Creative Writing Exercises for Writer's Block

Guide for Authors on Quelling the Inner Critic & Writing a Book

May 27, 2009

Writing a novel can often be squashed by an overbearing police system upon the imagination. Escaping self-criticism is difficult. But how can this be done?

Sometimes, little voices sneak into the writer’s head during their sacred time of writing. Remarks such as “That would never happen in real life,” “go easy on the bad language,” and “the violence is too gratuitous.”

Creative Writing Ideas for a Novel

These thoughts may stem from a fear of what family members and friends might think if they read the novel. Anything creative amounts to putting down one’s heart and soul, some of which have never been aired before. If fear of criticism always won, no one would create anything and this world would be a pretty dull place in which to live.

Freeing the Writer’s Imagination

The critic resides mostly in the left side of the brain, the creativity in the right (Roger Sperry, 1961) The inner critic is necessary for problem solving and the editing process, but it can also interfere with the creative process of the characters and the plot. For the beginner, these thoughts could become particularly obtrusive and even cause writer’s block.

Creative Writing Techniques

The inner critic must never cramp the creative processes of the novel. However, the author could feel inhibited whilst writing certain scenes. The following strategy can be applied to any of the following areas mentioned.

Obtain a book that contains the area of difficulty. The two classic books, It by Stephen King (Hodder Paperbacks, 2007) and Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh (Vintage, 1994) should cover most.

Book Writing Help for Writing Crime Fiction and Fantasy Stories

Using someone else’s words takes the onus away from the self. Yet transcribing it and reading it aloud psychologically opens the channels up to accepting such material into the writer’s practice. Consider that many such passages have been written, edited, proofread and passed on to various people in the publishing world as well as read by the public.

Developing Imaginative Prose of Fantasy and Daydreams

Whoever thought of the idea of a boy going to wizard school, or of a fantasy world at the back of a wardrobe? Many people have creative ideas before the inner critic shoots it down. Whilst the novel is being conceived and during the first draft, the voice of the critic must remain subdued. Ideas, no matter how bizarre, should be jotted down. A quiet time such as first thing in the morning or during meditation are times when the creative right side of the brain is most dominant.

Story Writing Help for the Fear of Writing

Granting oneself permission to learn the craft and to have off-days is essential to improvement. There is a writer’s saying, “Don’t get it right, write it down,” which means, get the ideas down first. Don’t look back until the first draft is complete. Jotting these words onto a post-it note might help. Dorothea Brand’s excellent classic, Becoming a Writer (Jeremy P Tarcher, 1981) will help confidence building in writing.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Creative writing involves banishing the inner critic. Fantasy, sex scenes and bad language could pose the beginner in writing with a wall of inhibitions. Transcribing published passages containing such material could help loosen up the mind. Granting permission to daydream whilst the critic is subdued and to allow oneself to have off-days are essential to the fiction writer’s improvement and eventually in getting published.

The copyright of the article Creative Writing Exercises for Writer's Block in Writing Techniques is owned by Rachel Wills. Permission to republish Creative Writing Exercises for Writer's Block in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.