dannedmind

WRITING TIPS: THINK OF IT LIKE AN ARTIST

Having an art background is something that often leads me to apply those strategies to other things–like writing.

If you are like I once was, finding that perfect word to start a story is like staring at a blank canvas. The only way to break that block is to make a mark.

But it’ll ruin that perfect blank canvas!

Sure. Maybe.

But if we’re talking about writing, it’s one word, and you can, and you will change. Start writing. Get to where you wan the story to go, and then come back and fix that opening line.

Always remember, your first words are you sketching. they aren’t they aren’t set in stone.

But take this further. With drawing starting with a sketch, sometimes it goes a step before that where a thumbnail drawing is produced to get an idea of what the overall image should be shaped like. Think of you writing in this way. Design the overall short story, lay it out physically, and then go back and fine tune those lines until it is complete.

WRITING TIPS: OUTLINE DURING

Some plan before they write, and others fly by the seat of their writing pants. Whatever you prefer, you will do yourself a huge favor if you outline during your draft.

How many times have you read a draft and couldn’t fully recall all the details? If you summarize each section or chapter as you write, you’ll have a representation of your novel that you can reference when you go to edit, add, or even rearrange moments.

If you already have an outline, consider this as building on that outline, adding notes like character names, places, etc.

I also find that recording what I wrote is almost like giving a prompt for the next writing session.

WRITING TIPS: LEAVE A NOTE

One of the issues I have with writing is burnout.

I know how to avoid it these days, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get overconfident. My burnout generally stems from having a lot of energy and ideas on one particular day and not pacing myself. I’ve written 10k words in a day and then been completely blank the next day.

And sometimes, what I wrote is not beneficial, it’s me writing myself into a hole that the following day, when energy is down, I’m less likely to find a solution out of.

When I have a ton of ideas about what should happen next, if I’ve achieved my daily goal (whatever that might be, set your own and stick to it), I simply leave myself a note, a prompt.

Sometimes it’s Post-It Note size. Other times, I’ll write it like an outline. But the key is to avoid burnout, so that the story can be completed instead of abandoned.

WRITING TIPS: CUT THEM OFF

How many times have you been in the middle of a conversation with another person and the subject changes, but your mind keeps circling around what you had planned to say next?

How many times have you planned on doing something like taking a hot bath, only for a phone call or a chore you kept forgetting to do pops up?

You don’t stop thinking about what you wanted to say even though the moment in time to say it has passed.

You go to bed thinking about that relaxing bath you meant to take but ran out of time.

Don’t forget this happens to everybody–even your characters. what we think about, what we desired, it means something–even if it is just to us, and these can be motivating factors for your characters even as they are forced to respond to outside forces, there inner monologue still yearns for what they’d intended.

Remember to position your characters in the direction they want to go before that direction is altered for the sake of the story, and keep in mind that they probably haven’t forgotten what they meant to say or do.

WRITING TIPS: DO WHAT YOU CAN

This is a bit motivational, so bear with me. But it was how I was finally able to complete my first novel draft.

There is a quote by John Wooden, and if you need more motivation, just search for his quotes. They’re the can-do attitude a writer needs. Even if we’re a bit cynical and chime in mentally (or out loud) with ‘well, that’s easy to say.’

The quote goes: Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

This is the biggest block for all writers to overcome. We want our words to come out perfect, don’t we?

Here’s the truth. They’re not going to. Some might. If we’re lucky most might. But the basic fact is you will be re-reading what you wrote. You will be rewriting it. You will be changing it and going over it so many times that there is no reason to worry about finding the right words or scene. Write something, anything. And then try again.

We can always try again.