How to Avoid Writing Overload

Any writer will tell you how demanding and challenging writing can be, but in the overall scheme of things, putting words to paper is usually the easiest part. It is all the “other” stuff that almost sucks out the soul. By other stuff, I mean all the elements that need to come together for a book to be published—whether by traditional means or self-published. And oh yes, traditionally published (unless very well-established like Stephen King or Nora Roberts) have homework assignments just as self-published authors do. These assignments may vary slightly. However, don’t think after his/her novel is written that traditionally published authors do nothing but twiddle their thumbs and wait for a royalty check. There’s work to be done and lots of it. For this reason, it is easy for a writer to become overwhelmed, especially if there are areas in which he/she is not proficient. Here are some ways to avoid becoming overloaded.

Before I list these ways, I want to say some may seem like common sense while others may seem generic. I always have a distaste for useless or “fortune cookie” information. So, this is my disclaimer. I’m throwing all the tips out there in case some have been forgotten or overlooked. Hopefully, the information will help someone.

Take classes. I’m starting here, although, this, in most instances, is an expensive option. The reason I listed this first is if selected carefully, it likely is the most efficient option of anything. I’ll double back to this shortly.Research. Much free writing information can be found through internet searches or at the local library.

These first two points go hand-in-hand. With nearly every person having access to the internet, conducting internet searches for information is a no-brainer. So, what needs to be researched after the story has been completed? Well, that depends on the writer and his/her needs and weaknesses. For example, every book needs a marketing plan, but not every writer has a marketing background. And no, this doesn’t mean writers need a degree in business—although, it wouldn’t hurt. Yet, most writers (unless they hire someone) will need to develop a marketing strategy. This includes traditionally published authors.

See, for many (not all) traditionally published writers, the publishing houses put the majority of their time, energy, and finance behind the authors whose is a shoo-win to bring in the big bucks. I’m talking about name recognition that sells. These are authors with fanbases so large that they could write the same word 100,000 times and still have it sell for a profit. Lesser-known writers must actively promote their books if they want them to do well. And before anyone balks, “What is the purpose of having a publisher if the writer will still be required to do legwork,” understand that the publisher does help promote those books. However, it usually is on a much lower scale. Think about it in terms of movies. A big-budget film gets tons of advertisements while a smaller-budget film from the same studio receives less. Yet, the actors from both films will be promoting them.

Here’s another example. There was a cable series that wasn’t getting a lot of love from the network. Now, there were several reasons for this, and none of it had anything to do with the series. The series was collateral damage. As a result, many of the actors were active on X (known as Twitter at the time) during the airing of each episode. They interacted with fans who were watching the show and giving real-time reactions. This interaction helped build and maintain viewership.

As mentioned previously, much information is available on the Internet. Using marketing again as an example, a writer who lacked a marketing background could easily search online. This wouldn’t be an unreasonable action to take. The writer may learn good information. Here’s the problem. One doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. A writer may not know if the internet information is bad. There’s a lot of garbage and misinformation floating around on those cyber streets. Sometimes, it is difficult to sort through which is what.

Additionally, sometimes, information is purposely withheld or not shared by people who claim to want to help. They may share some but not all. Why? Because they may want a writer to do well but not too well. They have the attitude that if they help someone else too much that person may do better than them. However, the fact is, there is enough space for everyone. Some will argue this isn’t true because the book market is oversaturated. That’s a different discussion. The point here is that when using the internet as a source of information, one must be careful and selective about where they look. This leads to classes.

Again, one must diligently vet the course. Many are nothing more than a money grab. Courses through credited colleges and universities are likely to provide accurate and useful information.

One morning, I engaged in a conversation with a group of coworkers. The topic was cosmetics. When the cost of my lipstick was brought up, several of my coworkers balked that they would never pay that much for lipstick. They went on and on, practically ranting, about how insane I was. But then, I pointed out the math. While they used less expensive lipsticks and had to reapply them multiple times a day, I only needed to apply mine once unless I scrubbed it off intentionally. They were replacing their lipsticks at least monthly. I had used my one lipstick almost daily for over a year and still had plenty in the tube. The amount they’d spend on replacing their lipsticks in a year nearly doubled what I’d paid upfront. While college courses may be expensive, they may have a greater value in the long haul because they aren’t skimping on the information and the instructors are qualified. Their information is empirically based and not random guesses. Usually. Of course, there will be some exceptions to this. Again…vet well.

Being well-versed in what a person needs to do and how to make that happen greatly reduces stress. Recently, I tried explaining it to a colleague this way. If I had a flat, I’d know my tire needed to be changed. It isn’t helpful for someone to tell me to use the spare. That I would know. If I searched, I probably would locate the spare in the trunk. After all, that is where most spares are kept. What I might not know is how to unbolt it. Or perhaps, I wouldn’t know how to use the jack. This would be the needed information. And if no one were willing to share that information, I would struggle until either I figured it out on my own or until some poor soul pitied me.

Another way to look at it is like being given a recipe with some of the ingredients missing. Sure, you might make the dish, but depending on which ingredients are missing, it may not taste as it should. Furthermore, if you are unsure which ingredients are missing, you may not even know how the dish should taste. And do you want to serve your most important guest food that you don’t have full confidence in? More importantly, do you want to waste time and energy figuring it out when the person across from you could just tell you?

Okay, so, maybe you’re from the school of no one owes anyone anything—that each person needs to learn everything for himself/herself. Fine. But couldn’t someone at least point you in the right direction?

Do what you do well and make that the focus. In other words, write your strength. If you’re good at dialogue but not narration, include more dialogue or write in the first person which can be close to dialog. If you excel in worldbuilding, build a world. This is different from “write what you know.” Write what you know limits the subject matter. Writing your strength is elevating what you’re already doing. With good research, a writer can learn facts about any subject. Developing a writing style requires more time and effort. When a writer embraces his/her strength, he/she begins to create his/her brand. This enhances his/her creativity, thus, expanding his/her scope of writing.Avoid comparisons and maintain perspective when writing. Listen, I get that writing to market is popular. All professional writers, to a certain degree, write to market. Yes, they tell the stories they want to tell, but they also tell the stories audiences want to hear. It’s a two-way street. But when a writer focuses solely on the current trend when it isn’t something in his/her heart, readers will notice, and the author will miss an opportunity.

I remember when vampire stories were all the rage. It’s a trend that crops up every couple of years. One really good vampire story is written then suddenly the market is saturated with them. Some of these stories are written in haste and aren’t very good. And often the reason these stories aren’t great is because they weren’t written with any passion. The author just wrote chasing a trend, and it is reflected in a lackluster story. To make matters worse, these not-so-great stories get compared to the ones leading the pack, making them appear even worse than they actually are. Readers quickly become dissatisfied or bored. Unfortunately, this can sometimes harm the writer’s brand. It is better to “get in where you fit in” instead of following a trend that will only dim your star.

Remember to have fun. When a writer assumes writing a profession, it becomes a job. A job means work. There is a saying to never do what you love a job because once it becomes work you will come to despise it. There is some truth to this if one isn’t careful. Writing as a hobby can be therapeutic, but writing professionally can be challenging and stressful. The former happens at one’s leisure. The latter has deadlines and sometimes restrictions. Thus, when writing as a profession, it is important to maintain passion and to write about subjects one loves.

So, that’s it. What did you think? What is your take on the subject of creative freedom? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section.  If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback lets me know the content that you want to read.

Hang onto your bootstraps. It’s coming. A different kind of romance—a contemporary spicy MM multicultural paranormal sports (cowboy) romance—that you never knew you needed. If Brokeback Mountain, 8 Seconds, Poltergeist, and Supernatural had an orgy Demon Rodeo (book #1 Chasing the Buckle) would be the lovechild. (Can be read as a standalone. Not a western.)

September 5, 2024

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Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

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[image error] Locker Room Love Series [image error]

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1) One minute in the box or a lifetime out.Defending the Net (book #2) Crossing the line could cost the game.Ice Gladiators (book #3) When the gloves come off, the games begin.Penalty Kill (book #4) Let the pucker begin.Future Goals (book #5) The future lies between a puck and a net.

About the Author:

Hi, I’m Genevive, a blogger and contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.