Writer's Block

Have you ever been writing and realized that you're just...stuck..

Sort of like this...

 (Google)

I've been suffering from this for a while now. (ANother reason I haven't posted much. Sorry!) But I've learned a way to resolve this.

 (Google)

When I realize that I'm suffering from Writer's Block. I rewrite the entire chapter that I'm working on. I know what you're thinking. Why am I going backwards?

A) Though I don't realize it, my muse is telling me that something is off with what I've written and I'm unable to continue.

Solution: If I rewrite what I've already written then perhaps I can find where I went wrong and correct it. It does help I must admit. After I correct the problem, even if it's just one word, I am able to continue until, again, I make another mistake.

Sometimes, it's not always the entire chapter that is awry. It may be just a scene, but I can only rewrite this way if I know exactly what the problem is. (75% of the time, I don't.)

I didn't use to do it this way though. Before, I wrote a scene that popped in my mind no matter the place in the manuscript. For example, I would be writing chapter 1 and when I couldn't write anymore, I began on chapter 27. 

Though this was successful for a spell, eventually I just had bits and pieces of a story that didn't always come together. I even tried to just write pieces to go in between what I written, but in the end I had a very sketchy manuscript.

Result??? Trashed.

I'm not saying that my new way will work for everyone, but I do think it's a productive way of finishing a chapter without having bits and pieces missing.

Do you have a specific way you get through writer's block?? If so, leave me a line below.

Thanks for reading,

-AshMash

Prophecies

How difficult are prophecies? 


Yet though they are an awesome part of the story--I mean look at one of the greatest prophecies ever...

 (google images)

As you may have realized, I'm working on a prophecy and I have to be honest, it's not as easy as it's read out to be. Reasons:

1. It has to be vague.

We as authors know what's going to happen at the end of the series/novel, but we can't let our readers know. So how can we, writers, take out everything in that prophecy where we don't give too much away, while simultaneously, giving everything away.

2. It has to rhyme.

This is like an unspoken rule for me. The prophecy has to rhyme. Why? Because it's Greek Mythology. They spoke in riddles and doesn't everything just sound a lot more exciting when you're rhyming.

The bad part is, it's hard finding rhyming words that fit.

3. It has to not make sense.

Believe it or not, prophecies are not meant to make sense to anyone but the AUTHOR. I know, I know, shouldn't readers know what's going on? Absolutely not. (Hell no! Can I say Hell on here *shrug).

Anyway, you have to keep the reader guessing. If a reader can figure out everyone involved in the prophecy then it's not that good.

**DISCLAIMER** J.K. is like an exception to all my rules. By the time we all heard her prophecy we knew everyone involved. Mine however, I want to keep people guessing until the very end.

Have you tried to make a prophecy??

Leave me a line below.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

-Ash