Tips & Tricks

Ever since last night I’ve been wracking my brain to come up with other suggestions. Thought of a few additional tips that I wanted to share below. Enjoy:

1. Follow a schedule

Being well-organized is a critical part of being a writer. If you can’t keep yourself organized, it’ll show in your work. That starts with your routine. Consider the following questions:

• Do you find yourself writing on particular days or at specific times?
• Do you block off chunks of time to focus on nothing but writing?

If so, great! If not, try to come up with a schedule for your next writing session. Having a schedule or routine can help to structure your writing time. It’ll keep you focused on the task at hand, and if you set yourself an end-time for each session, it’ll give you a clear goal to work towards. Which brings me to my next idea…

2. Set goals

Humans are naturally competitive beings – we love having goals. Nothing feels better than checking off the box on your daily to-do list or accomplishing a particularly daunting task. You can gamify your writing in much the same way. Give yourself objectives that you’d like to accomplish with each writing session – what you’d like to get out of it every time you sit down. Whether it’s to finish a set number of pages, or to reach a certain scene in your novel, it’ll help propel you forward and give you something to strive for. You can even reward yourself for hitting your goals! Nothing is better than a nice treat to top off a great session where you can leave feeling accomplished and satisfied. Personally, I’m favorable to drumsticks (the ice cream kind).

3. Choose your surroundings carefully

Putting forward your best work takes a lot of concentration, and for that, you’ll need a place where you can focus. Whether it’s a nice nook in your house, or the local library, you should choose a place free from distractions. You can either stick to one place that you know well, or even try to mix it up to keep your writing fresh. Sometimes a change of scenery can have a profound impact! When it comes to me, I prefer my home office. It’s filled with a lot of personal items – things that give me a boost whenever I need a quick little push of inspiration. The structured environment also helps to keep me focused and motivated, much more than I’d be if I were say, sitting on a couch (what Ismer prefers). Do whatever works best for you!

4. Take a break!

Seriously, take a break. Even if it means getting up to walk around and stretch your limbs. Like your blood, your thoughts can pool inside you, stagnating. Ever find yourself stuck, staring at a blank page, no progress made even though it’s been an hour since you sat down? You might just need a break. Go outside. Fly a kite. Or whatever the kids are doing for fun these days.

May your path always be clear, and your step be swift. Travel well, friends.

Shorn