About Getting Stuck Or Lost: Some Ways To Overcome "Writer's Block"

[@michaeltanaka9011]

When I look back, I can see the mistakes I made in life. I try to imagine that in my character. Instead of correcting the mistakes, I allow him or her to make it. This builds character.

[@writingforscreens]

Ah! What's especially interesting is: it builds THE character and it builds YOUR character :)

[@GRORGvideot]

This is such a great video. The worthlessness feeling is always the worst one and ends up making me ask myself ”why am I even on this planet” 😅 For some reason the perfection always starts to creep up even after writing 170 pages (my situation with current book). Then the pauses start. And go on and on. The advices; accept uncertainty and learn how to write badly are actually golden tips and help to make things more down to earth. I’ve never properly even thought about these before.

[@writingforscreens]

I'm really glad to hear that this is useful to you!

[@Ruylopez778]

Get unstuck by proving how bad you are. Stop trying to prove you're a good writer to yourself. That's probably what got you stuck. It doesn't have to be good. It just has to be -Dan Harmon

[@GRORGvideot]

@@Ruylopez778 That sounds like a good way to think about it too!

[@Ruylopez778]

@@GRORGvideot Yeah, that quote has helped me out a few times, along with, 'write one true sentence'. Steven Pressfield and Corey Mandell both have advice on KZbin about procrastination and perfectionism with writing. One of Mandell's techniques is akin to exposure therapy, I guess, where the first step is to have a specific 'writing space', and begin by sitting there, and if you don't write anything within a few minutes, you leave the space and go somewhere else, take break, and then come back to the writing space and try again. That way you don't associate the writing space with procrastination or being stuck. I guess it's a bit like the idea of getting out of bed if you can't sleep - to break the brain's association with lying in bed awake. I think the theory was that eventually you get so bored with going in and out of your space, that you just start writing instead! But it seems you don't have a problem until you reach a specific point. I like the interview with Ken Atchity on Film Courage. His mindset was very much like what Glenn suggests here; break the association between what you're writing and validation/expectation/'success' to break the fear of disappointment/failure. Atchity said something like, 'Your job as an artist is to do the work. Let it be judged, or not. That's really nothing to do with you. Don't deprive the universe of the ideas you have.' And I really love how simplistic but freeing that is. And that goes hand in hand with this interview clip on KZbin: Never play to the gallery (Bowie’s advice to artists) “It’s terribly dangerous for an artist to fulfill other peoples’ expectations. They produce their worst work when they do that.” “If you feel safe in the area that you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth, and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.” For me personally, I think it's more about my own high expectations that I don't reach, but the solution is the same; acceptance that things will be uncertain, and perseverance. When Bowie got stuck with his writing/music, he would switch to painting to unblock himself. The other thing that has helped me is to remind myself that it's not supposed to be easy all the time. Sometimes it's really difficult, and that's just the reality of making something from nothing. Or making something into something slightly better.

[@writingforscreens]

@@Ruylopez778 I like that!

[@SirChesterBellington]

Your videos have done significantly more for me than a year of film school did. Glenn doesn't miss

[@writingforscreens]

Awww - thank you!!!

[@somethingelseishere]

Always love your videos Glenn!!

[@writingforscreens]

Thank you!!

[@alenaryu4386]

Your videos are mega helpful!!

[@writingforscreens]

I'm mega happy to hear that!!

[@Ruylopez778]

Great advice! In essence, apply our own creativity to overcome the problem in a creative way, while also cutting ourselves some slack. Neil Gaiman's solution is to only allow himself to stare out the window or think in a writing session and nothing else. Eventually he gets so bored, it's easier to just start writing. I find that instrumental music helps switch up my mood when I don't feel inspired. And when Bowie got stuck with his music, he would switch to painting, and often found it helped him work out the problem.

[@writingforscreens]

Yes! Thank you :)

[@Lake_Filter]

Looks like this is going to be my go-to video whenever I'm stuck. Thank you so much for everything that you put in this video.

[@writingforscreens]

That's so great for me to hear. I hope you only have to go-to now and then, but I am glad to be here when you need it!

[@philj3167]

This is my new fav vid from Glenn. Helpful for writer's block, procrastination and perfectionism. Some seem like simple obvious steps, but when ur in the 'block' zone its hard to think of these helpful nuggets. Ps, nice juggling 😂

[@writingforscreens]

Thank you so much! (and yes, you never know when juggling will come in handy!)

[@bldcaveman2001]

These videos are like therapy and they're so good! Thank you!

[@writingforscreens]

Wow! Thank you!!

[@moonsofmadness8850]

"Let's see what happens" is my most useful technique and the greatest joy of writing for me. I rarely know where I'm going in my first draft. So much fun.

[@writingforscreens]

That's a wonderful approach! I tried it but I was too confused by the demands of writing vs the demands of story-making. But everyone works best in their own way, and I truly love when people tell me they have fun doing things that seem unimaginably hard to me.

[@whimsicalbrew7653]

“ Throw down absolute junk” - oh how liberating that sounds! I bet that state of mind will actually produce some unexpected gems. I am a junkie for your videos Glenn. ❤ I cannot find the right words (yet!) to express how useful and galvanised I am -and I always write something only after I (re)view a video from you. Immense gratitude.

[@writingforscreens]

Not only does it sound liberating - it is! Try it sometimes. When no one is looking :) Thank you!!

[@Donna07]

Thanks again Glenn:) Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset helps a lot! We can't think we're Tolkien from the get go:) Oh - and Australia is very grateful to have you back live too! Okay, I just saw the juggling - stop raising the bar every time I see you!

[@writingforscreens]

LOL - if juggling raises the bar...how low was that bar?!

[@BlancheChiang]

Thanks a million,Glenn. That's very helpful. Based on my personal experience, staring at those blank pages is a must. When starting a new script, particularly in the early stage of creating a new screenplay, I spend days staring at those blank pages, trying to think of the plots and worrying that I wouldn't be able to finish it at the same time😢 .But on the sixth or seventh day, I get it figured out!😊 The trick? Don't give up. You can put in the minimum effort when stuck, but don't give up

[@writingforscreens]

Yes, if your method of working includes silent staring - and that works: do it! Absolutely! This is for those of us who get stuck staring and end up just thinking it's hopeless :) But don't-give-up is definitely a requirement!

[@akioasakura3624]

Ur videos are always super relevant sir 😱😱🙏🙏🙏 thank you it was very helpful to me

[@writingforscreens]

Thank YOU, I am so glad to hear they help!!

[@sergeybagrov8624]

So useful lesson 🤩🤩🤩 Thank you very much, Glenn 🤝🙏🌞

[@writingforscreens]

Great to share it with you, thanks!

[@JeffMesserman]

Pretty darn inspiring, as always. Thank you for this. And lets have a few more mistakes next time eh? 😅 (though your juggling was indeed epic!)

[@writingforscreens]

Thank you! I don't know what went wrong, that so little went wrong. Well, actually: it just went wrong in boring ways. I'll surely mess up better in the future.

[@alicechance]

Thank you Glenn!

[@writingforscreens]

You're welcome!

[@ozdigg9254]

So very helpful, thank you Glenn. 🍎 and love the juggling!

[@writingforscreens]

Always good to get out of your chair now and then and exercise - ideally in a silly way :)

[@chrischbs]

Thank you.

[@writingforscreens]

👍😊

[@itsredsunset7992]

I’m always fascinated by your content! May I please know what is the name of the font you use on your videos. I’m very curious!

[@writingforscreens]

Thank you! Do you mean the font I use on the thumbnails? That's "Abril Fatface" on Canva. The font on the "title cards" within the videos is "Hoefler" Black (or Bold) in Final Cut. Does that help?

[@Bebong-zz7dn]

Everytime i what your video i found out my mistake sometime my motivation of writing. Thank you so much for all your video ❤. Btw i always get stuck at thinking about scene, i start to write it force myself don't think too much just write. And then in every time i never get done it. And when i reading it, it was terrible 😢. Can you give me some tips about scene or how to write a scene.❤

[@writingforscreens]

I think the best advice I have on writing a scene come in these videos: Think In Scenes - kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpqYqIqFnbuegrs Dramatic Action - kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6m0hXqbg9p-g6s Building Character Arcs - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp7KinR4et2DbpY

[@Bebong-zz7dn]

@@writingforscreens Thank you so much ❤