What's a good way to beat writer's block?

Question:

What's a good way to beat writer's block?

i couldn't enter my annual playwright's contest this year (which must have looked great for me, because i won last yer...) because of a really nasty case or writer's block - what's a good way to stop that?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: This is the method I teach to students

1) Put the book aside and read - at least two books - Classics.

2) Brainstorm on paper - anything no matter how silly it sounds. Fill a notebook with ideas if you want - just come up with lots.

3) Write the ideas on file cards one per card. Sit down at a table and start shuffling them around trying to create a story from them. Keep moving them - dont be afraid for it to sound silly.

4) Make an outline from those cards when you find something interesting.

5) Try to write a very very short story from that outline. Then write several more very very short stories from the cards. See which one lends itself to a longer work

6) Start doing character studies and analysis - back to the file cards. Write down anything you know about your characters - adjectives, habits, appearance, likes and dislikes, occupation, age, anything. Look in magazines and catalogs and cut out pics that resemble the character as you see them in your mind.

7) Back to the table. Start pushing the character cards around - see who rubs who and how -- Who likes who? Who hates who? Main character to main character - then main character to secondary character - then secondary character to secondary character. This will help you come up with subplots

8) Back to your outline. Plug in the subplots.

9) Come up with a kick tail first sentece that will draw your readers into the story.

10) Start writing.

It works for my students. Just make sure you dont skip the two classics - that is the inspiration that unblocks and inspires you. If you are still blocked, move onto something else. I have about 4 books on disks - started but it just wasnt the right time to write them for me. One goes back to when my 20 yr old son was a baby. Maybe I will finish it one day, maybe not. So far the mood hasnt struck me. And it is a great idea - never been done. Im just not ready for it yet. No shame in leaving something aside.

Good luck. Pax - C.