It's the time of
year that stores are pulling out their overly-cheerful “back to
school” signs and I'm frantically trying to hide from reality.
School tends to eat up enough time that things like drawing and
writing and baking get pushed to the weekends. However, if you want
to be a novelist, it takes more dedicated practice. These are some of
the tricks I'm going to use to keep myself writing through the school
year.
1. Have a word count
goal. Even if it's just 100 words a day, I'm still writing something.
It doesn't even need to be on my novel, although that would be
preferable.
2. Work on
something, even if it's not writing. Brainstorm to get myself out of
whatever corner I've written myself into, work on an outline for the
new idea that won't leave me alone, write in a character journal –
something writing-related, at least, even if I'm stuck with writer's
block.
3. Variety. School
is already drudgery, no matter now interesting the subject matter,
and there's no better recipe for writer's block than making writing
drudgery too. If I just can't bring myself to work on my novel, I can
play with a different character or try out my poem skills.
4. Drabbles.
Incredibly useful little pieces of writing generally between 100 and
500 words. Not even a short story, just a scene. Find a list of
prompts and use one. Explore how your characters react in the most
outlandish situations you can conjure up. Who would they be if they
were members of Starfleet? Who would be a jedi and who would be the
bounty hunter if they were Star Wars characters? What would happen if
the medieval story becomes a sci-fi story, or vice-versa? What would
happen if the main character died? How can I apply the principle I
just read about on that writing blog?
5. Accountability
partners. Few things are more inspiring than the fact that you can't
get the next bit of your friend's story if you can't send her the
next bit of yours.
6. Schedules &
timers. For a horrible procrastinator like me, leaving writing for
when I feel like it often ends with me having written nothing for
weeks. Getting on the computer to write often ends with me browsing
pinterest. Setting a timer for ten or twenty or thirty minutes helps me keep focused, while a schedule motivates me to get it done.
This is what works
for me. It won't work for everyone, but it's always good to have a
plan. What are you going to do to keep yourself writing?
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