The insane ramblings of Lauren Hammond, a YA book author and literary agent.
Writer's Block and How to Conquer It.
I know it's been a while, but I've been insanely busy lately, so I've little time for blogging.
I'm excited for today's post because it's about writer's block and how to overcome it.
How many of you experience writer's block?
I'm sure quite a few of you have.
Personally, I don't get it too often, but when I do these are some of the things I do to overcome it and hopefully some of these things will help you too.
1. BACK AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD & TAKE A BREATHER. - I get it, you're super excited to finish your last WIP. You've worked so hard on it, put passion into it, and suddenly it feels like you've hit a snag in the road. You can't think. Your mind is drawing a blank.
DO NOT I repeat DO NOT just type anything just finish it. If you have to take a break, for a day, a week, a month even if you have to. Nothing good is going to come from a manuscript that's rushed.
2. START A NEW WIP. - Sometimes it helps me when I start a new WIP and come back to the old one. Then again that probably explains why I have like 50 manuscripts saved on my desktop, but I find that when I'm thinking about a new WIP, it completely clears out the blockage I had with the old one and I can go back to it with a clear conscience and a fresh perspective on where I want to take it.
3. DO SOMETHING FUN - If you're like me, there are a lot of times where I'm so absorbed in writing or working on stuff for my clients that I forget how to relax, let go, and have fun sometimes. YOU need this... TRUST ME.
And a lot of times, a ton of great ideas come to me when I'm out with my friends, taking a weekend trip, or even spending time with my family.
4. GET A BETA READER OR TWO - Beta readers are awesome. Why? Because when they approach your manuscript with feedback they have a completely different outlook on it. They will offer you advice and suggestions that might put that blockage to rest. Well, at least for a little while.
Hope some of these comments help.
Have a great weekend!
Cheers!
<3
4 comments:
-
These are great! I love the take a breather. A lot of times I'll just stare at that blinking cursor and be like... okay...
Like you said, it takes some stepping back sometimes. :)
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Well, I was just taking a breather from my writing and reading blog post. :D That's how I do it. Take a break. When I go for a walk it helps me to regroup. Ideas start hitting me and I walk faster to get home and start writing again. Great post! :D
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#2 I'm so glad I'm not the only one who does that! I find sometimes I have a block because I need to write at least one paragraph on the new thought before it drives me insane. Then I can get on with the project I'm supposed to be working on.
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About this blog
I love a good book more than anything else.
I'm overly enthusiastic.
I prefer to think about the positive things in life instead of the negative.
I'm extremely loyal.
I dislike liars. (strongly) Honesty is always the best policy.
I love old movies.
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- love triangle (6)
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- Midnight (1)
- modeling (4)
- My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (2)
- mystery (1)
- Mythology (3)
- mythology. hades and persephone (1)
- myths and legends (5)
- new adult (8)
- New Adult Genre (5)
- new cover (1)
- new novels (8)
- new releases (29)
- news (3)
- novelette (1)
- novella (2)
- novels (1)
- paranormal (1)
- paranormal romance (5)
- Penguin imprints (1)
- personal growth (1)
- polls (1)
- positivity (2)
- Pride (5)
- Psyche Destined (1)
- queries (3)
- querying (2)
- Rachel Harris (3)
- re-tellings (4)
- reading (45)
- revising (1)
- revisions (4)
- Romance (29)
- romantic suspense (8)
- Romeo and Juliet (1)
- runway (1)
- sample chapters (1)
- self belief (1)
- self-discovery (2)
- self-esteem (1)
- series (1)
- Shakespeare (1)
- Shannon Duffy (1)
- Shatter Me (2)
- Southern Gothic (1)
- Speak (1)
- Spectral (1)
- steamy YA (6)
- supermodels (1)
- suspense (6)
- Suzanne Collins (1)
- Tahereh Mafi (2)
- teaser (2)
- teasers (1)
- teen-fiction (4)
- teens (9)
- tenses (1)
- the asylum trilogy (7)
- The Caster Chronicles (1)
- The Everneath (1)
- The Goddess Test (1)
- The Hunger Games (1)
- The Truth About Delilah (1)
- The Wasted Series (1)
- Thriller (4)
- trilogy (1)
- Trisha Wolfe (2)
- True Blood (1)
- underworld (1)
- Unveiled (1)
- upcoming releases (1)
- Vampire Diaries (1)
- vampires (2)
- vanity (1)
- voice (1)
- white walls (2)
- williammorrow (1)
- WIP (3)
- works in progress (2)
- writer's block (1)
- writers (2)
- writing (33)
- writing tips (5)
- wrting (1)
- YA (25)
- YA contemporary (7)
- YA Fantasy (1)
- YA Paranormal (2)
- You Found Me (1)
- Young Adult (24)
- Young Adult Fiction (3)
- Young Adult Romance (9)
Ah, you have my countdown up! Yay! Thank you. :D
I don't get writer's block much either, but when I feel like something isn't working out right, I stop and read a good book or go for a run. Both clear my head and get me into a creative mood again.