Writer Problems#10: Productivity!

So, this is something I have obviously struggled with the last few years. I have done very little in
terms of blogging and I haven't written much. This is because, when I come in from a long day of work in the office or an eight hour shift on my feet, I am so tired and instantly lack productivity!

We have to find ways to be productive. Different things work for different people. Much like revising for upcoming exams, you have to find the motivation to be productive in your efforts to become a writer.

Here is a list of 25 productivity secrets from some of the greatest minds throughout history.

Camp NaNoWriMo Begins!

Camp NaNoWriMo begins today and so this month I'm going to try to write at least 25,000 words of my novel as I want to have it finished by the end of the year. I'll be posting updates of my progress on this blog as well as trying to keep regular posts going up.

I'd totally urge anyone interested in writing to give it a go and I'm sure you can still sign up by clicking here.

Wish me luck!

Camp NaNoWriMo!

Shout out to all of my fellow scribblers out there.
Are you hoping to finish a novel this year?
Always wanted to write that story you've had stewing in your head?
Got a project you want to write but need some support?

Tomorrow is the start of Camp NaNoWriMo - the summery cousin of NaNoWriMo. The idea of Camp NaNoWriMo is to set you up in a team of other writers to support each other as you set your own writing goals and try to work on a written project through the month of July. I will be taking part and have already been set up with some lovely cabin mates. I tried NaNoWriMo last year and got about 20,000 words in so perhaps this could be what gets me to the finish line? Who knows! I'm really looking forward to take part - if you're interested too then click here to sign up before it all kicks off tomorrow!

Anne Rice on Bad Writing Advice.

This is something that the wonderful Anne Rice recently posted on her Facebook page:



"I've often said there are no rules for writers. Let me share the WORST AND MOST HARMFUL ADVICE I was ever given by others. 1) Write what you know. 2)You'll have to polish every sentence you write three or four times. 3)Genius is one tenth talent and nine tenths hard work and 4) You're not a real writer if you don't write every day. --- ALL OF THAT WAS HARMFUL TO ME. ALL OF IT. IT HURT AND IT SET ME BACK. ----- So I say again, there are no rules. It's amazing how willing people are to tell you that you aren't a real writer unless you conform to their cliches and their rules. My advice? Reject rules and critics out of hand. Define yourself. Do it your way. Make yourself the writer of your dreams. Protect your voice, your vision, your characters, your story, your imagination, your dreams."

Personally I think that writing what you know isn't always harmful. It's certainly a good place to start, especially if you don't know where to begin. You can write about your experiences, your town, the people you've met in life. Just fictionalise it a little. Find something entertaining and work around it. 

You don't have to write every day. I didn't know when I could call myself a writer. Do you call yourself a writer if you're writing or when you've actually been published? Does being published verify your writer status when so many amazing writers don't get actual publication? I've realised that it's very simple. If you write, you're a writer. You can call yourself a writer. It's a loose term. 

Write. Write what you want to, how you want to, when you want to. Do whatever you want to, whatever you can, and it'll be good enough in some way.

How to write a book WITH SCIENCE.

Fellow writers, the jig is up.
Apparently science has cracked the algorithm to writing the perfect novel. The Telegraph reports that to create a novel with the ultimate potential of financial success you must avoid cliché and use verbs sparingly... well duh. The article makes for an interesting read for any aspiring authors.

Writing Exercises That May Help To Make You More Creative

As writers there are times for all of us when we hit that brick wall formally known as writers block. No matter how much work or studious contemplation you push onto a page, it just doesn't seem to be working.

If you spend lots of time agonising over every decision in your book, maybe you're over-thinking it. If you have trouble finding the path, perhaps you need to shake things up.

Well, never fear. Writing should be a labour, but a labour of love. You should at least enjoy some degree of your writing so here are some quick exercises that may help you to become more creative. Find your writing space, wear whatever you're most comfortable in

Go out and do a spot of people watching
Sit yourself down in a cafe (or a bar. Caffeine, alcohol, pick your drug of choice) and take a notepad and pen or a laptop, however you prefer to write. Then look at the people around you. Try to think up their story. Ask yourself some questions. Why are they there that day? Are they alone? If so, why? Do they look happy? What does the way they drink or eat their food say about them? Very soon you'll be whipping up a character around these strangers that you can easily transport into a book. Looking at someone and thinking of their little idiosyncrasies and some sort of back-story may help to really enrich your characters and make them seem more human.


Trying too hard to create the perfect ending?
Why make it perfect? Why tie up every loose end when that's just what the reader expects? Why not shock the reader (and yourself) by ending it in some brutal, cold fashion out of the blue. I mean, let's be honest... it's a method that seems to be working well for George R.R Martin. This may make the book marketable because the ending is so different and it may even force you to want to write a sequel as your mind tries to solve the damage that you yourself have inflicted on the characters and your audience.

Get a little experimental
Was your story promising to start with but now dwindling? Why not do something interesting? Play around with the timeline or format. Introduce unexpected images and twists that seem arbitrary and, as time goes on, find ways to link them into some sort of similar theme. Why not change genre half way through? Start it as a rom com that then turns in to a thriller unexpectedly mid sentence to keep yourself and the audience guessing. If you're excited about the plot, you'll want to write it and keep writing. Draw out mind maps and try to really visualise where you're going and how to get there. Try to experience some of the things in the story (as long as they're not dangerous to anyone or illegal) and try to get a real feeling for what's happening in case it beings about some inspiration.

Stranger than Fiction
If you want to write but have trouble finding something to write about I can honestly recommend that the news is a great place to find inspiration. There are so many wacky news stories that come out each day just waiting for you to come along and inject a little imagination into.

Are your plot lines too thin?
If you're someone who has lots of different novel ideas, almost too many, then why not try to think of ways to cram them together. Do you feel there's not enough action? Is there not much going on in your current novel? Why not consider the possibility of joining your current story with old, abandoned drafts of other stories you've worked on. If they can work within the same narrative then this may be the key to helping you create a well-rounded story.

Write regularly, write often.The more you write, the better you'll become. When you're not working on a story why not try your hand at blogging or poetry writing. Why not write short stories on simple themes. Write the story of your name and how you came to be called that. Write about the best moment of your life. Write about the last thing that made you laugh. Maybe you'll find that you can use bits of these short stories in a bigger story.

Create a back-story for every major character
Think your characters seem a little one dimensional? Well before writing why not sit down and write a page or two in your notes about that character. Where were they born? What childhood experiences have made them who they are today? What are their fears? What is their favourite food? What are their little idiosyncrasies that make them unique? So they have a stutter? Do they "um" and "ahh" when they speak because they're anxious about what they say? Do they start tapping their fingers on the table when they begin to feel anxious? Always remember to make your characters human so that when your reader is reading the text they feel like they're almost interacting with real people. It makes for a much better read than cardboard characters. Even if it's just you who knows the back-story it can deepen a character. In fact, here is an excellent image I found on Tumblr that may help:



In answering the above questions it may help you to really shape your characters. You can make things up or base the character on someone you know. Once the characters really feel human and have their own characteristics this may make them more interesting to write and certainly more interesting to read.



Sit on that brick wall: ignore your work for a while.
Why not try avoiding your work for a while? As we all know, inspiration hits at the strangest of times. Maybe if you're forcing yourself to write then it's not going to come organically. Do other things and maybe inspiration will come naturally to you in time.

Advice For A New Writer!

I know it seems a tad premature to be dishing out tips to aspiring writers when I myself am not even officially published but I didn't have any other ideas for what to post today. 

It is said that everyone has a novel in them. So here are some tips for someone starting out as a writer or considering writing a book/novel/collection of poems.

1) Take a notepad with you everywhere. This is something pretty standard within the writing community. Almost all creative writing tutors will tell you to keep a journal of creative thoughts or to keep writing materials on you at all times. This means that whenever you have a good thought you can jot it down so as not to lose it. I tend to keep one by my bed, in my bag etc. 

2) Read a lot. You want to be able to read a lot of books as style models for your own work and to understand the market. 


3) Avoid the cliché. Does your writing sound familiar? It might therefore come across as cliché or typical of the genre. This is fine. This is where a lot of writers start and this is how we learn. When we start out our knowledge of writing and how to craft our creative work may be basic and therefore we just repeat what we know. 

4) Find inspiration everywhere. We are human beings are constantly creating and constructing stories. "Oh this funny thing happened the other day..." "The strangest thing once happened at my old house..." "One time when I was out with my friends..." Just ask yourself whenever you think back to an old story 'Can I write about that?' You may find you could write an entire collection of short stories just based on your life experiences.

5) Join writer groups. I recently joined figment.com which is a place where you can post your work and have it read whilst doing the same for other writers. It acts as a bridge for creative minds. Other places are wattpad and The Writer's Circle on Facebook. Something about conversing with other creative people can really help you to consider and develop your ideas whilst inspiring you to keep writing.

6) Write the sort of thing you'd actually want to read. Make sure it's something good, something compelling, and nothing too similar to something well known and pre-existing. 

7) Ensure your characters are interesting. Nobody wants to emotionally support a dull character.

8) If you feel like you have Writer's Block try to set yourself the challenge of writing 50 words. Just 50. You may find that this breaks the ice and sets you free from your block. If not you're still 50 words better off...


9) Consider writing out a plan for your book/story. Sometimes just knowing where you're going helps you to explore the terrain that eventually leads you to that end point. 

10) Try to avoid creating characters that appear to be the embodiment of perfection. "He was rather tall.  His body was wonderfully slender, ever so toned and his hips jutted out a little in a strong way. To summarise: he was nothing short of a Greek god. " I read that recently and couldn't help but think "Really?" Perfection is boring, almost overrated. I like characters with quirks and flaws, I'm sure most would agree that makes someone more interesting as a character. 

11) Ensure you write a good first sentence. That is the way you introduce a reader to the story and most decide within the first page if they want to read the book or not. This is why you want your first sentence, and then your entire first page, to be good. Try setting up questions that the reader wants to have answered and such answers can only be found by reading the book. Catch them off guard from the very start by throwing something wacky or arcane in their direction.

12) When crafting your work try to get some feedback on it. Allow someone to read it and give you their honest opinions. This way you'll get some perspective from a reader. 

13) Read your work to yourself out loud. Does it make sense? Are the sentences nice, varying lengths? Does it drone a little? Reading it out to yourself will allow you to understand how the mind of the reader will process it. 

14) Don't force romance. Maybe it's just me but when people force romance into a novel or the novel is just about romance and the portrayal/situation is weak my attention is lost almost automatically. I get it. Love happens. But I'd rather read something interesting. Come back to me when you've written a novel about anything else. Mechanical octopus battles or some shit. I don't even know.

15) Write your work. Blurt it out. Let it flow. Then go back and cut, edit, tweak and perfect it. Don't think you can get by without crafting your work. 

16) Read similar books. Don't steal from them, maybe let them repel you. Try to fit into the genre but make sure your work is different from other books in the genre.


17) If you're writing poetry try to go to poetry readings to really experience contemporary poetry. Sometimes hearing a poet discuss and read from their work can bring a new perspective to the process. 

18) You finished your work, sent it to a publisher and it got turned down? Yup. That happens. A lot. What you have to remember is that not everyone will like what you do, but someone out there probably will. It will take someone equally as determined for you to fail as you are determined to succeed. It would take you being turned down from literally every literary agent and publisher in the world, and believe me there are a lot of them. It's really tough, I know, but keep trying. If not, why not try self publishing?

19) If your novel requires a specific setting/epoch/situation with which you are not familiar, do your research. You want to write a book about Victorian England? Do research. You live in England but you want to set your novel in rural Japan? Research. You're trying to write a novel about a specific breed of bird? Research. It's the best way to ensure that your work is accurate and interesting.

20) Stay calm. You're the writer, you are the controller of your own fictional world. Remain calm and all should be fine.

21) ENJOY IT. There's no point in writing if it isn't an enjoyable experience. In fact I find writing to be curative, therapeutic... Perhaps it can be the same for you. 

Some of the greatest works in history took years to complete so don't worry, you'll get there eventually. Always save/back up your work if you're writing digitally, keep it safe if you're working on paper. 
Click here to go to Figment.com!
The Guardian's "Ten Rules for Writing"
The Guardian's "How To Write A Novel in 30 Days"

NaNoWriMo website

NaNoWriMo: Entering Week 3 and Conquering The Tricky Middle

I'm now into the third week of NaNoWriMo and I find myself at the difficult centre of the novel. Why is the centre always the hardest part? It seems so easy. For some reason the beginnings and ends are the easiest parts to write. You begin writing with excitement and have fun creating and introducing characters. The end can be dramatic, fun to craft. The middle, that journey between fun beginnings and dramatic endings, can be a real killjoy and that's what I'm finding. A the rest has been easy enough but actually writing the major events is hard. Even then I think it will be some time before this novel can be re-drafted and presented for any secondary steps towards publication. Writing a novel is hard but this is certainly the furthest I've ever managed to get with one so... fingers crossed.

NaNoWriMo: A Pep Talk From Neil Gaiman

We're now officially half way through NaNoWriMo which means thousands of novels across the world (I don't know how many of you are still writing) are half written. If you don't think that this is exciting then you're wrong. This is a movement that literally gets people together to create art.

That said, reaching the half way milestone may not be so encouraging. Many get off to a good start only to find their inspiration dwindling. The beginning and ending are often clear, but creating the middle of the novel can put extraordinary pressure on the author. In this article Neil Gaiman discusses why you should keep going with an inspirational pep talk for NaNoWriMers. I hope it inspires you to keep going or to get writing again. I'm off to do a word sprint.

NaNoWriMo Begins!

Huzzah! It's the first day of November which means it's the start of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)!

Yes, all over the world people will be picking up pens and opening up their laptops to whittle away some works of fiction but not everyone has an easy time of it. Below I've provided a few tips to help see you through this month and the writing challenge ahead.

1. Keep on top of all your writing targets! In fact, try to get ahead if you can. Get off to a good start and write too much. This will mean that if you're short of words one day you've already made up for it. Do things in the present that will help you in the future.
2. Avoid distractions. Turn off the TV, unplug from the internet, go somewhere quiet and just WORK. You're not going to write a novel if you're not actually writing.
3. Be strict with yourself. This is a challenge that takes a lot of will power. You're the only one who can make yourself do this work so you have to muster as much discipline as possible but that said...
4. Don't forget to reward yourself too! Every five pages why not have a chocolate or go for a walk or do something nice. Maybe have a relaxing bubble bath at the end of the day. Just make yourself feel good for all the work you've done.
5. Write with others! Let's face it, sometimes being alone sucks. Taking on a challenge like this may be much easier if you do it with other people for inspiration and support. Whether you meet up with fellow NaNoWriMo participating friends or by talking to people on writing websites like Figment you can all motivate, encourage and inspire each other. You can also compete against each other. A healthy spot of competition can go a long way...
6. Don’t take too many days off. NaNoWriMo is pretty hands on and you don't want to procrastinate for several consecutive days only to find yourself in a panic trying to do three days worth of writing in an afternoon...
7. Craft the skeleton, then go back and add flesh. There may be times where you feel like your work is a little stale but don't worry. That's what drafts are for. Consider November a time to write out the first draft. Then, in December, you can go through it and add more character development and atmosphere. What's important about NaNoWriMo is actually writing a full novel from start to finish and avoiding procrastination as much as possible.
8. Just keep swimming. Fallen behind? So what! Doubt your work? So what! Everyone finished and you're still writing? So what! What's important is that you're taking part and that is a huge achievement. There's nothing that says you can't continue writing into the month of December if that's what you need. Don't let the pressure get to you; you're only trying to create art and that shouldn't be so stressful. 

To all of you taking part in NaNoWriMo I wish you a full, hearty good luck.
Pens at the ready, folks!

Are you a writer?

For any other writers out there, this little flow chart made me feel a little bit better. Where the water may seem murky when trying to establish whether or not you can call yourself a writer, why not go on ahead and just say so?

So yeah...
Say it with me:
I'm a writer. I'm a poet. I'm pretty damn awesome.