It's not that I'm idea blocked, because I have the idea. The idea rocks. I have the whole thing (well, I wasn't sure how to start it) all written out in summary format.

Now trying to write it, I seem to have forgotten how to write. I looks like, not even passive sentences but lots of

"The door opened and then....""She walked up to him and said...."

I mean, it's all telling what's happening there's no STORY. I go and try and read and figure out "okay, you read fanfic, how do other people do it" and I look at and go "i don't know..."

Except now I have more of a beginning, and there's an actual story with description and emotions. Before I was just describing. So X goes and then Y does this and I couldn't get the motivations because...well...there were none.

I'm not idea blocked, I've just forgotten how to transform an idea into a story.

That's why I can't write anything until I start hearing the characters talk to each other and can see them moving around in my head.

Connie--that's about the only thing that is working for me, the actual dialouge between the two characters. The problem is trying to find the voice of the piece, I know what pov I want to use and which character is the main one but I can't figure out how to describe anything or how get Character B to Character A.

And then I did and now when I go to write it I'm back to "there was a knock at the door" , I had the introspection I needed before the knock, which will tie up with the ending perfectly.

I'm not idea blocked, I've just forgotten how to transform an idea into a story.

Hum. They're just going through the motions, huh?

Have you tried writing them into a musical?

Okay, so that probably won't help much. Visulizing them? Telling it from a different POV? Starting at the end and telling it in flashbacks?

Askye, when I'm in that situation, I write the crap telling-not-showing, then go back and rewrite it.

What's so frustrating is that I see it. I can see the movie in my head, I know the motivations, I have the last line. I know why they are doing it.

I can't translate what I see into a descriptive story. Or, rather, I can when I'm not in front of paper or the computer. Once I sit down I'm lost. And it's not because i'm trying to hard and frustrated I've been having this problem ssince the beginning. This should be easy, the story is begging to be told.

I can see the movie in my head

Yes, the precise phrase I always use! It's a movie in my head and I write down what happens.

Gah, yes, the "how the hell do I get so-and-so across the floor without it sounding like dreck."

Ali, I second Plei's suggestion -- get the what happens down, and tweak it afterwards. If you see the movie in your head, don't worry about getting the perfect style for it until you've gotten past this block. Mejia the movie in your head.

(edit to add: brought to you by the letter C and the concept of "take my own advice? whassat?")

What Plei said; I like the "all-knowing third eye, viewing the events and imparting them to the students at your feet" technique of figuring out what needs to be said. It can always be turned inside out later, into show not tell. Once the story is there? The inversion should be there for you.

I have stared for minutes on end at a screen thinking, "Come on, Giles, just walk over there and pick up the book." Finally I just had to grit my teeth and write "Giles walked over and picked up the book." It's not great literature or evocative or anything, but, dammit, at least he got the book in his hands.