The first step is to recognise the problem. Every writer struggles with it. It is inevitable. The feeling of getting nowhere no matter how much time or effort you put in. There is no shame in it, nor does it mean you are less skilled. If you are just about to write your first book, there is no need to read this article, Just go write! But for those who have started and are experiencing these issues, feel free to read on.
Through the process of writing my book weekly, I experienced writer's block on numerous occasions. It frustrated me greatly when I wanted to capture an amazing scene but the words weren't coming to me. With the other factors in my life such as work, it became hard to get the motivation to keep writing. I found myself writing less and less each week. But out of that frustration, I was able to learn a couple of trick and tips that may be of use to other writers.
1. Take a break - Although this seems like the most obvious solution. Sometimes the most obvious solution is the right one. Taking a break for an hour or even a week can let you experience things that let the creative juice start to flow again. Don’t put any pressure on yourself to write anything and just go enjoy life. And set a reminder for like a week or two, that says "Try and write". Usually, this helps the creative juices feel replenished and ready to go.
2. Be your own fan - View your story through the eyes of a reader. Sounds simple and it is. Basically act like the biggest fanboy/girl of your story and start theorising what would happen, how it would happen, what the characters would do etc. Start getting excited even thinking about your story. Then fester it. Let that excitement and anticipation build up until you can’t hold it back and then let it consume you and feel the motivation.
3. Check out other works - Checking out other pieces of entertainment, whether in your genre or not, can really boost motivation. Watching TV shows, anime and other pieces of entertainment allows you to see stories from the reader's perspective and allows you to find what motivated you to write your story in the first place.
4. You're not perfect... and that's okay - Remind yourself that it's okay to make mistakes. Verbalizing is very effective (more than you realise). It's okay for your story to not be the most perfect piece of media in the world. It's about getting your novel to the best level you can with your current skills. Take that pressure off yourself.
4.Don't write! - When experiencing these moments, it's important not to force the words out as this can lead to a rushed and uninspired product. Depending on your schedule, I think this is the most important step. In my experience, I did not have a deadline so I used that to my advantage. I only wrote when I felt creative. This lead to immersive descriptions that painted the scene perfectly in the minds of my readers. But keep in mind do not procrastinate! It is difficult trying to find the perfect balance.
5.Write! - This is a complete contradiction of the second step. But it works for some people. Forcing yourself to write a few lines even if they are not up to your usual standard can sometimes help get the right words flowing. It allows the writer to identify why it's not up to the usual standard and fix it. Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. Make a habit of writing.
Identifying your unique situation and finding what works best for you can allow for your book to reach the standard you are hoping for. Hope this helped any writers that were experiencing writer's block to create an amazing product. Comment below how you dealt with your writer's block!
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