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.

Well right now, most of what I have is pretty much "Giles walked over and picked up the book." "She sat down." "He looked startled"

Damn but it reads like badfic. The problem is I have to get exposition out of the way so I can get to the meat of the story and it's kind of talky. But I need insights as well. I'mnot good at balancing dialouge with a story. Crap.

Hon, that's what betas are for.

Again, what Plei said. She's on a roll this morning.