Book in a Month Pt 16: Breaking Through Writer's Block

For the last 3 days I haven't written. But that is about to change.

I'm calling this block, The Great Wall. Not the one in China, the one in my brain. This tends to happen when things pile up and I feel overwhelmed. All of the little writing blocks build up in my mind and create a giant flaming wall of doom.

Building Bricks of The Great Wall:

• I'm too tired.
• I've gotten pretty far already, I can take a break.
• I'm not sure about some major aspects of my story.
• I'm not sure if I even like my story, do I?
• My story has changed a lot from the plot line, I don't know what to do.
• Finishing a book in a month is crazy.
• My writing is really awful, I should stop.

So, here is the thing. I've got to find a way to climb over this wall and make it to the finish line. The only sure way to get over a writing block is to bust through it by writing (even if you don't feel like it). Here is what I am going to do:

Write. Now.

I'm not going to go back and look at anything, I am going to look forward and keep writing. I am going to write today and tomorrow Laura from Stranger than Writing is going to do word wars with me.

Have Fun with Word Wars
When 2 or more people write at the same time for a certain amount of time (like 20 minutes) and at the end they see who has written the most. I will be doing this tomorrow, yeah!

Book in a Month Pt 10: Creating a Theme

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. 

Now that I started writing, I'm on a roll!

I have to fight off frequent attacks from The Banes of Creativity. There are two in particular that have been aggressive:

The You Suck Duck, who quacks, "This Sucks! What are you thinking? This writing is pure gar-bage!"

The Distractinator, who tells me I should drink coffay, wash the dishes, talk to my roomies, read, pet the cat, pretty much anything besides write.

When The Banes come up, I think the best advice is to just, "keep calm and write something." Don't let them win!

Wishing on Daisies 
Current Progress: 3621 words
Chapter 1, 2 - Complete. 
Chapter 3 - In Progress

Creating a Theme: 

Theme is the message of the book, or the moral of the story. It's basically what you want to share with others. The main plot of the story should connect to the theme. I think with Wishing on Daisies the theme is something like "Believe in yourself, because you are more beautiful and powerful than you think."

What do you think about Theme? Do you try to consciously think of the story's theme, or do you let a theme naturally develop?

Book in a Month Pt 9: Week Two, Let the Writing Begin!

Here are the things I did to put off writing today:

• I went on deviantart and found a bunch of mermaid pictures for inspiration
• I made a writing playlist
• I cooked bacon and made BLTs

I was very nervous. But I knew that if I were to get anything done I had to start somewhere.

So, I began typing.

Even though I didn't like what was coming out, at least it is something. It was a start! I am going to just keep typing and see where the story leads me. I can always go back and re-write later.

Time to forge ahead!

Wishing on Daisies 
Current Progress: 1860 words
Chapter 1 - Complete. 
Chapter 2 - In Progress

When I am writing I have one window open on one side with my outline and notes and another window open on the other side with the story. 

How do you write?

Writing is a Joy

As a  teenager I started writing in diaries. While life spun around me like a whirlwind, writing was my calm center. I also wrote poems to express my feelings. It was fun to discover words that described my heart, and shape them on the page.

Writing, in and of itself was a joy.

So… when did it become such an agony?

For me, it was in my late twenties when I decided to write novels. When I wanted to become published. Still do!

The self-critic got to me. I became discouraged by my sloppy amateurish work. I would write a rough draft and determine it wasn’t good enough for any eyes to look upon, lest they go blind. I still enjoyed writing, creating my own dream-worlds, but editing scared me to death. The fear of failure overwhelmed me. So, I would just write another story – hoping my rough drafts would magically become better.

How to Bust the Grumps

Ok, guys.. I’m feeling a Bane of Creativity that I didn’t realize before. This Bane is like a black shadow that hides in the corners of your mind and whispers ugly things to you. The worst part is you think it’s coming from your own mind! The presence of this venomous shade causes symptoms of tiredness, irritability, sudden bouts of crying, and a desire for chocolate and/or hamburgers. The shadowy monster loves ice cream too. Some, call it PMS, but I think today I will call it Grumpy Poo Poo Head. If I let it get too out of control, they may have to throw me in the attic, lock it, and slide chocolate under the door. But, I won’t let it get to that point, because...

If you're seeing things running through your head

Who ya gonna call? Grump Busters!

Start a Free Writing Journal

And I’m free, free writing

Yeah, I’m free, free writing...

Free writing gets us comfortable with allowing ideas to flow, and can be very therapeutic in its own right. When you free write it allows your subconscious to open, and thoughts will come from you that you didn't even know where there. I know of know better cure for Writers Block. The possibilities of discovery are endless!

Ways To Start Your Free Writing Journal

• Pick a journal or notebook out that you really like, you can find really good ones at book stores, or you can even find them at places like Target.
• Start a journal folder on your computer and open up a document file.
• Start a blog – no one has to see it but you.
• Start an online Journal or Diary at http://www.livejournal.com/ or  http://www.opendiary.com/

This space will be used for free writing, to let yourself write whatever you want, generate ideas, and be as creative as you want!

Confession Session

Confession Time: So, my plan was to work on writing my novella this weekend – wow doesn’t that sound schmancy and cool? 

It all like, “Pardon me do you have any grey poupon? I’m going to work on my novella.” But then I’m going to tell you that I’m working on a paranormal romance about shape shifters in the Midwest, and it becomes, “Can you gimmie a down payment on a cheeseburger? I’m working on some smut, ya see?” 

Let’s get this straight once and for all; there is a big difference between smut and romance- even if uninformed minds don’t think so. Romance is all about true love, and deep, soul to soul tenderness and magic and rose petals, and sweet, tingly kisses. Smut is not!

So I’m trying to work on my story this morning, and here comes the Banes of Creativity. I can’t just turn on the computer and start typing, God no! I need to get some coffee first (aka writing juice).

OK, got my coffee. Now I should go upstairs and.. but I haven’t had breakfast yet, and you know it’s the most important meal of the day and I want PANCAKES! I should make some pancakes, but that takes effort, maybe I should go out for pancakes? Do you see where this is heading? To the fields of distraction, ruled by the evil overlord – The Distractinator.

Getting Started

The first thing I wanted to do this morning was write in my blog. Wow, what an amazing feeling.  It’s like a fresh spring morning when the birds are singing, and the trees are blooming, and you are twirling round and round singing, “The words are alive, with the sound of music!” while unicorns fly rainbows around you. I was eager to put my fingertips to keyboard and let the thoughts pour out. Nothing seems to invigorate me like a new project (if only it wasn’t so hard to finish them)!  Ok, I’m excited, I want to write. Good. Now, what should I write about?