One of the toughest things writers face (especially when starting out) is the need to stay motivated to write and keep writing.
Today, I’m providing a short list of writing tips for anyone who feels stalled or blocked or whatever.
I’d recommend keeping a journal and writing in it on a regular basis. Even if you think you have nothing to say, simply think about your day, what happened and how it made you feel. Make a note of it.
Doing this helps you develop your voice and make observations in general.
2. Pay yourself first. If you can, write first thing in the morning. This isn’t essential. You should write at the time that works best for you.
But don’t be afraid to switch up the times for doing so. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish when you write first.
3. Write when you feel you can’t do it.
Here’s the thing. I don’t believe in writer’s block. I think it’s another name for procrastination. If you simply start putting words on the page, something will either take or not take.
Let’s say you’re halfway through writing a novel and you’re in that middle part that’s threatening to sag under the weight of a severe lack of story progress. Come up with a way to create an obstacle, a threat, or another development that leads to conflict.
Your first efforts may be halting, but in doing the writing, you may end up finding the right direction for your story.
4. Read, read, read. Many authors feel they can’t read other work while they’re writing. I’m not one of them. I’m always engrossed in one book or another. Or several books these days. Frankly, I rather miss focusing on one or two books at a time. I’m starting to think it’s better to take each book more slowly, rather than try to read multiple books and get them back to the library as fast as humanly possible.
I think books make more of an impression when read this way. I have no scientific basis for this statement. It just seems that way to me.
Feel free to leave a comment about what works for you.
