Tips and Tricks for Getting Past Writer’s Block-Brandon Sanderson
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- Here is the second, in our ongoing series, of questions I get asked a ton. Today, I answer the question-in depth-about what I do when facing Writer's Block and give some tips and tricks that may help you.
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"I'm an artist with a work ethic of an accountant" Name a scarier combination for a villian.
ROFL. Best comment.
@@actualphysicalkelp I agree with you
Laser eyes and wealth.
An accountant with the work ethic of an artist?
Ever watched THE BOYS? Homelander's pretty terrifying.
Brandon: I write at the slow and steady pace of 2k words a day.
Me: *Sweats in existential dread*
Right? 2k words a day is so much for me haha
No wonder he publishes so many
@@thefrancophilereader8943 yeah, it takes me a couple of hours, for sure. I've heard Stephen King does the same thing, so it definitely makes sense!
@@thenailsageofgeo4975 for real, he's like a machine!
I finally hit 2k words a day last week, I hope hit lasts but I don't think it will.
I was one of the people who asked Brandon this frequently-asked question, at a signing session about 6 years ago. He gave a different answer there than he's giving here: "have ninjas attack."
Write a scene where something crazy happens out of nowhere, and see how the characters react. Even if that's totally not how the story will actually continue, it will end up getting your creative juices flowing again.
Also known as Chandlers Law. ;) He wrote hard-boiled detective fiction, and when he was in a stuck he would have someone come into a room with a gun. Or in my own writing, I once threw a character under a bus.
Well, different method same principle. Write anyway, be it bad or silly. In other words, it is easier to figure out what to write instead than to figure out what to write next.
This actually sounds great. I'll try it.
Oh, I like that idea. Your character might even survive.
Back in my day, I'm 70, we were told, if a story stalls, Kill Somebody!
Jon in rural BC, Canada
this format is much better than a scripted one imo. feels more personal
Scripted means he gets across exactly what he wants to
Could do without the perspective changes.
It's funny because Brandon is an outliner, lmao
Yeah. The video about the video games was so scripted. Man, that was a hell to watch.
Asking Brandon how to overcome writer's block is like asking the ocean how to stay wet.
Simply because he is good at something now doesn't mean that he didn't struggle with it earlier in his writing efforts. It seems like he had good habits from a young age. For the rest of us mortals learning better work habits may take us longer but I think everyone can improve no matter what stage they are at. Cheers! :)
Well, the ocean is REALLY good at staying wet. Maybe it doesn't remember how to get wet, but it's the best at staying wet. Valuable advice too.
Go on...
And that is the answer, right there,
Don't be afraid to write a bad book. You can rewrite it. But, you can't edit a one full of empty pages.
Okay, now this comment made a click on my head. I'll start writing tomorrow
@@angeldanieltombesi9034 Awesome. The cool thing is if you write only 500 words per day, in a year that's 182,500 words. Enough for two 91,250 word first drafts. May the muse be with you.
@@OlettaLiano Okay, now this comment gave me anxiety haha I'm writing tomorrow anyway. Thanks
Preach
I have been writing every day for a year now. Here is what has been working for me (after 10 years of not writing and agonising about it):
a) Make it pleasurable - if you were reading this book, what would you like to happen next? What would be fun to YOU?
b) Plan ahead - It is much easier to start with blank page when you know (even roughly) what will be happening in the beginning, middle and end. Know your characters, your plot and your setting. Knowing the structure is also very helpful for me.
c) Have a routine. Plan the time for writing (even 10 minutes every day). Do not allow it to be when you are tired. Do not despair if you miss a day.
d) Have a writing spot.
e) Focus (or limit distractions) - Let the images, sounds, smells run through your head. Be "there", not "here".
f) Do not allow for writing to become a pain as this may create negative associations and you will start to feel that way all the time. Better to write 5 words and be proud than 2000 and loathe the process.
g) Do not wait for an inspiration. It comes and goes and you have to learn to write without it if you want to finish anything. Your work will not be as bad as you think. And even if it is, this is still progress.
h) Turn off the critic. This is creation phase. Time for being critical will come and it is not now.
i) The problem for many of us is that we feel we must write but we do not want to do it. Think about what you need to do (phisically or mentally) to start wanting to write. You will be doing this for many many hours, alone, often only with a sliver of hope for being published. It better not worsen you everyday mental state (this ties into points a and f).
j) Think long term. You are doing this to see results in distant future. In what state of mind do you need to be to run a marathon?
k) Do not think too much about writing beforehand. It feels like something is hanging over you which raises anxiety.
l) First 5 minutes (so sitting down itself included) is the worst. Once you get past that, it gets much easier because it is often enough to go into focused mode.
There are many many advices on the internet and you probably tried most of them. The above is my concotion and part of the process of becoming productive is figuring these out for yourself.
My primary language is not English. :)
This is kinda similar advice that I would give as a software developer as well. If you try and write perfect code the first time you'll never get anything completed. Much better to get something working and then figure out how to make it better later!
YES! Refractoring should be done after not during. I learned this the hard way
I needed to read this foreal.
I rarely get writer’s block, but it’s usually due to three possible reasons:
1. I’m just burned out and need to rest
2. My story took a wrong turn and I need to re-outline and backtrack
3. I haven’t explored an idea, conflict, or character enough to want to write about them.
Once I eliminate these three reasons, I’m basically unstoppable as long as I rest every so often. I also usually write 2K words a day. 😅
“...I am an artist that has the work ethic of an accountant...” Sounds like the premise of yet another series. Genius!
I've always heard the first part of that advice: "just write, even if it's bad", but for whatever reason I never heard or figured out the "then come back to it later and give it another look" part, even though that makes perfect sense to me. In hindsight, it feels incredibly obvious.
Regardless, thank you for completing the advice for me; that completely changes how I look at the idea "just write".
Something that often works for me when I'm blocked is to go outside and get physical exercise: a run, a brisk walk, a bike ride. Something about it - maybe the endorphins, or the change of scenery, or both - can get creative juices flowing. I find my brain making connections it didn't before and I *sometimes* come back with a scene in my head ready to put down on paper.
Me, gets writer's block, sighs and decides to check TH-cam
Sanderson: haha TH-cam go brrr
One of my favorite things about Brandon’s advice is that it applies to any form of art . I’m not a writer , I’m a musician, and this is basically the approach I take with my music. I love taking his writing advice and applying it to my composing and music writing 💜
Thanks for this. I've found that one of the ways to get past writers block sometimes is to literally push your way through it. Sometimes, you got to force yourself.
Wait... did Brandon just describe his writing pace as " *_SLOW_* and steady?"
Modesty.
I like how he points you have figure out what works best for you. I think many new writers make the mistake of thinking there’s a one size fits all formula for all writers.
This might be a video we can send to George R.R Martin and Patrick Rothfuss haha
RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!
And Scott Lynch 😂
Brandon doesn't get writer's block. The only blockage to Brandon's writing is when he goes to sleep, and even then he just sleepwalks and casually writes a novella or something. Brandon's work ethic is something which everybody, writer or not, should aspire towards.
It's not a good idea to place others on pedestals.
@@Luka1180 I feel like you didn't get the joke...
@@actualphysicalkelp I did, but a lot of people unironically thinks something along these lines, without the over the top sleepwalking stuff. No one is perfect.
Tbh your plotting method where you plot the plots separately from each other helped a lot. I freed a lot of RAM in my brain and tackled the problems one at a time, which in turn helped me to stop freezing in fear. Thank you
Haven't done any actual writing (except for outlining) for the past 2 months, and at the exact hour I sit down to start again this video is uploaded. Fantastic timing!! Awesome video we are all very thankful!
Writing consistently everyday and you'll get more done than any fast writer.
I have a Word document titled "Trash", if I'm not feeling it I write in "Trash"
I actually have a Trash section of the stories that I'm writing. I move the crap to that section as I do re-writes.
I just got through the biggest writer's block of the 10 years i've been writing. I took a few days off. I know, it's hard, but sometimes walking away is best because I'll come back and it'll just click. I feel my subconscious takes the few days to work on it before I come back. (Of course, all of this is after trying to write it through that day anyway)
I needed to hear this today at just this moment as I sit staring at my computer beating myself up. Let the bad writing begin...and onward I go!
Brandon, your writing advice is more down to earth than any I have ever heard. THANK YOU!!!
Wow I’ve needed this for a while, I’ve been stuck on my book for months now and I’ve tried heaps to get past it. Thanks Brandon!
I love how much good advice you bestow upon us. And the philosophy of writing being personalized is the truest statement I’ve ever heard
Such extraordinary, nuanced advice!
I had no idea you had a TH-cam! Your work is what helps keep me to drive to write. I had ordered a personally signed book from you off your website and I appreciate that you take the time to do that for your fans.
Again with the "pinch my glasses" pose. Brandon, you naughty, naughty man.
What he says about waiting to write what will go into the book reminds me of my views on drawing when I was a kid. It never made sense to me to lightly sketch shapes that I was just going to erase later.
This video just helped me get through a big mental block. You saying that you wrote a bunch of bad books before you had your good one made me realize the ideas I was trying to rewrite and force into a novel from when i was in high school were BAD. It just never occurred to me before. I should move on to my good ideas and reformulate them into something that's actually good instead of holding onto the old dry ideas. Thanks!
It's all about momentum.
And there you have it - expert advice from a Pro! Thank you 😊
Love these videos. Just a succession of knowledge bombs.
I love that Brandon has the collectors edition of Before They are Hanged on his shelf. Lots of authors just surround themselves with their own books.
Your advice is spot on!
These are incredibly useful
When I've this problem I just skip that scene and later I'll come with an idea. Writing and reading future events helps me to rewrite the past.
Wow thank you Brandon, this was so relatable and thus very helpful!
What I just started to do was to simply stop believing in Writers block :D For many years I thought about the boogieman "Writers block", but I once decided to act as if Writers block isn't actually a thing! Like it's just hot air, it's not a thing, it doesn't exist! For me it did help, because it meant the thing I had to take a few closer looks at why I wasn't writing, and without the mysterious Writers Block to blur my vision, I could think about it more clearly.
Like what if I don't believe in my story or my characters? Well, I might have to change it.
What if my story is boring? I can try something new with the story or my characters?
What if I am tired? Take a nap and come back later!
What if I don't have any ideas on what to write? Well, gather new ideas!
And at the end of the day, no matter how I feel about it, I write! The option is to not write and to me that is a worse thought!
Unlike my friends who just throw their hands up in the air and says "Well, I have writers block, I can't write!" I simply say "I don't believe in writers block".
My dayjob is as a chef, and I work like a chef. And in our day-jobs in general, there are no things as "Blocks". Like imagine your mother having an "accountant block", where she said she couldn't do accounting.
Likewise you will never hear me coming into the kitchen saying "Oh, I can't cook today, I have Chefs Block!" No matter how I feel about the subject, I still do the work! And I have applied that same mentality to writing myself. Granted, not everything I write comes out as a masterpiece (just like every meal I cook is not ambrosia).
This is very nice approach. Break down the "big daemon" into parts you can fight and overcome. GL!
Finally! Tips for a Braindon Sanderstorming session!
I love how he says he's in the "slow and steady wins the race camp"
I totally relate to this, even on things that aren't writing related 😄
3:00 I really needed to hear that 🙏 🙌
Brandon, thank you!
For me changing to another pov character helped alot of times. And most of the Time tue next day I can write the scene I was stuck at before
Stop lying to us Brandon, we all know you’ve got five of your clones locked in your basement writing everyday.
That's not true...he has six clones.
Which of the shards is the Sanderson talking to us?
@@Adrian-jn9ov If you speak of the Shards of Adonalsium, there are sixteen, not six. If you speak of clones, this is clone #4. #1 is at home, sleeping, #2 is shopping, #3 is missing (we think it is at the book store...again), #4, #5, and #6 are locked in the basement, writing, as Henry mentioned.
I've said this once, I'll say it again: "Sanderson's magnum opus is Brandon Sanderson."
A Sims style art goblin dungeon?
Great advice!
I absolutely need that shirt.
Brandon Sanderson and slow and steady writing don't belong in the same sentence lol
Just shorten it down to steady writing. Cut out the slow.
I mean, if I wrote for 8 hours a day, and wrote 1 page an hour, that would be 2,000 words. I don't think that rate is surprising, I can write 250 words in an hour. I just don't have the stamina to do that for 8 hours straight, year-round.
but, you just-
Some examples in FAQ relating to your published works would be really cool. For example you mention rewriting a character, I’m extremely curious as to an example of such a character.
He's talked in some of his streams and lectures about this. The example that comes up the most is Sazed in the third Mistborn book.
**MINOR-ISH SPOILERS FOR MISTBORN: HERO OF AGES**
In the original draft of the book, Sazed didn't study all of the religions he knew about in a search for answers. Instead, he was a pretty static character that did nothing except think about how depressed he was. During revisions, Brandon rewrote every scene with him in it to create the *downward* arc where he becomes more depressed as he disqualifies more religions. It's not character 'progress,' per se, but it is character change, or motion, that made it much more interesting to read.
Marcus oof I cannot visualize Sazed the way you described he originally was. That rewrite landed really well then I'd say. I think the transition that happens in the end of the Hero of Ages would be really weird without Sazed being like he became.
Branderson: Comparing my pace to other writers isn't useful or helpful
TH-cam commenters: haha Martin write slow
Writer's Block for Brandon is actually the name of the street he lives on. On that street he lives in a house. In that house he sits on a chair. In that chair he presses the buttons. He can't stop pressing buttons. On that chair, in a house, forever pressing buttons. Writer's Block.
I appreciate your modesty, Sanderson, but your experience with writer's block is actually very similar to a lot of writers' experience. Your solution would probably work for a lot of us.
Nice Lego X-wing in the background!
I def liked this better than the scripted stuff. After hearing you talk fairly naturally in lectures and podcasts and your live-streams, the scripted stuff just felt wooden in comparison and hard to pay attention to.
And here I am not even thinking about writing anything longer than a comment on YT/Reddit and just watching Brando
Perfect is the enemy of done!
Can you further define what you mean by writing? I know that sounds like a dumb question, but if I can't face writing completely new content I can sometimes do outlining or brainstorming or world building activities that are different from grinding out a chapter. Is this a good strategy?
I'm not a writer but yeah. I imagine most books start out with outlines and brainstorming
I think the point is just “keep your brain active till you get back on the good path” more or less, so I can only assume what you said is totally valid as well
Whatever works best for you is the best way.
Do you know Brandon has talked about outlining on the 'Writing Excuses" podcast?
You can find a couple of episodes where they discuss hybrid and discovery writers.
faq.brandonsanderson.com/knowledge-base/are-you-an-outliner-or-a-discovery-writer/
It's probably different for you, but I know that for me the best thing is to directly outline the specific scene I want to write. For me, if I get too general, I just get distracted and procrastinate.
Brandon saying he’s in the slow and steady camp made me laugh
Sort of extrapolating from the point near the end of the video, one way to get the story moving again is to just write "and then a pig dropped from the sky and told them about unrelated pirate treasure" and see what happens from there.
Seriously. This actually is not the worst strategy to take. You can get a lot of interesting character reactions from this sort of thing that might help you get ideas for the book itself.
Or you might write a book about wise atmospheric pig lore, and that's only a good thing.
'Momentum'! He writes like the Blackthorn fights
SanderFAQ XD love it
2000 words a day every day is not slow and steady Brandon. That is fucking fast and steady.
those socks though!
Never been this early to anything
i was so happy when he said he write 2k words a day. me too! well, for 3 days so far, but yea
are big words good? also how do you fill gaps that make the story feel too fast?
So much better than the scripted one
Can you put out some tutorial videos?
Any tips for how to turn off critic?
The thumbnail is wrong. It says SANDERFAQ #3 when this is episode 2.
Send this to Patrick Rothfuss, who seems to regard writing as some sort of ethereal, cannot-be-contained-in-words (oh, the irony), process.
I should've watched this before I deleted my whole novel 30K words in and restarted
Patrick Rothfuss needs to watch this.
I have the opposite of this problem. I can write and write and write. The story comes too easily and instead I need to slow down
I am an accountant that wants to be a writer as well....
Brandon Sanderson destroys writer's block with faqs and logic.
How do I shut it off?
Like really I can't stop writing.
It just keeps flowing, I've been unable to stop for over 6 months now.
Learn how you write and how you feel when writing .got it.thx👍👍
He said he writes every day. So, I assume weekends are included. Does anyone know if that is true?
I know he doesn't write on Sundays. I can't remember what he said about Saturdays...I think they were just sometimes. He does spend 8 hours a day writing on regular weekdays (in two 4-hour blocks).
Hello, not sure if Brandon or anyone who knows him actually reads the comments, but I personally think it would be pretty fun if, for the aforementioned video game stream, Brandon were to try playing Among Us.
He should play with Shallan
Yays
Nice socks
2000 words a day is "slow and steady..." right....
P.S. Nice socks.
Lightsong is Brandon in disguise.
Brandon Sanderson, the man who is writing multiple series while Patrick Rothfuss and George R. R. Martin can't even finish one: "I write a slow and steady pace."
Nice to see 0 dislikes
Has anyone sent this to Patrick Rothfuss?
Forward this to Rothfuss
Authortubers- TAKE NOTES
and I was just going to go to sleep
Sanders fact! lol
Someone forward this to rothfuss please.
Brandon writes so fast he leases out his fingers to poor staving Rothfuss's and Martin's.
Poor Rothfuss, went right into a great book and didn't build up that pile of bad books to build up his mental health.
Send this to Rothfuss. Or just finish the series for him.