NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, so there's an aviation magazine that's taking in Freelance writers, and I think that this may be a good opportunity for me, espically since I love to write, and I love aviation, and plus I could use the money. However, when I look at the screen of my Microsoft Office Words program, nothing comes forth! NOTHING! Here I am, a guy who can basically talk about aviation all the time, and I got nothing! The only thing I really have are a few topics that I'm rolling around in my head. Which are:

User Fees: Great for Airlines, bad for General Aviation

GA is for everyone: A story how I didn't let my handicap keep me from flying

Old is Gold: Older aircraft doesn't specifically mean worse aircrafts

Gold Hill Airport: A look at a Fly In Community.

Those are the topic that I've come up with so far, and I can't decide which one to write, or if I should come up with more. I really do hate writers block, so have you guys ever had writers block when you tried to write something?

can you write about like why you like to fly? it could be interesting.

I've had my share of writer's block when writing papers or even short stories.

Things that work for me:

1. Write something.

Even if it's terrible, it's better to have *something* on the page. It's easier to build on an anecdote than a blank page.

2. Long walks.

Dunno why, but it works. The rhythmic sound of my own footfalls seems to coax ideas out of my brain. :p

3. Read Others' Papers

Find one you *really* disagree with. In your article, explain your point of view in relation to others who think differently. It's always best to have a conflict to work around. Papers which present an opinion as if in a vaccum do nothing for me, personally.

Hope some bit of this might help. :)

Just write - write about any aspect of flying that really gets you going.

Too many people think they should write dispassionately, with a certain expertise - the end result can be that but to get started, you simply need to write.

Start with an experience you've had flying, then see how that might relate to a worthwhile subject.

Write with passion first, see what points come out and then strip out everything extraneous.

I think the approach you're trying now is what I'd do too. Say "stuff it" and go to NSG instead.

Seriously, try to write a better version (own research etc) of a weak article from teh actual mag. Submitting that might be a bit too cheeky, but it would give you a place to start subject wise.

I've had my share of writer's block when writing papers or even short stories.

Things that work for me:

1. Write something.

Even if it's terrible, it's better to have *something* on the page. It's easier to build on an anecdote than a blank page.

2. Long walks.

Dunno why, but it works. The rhythmic sound of my own footfalls seems to coax ideas out of my brain. :p

3. Read Others' Papers

Find one you *really* disagree with. In your article, explain your point of view in relation to others who think differently. It's always best to have a conflict to work around. Papers which present an opinion as if in a vaccum do nothing for me, personally.

Hope some bit of this might help. :)

This is all excellent advice.

I should have read it before posting, since my suggestion was just a subset of TPC's third one.

Since the piece you'd be writing is a nonfiction one, I'd say that if you're having trouble getting started, try roughing out an outline to work with as a skeleton. You don't have to marry yourself to it, but it might help you organize your thoughts and get you started.

I mostly do sucky abandoned fiction, but what I'd do is write down some stuff about all of them, then sit down with someone who knows about aviation and sort of just talk with them about what you're writing. Talking usually helps me get through writers block... just because there's so many ideas floating around that eventually a good one comes up... but that might be just for writing something that's very conversational.

Sorry if that doesn't help... figure it couldn't hurt..

Announcer: And now it's time for Novel Writing, which today come from the west country on Dorset.
Commentator: Hello, and welcome to Dorchester, where a very good crowd has turned out to watch local boy Thomas Hardy write his new novel "The Return Of The Native", on this very pleasant July morning. This will be his eleventh novel and the fifth of the very popular Wessex novels, and here he comes! Here comes Hardy, walking out towards his desk. He looks confident, he looks relaxed, very much the man in form, as he acknowledges this very good natured bank holiday crowd. And the crowd goes quiet now, as Hardy settles himself down at the desk, body straight, shoulders relaxed, pen held lightly but firmly in the right hand. He dips the pen...in the ink, and he's off! It's the first word, but it's not a word - oh, no! - it's a doodle. Way up on the top of the lefthand margin is a piece of meaningless scribble - and he's signed his name underneath it! Oh dear, what a disappointing start. But his off again - and here he goes - the first word of Thomas Hardy's new novel, at ten thirty-five on this very lovely morning, it's three letters, it's the definite article, and it's "The". Dennis.
Dennis: Well, this is true to form, no surprises there. He started five of his eleven novels to date with the definite article. We had two of them with "It", there's been one "But", two "At"s, one "On" and a "Dolores", but that of course was never published.
Commentator: I'm sorry to interrupt you there, Dennis, but he's crossed it out. Thomas Hardy, here on the first day of his new novel, has crossed out the only word he has written so far, and he's gazing off into space. Oh, dear, there he signed his name again.
Dennis: It looks like "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" all over again.
Commentator: But he's...no, he's down again and writting, Dennis, he's written "B" again, he's crossed it out again, and he has written "A" - and there is a second word coming up straight away, and it's "Sat" - "A Sat" - doesn't make sense - "A Satur" - "A Saturday" - it's "A Saturday", and the crowd are loving it, they are really enjoying this novel. And it's "afternoon", it's "Saturday afternoon", a comfortable beginning, and he's straight on to the next word - it's "in" - "A Saturday afternoon in" - "in" - "in" "in Nov" - "November" - November is spelled wrong, he's left out the second "E", but he's not going back, it looks like he's going for the sentence, and it's the first verb coming up - it's the first verb of the novel, and it's "was", and the crowd are going wild! "A Saturday afternoon in November was", and a long word here - "appro" - "appro" - is it a "approving"? - no, it's "approaching" - "approaching" - "A Saturday afternoon in November was approaching" - and he's done the definite article "but" again. And he's writing fluently, easily with flurring strokes of the pen, as he comes up to the middle of this first sentence. And with this eleventh novel well underway, and the prospects of a good days writing ahead, back to the studio.
Perhaps you should try listening to "Bulbous Bouffant" from The Vestibules.
Or some The Art of Noise.