By Abigail Shepard
I don’t believe in writer’s block. I think there’s always something to write, and every writer I know has a huge file or notebook of ideas that haven’t yet seen the light of day. The problem comes from worrying too much about how you’re going to write it, or, sometimes, just not wanting to. I’m sure I can’t be the only one? We know what to write, we know we should write, but we just don’t feel like it. And if we leave it for long enough, we’ll wonder how we ever wrote anything in the first place.
So I’m going to talk about how to make writing fun again. Because that’s part of the problem. Sometimes we are just putting too much pressure on ourselves to turn our hobby into our career. We forget to write for the sake of writing. So how do we recapture our love for this capricious art of ours? Here’s a few ideas…
Write something different.
Working on a novel that’s stalled? Put it aside and write a few short stories or poems. Give yourself the goal of getting one of them published. It’s such a great confidence boost when you do, it will help you go back to your manuscript feeling more competent. You can write. You can do this. However, try not to start a new novel. All novels slump in the middle and the next one won’t be any different. Dropping it to start the next one is the way never to finish anything.
Try a new method.
Most of us have a way we like to write. I always used to just type my words directly onto my tablet. But when I tried writing them on paper first, my writing got a new lease of life. If you normally use paper first, try typing or dictating. If you’re usually a plotter try pantsing (writing by the seat of your pants). And vice versa. You get the idea.
Take a break from your phone.
Marketing, though essential, doesn’t help us write. So if your writing is suffering you may have to switch off for a while. Tell your social media platforms that you will be away for a week, then stick to it. Don’t worry about losing followers. Your true fans will happily stay around. Yes, some people might unfollow. But if they aren’t interested enough to give you a week’s grace then they aren’t interested enough to buy your book either. They’re no loss. So don’t worry about it.
Get some feedback.
Send what you have out to someone you really trust. If they love what you’re writing and want more there’s some added motivation. What if they don’t, I hear you ask. Well, that feedback can be helpful too. They might be able to point out areas that need work. But if they don’t then that might help you examine how you feel about it. Is that project stalling because, deep down, you don’t love it either? Are you, in fact, writing the wrong thing? Or, are you now springing into defense of your work? Do you still believe in it? Good. Then write it.
Recharge.
I believe that sometimes we really do need to just take a break from writing. Put the manuscript in a cupboard and walk away for a few weeks. Read some books. Watch your favorite films. Play some mindless video games. Go for walks. Do something visually creative, such as painting, sewing or even baking a cake. And you never know, writing being what it is, the moment you tell yourself you are not going to do it for a few weeks, you’ll likely find that you really want to.
Bio: Abigail Shepard currently lives in the Highlands of Scotland. Abigail has had numerous short stories published, most recently in The Drabble, The Flash Fiction Press and Mystery Weekly Magazine. Her first teen novel, Victoria’s Victorian Victory, is available on Amazon. She blogs at bewritingblog.wordpress.com
