Question for some of my fave fantasy creator’s. Do you have any advice or tips to help overcome writers block? Doing some world building and trying to put story elements together and I’m finding that I’m struggling. Sure. Do useful everyday stuff (clean, sort, pay bills, etc.) and scribble notes and lists to yourself ("To do" lists, shopping lists, "don't forget to do this" lists). Once you're writing, write about whatever comes into your head. Doesn't have to be coherent or polished. Just..
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 13, 2022
…write. (I usually have about six “front burner” books on the go at once, and about a dozen “thinking in the background” projects, so I just jump to one.) When you get around to thinking about the project you’re blocked on, DON’T try to plan/arrange those story elements, …..until your brain drifts into doing so. Much better is to think of small details of character or setting appearance you want to write down and capture "right," plus turns of phrase, plus "time to remind the reader of X" thoughts, and write THEM down. In this era of pixels and..
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 13, 2022
..plentiful paper, rather than “we only have typewriters or longhand,” it’s easy to jot down fragments and save them. Do this around and between and behind other things in life until you’ve built up a lot of fragments and are rolling on the writing and worldbuilding. If that… .rolling doesn't happen, print out all of the fragments, cut them out into separate pieces of paper, and arrange them on a big table (or big stretch of floor), playing around with the arrangement and writing down "missing bits in between" as they occur to you. Those bits…
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 13, 2022
..We’re all different, and after 420-something books I can tell you I’ve been slightly different for each one; the process forced on you by circumstances and what you try changes every time. Sometimes, the solution is simply more input: go live a little, read new books, go… .places and see different things, and drink it all in. One trick my father used, that I borrowed when studying for exams, was to take what you do have into a room alone where you won't be disturbed and close the door, then teach an imaginary class aloud about the world you're..
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 13, 2022
…building. If you can’t explain some detail or facet aloud quickly and clearly, more work is needed: jot that need down, and announce to the class, “We’ll get back to that!” and move on in the teaching. Sometimes, in your explaining to the imaginary audience, you will come up.. with more details or preferences or even answers you need and have been pondering.
And never forget the value of having another and DIFFERENT creative project on the go, that you can turn to, like a chaser: if you're deep in tragedy, turn to farce, or vice versa.
Ta-da! ;}— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 13, 2022