Top 4 Ways to Never Have Writer’s Block
Okay, maybe it’s not possible to do away with writer’s block completely. We’re always going to have those days. But I hope these tips help reduce those days for you like they have for me.
1. Write every day
I know it’s almost cliché at this point, but it seriously works. Even if just a sentence, forcing yourself (sometimes with effort) to write will almost always lead to a second sentence, a paragraph, a page, even more, and can surprise you with how easily a little nudge of routine goes a long way.
What pushed me to finally commit to this was the first year I did NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Since it’s in November, we’re not exactly near that time of year right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start strong this lovely month of March.
NaNo forces discipline, as the only way to hit 50,000 words in a month is to write 1,500-2,000 words a day. Usually, I try to get above the average 1,667 words to as close to 2,000 as a can, so that on the days it’s just impossible to get writing in, I don’t fall behind.
Outside of NaNo, I am not quite THAT dedicated, but I still write something every day, even if just a tiny bit, and it has made all the difference with averaging two novels a year for quite some time (and way more fanfiction, blogs, and online rants than I’d like to admit).
2. Always end by starting the next scene
This is a tried and true one for me that I think a lot of people don’t know about, and wow, does it help.
When our brains hit a moment of catharsis—the end of a scene, chapter, or book—we feel relief. There is no longer a sense of urgency, which is why it is such a fulfilling experience. But you need urgency when writing to feel that drive.
Stopping your daily dose of writing at an ending point will make it that much harder to pick up where you left off tomorrow. As you hit that moment of catharsis, push yourself just a little further to start the next scene, chapter, or story idea so that your mind is still buzzing when your close the Word document.
It’ll drive you to write more than you probably planned on, keep you pumped about the project, and make it as easy as rereading your last sentence to get right back into the groove.
3. Outline/take notes
Not everyone is an outline type of person. I don’t mean you have to be rigidly structured before starting a story. But when I get an idea, the first thing I do is fill a Word doc with notes about the characters, important plot points, funny little tidbits I want to include, the works. Then, as I start to flush out the story more and write it, my notes document becomes larger, eventually spawning chapter buckets where I try to map out what should come next and all the major events that need to happen.
If I find myself stuck while working on the meat of a story, going back to my notes and reading through my initial intentions and chapter ideas can help move me through that, sometimes because I completely rewrite what I had planned, or as a simple reminder of what needs to happen to bring the story together.
Even if you’re not an outliner, definitely take notes.
4. Edit for others
The last thing I do and absolutely love is editing for other people. I’ve done this for years and spent 5 years as Managing Editor for an indie publisher, reading constantly and offering feedback for fellow authors. I mostly only do this for friends now, but it’s very rewarding, because you get to be part of the creative process for stories other than your own, you get to read more great content, and it helps improve your own writing and self-editing skills.
Just like that feeling I get after seeing a wonderful movie or finishing an amazing book, I am left inspired to return to my own work after helping someone with theirs. I highly recommend it, and it helps keep our communities stronger when we lend each other a hand to get more great stories out there.
Title: A Model Escort by Amanda Meuwissen
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
House Imprint: Dreamspun Desires
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Romance
Length: 230 pages/Word Count:60,686
Summary:
What’s the value of love?
Shy data scientist Owen Quinn is brilliant at predictive models but clueless at romance. Fortunately, a new career allows him to start over hundreds of miles from the ex he would rather forget. But the opportunity might go to waste since this isn’t the kind of problem he knows how to solve. The truth is, he’s terrible at making the first move and wishes a connection didn’t have to revolve around sex.
Cal Mercer works for the Nick of Time Escort Service. He’s picky about his clients and has never accepted a regular who is looking for companionship over sex—but can the right client change his mind? And can real feelings develop while money is changing hands? Owen and Cal might get to the root of their true feelings… if their pasts don’t interfere.
Add to Goodreads.
Purchase Links: Dreamspinner Press * Dreamspinner Press (Paperback)
Author Bio
Amanda Meuwissen is a primarily gay romance writer, as well as Marketing Operations Manager for the software company Outsell. She has a Bachelor of Arts in a personally designed major from St. Olaf College in Creative Writing, and is an avid consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games. As author of the paranormal romance trilogy The Incubus Saga, young adult novel Life as a Teenage Vampire, the novelette The Collector, and superhero duology Lovesick Gods and Lovesick Titans, Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga, and can be found at www.amandameuwissen.com.
Author Links: Website * Tumblr * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads
Sounds like very good advice. Thank you for sharing!
That’s a great cover. Congratulations!
Thank you so much for this stop! I had a blast tackling this topic to share and appreciate so much the chance to promote my new title.
You’re welcome! Congratulations on the new release.