Sorry but I'm another one that doesn't ever suffer from writers block. Don't force yourself to write and don't force yourself to think up funny stuff, most stuff comes to you from general observations, most of mine do anyway. Just jot little notes down every now anda again and then when you come back to look at them, you will hopefully find a way to expand on those small ideas.
I'm suffering from writers block right now. I've had it before and it never really lasts too long. I just accept that I'm not going to create anything for a bit, so i leave it and come back later. That seems to work for me - ignore it and it'll go away. That's what I'm doing now.
I..... no..... the other day I..... no thats no good. Got it, I was something when I.... no that won't do at all.
Doesn't matter
Try taking a poor idea i.e a sitcom you think is shit and improving it. But don't just say, "Well I could throw it in the bin." Because you'll ruin the bin.
Quote: ajp29 @ April 10, 2007, 6:53 AMHey Paul what I do is go out and not think about stuff. Comedians don't think of things they react to the world, most of my stuff comes from observations, although i wouldn't class myself as an observational comedian. Anyway my point is its much easier to come up with stuff when its sparked by life, your friends, TV or the supermarket (works for me)
PS yes i am saying you should get out more but not in a bad way.
One theory I have is that it's because I'm on my Easter holiday from college I've been going out but not doing anything massively different (getting drunk and working)... guess that could be part of it...
UPDATE: Wrote a short "bum bum tish" sort of sketch last night its about 28 seconds long but I wrote something with a bit of substance! yay!
I've got a really good joke about procrastination. But it can wait til later.
Boo!
Carry a note pad every where, and jot down any ideas that come to you.
Don't try and write funny.
Jot down stuff you find interesting, passionate about etc, see in the papers what ever. Then look at it, and see what comes to you.
Develop characters, and situations, then ask how they would handle things.
e.g. gay, pirate, and putting on a concert. Female, wrestler, meeting a teacher, at kids school.
My theory on writer's block is that you're not inspired enough by the idea you're working on.
I've sat and planned out a sitcom and not been able to come with anything, yet on returning to an idea I know works, it all comes flooding out.
Just keep moving on to new ideas until you find one that's interesting enough to inspire you.
Have several projects on the go - then you've always got things that need work and daily life can inspire them.
It also means you never get anything finished though.
Hey Paul
Have you tried stream-of-consciousness writing? Just start writing whatever comes into your head (utter, utter nonsense) and keep going for half an hour/forty-five minutes each night. Something might fall out of it. It was suggested on a creative-writing course rather than comedy-writing and 95% of what you'll write'll be shit. But something useful may fall out.
Hope this helps
Dan
Quote: David Chapman @ March 9, 2008, 11:32 PMHave several projects on the go - then you've always got things that need work and daily life can inspire them.
This works well for me. It means that when you're struggling with your main project you have a secondary one to go to. That way even your procrastination becomes productive.
Of course you have to get at least two ideas running first....
Yea, i sometimes sit staring at the screen on my laptop for hours and dont write a word. I always think of ideas on the bus when i dont have a pen, or at three in the morning, then turn on the light to write it down and wake up the wife.
I don't get writers block per se, but I do go through stages of writing absolute rubbish.
The best thing to do is not be so hard on yourself. Just keep on writing. If you can write one good sketch out of ten, then that's good. Watching comedy on TV, we're only watching the success of the writers efforts. We don't see the stress or endless amounts of screwed up paper they go through.
If people say otherwise about their writing, then frankly they're deluded!
Quote: Seefacts @ March 9, 2008, 11:29 PMMy theory on writer's block is that you're not inspired enough by the idea you're working on.
I've sat and planned out a sitcom and not been able to come with anything, yet on returning to an idea I know works, it all comes flooding out.
Just keep moving on to new ideas until you find one that's interesting enough to inspire you.
I'd go along with that, it usually means you've exhausted all your ideas so you need to fill your head with new ones. Staring at your screen won't help, I either work on something else or if its something like finding a new storyline I try and give my characters extra traits to explore.