Emma vK: On Writer's Block and Non-Stereotypical Ways of "Bumping into Each Other"

Regrettably, I'm not friends with many writers (and writers that I do know I follow on Twitter, and that's like, two), so I can't relate to writer problems with. I can only rant on Twitter and Facebook and hope that MAYBE because will partially understand. I mean, we all get the concept of writer's block, right? I often wonder who came up with the ingenious name "writer's block." Because you literally feel like you can't write, like there is something on your hands holding you down. And sometimes you have the strength to lift the block up and you manage to squeeze a few words out, but they're all jumbled and don't even make sense. Then you are simply back at the point where writing seems like running a marathon. Even if you are a runner, like me, it sounds completely exhausting. You just can't seem to form logical thought, and if you try to keep writing it comes out as "asdfjklqwweiritasdgkjgklfsaliwrifgjsdl." Getting over writer's block is a long process that involves listening to your favorite music, reading a book by a favorite author, chocolate milk and a baked potato and a few clementines, and staring at the ceiling for quite some time. At least, that's how I get over writer's block. It's probably completely different for you, but whatever works for you is best. I always say "one paragraph a day keeps the writer's block away." What I mean by that is you should try to write a little each morning, or at night. You could do a freewrite; like write about the first word you thought of that morning. My first thought is usually, I don't wanna get up, but hey, you could make that a story if you really wanted to. Writer's block is indisputably a form of the devil, but the devil can be beaten, so why can't writer's block? Another issue I know us writers struggle with is the pull of the stereotypical storyline. Don't get me wrong, everyone wants to be unique and original, but let's face it: that storyline about the boy and the girl who meet and have to overcome a challenge then they "fall in love" and then everything is perfect at the end. Some of those aspects are in my stories, but not every story I write. The boy and the girl who have feelings for each other, the challenge. But the challenge between the boy and the girl is for me, in most cases, a very minor part of the storyline. At the same time, though, that generic storyline always seems to work out so perfectly! You don't have to kill off any characters (Well, if you enjoy that, then by all means, add that as a non-generic twist), all your characters are fun to write about, and everything turns out happy and you get to be all cheesy and no one will care. This storyline can be fun to write, no doubt. My point is, be ORIGINAL! Make your stories stand out in magnificent ways! I think I've said this before, but make your characters as interesting and diverse as possible (unless, of course, they're meant to be similar in character). Settle for a completely spontaneous storyline instead of a stereotypical one. I'm doing National Novel Writing Month this November (my second year!!!) and I'm doing a story about a young cellist named Carrie Sinclair who buys an antique cello after her own treasured one is chewed on by her dog. In finding the cello, she also is lead into a wonderful adventure of mystery through Maine's most notable places (to be decided. I figured since I live in Maine now I should write a book that takes place in Maine). Right now I'm just making an outline so I'm not too lost once November 1st comes. Not too stereotypical, I hope??? I don't think it is, but it sounds good to me and I'm excited about it, and I play the cello, so it will be fun to write. But I'm stressing the issue about how her and this boy bump into each other near the beginning of the story. Something to note: they will not end up as a couple at the end. They will become more like brother and sister because they annoy each other quite often. But how will they bump into each other? I can't really decide. At first I thought, They should meet in a coffee shop. Then I thought, No way, too boring. It has to be exciting, the way they bump into each other, right? Or at least, it should be? This is the whole idea that made me want to write this blog post, after not posting for so long. I was thinking about writer problems and thinking about how many other people feel the way I do. ANYWAYS. I was thinking of ways that people bump into each other in real life, because let's face it: it isn't often that people bump into each other at coffee shops unless they are scheduled to meet there. So, technically...it wouldn't be bumping into someone. I don't know about you, but I run into my friends a LOT at the grocery store. I run into them randomly on the streets once in a blue moon. I bump into them while I'm running (sometimes literally). So I was thinking that Carrie and Ashton (the boy in the story) could meet while trying to buy the last half-gallon of chocolate milk in the store, or something like that. They would argue over it and eventually end up talking. It's probably as interesting as something like that can get, right? I hope I've helped you with the issues of the writin' life, because there are probably more that I will eventually talk about. Just look for the title "Emma vK: On..." There is definitely more to write about writer's block. So, yes. That is all. Happy writing, happy almost NaNoWriMo!!!!!!! :DDDDDDDD