There’s so much literary advice online, I thought I’d offer some practical ideas for beating out the words. Be prepared and you won't waste time looking for stuff when you're aflame with inspiration:
1) Stock up on tea/coffee, chocolate, waters and champagne.
2) Surround your desk with spider plants, ferns and aloe vera for extra oxygen to fuel your brain.
3) Have an excellent dictionary on hand.
4) Line up some good music or sound loops of oceans or rainforests.
5) Make an outline grid for plot, characters, places.
6) Create your characters.
7) Describe your settings.
8) Read magnificent books.
9) Steal from the best.
10) START! The dazzling opening can only come after you've finished the book, so just start already.
11) Write a rough draft: one sentence per chapter.
12) Write at different times of day/night to see which suits you.
13) Walk/do chores while thinking & never call it "procrastinating".
14) Don’t throw in vast swaths of Googled text - zzzzzzzzz.
15) Surprise your readers.
16) Keep a notebook, it’s easier than backs of envelopes.
17) Ruthlessly kill your misplaced darlings.
18) Stand, stretch or walk for two minutes every hour.
19) Don't get crumbs in your keyboard.
20) Finish the book.
*
Writing, PLOTTING, OUTLINING, READING, BOOKS, PLANTS
1) Stock up on tea/coffee, chocolate, waters and champagne.
2) Surround your desk with spider plants, ferns and aloe vera for extra oxygen to fuel your brain.
3) Have an excellent dictionary on hand.
4) Line up some good music or sound loops of oceans or rainforests.
5) Make an outline grid for plot, characters, places.
6) Create your characters.
7) Describe your settings.
8) Read magnificent books.
9) Steal from the best.
10) START! The dazzling opening can only come after you've finished the book, so just start already.
11) Write a rough draft: one sentence per chapter.
12) Write at different times of day/night to see which suits you.
13) Walk/do chores while thinking & never call it "procrastinating".
14) Don’t throw in vast swaths of Googled text - zzzzzzzzz.
15) Surprise your readers.
16) Keep a notebook, it’s easier than backs of envelopes.
17) Ruthlessly kill your misplaced darlings.
18) Stand, stretch or walk for two minutes every hour.
19) Don't get crumbs in your keyboard.
20) Finish the book.
*
Writing, PLOTTING, OUTLINING, READING, BOOKS, PLANTS
