Tangled Tuesday-10 Things To Do When You Have a Writer's Block

Some days, in spite of the fact that I may have a whole day in front of me to do nothing but write...I get nothing. I blame it on my characters because they're just being a pain in the butt. I would get into it with them, but I'd run the risk of alienating them completely. I got one of these dreaded blocks the other day and decided to share how I managed it.

Here are 10 things to try when you have a writer's block.

1. Practice your ballet. Decide that going through a complete routine will take the place of going to the gym later. Finish and decide to go to the gym anyways. Now, in fact. That way, you'll have the whole evening free.

2. Once you're back home and showered, realize the dust bunnies have gone on a breeding rampage because you spent the past week writing. Clean house. Since the kitchen is clean, do some cooking for the week. That way, when you go on another writing stint, your children won't live off pizza and cereal.

3. Sit down to write again. Save the one sentence...repeatedly.

4. Brush the dog. Tell him what a good boy he is and how horrid your characters are for being so elusive. Brush the cat. Tell him the same as he runs away because he doesn't give a crap.

5. Surf YouTube. Stumble across something hilarious. Post it on Facebook because it will make everyone's day. Find out it already went viral...years ago. Feel lame. Catch up with all the exciting news from other people doing neat stuff. Sternly tell yourself that it's time to do your neat stuff. Sign off Facebook and get back to writing.

6. Decide you must have some almonds. Now. A grocery store trip may be in order. Wander the grocery store aisles looking at all the food. Chat with other customers and the checkout clerk. When the checkout clerk asks how the writing is going, feel extremely guilty and tell him it's going great. 

7. Once you make it home, sit, determined, and split your time between noshing on almonds, and writing random sentences. Delete your sentences because they all suck.

8. Social network. Follow random people of Twitter and Google Plus. Visit your other social networking sites and catch up. Become completely overwhelmed by the number of sites you've signed up for. Spend the next half-hour on Pinterest looking at all the pretty pictures.

9. Make coffee. Drink coffee. Repeat.

10. Finally get struck with an awesome idea and write furiously. Check the clock and realize you have exactly twenty minutes before the kids get home.

Kick yourself repeatedly. For that matter, kick your characters, because obviously, it's all their fault.

Writer's Block Ballet

Writer's block. There, I've spoken the dirty words. Forgive me.
A month ago, I thought I finished the complete draft of Struck, the paranormal horror novel I've been working on. In spite of my initial happy dance however, my characters tell me that the ending just...isn't...right.
So into the Otherworld it goes. One chapter, weeks of writing, deleted with the click of a button.
I trust my characters. Yes, yes, I'll rewrite their stupid ending, but I'm at a loss right now. I know my epiphany will come while cleaning my fish tanks, practicing my ballet, or brushing my teeth. Doing something mundane. But for now, I'm quite mad at them.
Weeks of writing, deleted.

Do any of you have moments like this?

*insistent tap on your writerly shoulder*
"Yes, hello. The other characters and I have decided to inform you that we don't like the ending you wrote. At all. Oh, and that thing you made us do in Chapter 5? Yeah, that's garbage as well. What were you thinking?"  

I can't be the only author who gets bossed around by their characters.

Anyways. My lead antagonist isn't speaking to me, and the ending is kind of up to him. As much as I threaten and cajole, he mocks me with his silence. I've considered baking him cookies, but he'd probably see right through that.
So, writer's block it is.
What to do in a situation like this? I've known some writers that let it roll off their backs like water. I've known others who are thrown into a fit of despair.
For me, it means more time spent on my ballet. I figure if I manage several hundred relevés, I will be in so much pain, that the ending won't matter. Or my paranormal demon will take pity and tell me what I need to do with him.

But for now, I'm still waiting. Excuse me while I work on my pliés. A couple hundred or so should do it.