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Posts from the ‘Writing Life’ Category

Jan 16

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How to break out of the writing doldrums

In Carly’s post, “Four tips to defeat your writing funk,” she shares some tips for what to do when you get stuck in your writing project. Her ideas prompted me to share a few of my own. Goodness knows we all get into the writing doldrums from time to time, but there’s no need to panic!

  1. Give your brain a break. The other day I was stuck on a scene but I was tired and my brain just wasn’t working. So I lay down on the couch and dreamed myself into my story. I didn’t force it but just kind of gently played around with some ideas in my mind. Sometimes, I might fall asleep doing this but that day, an idea floated to the surface that fit, so I got up and continued writing. Score one for my muse!
  2. Write somewhere different. I was working on a piece at my desk the other night and just couldn’t get into it. I felt uncomfortable for some reason. So, I made a cup of tea and curled up in my big white chair in the same room. Before I knew it, I was back in the flow of writing and having fun. Routines are great until your brain gets to complacent. That’s when you have to trick it with a new routine. Read more

Jan 15

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Four tips to defeat your writing funk

Sometimes my brain circuitry feels like it’s got a short in it. It went on vacation and left me home. Or it’s buzzing and I just can’t settle down. Or, I’m just stumped about what direction I should go with a story or poem.

Has this ever happened to you? If so, consider trying a few of these strategies.

1. Change tools. If you’re tapping out your sentences on your computer, pick up a pen or pencil and write by hand in a notebook. For that matter, some people enjoy typing on an actual typewriter. Read more

Jan 13

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Why slow, easy gains beat fast and furious for writing success

Since my life pretty much revolves around writing and reading, it’s only natural that I see just about everything through that lens. So when I read blogger James Clear’s post last week about weightlifting, I quickly saw how his principles of slow, easy gains also apply to writing.

Most people focus on achievement over progress in the gym (and other areas of life), Clear says.

Clear’s blog post especially resonated with me because it came out at the same time my blogging partner Carol had been telling me about a video she watched in which Novelist and TV Writer/Producer Lowell Cauffiel advocated writing five pages a day max instead of large bursts of occasional writing. (She’ll be sharing more about this in an upcoming post.)

Clear says slow progress beats immediate achievement because slow progress adds up fast and is more sustainable. Read more

Jan 8

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How blogging about writing craft helps my writing (and makes me happy)

Some writers say that blogging is a waste of time. They think it’s better to spend writing time on their current work, whether it’s a novel, poem, short story, or essay.

Blogging about writing may not be for everyone, but I’ve found that blogging can be like an injection for my writing. If I’m stuck with some aspect of my writing, I often dig out of my blocked place by recalling some bit of advice or craft tip that I’ve written about here on One Wild Word.

Here are several other ways writing about writing helps me in my craft: Read more

Jan 2

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How to reclaim your life and energy for your art

In my last post, “Busting the writing myth of ‘not enough time,’” I wrote about author Heather Sellers’ belief that this concept of not having enough time is really a misdiagnosis of what ails us as writers. Our real problem, she says, is that we try to be, “everything to everyone,” and, as a consequence, become drained. We literally don’t have enough energy left to finish our writing projects.

I definitely fall into this category. I run a busy, full-time business with my hubby where I often begin work around 8 a.m. and work up until the time I drop into bed around 11pm to midnight. Yes, we take breaks during the day—lunch, dinner, exercise (hopefully), and we have the freedom to do what we want, when we want, but it’s a hectic lifestyle. I struggle with fitting my writing time in early in the day before I become too tired to do anything but drool on the keyboard.

In her book, Chapter After Chapter: Discover the Dedication and Focus You Need to Write the Book of Your Dreams, Sellers suggests making a list of everything we do in a week. Read more

Dec 31

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My 2014 personal writing theme revealed

I can’t help it. I love the idea of a fresh new notebook, a new year to see what is possible. A clean slate. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, but I like having a theme that helps me move through the year in a positive trajectory. It’s my touchstone to remind me of what I value.

Several things happened this year that propelled me to find my 2014 theme.

First, I took a short story writing class and discovered a breakthrough writing method. It involved writing 100 sentences and then seeing what kind of story would take shape. It really was a revelation for me and helped me lose some of my resistance around writing.

Second, I went to a workshop and heard Patricia Charpentier speak about how she keeps a five-year diary. I’ve always wanted to do this but never stuck to it. I decided this would be my year. I would do it by committing to at least one sentence. And while some of them may be random or boring observations about my day, others could likely turn into story themes or first lines. For more inspiration and my thoughts about this, read my post, Let your short story write itself. Read more

Dec 30

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Busting the writing myth of “not enough time”

When I get overly tired, I tend to do dumb things like walk into walls, trip going up the stairs, or bump my toe into a hard piece of furniture. Little things. Annoying things.

The day after Christmas, I could tell I was suffering from this state of fatigue because I walked into the bathroom door, I spilled aromatherapy oil on our piano, and as I picked up a picture frame from a bookshelf, the glass slipped out and sliced my finger on its way to the floor. Ouch. I lost a nice patch of skin from the side of my pinky finger and had to hold gauze on the wound for two hours to get it to stop bleeding. Double ouch.

I took the rest of the day off, realizing, a bit belatedly, that I needed to rest and regain my energy and motor skills.

In “Chapter After Chapter: Discover the Dedication and Focus You Need to Write the Book of Your Dreams,” author Heather Sellers writes about how many would-be authors say they can’t finish their novels or writing projects because they don’t have enough time. She thinks this is the case of a misdiagnosis. In reality, she says, it’s not really time that is the issue but a lack of energy. I can relate to her diagnosis. Read more

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