Chapter 3: Digging In
Now, here comes the hard part, actually writing.
-Right words versus wrong words.
-Inspirations and writer's block.
I. Write versus Wrong
Finding the correct words to start a Bionicle fanfiction is hard, believe me. So, what is my advice in the attention grabbing starting statements? Write the first thing down that come to mind. Do not erase, change, or cross-out that line. Keep it. It is now the attention grabber.
"But it is not good!"
So, who the hell cares? I sure do not!
Fine, want to see the first paragraph I wrote for my very first Bionicle fanfic (The Everbinding Tales)? Here:
Life. A word we all know and say hundreds of times in out lives. Yet, we do not know
That story was my rise and fall. The beginning was interesting, but it slowly fell about before my eyes. The messy, chaotic story I devoted my first few years of writing to became known amongst the small community (which has grown in the past few years). It made me fall because it made me realize I was not the fantastic author I had wanted to be.
But I have grown and have moved on from that fiery young girl who loved to fight with Tahu. I have grown and I have changed, as we all do. I am wiser and much smarter, and I have much better grammar, thank Mata Nui for that.
I have gone from:
Life. A word we all know and say hundreds of times in out lives. Yet, we do not know
To:
"Poor thing," a Matoran muttered, checking the vitals of a being for the last time. "This one's so young, and we have to pull the plug."
So, finding the right words to begin a fantastic story is hard.
I struggled greatly with my newest Bionicle fanfic, Lost Hope. I was pulling the hair out of my head and scratching my skull until it was raw and bloody. After about a month of trying to get that damn thing started, I just stopped and took a breather.
I cleaned my room, watched movies, read books. A week later, I came back to writing and just wrote.
When writing this chapter to this guide, I thought, "How the hell am I going to help them get motivated to begin writing?" And that is when it came to me. Just do it.
"Just do it." Sounds like something for a shoe company, probably Nike, but it is a great motivator.
Make a sign that says "Just do it" and post it above your computer, this way, whenever you write, you can smile and write. If you work off a computer at the library, write "Just do it" on a note card. You can color and do whatever the hell you want to it, just as long as you post it above or near the computer you work off. I laugh at it every time I see it.
There are no right or wrong words when you are writing, so long as you "just do it" and enjoy it, people will love to read it.
II. Blocking the Block
I, too, struggle with writing. Finding the right inspiration does not take much when getting started, but it does take a lot to keep it.
My advice: Avoid writer's blocks.
What is a writer's block? It is the inability to begin or continue writing . Often caused by the lack of inspiration or creativity. Caused by depression and anxiety (both of which are oddly inspiring to me) in the frontal lobe of your brain. Can be caused by politics or unwillingness to confront past problems.
How do you do that? Stay inspired.
Here is where you groan. Staying inspired was the hard part.
But here is something you probably did not know, even published authors get a writer's block. They need inspiration, too!
So, how do you avoid a writer's block? You can not. Sometimes it is a blessing that they come. Heck, I had a writer's block for this chapter!
Well, here is that just in case list of what you could do in case you have one of those dreaded blocks.
-Stop writing for a while and come back to it later. A few hours to a week is often what the doctor calls for.
-Listen to music. You can just sit in your room and listen to it or you can listen to it while you write. Music stimulates that creative part in our brain that helps us to be more imaginative when writing.
-Walk your dog... or cat.
-Watch a movie or ten.
-Begin another fanfic. Having several stories going on at once may seem confusing, but, hey, I am working on nine different things right now and do I seem confused? Now, do not begin nine different things to be like me, start just one other if you are just beginning. For others... well, start two more.
-Schedule yourself. It is hard, I will admit, but it does help. I find that I work best under pressure.
-Create mental exercises.
-Create an idea book. An idea book is a book full of ideas, names, places, songs, et cetera you have seen or heard or thought of. It is very useful.
-Ask fans. Asking a fan what he or she thinks will happen next does help, although I, personally, have yet to try it. Kino Lady of the Divine often asks me.
-Read frequently and read a variety of things. I am currently reading books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.
-Hang out with friends.
-Eat. I have found I work better, not only under pressure, but also with a full belly.
-Clean your room.
-One word: Karaoke.
-Catch up with your family. You would be surprised that you are not the only one struggling.
-Make a list of things you have to do.
-Do your laundry.
-Write a poem. I do not know why, but a poem seems to help.
-Cook food, whether it be for yourself, friends, or family it keeps the mind surprisingly creative and active.
-Go Christmas shopping... even in January, it is never too early to get that person you did not get a gift for last year a gift this year!
-Create witty titles for a possible story.
-Take a dance class.
-Make funny faces in the mirror.
-Go to 7-11 for a late night snack.
-Talk to your roommate(s). Quality bonding time is effective.
-Create a playlist for the story.
Well, you could do pretty much anything to slay the Kanohi dragon blocking your way to success, but remember, you are not alone. Okay, that is a creepy line, but everyone gets a writer's block.
So, how did I deal with my writer's block for this chapter? Well, I went shopping for underclothing, watched a few movies, went to band practice, and danced it off. It felt good to work those dusty gears of mine again. I know you will feel good too, after a break.