Help!

[Genevieve]

Every time I sit down to write something - fanfiction and original - I'll get a sentence written down within the space of three hours, which is obviously not good.

How do you guys find inspiration? What tips do you have on writing fanfiction and original fiction? How do you focus and get into the mindset of writing?

I know it's going to be different for everyone, but I want to see if there's anything I can try to help me focus again.

It's alright if you can't help; thought I'd ask anyway.

:)

[eskimoRock]

I don't tend to try and force it- while I have the spark I write as much as possible, and then come back to it when I can. I often find that baths help to think though, it's where I come up with a lot of my ideas.

[Kitty279]

Never could enforce writing, either. Sometimes I don't do anything for months, other times I write 10 pages or more a day. And by now I have given up writing chronologically; sometimes I have a scene in my head that only would fit much later. Then I just write it, so it doesn't get lost, and try to include it later on.

[G. Novella]

For me, I tend to sit down with a list of ideas beside me. Then I move from there, and things flow. Other times, I don't write at all, and I goof off But really, the best way to start writing and really keep going is to sit down with the ideas all beside you. Once you have them, the story starts to build. And suddenly, as you write, and you have this idea list with you, you find yourself creating a new, entirely better path than the list, and you go with that instead

[melodypottersnape]

I tried to force myself on one chapter, but I finally decided to stop writing it and write other things and only go back to it sparingly. So my advice is if you have any other ideas start on them and go back.

[jaffaninja]

If I'm writing something that's going to be long, I write an outline first of the whole story so I know where it's going. I don't always completely stick to it, but it really helps.
To get ideas in the first place, I tend to walk aimlessly around until something strikes me. We've got a sort of circuit floorplan in our house, so I just walk around and around until I get an idea. For some reason, motion helps me think.

[unbeastly]

I'm the same. I annoy everyone in my family with my pacing as they can hear me through the ceiling.

[Kitty279]

*grin* I tend to get my best ideas on horseback. Only downside is that then I can't take notes ...