I've got a kind of creative block. There are things
I should be doing, but the ideas aren't coming.
I should be doing, but the ideas aren't coming.
To see if I could turn it around, I thought I'd use the block as inspiration, and it worked, briefly anyway. I put together a simple propluristemic rule, meaning a rule which should be easy to adapt to various game systems and settings.
It's also influenced by some of today's news stories, and you can probably guess which.
If anyone's out of ideas, they post an invite; rather than bring a dish or drink, everyone brings an idea and leaves it in the comments. There's no tidying up afterwards either.
* * * * * *
Freeze or Shock, Jumped, Unready, Gone Blank, Bolt from the Blue, Caught in the Headlights etc.
When the situation of a character, party or unit changes, e.g. they enter a new space or come under attack, test a characteristic suitable for initiative. If this is failed, one action, round or turn is missed; for this time dice rolled for them are assumed to roll minimums.
Exhaustion or lack of sleep could be added in by slowly reducing chance of success, perhaps by one point per campaign game, or per period of activity beyond a certain limit.
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13 responding:
I'll miss the food but the idea is fun. Although I gotta believe it's the writers job to push past and get something, anything, however crap, on the page.
Revenge, retribution, rage, anger, satisfaction.
@ The Happy Whisk - I'll miss the food too, and I agree on getting something on the page, even if only for reworking later. I did it right here, and yes, it may well be crap..!
@ The Angry Lurker - Thanks! That's the spirit, and it's fiery, although of course revenge is a dish best served cold. (Groan.) Sometimes just a word or two are enough to get the ideas flowing; I didn't have any of those in mind, but now I do.
I like taking a walk too, when I need to jump-start my brain.
After a lazy lazy weekend, it feels good to be back to work.
Wishing you a most Happy Monday.
Keep Writing. Don't stop!
Nervous indecision. Too many options. Command breakdown. Can't see the wood for the trees. Analysis paralysis. Crisis mismanagement. The Weight of History on your shoulders. Vested interests at odds.....
I like the idea of dice-roll attrition for sleeplessness and exhaustion. All too real a friction mechanic. As for the Block Party, count me in!
I know what you mean--a block sucks. Worse for me is when you have ideas but they feel limp or lifeless. They just don't want to dance.
Here's a few I lazily grabbed from Abulafia's In A Wicked Age oracles: An attack from all sides, fraying the sanity of the defenders; The blue-tiled walls and fountains of the mazelike bazaar; The only practicing wizard in the Chicago phone book: A man kills himself to frame another of murder.
@ The Happy Whisk - Walking is a good idea. It works for me too, but it's not always possible to go immediately. I'm not a big pacer, but a wander away from the desk can help. Have a happy one too!
@ Sidney Roundwood - Good ideas there - it's a widespread problem and comes in various forms. In my case it's less the weight of history and probably more just too many options. Having restrictions on content can help, like putting a lid on a pot to help it boil.
@ Trey - A good mix. The first gets me thinking especially, partly because there's no knowledge of who the attackers are, but that mention of sanity is suggestive... Maybe even without a block party it would be worth having a regular session of freestyle ideas generation. The community table splurge a while back was very good for that.
Funnily enough...I don´t get blocked...sometimes I wish I did, tired yes but stuck for ideas...never.
Cheers
paul
I'm frequently caught in a creative funk, unable to clear a block. Sometimes, you just have to start writing. Nonsense words if your block is so bad that sentences are a challenge, anything to get started. Sometimes I procrastinate for hours, but some days where I woke up blocked, I wrote some of my very best stuff.
@ Paul's Bods - I can well believe that. You're one of the most productive of all of us. If you find the secret, I'd like to know what it is.
@ DocStout - I agree, and it's essentially what Whisk is saying too - something, anything on the page. I see what you mean about the best material coming out of a block. Difficult or unusual situations are useful for freshening things up. A change of circumstances can mean a need to change approach, or new inspiration.
Popping back in to see how your block is going?
Crumbling at last. There's a lot to get done, so I've just been cycling through tasks keeping things fresh.
Keep going, I believe in you. And, I posted a Writer's Block comic on my blog for all you out there suffering from writer's block.
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