How She Writes

If there is anything I've learned about writing recently, it's that if there is something stopping you from enjoying writing, you need to deal with it. I had something like that not too long ago. As I mentioned in a recent post , I hit a writing slump, and it resulted in me not wanting to write. What I didn't realize was that as the problem continued, I was the cause. I set up a schedule and tried to organize myself into staying productive. I couldn't do it I tried so hard to stick to that schedule. I failed to meet goal after goal. As I continued to fail, I added more goals. I became more and more determined to succeed until I couldn't do it anymore. I felt trapped in problems I had created and realized that more work wasn't going to cut it this time. So I let go I  closed my spreadsheets, turned off my alarms, and set my schedule aside. I didn't stop writing entirely, but I did allow myself to write what I wanted to because I enjoyed it, not ...

To be honest, I find that there are many days when I don't want to write. I know that sounds crazy, coming from a girl who's always talking about her love of writing, but it's true. I'm passionate about a career that is hard, and while it's worth it, I have days when I really want to do something easier. Over and over, I have heard people say that if you don't write for the love of it, or because you can't not write, you're not cut out to be a writer. I've thought about that. A lot. And I've come to the conclusion that writing because you can't not write is a myth. I've never met a writer with that particular ailment. That, and just because you love doing something doesn't mean you enjoy every minute of it. I love my work. I really do. I love seeing the characters come alive in my mind, I love being able to put the stories I imagine into a form in which other people can enjoy them. I don't however, love sitting down at...

Today we're going to look at the usual way I take stories from an idea to a finished product. My writing process can be divided into six steps. Prewriting, outlining, drafting, editing, polishing, and publishing. Prewriting When I begin a project, I usually start with a vague idea or a story that I never finished.  Then I write all my for that story down. This ensures that I remember those ideas, and often gives me a firmer understanding of the plot and my main character. My prewriting also includes fleshing out the main character's personality and coming up with the setting for the story. Outlining As far as outlining goes, I take the character I came up with in prewriting and work the plot around them. To do this, I ask a few major questions about my character. What do they want? What do they fear the most? What is the one thing in their past that has shaped who they are? With this information, I can design a plot to test my character. My character spends the plot ...

I have to be honest, I tend to be overly optimistic when it comes to remembering ideas. I'll have some great idea, and think to myself that there is no way I could forget something that great. Well... I can. That's why I keep something I call a writer's notebook. That notebook is one of my favorite writing tools. Basically, it's a place to jot down all those great ideas before they're gone. Why do you need one? Having a notebook makes sure I write down my ideas when I get them. I know from experience that even though I have all confidence in my ability to remember that idea, I usually don't. Having a place to write things down has saved me from a lot of wasted time trying to remember things. It also keeps a great deal of inspiration in one place, making it easy to find ideas for new stories. Where should you keep it? To place the notebooks effectively, you need to understand where you'll be most of the time, and when you get the most ideas. I...

Every so often, I find myself sitting in front of a blank page, watching the cursor blink, and wondering how necessary that project really is. If you don’t know how to deal with it, writer’s block can be paralyzing. It can make it hard to write anything and even harder to enjoy the process of writing. So, I have put together a list of things to help you work through writer’s block, and get back to enjoying your work. Get outside Spending time outside relaxes you and puts you in a better mood. I always find I feel refreshed after some time outside, making it easier to write. Get moving If you can’t get outside moving around is the next best thing.  Writing tends to keep us stationary for long periods of time, which isn’t healthy. Getting some exercise makes you feel more awake and invigorated. Change your posture Lay back and sit in a relaxed position, it may help to sit in bed. This gives your body cues to relax, and in that relaxed state, you will find th...

When I first began to write, my writing habits were sporadic. I wrote a little here, a little there, whenever creative inspiration hit. I enjoyed it, and the time I spent writing felt inspired, but I didn’t accomplish a lot. If you want to be productive when you write, good writing habits are a must. When you make a habit of writing consistently, it makes it sooo much easier to stay on track when you’re writing on a deadline. If you don’t have a deadline, then it makes sure that you are constantly immersed in your writing, and constantly moving forward A key piece of writing habits is routine. When something is part of your routine, it is a lot easier to remember to get it done. So, if you choose a time and place, and amount of time that you write, and stick to it, you will find it easier to make it a habit. If you have specific projects you will be working on, I would totally recommend giving yourself a deadline and planning out how much work needs to be done in a day to fin...