Greg Gildersleeve

So, you're writing or drawing your story. You got started with a lot of excitement and a plan for how it's all going to turn out, and then, without warning, you're stuck.

Writer's block (or artist's block) can come on suddenly or slowly, and it's never pretty. It usually comes from having expectations of yourself that are too high, or embarking on some new venture (such as writing or drawing your first comic book story) without really knowing how it's going to turn out. After all, creative writing is taking a dive into the Great Unknown: It involves inventing something that has never existed before (unless you are consciously trying to make your work derivative of someone else's, but that's another discussion).

But even experienced writers and artists can reach that point where they just get stuck. John Rzeznik of the band the Goo Goo Dolls once described his writer's block in VH1's Behind the Music series. Having writer's block doesn't mean you don't write, he said. Rather, you write all the time but think that everything you've written is crap.

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If you find yourself getting stuck, don't get discouraged. Realize that this is a normal part of the creative process, and that if you continue plugging along, you'll soon come out of it. In the meantime, here are some suggestions to help you stay the course:

1. Go for a walk. Getting fresh air and physical exercise will help you feel better. And if you feel better, you'll be able to tackle the problem with gusto.

2. Put the project aside for a few days. Getting away from it can give a fresh perspective. The only catch is that you have to actually come back to the project at some point. Having a "due date" for when you actually return to it can help you avoid the temptation to shelve the project indefinitely.

3. Write or draw with a funny pen. This is a new tip I picked up from a fellow teacher. Pick up some cheap pens at the local dollar store. It's impossible to stay stressed, she swears, when you're writing with an instrument that has googly eyes and feathers.

4. Discuss the problem with other pros. Sometimes, just talking about it will help you arrive at your own conclusion. If not, the perspective of other creators can give you a new slant on things. (And if you don't think you qualify as a pro, yet, don't worry; think of yourself as a pro-in-training.)

5. Write a deliberately crappy ending. You can always change it later, but getting the "crappy ending" out of your system can liberate you from your expectations of failure.

6. Skip the section that's troubling you and come back to it later. Who says you have to write every scene in sequence? Films are not shot in sequence. Many artists draw later parts of a comics script first. Writers can do the same thing: Write the parts that are clearer in your head or more meaningful to you first.

7. Kill your main character! Again, nothing is set in stone until you've actually published the darn book (and, this being comics, not even then). But throwing yourself for a loop by doing the unexpected can make the story exciting again. Think how much more interesting the old Suicide Squad became when Rick Flagg was suddenly killed off and replaced as central character by Amanda Waller.

Still looking for some ideas to keep going? Check out these sites: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_block.html (Scroll down to "Specific Strategies".);
http://www.43folders.com/2004/11/18/hack-your-way-out-of-writers-block/;
http://www.transaction.net/web/tutor/text/dissolve.html;
http://screenwriting.beingmedia.com/

Whatever you do, don't give up!

What are your strategies for getting unstuck?