I can't write

I don't know if this is a topic suitable for this kind of website but I'm having trouble writing, and it's affecting my self-esteem.

I aspire to write science fiction, specifically short stories and maybe even one day I'll try my hand at a novel, but every time I sit down to write, I go blank because I struggle to describe the setting or find appropriate words. It's really annoying and causes me to put away my notebook, and I feel I make no progress. Makes me feel that I'm bad at writing too.

I have managed to write some stuff but most of it is scraps and unfinished short stories that I've written just to see how they'll turn out. When I read them again though, I don't think very highly of my work and I'm very self-critical. It's even worse now when I can't even put pencil to paper because I can't find the right word to describe someone waking up! I keep forgetting that what I write is only a draft or ramble. I have all these ideas floating around in my stupid head but I can't get them out.

I'm even self-criticising myself while writing this, I know it's not the best, but I'm tired, so I have an excuse hehe. Like I said though, I don't think this is necessarily appropriate to put here but the lack of enthusiasm and inability to write is chipping away at my confidence.

It's not very fulfilling.

You know JK Rowling wrote scribbles on a napkins and such, and put them in a shoe box, and made that into Harry Potter.

Have you tried writing prompts? I have found several books that have them. Maybe then you don't have to be creative for a little while, and get your confidence back up with your writing.

I write science fiction too. Sometimes when I have trouble describing something inside my head, I look for a picture on pinterest to pin on a story board so that I can look at the picture for reference and describe it.

I also feel very self conscious and critical about my stories as I write them, and I dislike planning stories out for that reason, because they feel stupid and illogical as I write about them. I do write them directly on the computer, as I dislike my own handwriting, and what I usually found that helps to get some words down is just stop planning and sit down and write and see what comes. This may not work for you.

The best writers are the ones that spend time writing. A lot of people talk about writing and have a lot of advice on it, but I think it stands that it is the amount of time you spend putting the words on paper that really stands out. I was an English major in college, with a creative writing emphasis, and to me the best stories were written by those who had actually spent a lot of time writing in their free time. I was taught by my creative writing teachers that time spent writing trumped any inner talent. Even the bits you write that you end up throwing away still helped to make you a better writer.

I fully understand this issue. Personally I'm pretty much average in writing any kind of fiction, especially long enough, but at the same time I'm good in non-fiction writing, and even was a journalist for some time.

So maybe just experiment with genres of writing?

Have you ever heard of free-form writing?  Basically, you sit and write whatever comes into your head, no matter how nonsensical or random, and then just keep at it until you develop a flow.  It sounds silly, but it does help with writer's block.  wallflower79's suggestion of using an image to focus on is very good, too.  Writing to music can also make the words come easier, as well.  What I used to do was carry a little notebook and a pen around in my pocket and write down ideas that came to me or expand on ones I'd already had.  I found I had a lot more creative ideas when I was walking or travelling on the bus.

wallflower79, just out of curiosity, is the whole time spent writing trumps talent thing widely accepted in academic circles?  I ask because it reminded me of someone I used to know who wrote all the time but, well, ever hear that song Girl Least Likely To?

lifestream, good advice, though for some music can be a strong distractor from writing. Me, for example, jsut can't write creatively when there is some song playing, or somebody talking to me, or TV is on. Maybe there is an opposite need, to have as least distractors around, as possible? Strong lights, loud sound, whatever. It may work!

lifestream said:

Have you ever heard of free-form writing?  Basically, you sit and write whatever comes into your head, no matter how nonsensical or random, and then just keep at it until you develop a flow.  It sounds silly, but it does help with writer's block.  wallflower79's suggestion of using an image to focus on is very good, too.  Writing to music can also make the words come easier, as well.  What I used to do was carry a little notebook and a pen around in my pocket and write down ideas that came to me or expand on ones I'd already had.  I found I had a lot more creative ideas when I was walking or travelling on the bus.

wallflower79, just out of curiosity, is the whole time spent writing trumps talent thing widely accepted in academic circles?  I ask because it reminded me of someone I used to know who wrote all the time but, well, ever hear that song Girl Least Likely To?

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I'm not sure if it is widely accepted in academic circles so much as it was a position held by most of the teachers. I think their main reason for supporting that was that a lot of students would talk about things they were good at in writing, but many of them did not actually spend a lot of time writing so much as just talking about it. I am of the belief that writing is like other crafts, practice makes perfect, and often what you read makes a difference too, as the writers you read are the ones you tend to emulate when you write. Reading books about writing might help too; I've read a ton of those, but I think the thing that helped my writing most was actually doing it.

Thanks guys! I'll try put your advice into practice and experiment a little. ^.^

I have recently experienced writer's block with poems, which is... very rare to me. I will try the freeform thingy next time, I think ^_^

In my opinion you shoudn't feel pressured to write. Like, for example, worrying about not being able to write. This kind of thoughts, I find, are the most paralyzing.

Now, I don't know if this will help, but I'd recommend to really write whatever when you feel like it. Also sometimes a walk somewhere might help calm yourself and also provide some nice ideas. My advice in short, is relax and don't expect anything. That's when results will come.

Oh and to write better, well, I suggest writing more (obviously) but also reading a lot. If you already do that, don't worry, practice makes perfect, with time.

Bubblez said:

... I keep forgetting that what I write is only a draft or ramble. ...

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When i used to have to write, the only way i could do it was to just start writing even though i knew it wasn't right. As you said, it was just a draft. That gave me something to work with. With additions, deletions, restructuring it usually end up far away from the initial draft but until i got something down on paper, no matter how rough and skeletal, i couldn't get anywhere.

Thanks for the advice! ^.^