Sometimes when we don’t manage to write on any given day its
because something came up. This happens to Konnie more than with me, but it
does happen. None of us live on this planet alone. Life happens.
But sometimes we make the mistake of letting life happen, of
letting life in the get the way. There could be lots of reasons, and I’m no
expert on them since my biggest issue on not getting any writing done is my
ADD, but I’ve witnessed a few things from my friends.
1.
They can’t seem to say no. They always have somewhere
else to be or something else to do. They are constantly busy doing that
something else.
This is a huge mistake. If you want to be a writer commit to
it. Don’t let other activities get in your way. Learn how to prioritize. And
yes, I know that isn’t easy, but if you want to make something of your writing
you have to do it.
2.
They haven’t trained their family and friends to
understand that this is important. Of course, that goes back to number one, you
need to set aside time to write and make sure your family and friends know when
that is.
So, if this is your problem, learn to say no. Learn to say, “I’m
busy. Can that wait?” I once knew an author who spent her childrearing years
writing non-fiction for hire and she had a passel full of kids while she worked
from home but her list of published works is quite long.
How did she manage that?
Easy. She set a writing time and ENFORCED that time. She told
me that she kept a damp cloth by her desk and if any member of her family came
near her and interrupted her while she was writing, she grabbed the cloth and
washed their face. Her kids learned quickly not to disturb her while she was
writing.
The trick to this isn’t that cloth, but the fact that she
didn’t back down, she didn’t relent. She told me they had to be bleeding or dying
for it to be okay for them to interrupt her during her set writing time.
And that brings me to the third reason people have trouble
writing.
3.
They don’t set a time to write.
You need to set a time when you are supposed to be writing.
Let all your family and friend know this is your writing time, and don’t let
them draw you away unless it’s a life or death situation.
(This also aids in the allowing the Muse to find you at an opportune
time.) 😊
It doesn’t matter when or where you write, as long as you
have a routine to write.
Now to solve that staring at the blank screen moment. That
one’s harder, but there are some things that can help, and have helped me.
1.
If you are stuck on a project, move to another one,
sooner or later the answer to your problem will come to you when you least expect
it. It has for me.
2.
Try to relax. Fear and anxiety can be powerful
roadblocks to the muse. Setting up a routine for writing will help with this,
if you are used to writing at a certain time and a certain place, you will be
comfortable and able to write when you are in that time and place. (And, of
course, the muse will have an easier time finding you.)
3.
Remember that writing everyday isn’t limited to your WIP.
Writing in journal is still writing. Writing to a friend or family member is still
writing. Count those and put your mind at ease.
4.
When all else fails, pull out a kitchen timer and set
it for ten minutes then stare at that screen or that blank sheet of paper telling
yourself to write something. I have one such “stream of thought” where I
started out writing that I didn’t know what to write and I was drawing a blank
on any story, repeatedly, but by the time the ten minutes were up I’d started a
scene to whole new a story!
I don’t
know of a more powerful way to get someone writing again then by starting
something new, because let’s face it, that blank screen moment could be the result
fear, or the story isn’t working (been there done that), or you are just tired
of that story right now. Sometimes you just need a break, not necessarily from
writing, but from writing that story. And it’s okay to put something on the
back burner for a while, start something new.
And Happy Writing Everyone! 😊
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