KWE Publishing Newsletter - 03/30/23
For people who define themselves as writers—you know, people who write and enjoy it—writing can be surprisingly difficult and frustrating sometimes! Whether you're working on a children's book, memoir, or blog post, you've probably felt "stuck" in your writing before. Don't worry—you're not alone!
There are a lot of reasons you might feel like you're in a rut with your writing. Whatever the reason, know that it happens to all of us every now and again!
And while there's no one-size-fits-all solution here, there are several tricks that might help make the writing process less stressful!
1. Try writing in chunks.
In school, students are often encouraged to write outlines to help clarify their ideas and ensure their essay or story flows smoothly. Writing in chunks works in the same way.
Feeling unsure where to go next is a common problem for writers. If you're lost and unsure where to start writing, pick one specific chapter or scene to focus on. Narrowing your focus will prevent you from feeling directionless.
Once you've finished writing one chapter, scene, or even paragraph, go from there. If you start to feel overwhelmed, it's totally okay to shift to another chapter or scene. Slowly, you'll start to see individual parts of your story come together to create a manuscript.
2. Read books.
Have you ever read a book and suddenly felt filled with creativity? I know I have! Reading can be a great way to take your mind off your own frustrations and shift your focus to something else.
Reading books in the same genre you're writing in can be particularly helpful; you can see what other writers do that really inspires you and try certain techniques in your own writing. Likewise, you can see what you don't like and consider your writing from a new perspective.
Another helpful tip is to read books about writing. I know, it's a little meta, but it's learning how writers approach the writing process, as well as how they problem-solve, can be incredibly helpful. In addition to feeling inspired, you'll likely also feel a lot less alone.
3. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
This piece of advice applies to so many things in life, and while it's incredibly easy to get caught up comparing yourself to others and feeling like you have to finish something you're working on right now (or as soon as you possibly can), writing isn't a race.
Do you want to spend hours staring at a blank screen? No, no one wants that! In fact, just writing whatever comes to your mind and worrying about revising and editing later can be a really helpful tactic for writers.
But you don't need to feel as if you need a finished, polished product immediately. The reality is, to make a strong, compelling story, you need to take some time to think everything through. Depending on the length of the book and its genre, you may need less time than others—it'll take longer to revise a 300-page memoir than a children's book, obviously—but even then, it's better to take time to make sure you do everything right rather than rush through the process. Ultimately, it's okay if the writing process takes a bit longer; that doesn't change the fact that the story you have to tell is important.
Even though writing can be difficult for writers sometimes, that feeling won't last forever, and you can find ways to alleviate your writing-related frustrations!
What tips or tricks work for you when you're struggling to write? Reach out and let us know; we love hearing from you!
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