This thread is a plea for help. Serious help. Especially to Dee and Elspeth(e.g.) who seem to bust a story out at the same pace Mickey D's are busting out hamburgers on a daily basis. Most of all, they always seem to be quality.

How do you guys do it, is there a system or a motivational tool that I am missing. Does it come easy or hard for you?

I've been in a serious rut lately, emotionally and mentally. I can't seem to get myself to sit down and write like I used even though I'm occasionally brimming with new ideas.

In the words of KRS-One: 'Tell me what the f*#k am I supposed to do.'<BR><BR><B><Added><BR><BR>I apologize for being cliquey, others chime in, please. Advice from any strug writer is gratefully received.

Hello Adam,
You do make me laugh (sorry, I don't mean to be patronising) So, Dee and I are the dynamic duo now! I don't have a magic formula, but I will dwell on your question today and come back to you. One thing I have noticed is that I often get inspired in the shower - are you paying enough attention to your personal hygiene?!

Elspeth

Okay, your post got me thinking during my breakfast. Write something about Dee and I as we inspired the posting. What is it about us - our determination, consistence etc (and we're both a fair bit older than you) Make us rivals or sisters, put us in some small American backwater. Give us a backstory (eg we both fancied the same boy at school) Change the subject we're business rivals, love rivals, whatever. Read JA's 'The Fight' (if it's still there). Could his story have been inspired by Dee and I? Do you see what I mean? Take something and play with it.

Think how different your life is to mine/other people's on this site. What could you tell us? You could probably write an intimate story around the recent event in your country (I didn't say it) as I'm sure you feel strongly about it (I didn't say it, again)

Phew, I'm off for my shower now, so beware!!!
Elspeth

Adam, I’ll have a think about your question while I’m at work today. Sometimes you just need a trigger. Tramp, which I uploaded yesterday was sparked off at a short story workshop the other day, where we were asked to write a couple of lines about a tramp.

Sometimes the finished result can be a million miles from the original concept but that’s OK if it gets you writing.

Why don’t you have a go at an RLG?

Dee

Make yourself write four pages a day, even if they're absolute crap. Every day write a different four pages - it doesn't have to be fiction, it can be whatever's in your head at that moment. Within a fortnight, a workable narrative will emerge that you don't want to let slip. This routine gets you into the right mindset for writing, which is, after all, pure graft. It also gets rid of the concerns in your front brain that are blocking your creative thoughts. Within a fortnight, a workable narrative will emerge that you don't want to let slip.
Shyama.

<Added>

And if you paste a sentence to a different part of your narrative, always remember to cut the original :-)

Most of my inspiration comes while listening to music. It's no co-incidence that I've been listening to less music over the last year, and have not been uploading work...

Good advice Shyama, which makes me think of Julia Cameron and her morning pages - again! The book is called The Artist's Way.
Elspeth

Adam, I have the same trouble... it's not easy is it.

Try to do more of the flash challenges. Sometimes the word doesn't trigger anything for me (as with this week's), but often I find that the word is enough to spark me off.

Derek.

Thanks for the good advice so far, y'all.
Do you find that the good writing and bad writing comes in streaks???

I don't know about that, Adam...but here's another tip - Red wine..lots of it!!

er, not for Adam, methinks.

Yup, sorry, no drinkie-drinks for me. Livin the Sober life. Although I still have my delusional moments.

Do you find that the good writing and bad writing comes in streaks???

Yes, absolutely. I can struggle for days with one paragraph, or I can write a whole chapter in a day. The thing to remember, Adam, is to enjoy the freedom of not being a professional writer. You should try to establish a routine but you can give yourself leeway whenever you want. When you have an agent/publisher the pressure changes. Sometimes you have to write when it’s the last thing you feel like doing. Hopefully by the time you get to that point you will realise that writing is what you do best. If you think you’re writing crap, keep going, keep writing, get it out of your head, and you can edit it – or discard it – later. One of the whammies we have to deal with is that sometimes, when we think we’re writing crap, we’re not. We just feel that it’s crap at the time. Write it and it might not look so bad the next day.

Dee.

Those are very inspiring words, Dee.
After I posted this call for help last night, I went out and met a really adorable girl that I had a semi-date with. She was bartending and busy, so it gave me time to write her notes and pass them to her in order to communicate. Nice, right? This gives me the perfect opportunity to flex my creative and talented writing muscles.

Nope. My creative juices were definitely not flowing, and I wrote her a paragraph called "An excerpt from A Bad Romance Novel starring Jeannie(her name) and Adam". And It was horrific. I gave it to her anyway. And she said it was funny, but I'm sure she was just being nice.

When I needed it the most it didn't come through for me. I'm referring to all this time I spend practicing creative writing.

I've also come to the conclusion when you tske an extended break from reading the goods and writing, it takes a while to regain your own goods back.