How to Defeat Writer’s Block
Let's diagnose and defeat writer's block!
Wikipedia defines writer’s block as “a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” However, I have come to believe that in most cases, writer’s block is a symptom, not a condition.
Before we can cure writer’s block, we have to diagnose it.
Writer’s block is almost always presented as some mysterious disease. A writer sits down to work and nothing happens. The ideas are gone. The words don’t come. It must be writer’s block!
At times, writers certainly lose their inspiration or face challenges that prevent them from working. I’m not saying we shouldn’t call this writer’s block. What I am saying is that in my experience, there’s usually some underlying cause, and it’s often something that’s easily remedied. Instead of blaming our inability to work on a vague condition, we can figure out what’s really preventing us from writing and fix the real problem.
Today, let’s dissect writer’s block and figure out what causes it. We’ll also explore some solutions for curing writer’s block, and I’ll share some writing tips that have helped me stay inspired. Read more
Tips for Developing Story Writing Ideas
Tips for developing story writing ideas.
Short stories, flash fiction, novels, and novellas: there are countless stories floating around out there — and those are just the fictional works.
It’s no wonder writers get frustrated trying to come up with a simple concept for a story. One look at the market tells you that everything has been done.
But what makes a story special is your voice and the unique way that you put different elements together. Sure, there might be something reminiscent of Tolkien in your work, but so what? Echos of Lord of the Rings can be found in some of the most beloved stories of the 20th century: Harry Potter and Star Wars, for example. Read more
Final Sneak Peek at 101 Creative Writing Exercises: Body Language
Final sneak peek at forthcoming book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises.
101 Creative Writing Exercises is slated for publication in early February.
This book of creative writing exercises will take writers on a journey through different forms and genres while providing writing techniques, practical experience, and inspiration.
Each exercise teaches a specific concept and each chapter focuses on a different subject or form in writing: journaling, storytelling, fiction, poetry, article writing, and more. Every exercise is designed to be practical. In other words, you can use these exercises to launch projects that are destined for publication. Read more
Internal and External Approaches to Creative Writing
Two approaches to creative writing.
When I’m working on a story, I try not to think about technique too much. I focus on forging ahead without overanalyzing every step in my creative writing process.
My top priority is to get the ideas out of my head and onto the page.
However, in retrospect (often during revisions) and between stories, I often evaluate how I approached a project so that I can better understand my own creative process. Read more
Grammar Rules: That and Which
Get the grammar rules for using that and which.
There’s a lot of confusion about that and which. These two words are often used interchangeably, even though they’re not necessarily interchangeable.
Historically, that and which may have carried the same meaning, and some English dialects may allow for that and which to be swapped without affecting the meaning of a sentence.
However, in American English, the grammar rules offer a distinct difference between the two words. By the time you’re done reading this post, you’ll fully understand the difference between that and which, and you’ll be able to use both words correctly. Read more
Censorship Update: Writers Beware!
All over the internet, the same message is being repeated over and over: we will not be censored.
Last month, I published a post explaining how SOPA, PIPA, and other censorship initiatives affect writers. Put simply, censorship is bad for writers. In fact, it’s terrible. Free speech is essential to anyone who writes or creates art.
This month, on January 24, the U.S. Senate will meet to take a closer look at PIPA. There are plenty of senators who have already stated support for the bill, many of whom have received significant campaign funding from the very entities that are pushing bills like SOPA and PIPA. Read more
Eight Characteristics of Good Writing
What's the difference between good writing and better writing?
How important is it for a writer to be able to discern the difference between good writing and bad writing?
Pretty important, if you ask me.
I know some writers aren’t concerned with quality. In today’s do-it-yourself and get-it-done-fast world, quality plays second fiddle to quantity. Who cares if your books are full of typos, bad grammar, and poor logic as long as you have published lots and made a bunch of money? Read more
Excellent Writing Tips from Successful Authors
Writing tips from great thinkers and authors.
I love collecting little bits of wisdom from great writers, leaders, and thinkers.
For several years, I’ve been stockpiling quotes that inspire me. Some of them contain sage advice for life; others offer fresh perspectives on the world. Many hold what I consider to be excellent writing tips.
Consider the writer who yearns to write and publish a novel. He thinks about it, dreams about it, aches for it, but the task is daunting and there is so little time. It seems like an impossible dream, one that would take years, even decades to realize. Read more
Essay Writing Ideas, Topics, and Publishing Tips
Tips for developing essay writing ideas.
Around here, we’re usually so focused on fiction, poetry, and journaling that we often forget about another form of creative writing: the essay.
The first essay that captured my attention and got me interested in essay writing was Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” which was also my first introduction to satire:
Written and published anonymously in 1729, the essay suggested that impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food for rich gentlemen and ladies. This satirical hyperbole mocked heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as Irish policy in general. (Source)
Fiction Writing Exercises for Developing Setting
Explore setting with these fiction writing exercises.
Setting is one of the most important elements in fiction writing. If your readers don’t know where the story is taking place, they’ll get lost and confused, and it will be hard for them to enjoy your tale.
Some stories have simple settings based on real places. You can use your own hometown or a major city. A setting can also be completely dreamed up, which is often necessary in speculative fiction writing (Wonderland and Never Land, for example). You can keep a setting in the background, referring to it only when necessary, or you can bring it to the forefront and allow it to function as a character in your story.
Some authors go to great lengths to take the reader through a story’s setting. Just last year, I read a book in which the character drove around Los Angeles. The author took us down L.A. streets, past parks, and into real neighborhoods and establishments. It was a bit much, but I’m pretty sure if I was a resident of L.A., I would have gotten a little thrill out of the familiarity. Read more
Living the Creative Writing Lifestyle
Is creative writing a lifestyle?
Dictionary.com defines lifestyle as follows:
the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group.
A lifestyle is something you build for yourself from all the elements that make up your daily life: your thoughts, dreams, actions, routine, work, family, friends, food, hobbies, habits, and interests.
So, is creative writing a lifestyle? Read more
Writing Forward’s Greatest Hits of 2011
Writing Forward's Greatest Hits of 2011.
The end of the year is a good time to look back and reflect on the past twelve months. What did we accomplish? What could we have done better? How can we improve next year? And most importantly, what do our readers want?
Back in the early days of Writing Forward, I used to gather up my end-of-the-year stats and let readers know which articles were the most popular. Somewhere along the line, I drifted away from that tradition. I decided to bring it back this year, partially because I myself am curious but also because I think it’s useful to know what interests and engages other writers. Here’s what I learned: Read more
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