Unleash Your Inner Wordsmith: Insider Secrets to Magnify Your Creative Writing Prowess
Do you ever find yourself daydreaming about a movie, a tv show, or a book when your mind wanders? During a class, a meeting, or a particularly dull conversation, are you ever distracted by ideas and stories of characters you can’t get out of your head?
When I was bored at school, I spent countless hours zoning out on imagined worlds when I needed an escape. While procrastinating some task I dreaded getting started, I would write short stories, sketch character illustrations, or rewatch a favorite scene of a tv show to analyze character direction or dialogue.
Looking back, I can see that writing was always a part of my life, even if I didn’t believe I’d ever be a “real” author. It wasn’t untiI I began to acknowledge that my passions for reading, writing, tv analysis, etc. were unique that my perspective started to shift. With that, my behavior toward writing changed as well, in ways that have made all the difference.
That’s not to say that I haven’t dealt with tons of self-doubt, writer's block, and general discouragement over the seemingly endless task of revising and polishing. But I have managed to find ways to move forward despite it all. These are my top (sometimes unconventional) tips on how to overpower these roadblocks and develop strategies to support you in your writing goals.
Tip 1: Establishing a Consistent Writing Routine
It’s the best feeling to watch the word count of your work in progress manuscript rise toward the goal you’ve set. When you make writing a daily habit, you’ll not only improve your skills over time but you’ll start to see steady progress toward your goals.
As a decidedly Type B person, I do sometimes struggle to stick to self-imposed schedules, so my advice here might stray from the norm.
For all of you type A writing angels, if you are great at scheduling time to work on your writing pursuits, then by all means, set aside dedicated time each day or week to work on your writing projects, regardless of your current level of inspiration or motivation.
If you are more like me, however, you may find that you have a defeatist mindset about fitting time for writing into your overbooked schedule. Maybe it’s insufficient dopamine, or maybe its a desire on my part to avoid the dark, overwhelming feeling of writer’s block. Either way, I’ve had to develop my own system for meeting my writing goals.
I wrote my debut novel, The Ice House, while I was working as a special education teacher. Teaching was exhausting enough without trying to manage reaching a word count in a specified time period.
My solution? I’d turn writing into a time to channel my angst productively. I’d listen to playlists comprised of some of the moodiest songs of my adolescent years, perhaps revisit an episode of a particularly addicting tv show, and then, when I’d sufficiently prepped my mindset, I’d start writing. It didn’t have to be for hours a day, and it wasn’t daily.
When I didn’t force myself to carve out the time, it became something I wanted to fit into my days as often as possible. It became something fun, just for me, and a way to dwell in moodiness with a positive outcome. A nice side note? It gave me a place to put all of my stress, frustration, or other negative emotions.
Tip One, Part Two (Yes, I need two parts to explain the tricks I have to play on my brain to accomplish things)
When I was in the editing process for The Ice House, there were deadlines that my publisher made. Looming deadlines definitely provided the pressure I needed to ensure that I actually get to work on writing. However, these deadlines did not suddenly turn me into someone with great time management skills who could write without motivation.
The first tool that I recommend if you find yourself in the same boat is The Pomodoro Method. As a visual person who tends to procrastinate, the Pomodoro Method creates the illusion of tension — as if every 25 minutes is a new deadline that I must rush to meet. It provides a visual marker that I’ve completed something tangible.
I find that using the pomodoro method makes writing manageable for me. It’s less intimidating. It allows me a level of flexibility. I can tell myself that I will try to squeeze in one pomodoro of writing in between two other tasks I have, and sometimes feel so accomplished by the time my timer goes off that I complete a second pomodoro voluntarily! It may not be for you, but I recommend trying it out once or twice. There are a few different websites and apps that I’ve tried out, but my favorite is Pomofocus.
My second tool recommendation is less conventional, but was equally helpful for me. I invested in a frother for my morning coffee. Why? Well, because having legitimate, publisher-imposed deadlines to meet while also working a demanding full time job required that I had to wake up at least two hours earlier than normal. By now you may have guessed that I am not naturally a morning person.
It turns out that making yourself a fancy latte with oat milk and cinnamon in a pretty mug can actually make an early wake up feel luxurious. This is not something I ever did before this editing process, and the shift I made by pairing those two hours of AM writing with a delicious, instagram-worthy coffee created a really pleasant association that sometimes actually made me look forward to those quiet hours of editing.
Tip 2: Understanding Your Target Audience
Another essential aspect of learning how to write well is understanding your target audience. This means considering the preferences, interests, and expectations of your future readers.
I’ve found that researching your target audience can actually act as a solution for writer’s block.
No, it doesn’t suddenly resolve the issue you’re running into in your plot or with your character development, but it does help to frame your story’s overall narrative. For example, when I was writing The Ice House, I definitely stalled out for weeks at certain stages, unable to resolve a specific plot point, or to see how a secondary character fit into a larger story arc.
I would work to put myself in the mindset of a middle schooler, remembering (and sometimes dwelling) on my own experiences during those years. I took a piece of paper and recorded anything and everything I could remember about incidents that made me sad, happy, jealous, furious back then. I thought of how I acted as a result. I reflected on how different kids in the school where I taught reacted to various situations, remembering that no two kids have the exact same reactions, expectations, or experiences.
What does this research look like?
Well, if I were writing a mystery, I’d read some of the most popular mysteries, probably lots of Agatha Christie, and some of the best sellers of recent years as well. I’d check out reviews from readers online, and I’d make a list of some of my favorite mystery books, starting from Nancy Drew as a kid and moving up to remembering my experience reading that twist in Gone Girl. I’d record what I’d wanted to know, what twists or turns were disappointing, if there were trends I gravitated toward or moved away from.
By devoting some additional time to my target audience research throughout the writing process, I can create a reset while considering different approaches that can help shake things up and resolve my writer’s block.
Tip 3: Embracing the Revision Process
Revising takes a level of objectivity that you really need to develop with practice. It’s maybe the most crucial part of learning how to write well. While daunting and time-consuming, it’s unavoidable. I’ve come to view it as an opportunity for growth and improvement.
To make the most of the revision process, approach your work with a critical eye. I focus on story elements topic by topic, and do separate edits for each. For example, I focus on grammar only for one read, plot for another, character development, pacing, and dialogue. I also find that it can be really helpful to read sections of the manuscript out loud while you edit, especially dialogue.
I also have found that reading objectively well crafted books throughout the period I spend revising is helpful. You begin to recognize why these books work, and in turn, start to notice areas of your own manuscript that are unnecessary or need work.
It’s ongoing, and with time, practice, and by reading great books, you’ll get stronger at it.
Tip 4: Seeking and Incorporating Feedback from Others
Incorporating feedback from others can be a bit tricky. When we seek input from others, ideally we gain valuable insights into our manuscript that we may not have considered on our own. This feedback can help you identify areas for improvement, and can also highlight the strengths of your writing.
So, the first step is deciding who you want to ask to read your work in progress. Your early readers should be people in your life that you know are good writers themselves or who have proven to be good readers. What makes a good reader? I think people in my life fall into this category if I know that they are consistently reading books and making strong recommendations. Or, if I have known them well enough over time to have had conversations that show they have an understanding of craft, can explain why books work or don’t work for them, or have shared other comments that make it clear they are insightful about literature overall.
If you don’t have anyone in your circle that you think would be able to provide this kind of insight, don’t worry! I would consider joining a writing workshop course. There are plenty of virtual writing workshops these days. In my opinion, two of the most valuable aspects participating in a writing workshop are getting actionable feedback and becoming familiar with receiving other’s thoughts and opinions on your work.
Whenever we incorporate feedback into our writing, it is important to remember that not all advice will be useful. It’s up to you to be selective about the feedback you choose to implement. Ultimately, you get to decide how to revise and what will improve your manuscript.
Tip 5: Staying Inspired and Motivated Throughout the Writing Journey
I’m a fan of using visualization to help myself stay motivated when I’m working on a new piece of writing. I like to picture my finished manuscript, channel future me, overjoyed at the relief of having my book out in the world. I also have found comfort in researching the writing journeys of authors I admire, and reading what they share about their writing process. When you do, you often recognize that most writers have had the same feelings you are having: wanting to give up, wondering if they should even keep working on a manuscript, overwhelmed by plot holes, self-doubt. It’s a reminder that these feelings are just part of the process.
You need to find what will work best for you when you’re looking to sustain your writing practice. Setting realistic word count goals and celebrating your achievements along the way, finding others who have achieved writing goals you share and connecting with them (like me!), and finding a method that works for you to carve out time to dedicate to writing are all ways to build sustainability throughout your writing journey.
Another way to stay inspired is to continually expose yourself to new ideas. To do this, I try to read across various genres, see new movies and watch tv shows outside of my usual sphere of interest, and seek out short stories from new writers.
By constantly encountering different modes of storytelling from unique voices, you will not only improve your ability to discern good writing from bad, but you’ll gain new inspiration and enthusiasm that will support you as you write.
You’ve got this!
Accessing your writing potential takes time and dedication, but achieving your writing goals is one of the best feelings in the world. Remember that writing success can mean whatever you want it to mean. Sure, it can mean being published, but it can also mean expressing your creativity and sharing your unique voice with the world.
So there you have it, just a few of the strategies I’ve developed that have helped me achieve the writing goals I’ve set for myself. If you’re looking for some regular inspo to support you on your journey, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter below, where I will be sharing more strategies and resources to help kickstart your writing practice.
