Rec
sounds like a stupid tip but fr if you find it interesting, ESPECIALLY if it's something you have strong opinions on, the words just pour out of you. this is coming from a bitch who wrote a 40 page research paper on dracula films and felt like i could have written another 40 pages AT LEAST
Jul 4, 2025
Related Recs
Rec
since graduating college, I’ve missed the process of writing a paper. Now, I can actually write about things that I love. Right now, I’m writing a paper on the terms we use to describe our online friendships, still deciding the major argument for the paper though. <3
Jul 3, 2025
Rec
📄was gonna write One sentence down just to remember an idea that i wanted to expand on later... and ended up writing 5 pages of admittedly incoherent blabbering, but 5 pages of valuable insight nonetheless! love it when the pen just tells me what to write
Feb 23, 2025
Rec
📝Unfortunately there's no solution that works for everyone all the time. (If there was, I'd be published by now🙈.) BUT here are some things that I sometimes do to try and conquer the block:
•Let it sizzle: This is my least favorite suggestion, so I'm getting it out of the way first. Sometimes that project/idea/etc. needs time to marinate before you can keep going. This is especially a good idea if you've been working at it relentlessly, and possibly grown fatigue. If it loses its novelty and stops impressing you, you're gonna be less inclined to WANT to keep going. Leave that doc alone for a week or two, and return when your mind is fresh. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find inspiration/have a shower thought that prompts you to go back.
•Put canon aside for a sec: Start with a writing prompt. This can be a one word prompt, or an absolutely ridiculous scenario to put your character in. Allow yourself to write a non-canonical or semi-canonical snippet/oneshot around this prompt. This is something I usually do begrudgingly, but it HAS helped me get in my characters' heads, further establish their voices and mannerisms, and learn a lot about how my worlds operate outside of The Plot.
•Delete the section that's stumping you and rewrite it from memory: This is a weird one, but it's helped me before. If you're stuck and can't move forward from a particular spot, it might help to (momentarily) cut the text out. Attempt to rewrite it from memory, and see where it takes you. It may land you in the same dead end, but every so often you'll end up with something better than before.
•Write out of order (write what you want): I always do this anyway, but mad respect to anyone who's structured enough to NOT jump around all the time. But uh... this is sometimes what you NEED to do, I think. I've started writing where I can, and putting placeholders like <THIS HAPPENS> <TIME PASSES> <IDK WHAT'S NEXT> where I can't. Sometimes, by skipping around and writing that one special scene, I simultaneously create the context needed to fill in some of those gaps.
•Change up your text, visually: I think this is a tip I saw on Tumblr of all places. Taking what you've written and changing the font is something that will quite literally alter the way you look at the text in front of you. Nothing may come of it, but it may psychologically trick you into reading it from a different perspective. Try a more whimsical font, or one that matches the tone and theme of the work. Make it bigger. Smaller. Change the color. Change the background color. You never know what might help🤷♀️
•Make a playlist: This actually hurts me more than it helps, because I'll focus on doing stuff like this OVER writing my thing. But it can be fun to make a playlist of songs that remind me of my story. Whether that's songs to embody my characters and their personalities, songs that I think they'd listen to, songs that fit the mood and ambiance of my story, songs that remind me of certain scenes or locations, songs that would play in a theoretical soundtrack/AMV, etc.!!! Once you've compiled 'em, listening through could conjure up ideas to get you back in the game. Doesn't hurt to give it a go!
•Watch or read something in the same genre: I'm not encouraging plagiarism or anything, but am saying that reading "Frankenstein" and watching "Nosferatu" really put me in the mood and mindset to forge on with my gothic horror novel. My mind was RACING with macabre inspiration. I think this sort of ties in with the playlist suggestion for that reason.
•Devote a notebook or bullet journal to this project: Use it for EVERYTHING except writing the actual work. Give yourself ten minutes to write as complete of an outline as you can. Make a list of everything that's stumping you. Be CANDID: admit when you're having a hard time growing fond of a certain character, or fitting in a certain scene, or overcoming a plothole. Make a list of all the things you need to research. Brainstorm dialogue. Paste in pictures from magazines that remind you of your world and characters. Go crazy!
Ultimately it's hard to know what will and won't work to get you out of your slump. Sometimes it feels like you'll never make it through. Every writer is different, and what works like a charm for one person can actively harm another's creative process. But keep trudging on, and look for inspiration everywhere. I believe in you, and wish you luck on your journey!
•Let it sizzle: This is my least favorite suggestion, so I'm getting it out of the way first. Sometimes that project/idea/etc. needs time to marinate before you can keep going. This is especially a good idea if you've been working at it relentlessly, and possibly grown fatigue. If it loses its novelty and stops impressing you, you're gonna be less inclined to WANT to keep going. Leave that doc alone for a week or two, and return when your mind is fresh. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find inspiration/have a shower thought that prompts you to go back.
•Put canon aside for a sec: Start with a writing prompt. This can be a one word prompt, or an absolutely ridiculous scenario to put your character in. Allow yourself to write a non-canonical or semi-canonical snippet/oneshot around this prompt. This is something I usually do begrudgingly, but it HAS helped me get in my characters' heads, further establish their voices and mannerisms, and learn a lot about how my worlds operate outside of The Plot.
•Delete the section that's stumping you and rewrite it from memory: This is a weird one, but it's helped me before. If you're stuck and can't move forward from a particular spot, it might help to (momentarily) cut the text out. Attempt to rewrite it from memory, and see where it takes you. It may land you in the same dead end, but every so often you'll end up with something better than before.
•Write out of order (write what you want): I always do this anyway, but mad respect to anyone who's structured enough to NOT jump around all the time. But uh... this is sometimes what you NEED to do, I think. I've started writing where I can, and putting placeholders like <THIS HAPPENS> <TIME PASSES> <IDK WHAT'S NEXT> where I can't. Sometimes, by skipping around and writing that one special scene, I simultaneously create the context needed to fill in some of those gaps.
•Change up your text, visually: I think this is a tip I saw on Tumblr of all places. Taking what you've written and changing the font is something that will quite literally alter the way you look at the text in front of you. Nothing may come of it, but it may psychologically trick you into reading it from a different perspective. Try a more whimsical font, or one that matches the tone and theme of the work. Make it bigger. Smaller. Change the color. Change the background color. You never know what might help🤷♀️
•Make a playlist: This actually hurts me more than it helps, because I'll focus on doing stuff like this OVER writing my thing. But it can be fun to make a playlist of songs that remind me of my story. Whether that's songs to embody my characters and their personalities, songs that I think they'd listen to, songs that fit the mood and ambiance of my story, songs that remind me of certain scenes or locations, songs that would play in a theoretical soundtrack/AMV, etc.!!! Once you've compiled 'em, listening through could conjure up ideas to get you back in the game. Doesn't hurt to give it a go!
•Watch or read something in the same genre: I'm not encouraging plagiarism or anything, but am saying that reading "Frankenstein" and watching "Nosferatu" really put me in the mood and mindset to forge on with my gothic horror novel. My mind was RACING with macabre inspiration. I think this sort of ties in with the playlist suggestion for that reason.
•Devote a notebook or bullet journal to this project: Use it for EVERYTHING except writing the actual work. Give yourself ten minutes to write as complete of an outline as you can. Make a list of everything that's stumping you. Be CANDID: admit when you're having a hard time growing fond of a certain character, or fitting in a certain scene, or overcoming a plothole. Make a list of all the things you need to research. Brainstorm dialogue. Paste in pictures from magazines that remind you of your world and characters. Go crazy!
Ultimately it's hard to know what will and won't work to get you out of your slump. Sometimes it feels like you'll never make it through. Every writer is different, and what works like a charm for one person can actively harm another's creative process. But keep trudging on, and look for inspiration everywhere. I believe in you, and wish you luck on your journey!
2d ago
Top Recs from @dracula
Rec
⭐no more beating dead horses when it comes to movies, tv shows, etc. the movie doesn't need a sequel. the show doesn't need to go on for 27 seasons. we need more stories that are written with an ending in mind from the beginning.
Jul 5, 2025
Rec
☺️best thing you can do for yourself is become extremely comfortable with being alone and doing stuff by yourself. at a young age i forced myself to get comfortable with that and now it's my default state-- i LOVE doing stuff by myself. my coworker is a person who literally cannot go places by herself and i have been trying to help her get more comfortable doing things solo because it's very freeing. everyone should be happy to go do stuff by themselves, it's lovely!
Jun 29, 2025
Rec
👗i will never get over polyvore shutting down. i used it obsessively and had hundreds of outfits made on it and mine were ARTFUL not like the stuff people say they saw on wattpad with like skinny jeans and converse and shit like mine were gorgeous. and then they shut down and i wasn't able to back up any of my stuff so i lost it all. HEARTBREAKINGGGGG
Jun 8, 2025