Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 122
February 8, 2017
How To Set Up A Successful Writers Critique Group
Joining a writing critique group can be a great way of sharing your writing, receiving valuable feedback, exploring your ideas and meeting like-minded, supportive, creative people who can help improve your writing and build your confidence.
Of course, all of the above is true, provided that you make sure your writing critique group works well! Therefore, if you are thinking of setting up a writing critique group, follow these great tips to ensure that it is a success!
Read beforehand
If you are meeting up as a group, or even virtually to discuss each other’s work, it’s better to make the most of your time together by doing the reading beforehand. Sometimes it ‘s hard to think of insightful and helpful things to say when put on the spot so making sure everyone has done their homework will bring so much more value to the conversation.
Invite a range of people
Don’t just invite people who you think will tell you what you want to hear, or who all have the same tastes and likes and dislikes. Having a variety of people in your group will be more reflective of the range of readers you will eventually try and market your book to, so it’s good to get different opinions now – you don’t have to follow them all, but listening is helpful.
Keep the setting informal
Writing critique groups should be fun so keep the setting friendly and comfortable and make sure every member feels at home. If you are meeting at someone’s house make sure there is tea and coffee available and bring snacks too!
Set guidelines
While keeping it casual is a good idea, setting some guidelines will benefit everyone. Make sure each member knows roughly how long their piece of writing should be. It’s not fair to expect everyone to critique one page from some members and then 5,000-word chapters from others. Let everyone know the format, what to expect and how long the group will last.
Take it in turns
Make sure everyone gets a turn, not only for others to explore and discuss their work, but also to speak and share their opinions too. If you feel like someone is dominating, try to encourage others to speak up or politely ask them if they could let other people have a turn.
Be honest but tactful. Ask questions and encourage explanation
Constructive criticism is always best. There is no point in having a group that isn’t honest with one another. At the same time, remind everyone that you are all writers, and should all be respectful of one another’s opinions and work. If someone has something critical to say they should be able to explain their reasons for saying it. Questions should also be encouraged.
Have some downtime afterwards
Make sure that you leave some time to have more of a general conversation at the end. This will get people to relax, soothe and smooth over any tensions or upsets, and allow people to bond with one another, so they will feel able to have an even more productive conversation next time round!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post How To Set Up A Successful Writers Critique Group appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
February 7, 2017
Overcome The Blocks That Stop You From Sharing Your Writing
Sharing your writing can be one of the most nerve-wracking and intimating things a writer has to do. Be it a publisher, at a book signing, to an anonymous online group or just to your best friends, it’s never easy.
Getting feedback and opinions on your writing can be really helpful, and can have a significant impact on your book. Suggestions and comments made by anyone from friends to professionals can help authors notice inconsistencies, weaknesses or simply words and phrases that need attention.
However, it is all too easy to keep tweaking and editing and never actually get round to releasing your book into the public domain. The fear of finishing is an issue for authors, but it’s not the only obstacle that gets in the way of us releasing our work.
Here are some of the most common blocks, as well as how to overcome them.
Finances
Even if you go down the cheapest possible route, when it comes to self-publishing there is going to be money involved. Hiring a professional editor and book cover designer is the very least you can do. On top of that, you might consider investing in copies of your own work to try and sell on, and paying for professionals to market your book.
However, book publishing doesn’t need to be expensive. If you are willing to invest your own time into building a relationship with fans, marketing your book through your blog, setting up book tours and readings and building an email list, you can do lots for little or no money at all. Plus doing it right will be worth it!
Technology
Just because you work on a computer all day doesn’t mean that you are tech-savvy. In fact, many authors baulk at the idea of trying to keep up with changes in technology and digital communication. However, don’t let this stop you from releasing your work. They key is to take it slow, do one thing at a time and you’ll get there. Setting up a website and blog is easy – and if you choose a good host, they will be happy to help talk you through any issues you might have.
Keep everything simple but effective. Learn how to use social media to your advantage, and get to grips with an easy to use mailing platform such as MailChimp to keep your readers up to date and informed of any new releases or book signings you have coming up.
Time
Many writers have ‘day jobs’ to attend, houses to keep up, kids to feed. It’s no wonder that one of the main issues voiced by writers is that they simply don’t have enough time to sit down and get any writing done! The truth is, however, that time is only an obstacle if you let it be, and more often than not can just be an excuse because actually finishing your writing is a scary business!
Whether it’s 5 in the morning or the latter half of the witching hour, on your lunch break, or when the rest of your family settles down to watch tv, you can find the time to write. If you actually sit down and think about how you spend your time, you’ll find a way to free some up.
No one is as busy as they think they are!
Of course, everyone needs to rest and recuperate, and there are some chores that simply need doing to live a happy and pleasant existence. It’s all about figuring out where to make sacrifices, and when you do sit down to write making sure you just get on with it. Don’t spend half an hour aligning your stationery or reading over your last 12 chapters – use your writing time for writing – you’ll accomplish so much more if you do.
Fear of rejection
No one likes to be told they are not good enough, but for writers, it’s just part and parcel of the job. As soon as you accept this and accept that it’s what all writers must go through the sooner, you can stop letting it get in your way. The truth is you are probably your own biggest critic anyway, and you’re unlikely to hear anything from anyone that you haven’t already said to yourself. So whatever you do don’t let fear stand in your way.
Without readers, what is our writing? Sharing it can be scary, but without doing so, we aren’t giving ourselves the chances we deserve. So next time you are struggling to share your writing follow these tips, be brave and just go for it!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post Overcome The Blocks That Stop You From Sharing Your Writing appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
Overcome The Blocks That Stop Your Sharing Your Writing
Sharing your writing can be one of the most nerve-wracking and intimating things a writer has to do. Be it a publisher, at a book signing, to an anonymous online group or just to your best friends, it’s never easy.
Getting feedback and opinions on your writing can be really helpful, and can have a significant impact on your book. Suggestions and comments made by anyone from friends to professionals can help authors notice inconsistencies, weaknesses or simply words and phrases that need attention.
However, it is all too easy to keep tweaking and editing and never actually get round to releasing your book into the public domain. The fear of finishing is an issue for authors, but it’s not the only obstacle that gets in the way of us releasing our work.
Here are some of the most common blocks, as well as how to overcome them.
Finances
Even if you go down the cheapest possible route, when it comes to self-publishing there is going to be money involved. Hiring a professional editor and book cover designer is the very least you can do. On top of that, you might consider investing in copies of your own work to try and sell on, and paying for professionals to market your book.
However, book publishing doesn’t need to be expensive. If you are willing to invest your own time into building a relationship with fans, marketing your book through your blog, setting up book tours and readings and building an email list, you can do lots for little or no money at all. Plus doing it right will be worth it!
Technology
Just because you work on a computer all day doesn’t mean that you are tech-savvy. In fact, many authors baulk at the idea of trying to keep up with changes in technology and digital communication. However, don’t let this stop you from releasing your work. They key is to take it slow, do one thing at a time and you’ll get there. Setting up a website and blog is easy – and if you choose a good host, they will be happy to help talk you through any issues you might have.
Keep everything simple but effective. Learn how to use social media to your advantage, and get to grips with an easy to use mailing platform such as MailChimp to keep your readers up to date and informed of any new releases or book signings you have coming up.
Time
Many writers have ‘day jobs’ to attend, houses to keep up, kids to feed. It’s no wonder that one of the main issues voiced by writers is that they simply don’t have enough time to sit down and get any writing done! The truth is, however, that time is only an obstacle if you let it be, and more often than not can just be an excuse because actually finishing your writing is a scary business!
Whether it’s 5 in the morning or the latter half of the witching hour, on your lunch break, or when the rest of your family settles down to watch tv, you can find the time to write. If you actually sit down and think about how you spend your time, you’ll find a way to free some up.
No one is as busy as they think they are!
Of course, everyone needs to rest and recuperate, and there are some chores that simply need doing to live a happy and pleasant existence. It’s all about figuring out where to make sacrifices, and when you do sit down to write making sure you just get on with it. Don’t spend half an hour aligning your stationery or reading over your last 12 chapters – use your writing time for writing – you’ll accomplish so much more if you do.
Fear of rejection
No one likes to be told they are not good enough, but for writers, it’s just part and parcel of the job. As soon as you accept this and accept that it’s what all writers must go through the sooner, you can stop letting it get in your way. The truth is you are probably your own biggest critic anyway, and you’re unlikely to hear anything from anyone that you haven’t already said to yourself. So whatever you do don’t let fear stand in your way.
Without readers, what is our writing? Sharing it can be scary, but without doing so, we aren’t giving ourselves the chances we deserve. So next time you are struggling to share your writing follow these tips, be brave and just go for it!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post Overcome The Blocks That Stop Your Sharing Your Writing appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
How To Respond To Your Inner Critic
One of the main problems you may face as a writer is standing up to your inner critic. Being overly self-critical can be very dangerous. It is all too easy to tell yourself to give up, that there is no point, that you will never get anywhere.
But saying things like this to yourself is unhelpful and untrue!
So how do you control your inner critic and learn how to shut it down when it is threatening to ruin your writing career? Here are some examples of what it might say, and exactly how to respond.
‘You’ll never be as good as [insert name of your favourite author, or just someone whose work you admire/ are eye-wateringly jealous of)’.
We can’t help but compare ourselves to authors who have been and gone, ones who’ve had successful and seemingly effortless writing careers, whose fans adore them, who are praised by the media and their peers, who win awards and make millions.
Of course, there are going to be writers out there who are more successful than you, but this shouldn’t stop you from writing. Nor should it give you any reason to think that you can’t be that successful too.
There is no one right way to write, many different authors have become successful for various reasons. Write for your audience and yourself and know that you are unique, your stories are written just the way they should be and comparing yourself to others will get you exactly nowhere.
‘Your book will be a flop.’
It’s hard for authors to believe that anyone is going to want to read their book and your inner critic will try to make sure you feel as though it will certainly fail. However, it’s important to tell yourself that your book will find its way to the right people. You wrote it with an audience in mind and that that audience will appreciate it.
You’ve got to be realistic; not everyone in the world is going to want to read your book. But there will be people out there who think it is fantastic, and those are the only people that should matter.
You don’t write enough to be a proper writer
Your self-critic will always try to make you feel like a failure and will fill your head with thoughts of giving up.
Don’t let it win.
Writers are always trying to find more time in their lives to write, but putting too much pressure on yourself and beating yourself up all the time isn’t doing anyone any favours. Respond by telling yourself you are doing your best, and that while you are always improving there is no point always trying to squeeze in extra writing time if it is going to make your stressed. -Do as much writing as makes you happy. No more, no less.
You are a dreadful writer
We all have those days where we get halfway through a chapter, read back on it and cringe. Sometimes we just can’t get into the zone, and everything we write sounds terrible, or we simply can’t think of any good ideas.
Writing gets like this for everyone. All writers are bad writers from time to time. The most important thing is to fight through it. Give yourself a pep talk about how important it is to keep striving for your goals, and tell yourself that you can overcome these obstacles. That ought to silence your inner critic (for a while at least!).
Your inner critic has many tricks up its sleeve. They’ll range from petty insults to targeting your biggest fears and insecurities. However, knowing how to respond, to shut it down and feel positive about your writing will only help spur you on to become a better more productive and more exciting writer.
So whatever you do stand up to your inner critic, and never let it stop you from writing!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post How To Respond To Your Inner Critic appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
February 4, 2017
How To Make Sure You Finish Your Book
Are you one of those writers that always seems to start stories, and then never quite gets to the end? Why do you think that is?
It is very common for writers to start their stories with gusto, full of excitement and adrenaline, feeling completely inspired and confident that they are about to write the next greatest novel on earth.
They get past the first few chapters, and things seem to be going well, the characters are developing nicely, the story is full of intrigue and drama.
But then, a few chapters on and you reach the dreaded middle. Suddenly you begin to run out of steam. Inspiration leaves you, your adrenaline slumps and you feel about as creative as an old potato.
Before you know it, your great story gets shoved in a draw to gather dust with all the other ones.
So what happened?
The middle of your story is the toughest part. This is where you become challenged as a writer to try and make everything work. This is where your idea will be tested; your plot needs to remain strong, your characters need to stay interesting, the action must continue to grip readers and keep them turning those pages.
If you feel yourself starting to lose enthusiasm often the best strategy is to take a little break. Stop and step back and ask yourself exactly where you want the story to go. You could even try writing the ending first. Once you know how your story will end, you can then start to make connections and figure out a path to get your characters and plot exactly where they need to be.
If your story isn’t exciting you anymore then instead of giving up you need to think of a way to revive it. Throw in a twist, kill off a major character, reveal a secret. Find a way to shock and surprise your readers, so the story continues to excite them.
Just keep writing. Sometimes the best thing to do is just to get your head down and soldier on. Accept that the middle of your story is going to drag and just get it finished. Once the whole story is down, you can go back and rip it apart and chop it up and re write it. You’ll feel so much more able to do so once the whole story is there on paper.
If all else fails to think about why you started in the first place. Try to recapture that feeling of excitement and adrenaline that you had at the beginning. Remind yourself how disappointed you were the last time you got halfway through a story and stopped. Believe in yourself and allow your story to be imperfect – you are so much more likely to make it to the end you do.
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post How To Make Sure You Finish Your Book appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
February 3, 2017
The Ultimate Editing Checklist
Some writers love the editing stage of their novel. They get themselves all pumped up and ready to turn a poor first draft into something pretty impressive. Others find the editing stage tedious and painful.
Even if you intend to hire a professional editor, you need to go back through your story and self edit as much as possible first. So, regardless of how you feel about editing, it is a necessary part of writing your book, and love it or hate it, every writer must do it.
So, how can you make sure you do the best, most thorough job possible? Follow this editing checklist, and you’ll give yourself the best chance of pulling out any errors or inconsistencies, correct spelling and grammar mistakes and shape your story, so it’s a pretty darn good read (even if you do say so yourself).
Check the beginning of each chapter
How long does it take before the action starts? It is very easy for writers to spend a page or two setting the scene before anything happens – this is not necessary, so make sure you cut this down when you notice it in your novel.
Don’t over complicate things
Showing off your extensive vocabulary you are is not necessarily useful in a work of fiction. Don’t use complicated language. Explain things simply and use your words carefully. Don’t be obtuse, and always keep your reader in mind.
Remove pointless words
It’s so easy to subconsciously boost our word count by stuffing unnecessary words in all over our work. Look out for these and remove them – see how much better your novel reads when you’re done. Common traps are where writers explain things when they don’t need to ‘She listened to the sound of the wind’ – why include ‘the sound of,’ if someone is listening, they are going to be listening to sounds.
Don’t overwrite
Writing too elaborately or using flowery language can make your reader cringe. If you are skilled at writing beautiful and unusual descriptions then you should include these, but use them sparingly so your reader really notices them, don’t stuff your book full of them it will only hurt your story.
Be clear and decisive
Avoid phrases such as ‘seemed’ ‘a bit’ or ‘slightly’ – you know how your character is feeling, don’t hedge your verbs, make a decision and be clear.
Avoid excessive stage direction
Your reader doesn’t need to know every single action or movement a character makes. If you focus on this too much, your story will become challenging and tiresome to read.
Use your words
Whenever you can use your words to tell the reader what they need to know.
‘I hate you’ Ben said, spitefully.
Here the ‘spitefully’ just isn’t necessary. Your reader should know he is being spiteful by what has happened before. Don’t capitalise words to make it sound like someone is shouting, or use exclamation marks to emphasise them. Choose words which do that for you.
Be eagle-eyed when it comes to inconsistencies
If your story jumps around a lot in time or has lots of different stages which need to seamlessly connect then make sure it all makes sense in the end. Write out a timeline of important events which will help you stay on track.
End each chapter on a cliffhanger
At the end of the day, the most important point is to make your reader want to keep on reading. Look at each chapter separately and make sure it contains drama, excitement, moves the story forward and ends in a way that the reader will find it tough to put down.
Editing your novel is so important, and, regardless of whether you send your book to a professional editor or not, by using this checklist you will get it into the best shape possible and give yourself the best chance of success.
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post The Ultimate Editing Checklist appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
February 2, 2017
What Do Writers Have In Common?
Writers have one of the most unique and exciting jobs on the planet. They create new spaces, worlds, universes for people to visit, to hide in. They give people the opportunity to take a break from reality. They help people make sense of where they are, who they are, they can evoke laughter, tears, shock and fear.
Yes, writers are remarkable creatures indeed.
So what are the special qualities that all writers have in common? If you are a writer, I am sure you’ll agree!
They are dreamers
Writers are dreamers, and they dream big. It might be their dreams of achieving success with their writing, which keep them motivated. However, they also dream of stories. Writers imaginations are full of magic and intrigue, and their ability to dream is what keeps those stories coming.
They are warriors
Writers have to be brave. They have to overcome obstacles of self-doubt and criticism, of financial stress and worry, of rejection and disappointment time and time again. They have to keep fighting to realise their dreams, even though they know they might never achieve them no matter how hard they try.
They are perfectionists
You’ll never meet a perfectionist as pernickety as a writer. They will always find something they can change or that ‘needs work’ in their stories, yet they are generous when heaping praise on their fellow writers work. Letting go of their writing, and saying ‘enough is enough’ is often the hardest thing a writer has to do.
They are in love with the world
Writers find beauty in the most desolate of places; they find wonder in the tiniest of things. Writers pay attention to the world. The world is their inspiration, and it’s ever changing, chaotic nature provides and endless well of ideas and stories just waiting to be written. Writers cannot help but be in love with the world, even at its most miserable.
They are shy and extroverted and moody and hilarious and everything else in between.
It’s fair to say that most writers are quite emotional. They are in touch with how they feel and use this to help them write emotion into their stories. Of course, this means that they tend to be on a never-ending rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. Still, that’s what makes them fun to be around, right? Right??
Writers are truly fascinating people, and they have their own unique way of looking at and existing in the world. What qualities do you think writers have and are they good or bad?!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post What Do Writers Have In Common? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
February 1, 2017
10 Useful Rules For Fiction
Everyone needs a helping hand when it comes to writing their fiction novels. It can be so easy to get caught up in the story that we fall into some pretty bad habits or obvious traps that can make our readers roll their eyes!
For ten quick and straightforward rules for fiction to keep your writing on the straight and narrow, take a look at the below.
1. Carry a notebook everywhere
There is nothing worse than having that ‘eureka’ moment and having no way of writing it down. You think you’ll remember (it’s such a good idea after all, how could you possibly forget?) but by the time you get home, however, much you rack your brain, it has simply gone. Carry a notebook as if it is part of your anatomy. Don’t go anywhere without it and you’ll never let that genius idea escape you again.
2. Use accents sparingly
There is nothing like a good accent to bring an interesting layer to your character. However writing accents well is a serious skill. If you can’t do it, it will ruin your writing. Readers don’t want to find reading your book a mammoth effort. If they are struggling to understand what your character is saying, it will soon get frustrating for them. Only write accents if you are sure you can do it subtly and consistently throughout your book.
3. Write about your life and what you love
It is almost inescapable to refuse to be influenced by what happens in our lives as writers. However fictionalised your book is, the way you think and feel about things will slip through. Don’t just give into it, tap into it, use what you love, what gets you angry, happy, feeling in love, and bent double with laughter – these authentic life experiences will easily translate to the page, and your readers will lap them up.
4. Don’t over describe
There is nothing worse than fiction stuffed with a lengthy description. You want to create an amazing world for your readers to step into, but if you describe everything you end up forcing the world upon them and making them want to escape it. Describe by all means, but choose your words carefully, make your descriptions arresting and beautiful.
5. Borrow don’t steal
Other writers are there to inspire us, and all stories are, in a way inspired by other ones we read. By all means, read as much as you can, and borrow ideas from other writers work, but there is a fine line between borrowing and stealing, and your readers will more than likely notice if you cross it.
6. Trust your reader
Readers and clever, and they want to like your story. Make it easy for them. You don’t need to tell them everything that is happening, make sure that they can see all that is around them, or tell them how to feel. Trust that if your writing is good enough and your story captivating enough, that they will get it. Readers need room to imagine, to breathe.
7. If you are bored, your readers are bored
Do you have parts of your book that you tend just to skim over? Well, these are the parts you need to pay attention to. Every paragraph, every sentence, ever word should be working, should have its place. If you can’t be bothered to read parts of your story these are the parts that need cutting out or reworking. Otherwise, you’ll lose your readers, and they may not bother coming back to you.
8. Stop exclaiming!
Punctuation can be a useful device in fiction writing, but it’s the words that count. If you have endless exclamation marks, use bullet points, capitalise words for emphasis and so on you are cheating the reader out of, well, reading.
9. Plan in advance
Planning your novel in advance will make sure that you have a proper story there. It’s all well and good having a flash of inspiration and beginning to write, but if you get halfway through your story and realise it doesn’t work, this can be very frustrating.
10. Finish
Get your first draft out as quickly as possible. Getting to the end of your story will feel like such an achievement, and the editing process is where you can shape it and make it brilliant. Don’t worry too much about writing poorly at first – just get it down. Otherwise, you may end up never finishing anything at all!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post 10 Useful Rules For Fiction appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
January 31, 2017
Writing Tips From Famous Writers (Harsh But So True!)
The artistic temperament – is it something you are born with or something you can develop? Whatever the answer, simply by having one, you can’t automatically claim to be an artist! Even the most famous and successful writers have tried and failed, have been rejected, have almost given up, and have been told their work was not good enough.
Even if you are the most fantastic, talented writer of all time, not everyone will agree – and you are likely to have to go through some pretty tough rejection before you receive your critical acclaim. So with this in mind, here are some of the lessons and tips that famous writers have learned along the way – they might be harsh, but they certainly put things in perspective, and in a way, it’s comforting to know that we’ve all got to go through it!
‘No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader’ – Robert Frost
‘If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second-greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy’. – Dorothy Parker
‘Notice how many of the Olympic athletes effusively thanked their mothers for their success? “She drove me to my practice at four in the morning,” etc. Writing is not figure skating or skiing. Your mother will not make you a writer. My advice to any young person who wants to write is: leave home’. -Paul Theroux
‘I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.’ -Douglas Adams
‘I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide’. — Harper Lee
‘Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand’. — George Orwell
‘If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time — or the tools — to write’. Simple as that. – Stephen King
‘If writing seems hard, it’s because it is hard. It’s one of the hardest things people do’. – William Zinger
‘Write drunk, edit sober’. – Ernest Hemingway
‘The old writer’s rule applies: Have the courage to write badly’. – Joshua Wolf Shenk
‘Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that — but you are the only you’. ― Neil Gaiman
‘Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative’. – Oscar Wilde
‘Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously’. – Lev Grossman
‘There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you’ – Maya Angelou
‘If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it’. – Tony Morrison
So there you have it! Will you take their advice? What are your favourite pieces of advice from your favourite authors? We’d love to hear them!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post Writing Tips From Famous Writers (Harsh But So True!) appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
Why Your Creativity Is Blocked (And How To Unblock It)
However, there are some times where we simply don’t feel it. Experiencing a creative block can be very unsettling for a writer. If it lasts too long we can start to doubt everything, begin to wonder if writing really is our calling. If we can’t think of great ideas, aren’t feeling inspired, and we sit down to write, and nothing comes out, it can quickly become very frustrating and disheartening.
So why do we experience these blocks in creativity, and, perhaps more importantly, how do we unblock them?
You aren’t writing enough. If you leave too long between each writing session, it can be hard to get back into the swing of things. Sometimes something as simple as being a little stricter with yourself and writing every day consistently can help those ideas start to flow once more.
You have become stuck in a routine. If your life feels a little monotonous and mundane, this may be why you are feeling creatively blocked. Change it up, try something new, do things a little differently. Adding some excitement and adrenaline into your life may be just what you need.
You aren’t in love with your story. If you are finding writing a real struggle, take a look at what you are writing. If your own writing doesn’t excite you, it may simply be that you are not in love with your story and need to find a different angle, or even scrap it and start over. (Sorry!).
You have other things going on that are distracting you. While you may have notions of the brooding, heartbroken writer as the best state of mind to write in, we are actually at our most creative when we are feeling happy, settled and secure. When you feel stable, when you have few other niggles, worries or distractions, you have more freedom to let your creativity and passion flow. So next time you are feeling creatively blocked you need to focus on what is causing you to feel this way.
Are you arguing with someone you care about?
Do you have big things going on right now? Perhaps you have started a new job or are moving house?
Are you eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep?
Focusing on ways to be happy will make you a more productive and creative writer. Perhaps you need to work through an argument, get a bit healthier, or relax more. Work out your problems, try a new exercise routine or do some meditation, change your writing routine or be stricter with yourself when it comes to sitting down to write.
Everything is so much easier when we are feeling positive, including being creative. So give your creativity a boost and achieve more with your writing by figuring out the cause of your problems and addressing them first – you’ll soon feel creatively free, and your writing will come so much easier to you once you do!
Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’
The post Why Your Creativity Is Blocked (And How To Unblock It) appeared first on Writer's Life.org.
