Practical Ways to Beat the Block

As promised, here are the remaining five ways to beat writer's block.

1. Every time you hear that critical voice in your head that says, "This is garbage," say: "Thank you and goodbye." Then ignore it. It'll stop bothering you after awhile.
2. Flip open the dictionary or thesaurus or a book of quotes. Close your eyes and jab your finger anywhere on the page. Write a brief scene about the word. Or create a piece of dialog for one of your characters using the word.
3. Dictate your thoughts into a machine. Then transcribe.
4. Write out your favorite screenplay.
5. Stare at the bathmat or carpet or into the fire or anything that enables you to see "faces." Then write a short scene about that face.

Staring at the Bathmat
When you can't seem to think of any ideas for your screenplay, go sit in the bathroom. Because the bathroom is a great setting for every genre: comedy, horror, suspense, thriller, action, fantasy, sci-fi and so on.

We all have to use the bathroom. And it's where we are at our most vulnerable. First off, we're either naked in the tub or trapped on the toilet. Both are ideal situations for comedy and horror in particular.

For example, your protagonist -- let's call him George -- sits on the toilet, staring at his feet. Suddenly, a face of takes shape in the bathmat. George stares at this image, fascinated. Then the image blinks, looks him in the eye... and speaks.

If the face is his dead wife and starts to berate George for his posture, we're in a comedy.

If the face threatens to kill George and all of his new family, we're in a horror movie.

If the face says, "Take me to your leader," we're in a sci-fi movie.

If the face threatens to blackmail George because of secrets it knows but his new family does not, we're in a drama.

If the face tells George that it once was a beautiful princess and a wicked witch cast a spell, etc., we're in a fantasy.

If the face tells George that its wife was responsible for its death and George is now married to that same woman, we're in a murder mystery or thriller.

While these scenarios may not be appropriate for your screenplay, improvising like this can help expand your options and make you think outside the box. In the bathroom situation, George's reaction to the face is exacerbated by the fact that he is sitting on the john, which makes him immediately vulnerable.

Look at the scene you're trying to write and ask yourself: What is the worst possible situation I can put my protagonist in to generate the maximum conflict? What will make him or her wriggle and writhe the most?

For example, instead of two talking heads in a restaurant (or wherever), where else can you set your scene that's interesting or exciting or unusual? Make a list.

Also... finding unusual places with interesting things happening in the background is a great way of selling scenes that call for exposition (explaining the plot). Blake Synder -- in his book, Saving the Cat -- calls it "The Pope in the Pool." Or to paraphrase Humphrey Bogart, "If you want me to deliver exposition, there'd better be two camels humping in the background."

Next time

• Mind Mapping.

Questions?
If you need help with your current creative project or just have questions, email Dr. Ideas today.