Never write unprepared. Do these things instead.
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If you expect to start writing from scratch each time you sit down to write, you will continually get stuck and frustrated and likely struggle with the writing process, ultimately teaching yourself to dislike the writing process altogether. If you don’t know what you’re going to write before you sit down to write, in other words, you will keep encountering writer’s block and learn to dislike writing, even if you don’t want to stop writing.
You’ll also want to get rid of the notion that you have to write something wholly different from any other writer who has ever existed each time you sit down to write. Such notions will only stymie your writing process and prevent your authentic writing voice from surfacing. It’s nearly impossible to do anyway, as there are only a handful of possible things to write about when all is said and done (Man vs Self, Man vs Man, Man vs Nature, Man vs Society, Man vs Fate, etc.), though I’ll have to write an entirely separate post some other day to delve into that.
One of the best things you can do as a writer is: be prepared to write each time you sit down to write. Always be ready with an idea, a feeling, a question, and or an experience that you want to write about each time you sit down to write. Or be ready to complete a writing exercise or writing prompt that will help you flex your creative muscles as you write, so you’ll keep writing.
Below are a few things you can do to make sure you are always ready to write each time you sit down to write. Doing them will help you get rid of the notion that you should be writing things from scratch each time you sit down to write, or that you can rely on spontaneous bouts of madness from the Muses. And they’ll keep you writing while allowing you to enjoy the writing process.
Read
Read anything and everything, and read a wide variety of things, then you’ll always be prepared to write. You never know what writing styles will invade your unconscious mind and stay there, or how what you read will influence what you end up writing. If you aren’t a prolific reader, you won’t be a prolific writer, as reading regularly is what will reliably offer you a wealth of ideas for things to write about on an ongoing basis, as well as how to write about those ideas. You will also want to read a lot to experience how other writers are writing what you want to write, so you can learn how they do it and how they’re upholding and or bending the already established rules of what you want to write. If you enjoy writing thrillers, you’ll want to read other thrillers you enjoy to see how it’s done. If you like writing poetry, you’ll want to read as much poetry as you write. And so on. Truthfully, reading is the best way to ensure you always have something to write about when you sit down to write. I’m always asked how I have a never-ending list of ideas for things to write about. And my answer is always the same, yet simple: I read a lot, and then I think critically about what I read.
You’ll also want to read: Six Ways to Read More to Write More, What to Read if You’re a Writer, 5 Simple Ways to Read More, Read everything slower.
Stay Curious
Always try to start writing with a vital question in mind or to better understand an emotional state. The best writing usually necessitates combining these two elements with great discretion and diplomacy, regardless of what’s written. But also remember that you’ll always have something to write about if you learn how to adopt a curious mindset each time you sit down to write (and read). While you want to be prepared with a loose idea of what you’re going to write about when you sit down to write most of the time, it’s okay if you don’t know every little detail about what you’re going to write before you start writing. Yet you should be prepared to go through the exercise of asking yourself questions as you write so that you’ll be prepared to flex your creative muscles as you write.
“The best way to keep a daily writing habit and avoid writer’s block altogether is by incorporating a curious mindset into your writing process. How? By asking questions about what you’re writing as you’re writing: Who? What? Where? When? Why? And how? And by asking these questions repeatedly as you write, without harsh judgment. There are no perfect answers, but answers that fine-tune your writing, and keep you writing.
For example, while you’re writing you could ask things like: Why would my character do that? Who is instigating the conflict in this scene? Where is this happening? What facts and data would make this statement in my article stronger? Etc.”
Free Write
Free writing is one of the best writing exercises you can do on a regular basis to combat writer’s block, as it allows you to keep writing when you still need to figure out what you want to write and how you want to write it. Free writing is one of the best ways to stay prepared as a writer, technically and creatively, while also allowing you to fall in love with the writing process itself.
“Free writing is a technique typically used to stimulate creativity and overcome writer’s block. It involves setting a timer for a predetermined amount of time, usually 10-15 minutes, and writing continuously without stopping or editing. The goal is to generate ideas and thoughts without worrying about grammar, punctuation, or coherence. The process is meant to be spontaneous, allowing the writer to explore their subconscious mind and unlock new ideas. Free writing can be used for a variety of purposes, including brainstorming, journaling, or simply practicing writing skills. The key is to let go of any inhibitions and let the words flow freely onto the page. Free writing can do a lot more than help combat writer’s block, though that’s one of its major benefits.”
[From: The Benefits of Free Writing]
Revise
Remember the adage ‘Writing is revising.’ and you will always be prepared to write and or have something to write. Anything written can be (and usually should be) revised or amended in some way, and you should use that to your benefit. Don’t be afraid of writing multiple drafts or adding to something you’ve already written. In fact, the older a piece of writing is, the riper it is for revisions. If you ever feel stuck, be prepared to rewrite or revise something you’ve already written. And be prepared to write badly, as being prepared to revise your own writing allows you to enjoy the benefits of writing badly.
“... it’s much easier to uncover what I truly think and feel about something I’m writing when I don’t place a filter on what I’m writing before I ever even truly allow my words to flow onto the page in their more ‘natural’ and ‘authentic’ (i.e. ‘unedited’ or ‘bad’) state.
Remember: You can always edit and revise whatever you write later, to make it more comprehensible and polished, but it needs to be written down first. Getting something authentic and unencumbered onto the page first should always be your main priority as a writer, especially if you’re struggling with writer’s block or writing fiction or poetry and don’t want your creative well to dry up— which means that whatever you write will often come out jumbled and contradictory and raw at first.”
One of the best things you can do as a writer is: be prepared to write each time you sit down to write. Always be ready with an idea, a feeling, a question, and or an experience that you want to write about each time you sit down to write. Or be ready to complete a writing exercise or writing prompt that will help you flex your creative muscles as you write, so you’ll keep writing.
Doing the things mentioned above will ensure you are always ready to write each time you sit down to write, and will help you get rid of the notion that you should be writing things from scratch each time you sit down to write, or that you can rely on spontaneous bouts of madness from the Muses. And they’ll keep you writing while allowing you to enjoy the writing process.
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Today’s Writing Prompt
Writing Prompt: Hot
Write about something that is hot. Or write a scene in which there is something that is hot that is prompting the characters in the scene to do something or behave ina certain way.
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