Since I'm new to game writing I wanted to ask this question to the general community.
If you run into writers block while working on a project what are some methods you use to get out of writers block?
What to do if you have writers block?
Look at the story outline, or the GDD, and see what the text (the text you need to write) is supposed to convey. If necessary, go outside and take a walk, then if you still don't know what to write, write some placeholder text and go on to the next block of text (I don't know if you're writing dialog or narration or marketing copy or backstory or…). Rinse and repeat.
Dont know if it works for a game project, but what I do when Im blocked in some novel, I take a couple of days out, maybe more. Also, I find some part of the book that doesnt requires inspiration, just some mechanical work, and fill that part, or I go back and review whta I have done.
In my experience there are different types of writers block with different causes and different solutions.
- Problem: too tired to work. Solution: take a nap. Ideally think about what I'm working on so that my subconscious can keep working while I sleep.
- Problem: I've written myself into a corner and can't get out. Solution: find where I went off track and go back to that point, discarding or modifying everything I've written since then.
- Problem: head full of ideas that don't fit my current project. Solution: write down the ideas, promise to myself that I'll get back to them later, and push them out of my mind.
- Problem: burnout. Solution: take a break, do something else.
- Problem: reached boring part of project. Solution: push on through. If I can't think of something good to write, write something bad. I can fix bad writing in editing, but I can't fix a project that never reaches the editing stage.
- Problem: my inner critic vetoes every idea I have. Solution: intentionally write something bad, because fuck my inner critic.
Today's (Feb. 6 2024) “Pearls Before Swine” comic addresses the OP's question humorously.
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