originally posted by Cheryl
Did you ever get writer's block when you first started out Janny and other writers here? I think I'm stuck in a place. I see it happening but don't seem to have the knowledge to write it out properly. I think I need a little bit more research to get it right. I'm just going to try to get through it to get to the major part. I just wondered if getting stumped on something happens to the best authors like you? thanks so much
I put everything I know about writer's block and lack of new inspiration into one of the interviews you can find under the Bulletins heading - check out there, and follow the suggestions.
Of course, others may poster alternative ideas, here - please make sure they aren't repeats, first.
originally posted by Cheryl
Thanks, I have the chat talk in my favorites and I forget to go to the website to enjoy it. I'll go there. Thanks again. Could use the advice. Thanks
originally posted by Cheryl
I read some of the interviews. It was very enlightening and I can't believe I didn't know to go there before. Sometimes bookmarking things isn't all that good but thanks Janny and I think I'm on the right course, just need to stick with it. Sounds like I am doing most of it right. It is like a jigsaw puzzle you have to put together but it is fun for the most part. Thanks for directing me to the bulletins area. I never even went there before and I've been here for years. lol
originally posted by Konran
I had horrid, horrid writer's block when I was doing NaNoWriMo. XP About Week 2, I hit the Wall, which is when most everybody does. My problem with stories is that I usually have the beginning in mind, and I know how it ends, but I don't know how to get the characters there. With NaNo, you have a deadline and a wordcount quota, so I HAD to keep going… so I just dragged things out… I did a lot of description, lol, and I wasted a few pages on the search for pants, which in turn led to an overheard conversation, which in its turn led to an internal monologue, and filled up some space nicely… really if you just start rambling on about nothing, it can lead to some other good things you didn't know were in there, and you can always cut out the unimportant stuff later lol. One person on the NaNo boards spent an entire chapter on the making and eating of a sandwich… as long as you're writing, just keep telling yourself you're making progress, and let the characters run with it. 
That's what I do.
originally posted by Cheryl
Thanks Konran, I think my trouble is with having them travel. I think I've found my way out of trouble though and I'm anxious to get it down now. I was really stumped on how to have them gather the provisions and meet to go on this rescue mission. Such a simple thing and it was the hardest, to get them on that journey. I thought how much detail should I go into. I spent weeks worrying about it. Now I think I know what to try at least. I don't know how much description you need to get into on horses or their supplies they will carry. It just had me stumped. Yeah that is the main worry, keeping the story flowing and always getting deeper and deeper into it and not too much detail unless it's for practice. Thanks for sharing that Konran. That is good to just write for practice on anything, I will try that too.
Rule of thumb: if the gathering of provisions has bearing on the STORY go into it. If it's just a minor detail - flash over it in a line… you only want to show scenes that have the meat in them - the ones that advance your story or your characters during significant moments.
If you are writing in "detail" that has no meat, it's a good reason a story might founder.
To "flash over" an insignificant detail, you'd just do that "they provisioned for a ten day journey through the wilds, and left at dawn for the east" or somesuch - and if the journey isn't significant, and no plot moving events happen, you'd flash past that one too - "On the eleventh day, when they reached – wherever "
Dwight Swain's book is an excellent reference for knowing what scenes to show, and which not.
originally posted by Cheryl
I've read some of Dwight Swain's book and use it for references. I'll go find that chapter. Thanks for that help Janny. That is very helpful. The preparation isn't a big deal it's when they get there that I need to get to.