at least a definite personality. If not, they end up being stick figures. If it seems like a waste of time to you, you're wrong. This not only makes your characters spring to life, but it makes their interactions easier and more interesting to write, and it can further the plot in ways you wouldn't expect.
If you have trouble coming up with questions, here is an awesome list that I use all the time. The details of the questions are wonderful, but feel free to skip some, as you probably don't need every single one:
3: Build The World
This pertains heavily to the fantasy/sci-fi genre, but can and should also be done in many other genres and time periods!
If your book is in a fantasy world, figure out some details! Write a short history of the land, planet, or universe (depending on how far your novel setting ventures out). Create customs, government, and social status. This can have an incredible impact on your plot and generate ideas for your book! It also makes for more interesting reading and more authentic writing.
If your book is in a historic setting, do your research! Pick up and interesting history book, search for facts, hit up Wikipedia. If you don't, you will look stupid and struggle with writing, so this is pretty important.
If your book is set in the modern time, you still need to research your characters occupation, situation, and location well. As with historical novels, you don't have as much free space to work with like you do in fantasy, so make sure you get your facts straight!
Behold from the depths of the internet, another link! This one is mostly for fantasy/sci-fi, but I find that most of the suggestions can be applied to a real-life setting to spark some questions you may need to ask while doing research:
So! What are you doing? Stop reading and get to work!
May the muse be with you.
