Writers Block And Some Suggestions On How To Beat It.

Oh yeah, have I struggled with this before.

Writers block is never fun, and can be very difficult for authors to get through. Not because we don't want to write or are feeling unmotivated to do so, but sometimes we just get stuck. Stuck with the plot, or character arch or even being shy about what if it's not as good as the last book.

As I may have mentioned before, I am mostly a "pantser" or as trad turned indie author Yasmine Galenorn says an intuitive writer. Like her I also like the term "Intuitive Writer" better than pantser. I will plot out and eventually have an outline of the plot at one point in my process but initially I discover the story as I'm writing.

Of course the struggle right now for me is with book 2. Just when I thought that I was making so much progress with it, I have realized that I have been overcomplicating the plot for myself. And if it's overcomplicated for me, it sure as hell won't translate well over to the readers. So to make it easier on myself, here are somethings that help me get back on track with writing.

• Re Reading what I wrote from the top. Usually it's from the last point that the story felt good for me. I'll go back and try to figure out the last place where the story makes since and see where the flow of the story went wrong. Coming up with a creative way to figure out that puzzle (that's also known as the plot)

• Going back to what sparks inspiration. Sometimes, I just need to get away and disconnect from the screens and look around outside, preferably on a forest park trail I like to run when the weather is nicer. Or reading/listening to a book or podcast that brings that feeling of "Hey I like this, but what if I did this plot point my way." Or if I am unable to do that, looking at the moving ambience backgrounds on Youtube and just getting lost in a day dream about the world that I have built.

  
  

• Flipping through or making a series bible. Speaking of world building thinking about little side stories for a future anthology that I want to do in the near future, even reading things that seem completely unrelated to what I'm writing helps. For example I found a book on falconry at Half Price Books. Of course I bought it and discovered more of the history behind falconry leading me to establish a note in my series bible that the Vampiric Royal Family has a healthy and active practice of falconry. Will it make it into the series itself? I'm not sure, but it's useful for me to know.

So those are my main things that I like to do when I'm having a bad round of writers block.

How about you?

Credit: January Jazz Coffee Shop Ambience | Tranquil Outdoor Space With Gentle Jazz Music For Relax, Study from Tranquility Jazz Ambience on YouTube.  

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