Stuck on words: Finding inspiration for your writing

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Writer’s block is real. I know. I’ve been there. And it totally sucks.

There’s no worse feeling than wanting to write, needing to write and not being able to find the words. You spend more time with the delete key than your family or pets and it really does a number on your self-confidence, too. All the self-doubt starts to set it:

Am I even a writer?

Why does everything I write suck?

I have nothing original to say.

Everyone else is better than me.

I should quit.

It’s fun to live in your head on those days, isn’t it?

For what it’s worth, I definitely don’t think you should quit. Yes, you are a writer. Not everything you write stinks and I’m 100% confident that what you’re saying is original simply because it comes from you and no one else. And as far as the comparison to everyone else, well, that’s a whole separate discussion but I will tell you that any and every writer has had those same thoughts and thinking that every other writer is sitting at their laptop banging out amazing words every day is not only unproductive but completely untrue.

In fact, writer’s block is exactly what makes you a real writer.

Welcome to the club!

But I know that none of that is really helpful. I mean, it probably makes you feel better but it doesn’t provide a concrete solution to the problem of being stuck for words. So let this list help you:

10 ways to overcome writer’s block

  1. Consume content. I know, we’re supposed to create content. However, sometimes watching a movie or reading a book or blog post will trigger an idea and the words will flow.
  2. Rework something old. Find something you’ve written previously and try to rewrite or add to it. Or use it as the first in a series.
  3. Writing prompts. My favorites are the ones from the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto but there are prompts all over the interest. You can also go to Pinterest and search for prompts. Or, here’s one: You’re stuck in the worst traffic jam of all time. What do you do? 
  4. Freewrite. Even if it’s something like “my writing sucks and I’ll never get this book finished and I want to take a nap and forget about everything”, it’ll at least get some creativity flowing. Yes, it might be negative but if it helps to get it out on paper then go for it.
  5. People watch. Not even kidding, go to your local Starbucks or park with a pen and notebook. Make up stories about the other people there. Eavesdrop (discretely, of course) on their conversations and extrapolate.
  6. Make a list. Grocery list, travel bucket list, characteristics of your favorite TV show. Any type of list. Oh, and do it by hand. Handwriting on a piece of paper rather than typing at a computer can really get that creativity flowing.
  7. Go outside. This one is recommended by pretty much every list like this that exists but it’s true. The fresh air, change of scenery, pretty colors, noises…all of it rejuvenates you and clears your head. If it’s too cold to go outside for too long or even at all, close your computer and look out the window. Shut off the TV, Spotify, podcasts…any and all noise and simply absorb nature.
  8. Do something–anything–else. Walk the dog, cook a meal, meditate, draw a picture, dance around your living room, take an exercise class, have coffee with a friend, play with your kid, go shopping. Anything that gets you engaged, moving, and doing an activity is not writing.
  9. Feed your needs. Figure out the source of your block. Is it because you’re hungry or tired or preoccupied with something else? Pressed for time because life is getting in the way? Something else? Attend to those needs first. Then try to write again. And if that fails…
  10. Own the block. Occasionally it simply doesn’t make sense to fight through writer’s block. Take a day or two off. Leave it alone. Staring at a blank screen, frustrated that you can’t write, will make it worse. This is not to say that you should wait for inspiration to strike because if we’re being honest, that’s the worst way to get anything done, but sometimes putting it aside for a little bit is the best tactic. It affords you time away and then the ability to look at your writing with fresh eyes. It’s good to have perspective.

Whatever you do to break free from your writer’s block, whether it’s from this list or something else, remember these two facts:

  1. Writer’s block is common. It happens to everyone.
  2. You will get through it.

What are some of your proven techniques for dealing with writer’s block?

Preparing to write: A checklist of to-dos

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Preparation is an essential part of writing a book. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, eBook or traditional book, you need to prepare yourself. A good place to start is answering these 15 questions and once you do, it’s time to create a checklist of tasks for getting your book finished.

But what should you include on the list? Here’s some suggestions:

  • Begin with the end in mind. Stephen Covey was definitely on to something when he added this to the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Starting with your end goal makes it easy to work backwards. So, for this item, decide if you’re going to go the self-publishing or traditional publishing route. Then, once the manuscript is finished, you know what to do next.
  • Decide your audience and ideal reader. We’ll talk about this more another day but it’s important to remember that no book is a good fit for every person. Given that, who do you want reading and recommending your book? Conjure up an image of that person and keep them in mind throughout the process.
  • Establish a word count guideline. How long do you want your book to be? What’s a good length to convey your message? This will vary based on topic and type of book but it’s helpful to set a rough idea. Then you can break up how you write by words per day or amount of time per day.
  • Find beta readers. Especially beta readers who will be honest. You need people who will give you feedback and suggestions on your book to make it better not people who will simply feed your ego.
  • Research. Fiction or nonfiction, you’ll need to do research on your book. Whether it’s on subject matter or gathering interviews or creating characters and realistic places, you’ll need dive a little deeper into your topic. Even if you’re using first hand accounts. You’ll also want to do some research on what other types of books in your niche are being sold (knowing your competition is a good thing!).
  • Organize and develop a system. Systems are essential for keeping yourself organized and motivated during your book writing process. Have a central place for your outlines, notes, research, citations, interviews…anything that’s going to help you complete your book. Create a method for how you’re going to write your book and worth through writer’s block (we’ll talk about that another day, too).
  • Establish a platform. While you can still be successful without huge numbers of followers, you do need to have a profile on social media. You don’t need to use every single one (there’s just too many) but it helps to pick one or two and focus your efforts there. A platform gives you fans and supporters and, when the time is ready, an audience who already likes and trusts you and to whom you can sell your book. Followers and fans are also great beta readers and can give wonderful feedback for marketing and selling your book. Hint: if you use Facebook, even if it’s just for personal reasons, you have platform.

Your list might look slightly different based on your goals and priorities but these items are a great foundation.

Writing a book is hard work but if you’re organized, motivated, and know where you’re going, you definitely can get it done!

What are some items on your writing checklist?

So you want to write a book: 15 questions to ask yourself

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Your book. In a bookstore. Front facing, prime placement.

BESTSELLER.

It’s something many aspiring authors dream of having. It’s their end goal. But in order to get there, you have to write the book first, right?

Right.

Writing a book is hard work. Like, really hard. You toil and slave and spend hours in front of a computer writing and deleting and writing and deleting and some days you think you’ve written gold and other days you think you’ve written crap. Most likely, it’s somewhere in between (that’s what editors are for!).

And that’s all okay.

But before you get that far, and before you make the commitment to write a book, you should probably ask yourself some questions:

  1. What kind of book do I want to write?
  2. Why do I want to write it?
  3. What’s my end goal for the book?
  4. How is it different from other books in the same niche or on the same topic?
  5. What are some other books on the topic?
  6. What do I want my book to look like? Is it a collection of interviews or essays? A narrative? How about the cover?
  7. How much time can I commit to writing my book?
  8. What question will it answer or problem will it solve?
  9. Am I passionate about what I want to write?
  10. Do I have a platform? How can I use it? If I don’t have one, am I willing to spend the time to create and cultivate one?
  11. Do I want to self-publish or traditionally publish?
  12. What’s my budget for services like editing and cover design (for self-publishing)?
  13. Do I want an agent (for traditional publishing)? How do I find one?
  14. When it comes to marketing, what am I willing to do? How much time and possibly money do I have to spend on it?
  15. Am I a good writer? If not, but I know my idea is good, can I afford a ghostwriter to bring my idea to life?

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and you don’t have to answer them in order. But by going through it and honestly answering the questions, you should be able to steer yourself in a direction and settle some thoughts about writing your book.