![]() Many great writers will not write through a crappy stage. If you’re not writing stuff that makes you want to cringe on a daily basis, you’re not writing enough. Give yourself permission to write like crap. Understanding what the reader wants from the story and what hopes and fears they may share with your protagonist can affect how you relate the story. When you consciously acknowledge that a real person, not a faceless, nameless voice, is reading your work, you’ll write differently. Who is reading your stories? What are their names? Why do they care? Here’s your moment to get obsessive and really think about your reader. Then I do a complete revision, also in longhand.” (Source, The Paris Review) Know Your Reader I write my first version in longhand (pencil). Truman Capote wrote by hand, too: “No, I don’t use a typewriter. Those who wrote had more of a connection with their words.īesides, you’re in good company. It creates more of an emotional tie to your story.Ī recent study of college students found that those who took notes by hand retained more information than those who took notes via laptop. There’s something organic about writing with your hands. Yes, I know it’s the 21st century and we don’t write by hand anymore, but humor me for a second. You can create one for each chapter or go broader and have one for the entire novel. Your outline can be as detailed or as open as you’d like. You may find that your storytelling comes easier as you write a loose outline of what will happen. Outlining may sound restrictive to your creative ears, but it’s one of the best hacks you can do to create a strong story. By taking a breather, you can come back with fresh eyes and a new mindset. As you write, you’ll inevitably grapple with character development or a wonky dialogue. You also need to take a break for perspective. How? It actually motivates you to get more stuff written down, because you know that you’re racing against a clock. This method is called the Pomodoro Technique, and it does wonders for productivity. Instead, write for 20 or 30 minutes at a time and then take a break. There’s nothing more dreadful than sitting down with the thought that you’ll spend the next four hours of your life writing. ![]() That’s not to say you shouldn’t write any other time of day, but rather you should save your most creative needs for those times when writing comes easy. After a week’s time, you’ll notice a trend. Just write down a quick note to yourself at the end of your writing session indicating whether it was easy or difficult. On day two, write at 8am, 2pm and 7pm, and so on. Here’s what you should do: spend one week writing in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Perhaps you write best after the world is quiet and you can finally reflect of your day. Perhaps you write best in the morning hours (many of us do). What if I told you those times aren’t random? If you take note of the times you write with ease, you’ll start to notice a pattern. It’s almost like magic.Īnd then there are other times when you’re in a staring contest with the text cursor. The words just flow from your mind and through your fingers. Write Throughout the Day and Take NotesĪs a writer, you have a time during the day when you’re crazy productive and creative. Log your ideas, catchy phrases, character descriptions, and ideas for new stories. So, do yourself a favor and invest in a cheap notebook that you don’t mind scribbling in.Ĭarry this notebook with you everywhere you go. ![]() You probably don’t want to jot down your random thoughts and ruin your pristine (and super expensive) notebook. If you’re anything like me, those fancy, leather-bound notebooks are intimidating. Sticky notes may seem like a good idea until you’re covered in them. ![]() Good thing you’re a writer-you can solve this conundrum with writing.īut, writing down your inspiration on sticky notes and random scraps of paper you may find around your desk won’t work. Your brain will not retain all the great ideas that come to you. ![]()
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