How I Cure Writer's Block

For Doug Paddey

What better way to talk about your current difficulties than to write about your current difficulties? LOL

DIFFICEPTION? INCEPTLY?

The idea of writing the world's greatest novel is a good idea to have, but really hard to attain. To become the next J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Kurt Vonnegut, Sun Tzu, or Richard Adams (Don't know who that is? Tough! He wrote my favourite book ^_^ I'm not going to tell you who it is, HA HA HA!), you must spend long hours writing, take loads of criticism, expect rejection, cry loads of tears, eat lots of ice cream, and do everything over again...at least once. If you aren't willing to go that route, you can write about vampires that sparkle (Wait, what? Oh, that idea is taken? o_O Alright.)

Speaking of outlandish plot lines and freaky characters, if you are in a bit of a rut, and need something to get the pen moving, or just want to have a bit of fun with the word processor try this little exercise!

I had the opportunity to one of my American friends this past week; she went to an Air Force Academy in the proud state of Arizona. Right away, we have ideas, yes! We have the Air Force, air planes, jet engines, aviator glasses, Tom Cruise, Jonathan Edwards, Val Kilmer, and I feel the need for...wait a second, I think someone did that? o_O Fine, time to backtrack a little. What comes to your mind when you think about Arizona? Hot, sand, cacti, humidity: The Arizona Desert! What lives in the desert? I can't live in a desert o_O No, just sun and sand. It's the sandy beach minus that liquid substance every living creature on Earth needs to sustain life; I think it's called Coca-Cola (I know it's water). I'm sure there are some desert animals...oh right, a snake! Yes, a snake lives in the desert! Snakes in the Desert! Snakes on a Plane, since we were talking about the Air Force earlier! That's it! SNAKES ON A PLANE! Just add Samuel L. Jackson to zany cast of shocked passengers, and we have a blockbuster...oh no, not that one, too? -_- Itai Yama!

Gorgo seems like a nice fellow; he's even waving to you!

Alright, someone already made a film about snakes, however we are looking for something to put into print. Snakes are reptiles, so we can do something with reptiles, and not just snakes. After all, there are so many reptiles to write about like snakes, chameleons, iguanas, frogs, and so on. Maybe I should focus less on what a character in my story would look like, and more on what sets him/her apart from the others. You need a standard every man, or a main character people can relate to. I know a perfect main character: Someone who is normal gecko ^_^ He just wants to live out his life on the coast of some resort town, have a good job, find a nice flat, and maybe meet a nice girl. His name shall be...Gorgo ^_^ Why Gorgo? No reason in particular... o_O

Titan: The look says innocent, but the fin says PLAYA!

We have a central protagonist with a motive, and by the miracle of imagination we have a setting, too. He needs a friend or two; they must be unique personalities, which are different and at times combative with each other, yet have the same level of respect and admiration for Gorgo because he compliments both of them. One must be the jester of the group: Ridiculous, clever, and eccentric. He adapts to any situation like a chameleon with humorous and sometimes disastrous results. That's a good idea; a clownish chameleon ^_^ I'll name him Titan, and he will sport a fin for hair to show his wild side...What? o_O

True Story: Early drawings of Bronco's glasses were a single line o_O

It's cool to have wild and wacky adventures, however a quiet evening at the library would be nice, too. You can write about exotic places and high times all over the world, but if that is all you write about your audience will thin out quickly. Therefore, you need the sound voice of reason to keep Gorgo grounded, and prevent Titan from blowing something up o_O He must be intellectual, considerate, and have a uncharacteristic name: Bronco.

There you have it! I have a story about three lizards living on the coast ^_^ It sounds preposterous, however it is an idea I had for longer than this post! The idea for "Les Reptiles" came to me, when I did an independent project for French class. I drew a French language comic book about those three reptiles who found a sarcophagus in Egypt, and brought the mummy back to life. That was more than fifteen years ago, but those three remained in my head as they are now: One normal (?), one crazy, and the other a bookworm. Who knows what normal, wacky, or ponderous things they will do next? ^_^ I really don't know o_O Any ideas?

Did this brainstorming technique help you at all? I am not a proven scientist in brainstorming ideas, however I'm sure you have cool ideas on how to cure Writer's Block, or Artist's Block? ^_^ Feel free to share them in the comments.