Ian Dawson's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-challenges"
Writing Tip of the Week: Not All Writing Should Be Easy
While I think creative writing should be a fun process, that doesn't always mean that the process is easy. We often find ourselves getting stuck on a chapter, trying to figure out how to move things forward, even if we have an outline to guide us. You may find it challenging to start the story, figure out creative ways to present story or character elements, or even struggle to craft a chapter with a major plot point.
These are perfectly normal issues and challenges you may face multiple times as a writer. But know this: All writers face challenges with their stories. From new writers to best-selling authors, each story delivers its own share of roadblocks that must be overcome for the story to work.
Let's discuss some ways to overcome these challenges and keep your story moving.
Ask Yourself Questions
You've hit a wall. Things were going great, and then you came upon a chapter that wasn't working. It's an important chapter in the story, one that can't be cut.
What to do? If you wrote an outline for your story, you know what the chapter's content is supposed to be. Take some time and write down some questions related to the chapter.
Questions like:
• What is the point of this chapter?
• Who's present in the chapter and why?
• What's the main conflict in this chapter?
• How does this chapter move the story forward?
• What does the reader learn from this chapter?
• What do the characters learn in this chapter that helps the story?
By getting the answers out in a more clinical than creative context, you can see what the chapter is meant to achieve and give yourself more material to work with once the creativity begins.
Just Write It
Sit down, turn off your inner critic, and write the chapter. Don't think about it. Just write it out. It doesn't matter if it's too long or short, or missing elements. The key here is to get something down that can be reworked and edited later. It does you no good to have the ideas trapped in your mind.
The best way to work through the challenges is to see them in front of you on the page so you can revise and edit later.
Outline the Chapter
Break the chapter down into bullet points. Really work through each piece of the chapter's puzzle and determine what happens from start to finish. If dialogue pops into your head while you're doing this, add it to the outline.
Give yourself a clear and detailed roadmap to work from once you write out the chapter. That way, the guesswork is gone, and you can focus on the creative elements.
Take a Break
Walk away from the chapter. Skip over it and keep writing. Sleep on it. Go for a walk. Give your mind a chance to focus itself elsewhere. In doing so, your mind can subconsciously work out the problems the chapter has presented.
Oddly enough, this works very well for me. I've hit snags in a chapter before, stopped, and done something else, then suddenly, the solution strikes, and I run to write down what my brain is coming up with. Sometimes the best solution really is doing nothing.
Final Thoughts
Writing should be a challenge at times. If it's too easy, it can get boring. Too hard, and you'll feel like quitting. It's that middle-ground of creative writing that you want to achieve. A place where most of the time, the story flows, the characters speak through you, and your descriptions transport the reader to a new place and time. But you also want to have moments where you encounter story problems. These elements make you step back and think about the best strategy to overcome creative challenges.
By asking yourself questions, pushing yourself to write the chapter, writing a detailed outline, or taking a break, you can find the solutions you need to complete the chapter and overcome the issues it presents.
Happy Writing, and I'll see you next time!
These are perfectly normal issues and challenges you may face multiple times as a writer. But know this: All writers face challenges with their stories. From new writers to best-selling authors, each story delivers its own share of roadblocks that must be overcome for the story to work.
Let's discuss some ways to overcome these challenges and keep your story moving.
Ask Yourself Questions
You've hit a wall. Things were going great, and then you came upon a chapter that wasn't working. It's an important chapter in the story, one that can't be cut.
What to do? If you wrote an outline for your story, you know what the chapter's content is supposed to be. Take some time and write down some questions related to the chapter.
Questions like:
• What is the point of this chapter?
• Who's present in the chapter and why?
• What's the main conflict in this chapter?
• How does this chapter move the story forward?
• What does the reader learn from this chapter?
• What do the characters learn in this chapter that helps the story?
By getting the answers out in a more clinical than creative context, you can see what the chapter is meant to achieve and give yourself more material to work with once the creativity begins.
Just Write It
Sit down, turn off your inner critic, and write the chapter. Don't think about it. Just write it out. It doesn't matter if it's too long or short, or missing elements. The key here is to get something down that can be reworked and edited later. It does you no good to have the ideas trapped in your mind.
The best way to work through the challenges is to see them in front of you on the page so you can revise and edit later.
Outline the Chapter
Break the chapter down into bullet points. Really work through each piece of the chapter's puzzle and determine what happens from start to finish. If dialogue pops into your head while you're doing this, add it to the outline.
Give yourself a clear and detailed roadmap to work from once you write out the chapter. That way, the guesswork is gone, and you can focus on the creative elements.
Take a Break
Walk away from the chapter. Skip over it and keep writing. Sleep on it. Go for a walk. Give your mind a chance to focus itself elsewhere. In doing so, your mind can subconsciously work out the problems the chapter has presented.
Oddly enough, this works very well for me. I've hit snags in a chapter before, stopped, and done something else, then suddenly, the solution strikes, and I run to write down what my brain is coming up with. Sometimes the best solution really is doing nothing.
Final Thoughts
Writing should be a challenge at times. If it's too easy, it can get boring. Too hard, and you'll feel like quitting. It's that middle-ground of creative writing that you want to achieve. A place where most of the time, the story flows, the characters speak through you, and your descriptions transport the reader to a new place and time. But you also want to have moments where you encounter story problems. These elements make you step back and think about the best strategy to overcome creative challenges.
By asking yourself questions, pushing yourself to write the chapter, writing a detailed outline, or taking a break, you can find the solutions you need to complete the chapter and overcome the issues it presents.
Happy Writing, and I'll see you next time!
Writing Tip of the Week: Get in That Chair!
It’s often one of the hardest things to do when it comes to writing: sitting down to write. Since many of us have desk jobs that require us to sit and stare at a screen all day, the last thing we desire to do once we’re home is sit and stare at another screen, even if it’s to do something creative and beneficial.
How do we break this cycle and make the writing chair more inviting?
A Chair Change
If you do a lot of activities at the kitchen table, consider switching chairs when you plan to write. This can help create a division between mundane activities and creative endeavors. You can have a specific chair designated for writing, and that’s its only use. After a while, your mind will associate that chair with the writing process, so it's easier to write every time you use it.
Switching Locations
If you associate a part of your house with dinner or paying bills, why not move to a new area that you can specifically link to writing? Now, when you’re in that area of the house, your brain knows exactly what to do since it links the location with writing.
Glued to Your Seat
This is figurative, of course, but sometimes, we need to give ourselves a little push to get the writing process started. The next time you plan a time to sit down and write, stick to it even if you don’t feel like writing in the moment.
Give yourself a goal: I can’t leave this chair until I write 100 words. Then wait. And wait. This can be a tough thing to do, given that you are not allowed to do anything else until you reach the stated goal, but eventually, your creativity will spark, and word by word, you’ll see that 100 words appear on the page. And, once they do, you may discover that you have the momentum needed to keep going.
Initially, it may sound like you’re punishing yourself, but ultimately, as you begin to write, you’ll see that it is a way to get the creative process flowing.
Back to Basics
If the thought of sitting at another computer when you get home from work drives you crazy, consider going back to basics with a pen and paper. Using these writing implements instead of a computer can help eliminate the negativity associated with staring at a screen to do more work.
Now, it’s just you, a pen and paper, and your imagination coming together in a more intimate setting to get your thoughts and story onto the literal page. While this can be a longer process, it also allows you to think through your writing and connect you directly with your words instead of using an impersonal computer keyboard.
Final Thoughts
Getting in the chair to write can be a bigger challenge than actually writing. Making simple changes to your writing chair, writing location, or writing tools can go a long way to link writing with something fresh and new.
Allowing yourself to sit and remain seated until the writing flow begins is also a good way to ensure you stay committed to the craft even when you don’t feel up to the task.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
How do we break this cycle and make the writing chair more inviting?
A Chair Change
If you do a lot of activities at the kitchen table, consider switching chairs when you plan to write. This can help create a division between mundane activities and creative endeavors. You can have a specific chair designated for writing, and that’s its only use. After a while, your mind will associate that chair with the writing process, so it's easier to write every time you use it.
Switching Locations
If you associate a part of your house with dinner or paying bills, why not move to a new area that you can specifically link to writing? Now, when you’re in that area of the house, your brain knows exactly what to do since it links the location with writing.
Glued to Your Seat
This is figurative, of course, but sometimes, we need to give ourselves a little push to get the writing process started. The next time you plan a time to sit down and write, stick to it even if you don’t feel like writing in the moment.
Give yourself a goal: I can’t leave this chair until I write 100 words. Then wait. And wait. This can be a tough thing to do, given that you are not allowed to do anything else until you reach the stated goal, but eventually, your creativity will spark, and word by word, you’ll see that 100 words appear on the page. And, once they do, you may discover that you have the momentum needed to keep going.
Initially, it may sound like you’re punishing yourself, but ultimately, as you begin to write, you’ll see that it is a way to get the creative process flowing.
Back to Basics
If the thought of sitting at another computer when you get home from work drives you crazy, consider going back to basics with a pen and paper. Using these writing implements instead of a computer can help eliminate the negativity associated with staring at a screen to do more work.
Now, it’s just you, a pen and paper, and your imagination coming together in a more intimate setting to get your thoughts and story onto the literal page. While this can be a longer process, it also allows you to think through your writing and connect you directly with your words instead of using an impersonal computer keyboard.
Final Thoughts
Getting in the chair to write can be a bigger challenge than actually writing. Making simple changes to your writing chair, writing location, or writing tools can go a long way to link writing with something fresh and new.
Allowing yourself to sit and remain seated until the writing flow begins is also a good way to ensure you stay committed to the craft even when you don’t feel up to the task.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
