Find the Fun
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Maybe I know what I want to write, need to write, planned to write—but I just can’t get the words out. Somewhere between my brain and fingertips, the words got clogged up, and all I can produce are feeble phrases.… Read more
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External pressure is one thing, but sometimes, even self-imposed pressure can become overwhelming. Perhaps I set the goal to respond to 60 writing prompts in 30 days, the month is half over, and I’m not even halfway to the goal.… Read more
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What do you do when the sentences stop streaming, the plot ceases plodding ahead, the characters quit cooperating, enthusiasm takes an exit? Experiment #15: Pivot Work on something else. Write something new. Rewrite something old. Revise something. Edit something. Take… Read more
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Invariably, issues will arise: plot problems, stakes struggles, conflict concerns, dialogue deficiencies, character crises, pacing pitfalls, calendar contradictions, quest quandaries, structure snags, title troubles, beginning blunders, middle mishaps, ending errors. Experiment #14: Talk it out Find a fellow writer or… Read more
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Is your digital habitat supporting your writing practice, or is it keeping you from getting words on the page? Experiment #13: Change your (tech) environment Is your keyboard comfortable for your fingers and wrists? Does your mouse work properly? Do… Read more
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Is your typical writing habitat supporting your practice, or do you dread even sitting down at that table, in that uncomfortable chair, in that crowded coffee shop, beside that window? Experiment #12: Change your environment Test out a local library,… Read more
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Sometimes, composing beautiful, elegant, precise sentences is like carving intricate designs into rock with nothing but your two hands and a toothpick: difficult, frustrating, time-consuming, seemingly impossible. Experiment #11: Write the silly version Whether this is your first draft or… Read more
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Remember when more TV shows had theme songs and title sequences before each episode? Experiment #10: Build a custom playlist Maybe a song reminds you of your plot, a character, a relationship dynamic, a setting, a conflict. Add these songs… Read more
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However you describe yourself as a writer—a planner, pantser, plantser, plotter, organic, gardener, architect, explorer, archaeologist, sculptor—at some point, you have to make choices about your story. The way forward isn’t always obvious. Experiment #9: Map it out Create a… Read more
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Maybe I know exactly what I want this scene to accomplish, what I want my characters to say and do, where I want to end up—but my characters just won’t do I want and need them to do. When characters… Read more
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Are your characters not cooperating, or are they not the kind of characters who would do what you want them to do? Experiment #7: Take personality quizzes There are probably as many personality quizzes as people in the world. Some… Read more
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Sometimes, the companionship of your characters, an external or self-imposed deadline, or your passion for the project is not enough encouragement to keep writing when the shiny newness of a project starts to dull. Experiment #6: Don’t go alone Find… Read more
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There will be occasions when a writer needs a nudge, palate cleanser, exercise, challenge, shift of perspective. Experiment #5: Writing prompts Prompts are everywhere if you go looking for them. Here are a handful: Your exercises could turn into something… Read more
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In the day-to-day of working on a big project, it’s easy to get caught up in the big picture: the project isn’t finished. It probably won’t be done today, and probably not tomorrow, and probably not the day after that.… Read more
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One of the earliest pieces of advice most writers receive is this: write what you know. You likely know enough to start writing, but you might need to verify a little—or a lot—before you can finish a story. Experiment #3:… Read more
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Mental clutter is as easy to accumulate as emails in an inbox. My inboxes fill with a steady stream of advertisements, coupons, news, newsletters, webinar reminders, submission rejections, spam, the increasingly rare casual correspondence. Every time I refresh, there’s another… Read more
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The brain is good at creating ideas, not holding all of them all at once. There is a lot going on in my brain at all conscious times. Trying to remember all the ideas, to-dos, questions, observations—all the time—is exhausting.… Read more
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Most of us started making up stories because we discovered storytelling and writing are a lot of fun. Limited only by our imagination, with a few pen strokes, keyboards taps, or spoken words, we can weave new worlds filled with… Read more