Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Drawing Blanks

Sometimes writers can't think of anything else to write or have trouble deciding what happens next. On a board like this, where factions rise and fall and there are so many different stories all running at the same time, it can be hard to continue writing for your character sometimes. I know this because recently I've hit a stump and have no idea what else to do with Onyx.

So here is my question, when you are considering arcs and stories, how do you find ways to make them work out? Or, rather, what do you do when you hit the stump that we all know as "Writers Block"?
 
Though it's not a cure or anything, I've understood I cant write good quality things or... anything... when I'm too stressed. But if a person I'm threading with is lucky enough to get a post from me on Sunday morning, about 9 o'clock in Estonian time, they can most likely see a good post. I'm really inspired then. :D

Basically, I don't change my storylines much. Lilith's story is divided into acts and if something happens that would change Lilith's story, I just make another act which will take place somewhere in the middle of currently developed story.

But as I have understood and read, writer's block doesn't exist. We (or I) just think we can't write because of that, but what we (I) really have to do, is... write. No matter, how stupid things you (I) may write, it helps to get inspired. But if I really need to get inspired, I listen to inspiring music (epic music, not heavy metal or whatever people enjoy relating their characters to), read quotes, Pinterest, drink coffee or tea, eat something, look at inspiring pictures, go outdoors... They have helped me a bit. :)
 
Well, I call it 'the muse is being a b-word'. Varies between certain characters and what I've been experiencing for the past year, complete block. Like, I have ideas what to do with my characters but as soon as I have to write any of it down, poof, none of them cooperates anymore. And seeing as I have about thirty or so characters, plenty of muse not to cooperate with me. Why? Well, it's hard to pinpoint. On one hand, lot of my partner-writers have stopped writing with me, whether it's because we're on separate boards or they still take their own writing breaks. On the other hand, I find that I write better when I'm in school, have a schedule...

Right now, I'm sorta, dabbling with characters, negotiating, somehow managing something though I'm hardly where I used to be. And yes, music helps a lot here, especially when I'm trying to discipline myself enough to write replies to people. Sometimes, for certain characters, I can find one song that I'll just put on a loop and it can help me plenty. Sometimes, it's just different music that allows me to do lame posts and help get the thread moving, nothing else. Also, certain movies will inspire me. Like for Satara, I found major inspiration in the movie Beautiful Creatures. First, it helped me to have a face for a young, teenage Satara, now playing in the background actually helps me in the same effect as the music.

But yeah, it's all very individual. To me, music is inspirational in everything, including writing. And order in my days.
 
The way I handle things when I get stuck is I usually write as something that I am not for awhile, then when the time is right I come back being what I really am. It's like therapy. I take a break and have my character do completely opposite of his nature just to see what happens. It's sort of fun since you don't know who you meet on the way and what changes you make in people's lives as they write their own stories with their characters. It's pretty much where I am now with my character. Right now, it's not the right time to be who he is until things get better on this board. I won't point these issues out because they are quite obvious. I would love to be Darth Iscariot but I won't. That muse will come later. What you have is not writer's block or a stump, it's just a time you need to relax and slow your pace. Try to roleplay as someone else or change your character a bit so that you don't completely kill your muse. :)

@[member="The Burned Man"]
 

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