Organize Your Writing Space
Whether it’s the new year or time for spring cleaning, reworking your writing space is an easy way to improve your productivity and help you stay focused on writing. Decluttering your desk and office space removes distractions, and creating a dedicated area for non-computer work helps prevent burnout caused by sitting at a desk all day.
Check out this infographic from Omni Paper for tips to organize your work space so you can worry less about your desk and more about your work in progress. ...
Avoid Writing Burnout
On the first day of a new year, everyone is setting resolutions. Write more. Write every day. Get published. But not all resolutions stick. We’ve all been there. You write every day for the first month, setting new word count goals and feeling great about your writing. But then it happens—burnout. Suddenly, all you want to do is sit on the couch and binge-watch Netflix. Writing begins to feel like a chore.
What went wrong?
Writing burnout happens for several reasons. Let’s take a look at the causes so you can set resolutions that stick and help you achieve your writing goals. ...
Santa Loves Writers
It’s almost Christmas, and all the good little writers are huddled by the fireplace with cups of hot cocoa in their hands and plot lines dancing through their heads. The stockings are hung, and come morning, they’ll be filled with presents or coal.
The writers think about the year that’s past. They’ve been good. They were nice to strangers and ate all their vegetables. They held doors open and didn’t cuss too loud at rush hour. Their stockings will surely be filled with presents. But…
There were the characters. The ones they killed. The ones they tortured (emotionally and physically). Some characters were sent to hellish wastelands. Some were trapped inside their own minds. Some stories ended happily, but every character was tossed into the flames. And the little writers watched them squirm and struggle—only to toss in more firewood.
Not to worry, dear writer! Santa promised not to punish us for torturing our characters because writers do so many other things right. Here’s why Santa loves writers. ...
How to Write During the Holidays
It’s here. That time of year when everything seems to come before writing. There is shopping to be done, relatives to entertain, and food to eat. How are you supposed to have time to work on your manuscript? Here are three approaches to handling writing during the holiday season.
The Just Do It Approach
Thank you, Nike, for your words of wisdom. This approach is often taken by the writers who need to get their manuscript done, no matter what.
Make time.
It’s not going to be easy. You can’t wave a magic wand and suddenly have two extra hours in the day meant for nothing but writing. Making time means deciding that writing is more important than something else. Maybe it’s more important than the Christmas movie you want to watch or the cookies you want to make. Use that time to write. ...
Stockpile Inspiration
We all have days that feel like our creative muse has abandoned us. When we’re out of inspiration, motivation, or ideas, it’s good to have a backup plan. Hoarding those good vibes while they’re flowing helps us keep moving forward on the tough days. Here are a few things to save when they come your way.
1. Song Lyrics
You know that feeling when you hear the perfect line in a song? Next time that happens, write down the lyric so you can recall that feeling later. Maybe it’s a line that perfectly sums up your life, or maybe it just makes you feel good. Either way, write it down on a scrap of paper or in your phone’s notes app to remember it later. (And don’t be afraid to sing out loud!) ...
Tips to Write Faster {Infographic}
We all want to see that word count increase, but sometimes writing feels like slogging through mud. If you’re out of ideas for boosting productivity and getting the words flowing, check out this infographic from Inc.com. They’ve listed twelve great ideas to make the most of the writing time you have. ...
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