The Pull of Creativity #IWSG

The IWSG question of the month: If you ever stopped writing, what would you replace it with? 

Many writers say they write because they must. There’s something deep down inside that drives them to string words into stories. I too have a similar drive, but it’s less specific. For me, it doesn’t have to be words. It’s anything creative. If it includes storytelling in some form, then that's even better.

Consequently, I tend to oscillate between art, writing and music. I’ve pursued animation, game design, graphic design, photography, music composition, piano, ai art, card making, sculpture, even cooking can be creative in a way. They all bring a quality of peace that eases the need to express myself.

As long as I’m doing something creative, I’m happy. 

How about you? If you couldn’t write, what would you do instead? 

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month, members post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG or want to learn more, then please go HERE.
 

My Evolution of Creativity #IWSG

This month’s optional IWSG question: How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing? 

I guess, when I began writing I was super focused and super enthusiastic. There was so much I didn’t know and that ignorance was blissful in so many ways. I had big crazy dreams and nothing was going to hold me back. Then I started to learn more about how to write and how not to write, and I realized much of my writing fell into the category of how not to. That’s when I first started experiencing doubts. Maybe my big dreams weren’t as accessible as I first thought. Maybe this dream of mine was going to be way more difficult than expected.

I took a break from writing because reality set in and I needed to earn a living. I turned to art and that got me through. Then about ten years later, writing called me back. Fresh enthusiasm had a hold of me and I wrote up a storm. Meanwhile the publishing world had changed. There were more people than ever wanting to get recognized and become the next household name. There were also more voices than ever telling me I was doing it wrong.

Eventually I set aside three finished manuscripts, thinking they were no good. Years later—this year, in fact—I read through them and realized they were actually pretty okay. I was shocked. And I was horrified that I’d listened too much to others and not enough to my heart. All that lost time gone because of stupid doubts.

Consequently, I’m working on a series for one of those manuscripts so I can release them next year. And I plan to do the same for the others. Nothing will stop me this time. Some factors might slow me down, but I will continue to charge forward. I learned I write best when I remember how much I love writing. Simple as that.

What’s your evolution? 

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month the members of our group post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG, then please go HERE





--

The IWSG has partnered with Write…Edit…Publish. 

December's WEP theme is:

We are also hosting a contest for the February theme!

Rules: Submit your idea for a WEP February theme by November 12 to admin AT insecurewriterssupportgroup.com. Nothing so U.S. culturally bound. Should have wide appeal.

Prize: Feature in the December newsletter for the winner. And the winning theme will be the official February WEP theme!

Deadline: November 12. Winner announced in the November newsletter on November 28.
--

My publisher has a holiday special running through December 15 that involves free books with purchases. See http://www.dancinglemurpressllc.com/ for more info.

And don't forget, Christmas will be here soon. Just think how awesome it would be to drink your eggnog out of a Cling to God mug? Or play snap with a set of Cling to God playing cards? Great stocking fillers. You can purchase them HERE.

Some Necessary Truths about Creativity #IWSG

As many of you know, I’ve been working on game design and I’ve discovered—much to my delight and distress—that it’s very similar to writing. Because of this, I’ve learned a few unexpected truths about creativity I’d like to share with you today.

Game design, along with writing, can be frustrating. This may not come as a surprise to many of you, but I think it’s a truth we live with on a surface level until we’re sunk in the thick of it. When we’re not feeling the frustration, we can brush it away, shrug, and say, “Sure, frustration comes with anything creative. It’s part of the deal.” It’s harder to say that when we’re experiencing the angst of something not working the way we want/need.

Frustration is the doorway through which doubt can creep. Resentment for the project can rise, a sense of failure can take hold. The extremes don’t happen every time, but the frustration is the seed from which all those nasties can bloom. It's important, even crucial, to understand the truth that yes, setbacks can happen when we’re creating something from the heart, and it’s okay. It doesn’t make us failure if a solution doesn’t come to us right away. It doesn’t mean that’s the end of our writing/game design/[insert creative outlet] career.

Game design, along with writing, is slow. Writing an outline for a new manuscript can take me a month or more. Then writing the first draft can take another month or three or four or five... Then there’s all the rewriting, editing, and tweaking. The same goes for game design. Planning what I want for the game takes forever. Then designing the pieces, building them, thinking up puzzles and interesting levels, then implementing them in a way that actually works in the environment and on the platform… takes an eternity.

I’ve learned testing is crucial. Test often. If I spend the time making everything look pretty before I’ve tested it, then I’ve potentially wasted a lot of time if at the end I discover it has to be redone from scratch. The same goes for manuscript writing. If I spend days, weeks even, prettying up a scene without checking to see how that scene works in the story, then I could be wasting time. And once it’s pretty, it’s even harder to throw away if it doesn’t work.

Because anything creative takes time to get right, because it can be frustrating, it’s important to remind yourself why you started in the first place. It’s important to celebrate the little victories—I actually got a mini puzzle working in my game. I was so excited to see it working that I celebrated the event even though in the big picture it was such a little thing. It helped me focus on the win rather than on the mountain of work I’ve yet to accomplish. And it’s important to remember your love for the project. That love will get you through fire.

What are some truths about creativity you’ve learned? How do you bolster yourself up when the project is dragging its feet?

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.

Of Insanity and Creative Works #IWSG

It’s been my experience that insanity and creativity go hand-in-hand. I’ve taken on a number of extra projects this year, one of which is not writing. It’s an artistic endeavour. No surprises since it would be a rare thing to find me doing anything that’s not creative. It does require a steep learning curve, though. Eek.

Creatively speaking, the more insane things get, the more alive I feel and the more satisfied I am in the work I produce, whether it’s a story or a piece of art. Consequently, I shouldn’t be nervous about how much I’m taking on. I must confess, however, I am. Just a little.

Nervous and excited.

Can I do it all? Can I do it all well? Will I be able to find the time? Will I be able to achieve the result I have jumping about in my head?

Does it matter? Not really. Part of the fun is in the discovery and learning and pushing myself to improve. I’m having a wow of a time tip-toeing along the blade’s edge that is insanity and creativity. How about you? What keeps you dancing along that edge?

My writing tip for the week:
Writing (and anything creative) is hard. So what? You love it don’t you?

Photo: I took this photo a couple of weeks ago. I love the colours.

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. On the first Wednesday of every month, we post about our insecurities or share encouragement. To join the group or find out more info, click here.

How to Write an Original Story

With a gazillion authors out there and a gazillion more stories written, some might argue that to write something original is getting harder. So often I’ll dream up a great story idea and think it’s original, only to find out it’s been written before. Sure there might be nothing new under the sun, sure there might be only seven basic plots, but there is a way of writing one of the seven in a new, original way. Below are 8 tips to write an original story.

1. Be confident to write your story, not the story you think others will want to read.

2. Read widely, inside and outside the genre you write in. If you read only within the genre you write, you’ll end up writing the same story that’s already out there.

3. Get out and live a little. Life is a great story generator. Sometimes we get so caught up writing, that we forget to enjoy everything life has to offer. The more we experience, the more we can draw on for our stories.

4. Avoid formula. While it’s good to know what sells, and why some formulas work, if you start ticking boxes, the readers will notice the story lacks soul and originality.

5. Don’t target an audience. This advice might go against the norm, but it’s also a fast way to write something unoriginal. Keep the knowledge of your target audience in the background of your mind and just write the story that’s calling to you. You might discover it’s meant for a different audience than you originally intended.

6. Don’t overthink your story. While some writers can approach storytelling in a highly analytical way, I’d suggest this is not the case for the majority of fiction writers.

7. Research. Find out what other stories similar to yours are out there. If they are too similar, then make changes. Don’t wait until you’ve finished writing.

8. Just write. Push those doubts and excuses aside and just write.

How do you write an original story? Can you think of any other tips? What’s the hardest part of writing something original?

-
A big thank you to Crystal Collier for the Shine On Award. You're awesome!

The Importance of Knowing Why You Write

When asked, 'Why do you write?' many of us will give a quick answer, 'Because I must.' While this, to a point, is often true, there's more to it than that. It's too easy to fall in love with the romanticism of the statement—that writing somehow has an irresistible hold on us, that we're slaves to the creative spark. But of course we're not chained to the muse at all. We can walk away at any time, and many of us do when the hard slog gets too much, when we allow life to distract us, when the excuses smother the writing urge.

When we say, 'I write because I must,' and don't go any further, we do ourselves a disservice. We need to go deeper, to understand where that need is coming from and what it truly is so when times get tough, we can weather through or save ourselves the trouble. Knowing the true reason, understanding that deep need, will also help us focus in the right areas of writing so, for example, we won't waste our time attempting the grandiose when really we'll gain the most satisfaction in the opposite direction, or vice versa.

Knowing the whys will help us understand what we want to get out of writing. Some of us write to work through a life issue. Some write for escapism, some to explore a concept, some for a little extra money on the side. There are countless reasons. No reason is invalid, even if you write in the hope of taking a slice of the fame pie. But each reason might change the way you write, how often you write, even what you write.

So, knowing why you write will help you work out the strategy to reach the true goals you want.

What are the reasons you write? 

How to Keep the Creative Spark Alive

The Spark is that tiny fire burning in our hearts. It pushes us to keep writing despite the nay-sayers, the ups and downs, the doubts, the distractions, the crazies and the closed doors. We need to keep that spark burning because it's a fragile thing, easily snuffed. Each writer needs to find his or her own way to relight the Spark, but below are some suggestions which might help.

Keep the Spark sheltered

• Keep it in a safe place, surrounded by a supportive group, encouraging friends and other writers who understand the fragility.
• Delight in the Spark by remembering what it is about writing you love so much.
• Be kind to the Spark by easing off on the pressure 'to get published'.

Keep the Spark fuelled

• A writer's fuel is reading good books written by authors we admire.
• It's getting out and trying new things, taking on new experiences, spending time with family and friends.
• It's research and non-fiction reading. Our strange and wonderful world is full of inspiration.
• It's watching people, paying attention to how they dress, speak, move. It's taking note of their reactions to the world around them.
• It's finding encouragement wherever it might be. For example, the Spark can be ignited by reading our own older works. Occasionally I'm pleasantly surprised by work I used to think was seriously ho-hum. Time has a way of clearing our muddy view.
• It's writing. Odd that writing can be a fuel for more writing, but it's true. The more we write, the easier it becomes and the more ideas come flooding our way.

Use the Spark
The spark is like a muscle. It needs to be used or it will atrophy. Just as writing is a fuel, it's also an exercise for our creative muscle. Don't let the spark wither and die. Don't let ideas go wasted. Write them down to explore later. Write a journal. Write flash fiction, essays, outlines, concepts, thoughts, observations. Write snippets, captured moments, short stories and novels. Just keep writing.
 

What has threatened to dampen your Spark... and what have you done to guard against it? 

This post was written for Alex J Cavanaugh's  Insecure Writers' Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month.

--
I had a great time during my mini break doing research for a possible new project. I looked up so many government sites on biological warfare and emergency procedures that my hubby thought we might be getting a knock on the door soon. Hopefully not! Famous last words: It's just research for a novel... I swear! 
 

A to Z Interview and Photography

Today I'm over at Blogging from A-Z Challenge April 2012 Home Page where Alex J. Cavanaugh, Ninja Captain extraordinaire, is interviewing me. If you'd like a glimpse of my other creative side and my love of photography, then pop on over. I'd love to see you there. Click HERE.

I've turned off the comments here to make it quicker for you to pop on over.

The Magic of Interpretation

During the Writers’ Festival recently I attended a session about picture books. I have no desire to write my own picture book at this stage, but I found the session interesting because of my artistic background.

I didn’t realise most authors don’t get to meet the illustrators of their books until the book launch. They don’t even discuss the book together one on one. Publishers will actively keep them apart because invariably what happens if they do get together is the illustrator will suggest the author change their text and the author will tell the illustrator to change their art.

Publishers don’t want them influencing each other because there is magic in the interpretation. The illustrator will gain so much more from the writer’s text than even the writer.

Likewise, everyone who reads our work will have their own interpretation of it. As writers we need to give our readers room to imagine. We don’t have to lay down every minute detail. We need to create mood and atmosphere, but the real magic happens in the reader’s mind.

What's been your experience of this phenomenon (picture books, movie adaptations, cover art etc)?

Writing Rules? What Writing Rules?

I’ve read many dos and don’ts of writing. There seem to be so many rules it’s hard to keep track of them all. And many contradict each other. For example, I’ve heard you shouldn’t start your book with dialogue and yet many proclaimed writers do. These contradictions can be confusing and frustrating for the new writer.

After much research, I’ve come to a conclusion: In terms of writing, there are no absolute rules. I’ll say it again:

THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTE RULES

If you write your story well enough, then rules shouldn’t matter. It’s the story that matters. The majority of your readers won’t know the rules, but they’ll be able to recognise a good story.

Sometimes in the quest to ‘get it right’ we lose the power of the story. Grammar and punctuation can become a straight jacket. This is why you might hear the advice to write the first draft as fast as possible. And even that ‘rule’ can be broken. You have to find what works for you. To do this you’ll need an open mind, the freedom to experiment, and the bravery to be different.

I’m not saying don’t bother learning the rules. The more equipped we are, the more able we’ll be to make a good story great. What I am saying, however, is not to fret too much.

Are you a stickler for the rules or a rebel? Do you think there is such a thing as worrying too much about breaking the rules? How do you justify a broken rule?

--
I’m heading to a Children's and Young Adult Literature Festival on Saturday. It is run by the NSW Writers’ Centre. It should be fantastic.

Pic: When I took this photo I overheard a passerby scoff at me for taking a photo of shadows when I had the grand view of Sydney Harbour laid out before me. I guess I broke a ‘rule’ for the sake of creativity.

The Joys of Handwriting

I read a recent article in the local paper about how computers are killing students’ handwriting skills. Their handwriting has become an illegible scribble. This becomes a particular issue when state exams are conducted primarily with pen and paper. I found this interesting because I personally love to handwrite. I handwrote this post at the local coffee shop.

I also read an article that suggested those who did a lot of handwriting had a greater capacity for clarity of thought and creativity. It has something to do with hand-eye coordination and exercising the brain. I couldn’t say my brain is sufficiently exercised, nor that I’m capable of clear thinking all the time, but I will say there is a certain freedom in handwriting.

I handwrite my first drafts – novels, articles, posts – because it gets me away from the distractions of the computer. I can write anywhere without having to worry about battery life. It also helps me write faster because I’m not pausing to fix phrases or correct sentences and I’m not distracting myself with research midway through a session. And, while I’m handwriting, I’m not tempted to check Facebook, Twitter, my emails, or – cough – play a game of solitaire. I can focus on my work.

Why do you like or dislike handwriting? Do you think the loss of handwriting skills in our youth will become an issue?

In the Comparison

This is one thing I’ve learned: I shouldn’t compare myself to other writers -- there’s no point. Every writer has to walk, skip, run their own journey and no journey is the same.

Some writers have to write five novels until they get published, some fifteen, twenty, thirty, while others only have to write one.

Some writers have a flowery style, while others have a simple style.

Some have a strength in grammar and structure. Others, their strength lies in point of view.

Every writer has to write their own stories. We can’t copy the work of another and we can’t pretend to be someone else. We write our best when we are true to ourselves.

As we saw in my previous post, every writer measures success from a different scale, so why compare ourselves to someone else’s scale?

--
Note: this will be my last post for the week. I need to focus on some ornery chapters. I’ll still visit everyone around the blogsphere and I’ll be back on Monday with a new post.

Flash Fiction: The Perfect Gift

Exciting news: I’ve had another flash fiction published at AntipodeanSF. You can find it here: The Perfect Gift. Let me know what you think. You can even vote for your favourite stories.

Writing flash fiction takes discipline. This particular flash fiction is less than 500 words. I needed to keep the story tight without losing any of the magic.

Before I wrote this one I wrote about three other short stories. They all started as flash fictions, but they all blew out on the word count. I wanted to develop the stories further. I wanted to explore the characters and their motives. Two finished at over 3000 words, and one I’ll keep as a potential novel idea.

Writing flash fiction is a great exercise for writers to hone their skills and keep their imagination firing. What are some of the things you do to sharpen your skills and stay creative?


--
Please note: I will be taking a blogging break for the next two weeks. I will be around a little, but I won’t have time to post anything new for a while. I’ll be back by the 20th Dec for Jen and Melissa’s Jolly Golly Blogfest.

.

5 Causes and Solutions to Writer’s Block

Every writer experiences the dreaded writer’s block at some point in their career. Sometimes it’s a hiccup in the flow and sometimes it’s a mighty wall to surmount. Whatever it might be, there is a reason for it and there is a way through to the other side.

1. When self-doubt causes the block:
We may tell ourselves we aren’t good enough. We may think we are failures if we can’t get our first manuscript published. We may learn a new writing rule and try to apply it only to find our words sound worse, not better. All these damaging thoughts can fool us into thinking we’ve gone backwards without any hope of moving forward again. At these times we need to be kind to ourselves. We need to remind ourselves why we write. We need to remember the passion. And we need to keep writing.

2. When our characters cause the block:
Sometimes our characters will cause us trouble. They’ll refuse to behave in the story. No matter how much we wrestle with them they won’t budge. At these times we need to try to listen to what they have to say. We need to try taking them down the path they wish to travel. But keep writing.

3. When the hard slog causes the block:
Sometimes we might wonder why we put ourselves through the pain everyday. When we catch a free moment, rather than putting our feet up, we write. Rather than spending time with friends or family, we write. We begin to grow resentful of our writing career. At these times, take a break. Spend time with friends and family. Relationships are important. They are often our inspiration for writing. Yes, writing is hard work, but we need some play time as well.

4. When distractions cause the block:
As I mentioned in my last post, distractions will happen. When they become so great they cause a block in our creativity. We may have to pay attention to why we are getting ourselves distracted. If the reason is to avoid writing, then we have to get over it and refocus. If the reason is because we’ve hit a slow point in our story and we’ve grown bored, then we need to either jump ahead, or reassess what we have written. In these cases the key is to keep writing. Of course, if the distraction is the kitchen on fire, then I’d suggest the key would be to deal with that instead.

5. When lack of time causes the block:
At times we may have to face daunting deadlines or tight schedules. We may be to struggling to juggle all our commitments. At times like these we may have to prioritise and reassess our schedules. We may have to accept we aren’t superhuman and either ask for help with the non essentials like cleaning the house and cooking dinners, or reschedule so our goals are easier to reach.

Do you have any other techniques for breaking through the wall? What are the things that block you most frequently?

Write What You Know (Part 2)

My last post was about how we can and do write about what we don’t know. Today’s post is about how we end up writing what we do know.

I may write fantasy and science fiction, but I draw from all my experiences. I’ve travelled widely and the places I’ve visited have turned up in my writing. I’ve used the awe I felt wandering the Whispering Gallery of St Pauls in London; the excitement of exploring the ruined Urquhart castle on the shores of Loch Ness; the strangeness of sensing an ancient spirit of the land that clings to the red dust of central Australia; the thrill and honour of a VIP tour to the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea; the agony of the hot sun during a three day camel trek across an Indian desert.

These places exist, but they mean little without our response to them. This is what writing is about: our response to the world and each other. And this is why we write what we know even when we don’t realise it.

I didn't need to travel to be able to write. I could still write fantastical pieces based on the things I know. And what I didn't know, I could learn. A photo of a place we’ve never visited may inspire us to write. Observation, imagination and research are powerful tools. They will carry us to places we’ve never been.

RaShelle said it best in her comment on my last post: “I've always thought of writing what I know as writing what I love.”

Where do you get most of your inspiration from? How much research do you do?

--

I’d also like to thank Alison from Wistful Wanderings. She had a competition to celebrate getting to stay in Germany and I won! My goodies arrived in the mail yesterday: “The Pasta Detectives” and two blocks of German chocolate. Sorry, Dezmond, but I’ve already eaten the 71% dark chocolate one. Naughty me.

Write What You Don’t Know (Part 1)

When I first started writing in my teens the one piece of advice I most frequently heard was write what you know. I struggled with this rule. If I could only write what I knew then my work would end up as dull and boring as I believed my life was at the time.

I didn’t want to write only to reflect the mundane. I wanted to write to escape the mundane! And this meant writing what I didn’t know.

I’d never had an adventure, I’d never investigated a crime, I’d never met a dragon, I’d never battled supernatural armies. I wanted to make the ordinary extraordinary.

It wasn’t until later I learned it wasn’t about the unknown worlds I created, it was about the characters. What engaged me most about the stories I read was the fascination for people and their struggles. We all have that fascination. People are interesting, even the dullest people. It’s because we are made up of so many layers and contradictions.

Writing is a journey of discovery. We want to know why a certain person acts a certain way. We want to follow them on their journey. The more we can relate to the characters, the more their journey becomes our own.

And so we write -- and we sometimes write what we don’t know.

Next post I will explore how we write what we do know even when we don’t realise it.

Are there other rules on writing you’ve struggled with? Do you often write what you don't know?

Pic: As a teenager I drew a lot of dragons. Here is one I did in coloured pencils.

Character Relatability

Continuing the character theme of my posts this week…

We want our characters to be relatable in some form or another. The best way to make them relatable is to make them real and interesting. We can’t achieve this if we make all our characters the same mini versions of ourselves. Writers instead need to seize the opportunity to explore the rich variety of the human race. We can relate to more than one personality type. We can cheer for more than one style of goal.

So, what makes people/characters interesting, relatable, and real? Below is a brief list of things that might help when you are creating characters.

• No one reacts the same way in the same situations.
• Most of us learn from our mistakes but some of us learn faster than others.
• Everyone has a different history which will affect their responses.
• We all look different. Even identical twins have variations in their appearance.
• Not everyone is beautiful
• Not everyone is intelligent
• Even intelligent people have their blind spots
• Even beautiful people have their faults
• No one is perfectly good
• No one is 100% bad
• We all have differing opinions
• We all pursue different goals.
• We all have differing degrees of drive.

Can you think of other things that may make your characters more interesting, relatable and real?

8 Tips Actors can give Writers

For a brief time in my youth I toyed with the idea of becoming an actor. I went to acting classes, I studied other actors, I read, I practised, I yearned. And then I gave it all up because I was hopeless – truly hopeless – at learning my lines.

But it wasn’t all a waste. I learned so many great things from acting. Below is a brief list of tips that writers can gain from the skills of the acting trade:

1. We communicate in more ways than dialogue alone. An actor learns that emotion is also conveyed through body language. It’s shared through silences. It can even be shown through interaction with the environment. Remember that when you write and you’ll go a long way.

2. Actors show the drama. They don’t stand on stage and describe the emotions they are going through.

3. Study people. Great actors build an understanding of people: how they react, how they move, how they think. They observe and they remember so they can then emulate what they have learned in their art. So too writers need this skill to build on their characters.

4. Don’t overdramatise. The audience and readers alike only cringe. Over the top dilutes poignancy and smothers nuances.

5. Build self-confidence. It takes courage to stand up on stage and offer the audience yourself. It takes great courage to send your writing into the public. But not only that, it takes courage to spill out your heart and soul into your work.

6. Be thick skinned. Actors and writers will have to face criticism in their careers. Learn when to listen and when to shrug it off.

7. Practice makes perfect. The more an actor acts, the more a writer writes, the better they will become.

8. Be professional. No matter what you choose to take on in life, always be professional. Show respect for your craft.

Can you think of any other acting tips which might be helpful for writers?

Writing without Inspiration

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
– Jack London.

Lack of inspiration used to be my greatest excuse not to write. While I was happy to remain a hobby writer, it wasn’t a problem. But, now that I am making writing my profession, I realised that I had to write and I had to write without inspiration.

It takes dedication and practice to write without inspiration. There will be times you won’t want to write. There’ll be times you’ll dread the keyboard or the pen. These are the times that will test us. These times will make us feel like we are wading through thorns. But these are the times we need to stick to our schedules and just keep writing.

If we keep writing inspiration may come – or it may not. It may never be a dazzling halo of glorious revelation, but we can write inspired pieces without being inspired. If we keep writing.

So keep writing.

What’s your greatest excuse not to write?

Write to Learn

My last post was about the benefits of reading a lot to improve our writing skills. Today’s post is about the benefits of writing a lot to improve our writing skills.

Practice will always win over theory.

I wrote my first novel while I was still in high school. When the end of school exams came along I made a foolish decision to stop writing so I could put all my efforts into study. I did no creative writing for at least six months. Then other things in my life took precedence for another six months. Then months became years.

I will never get that time back.

When I did finally try to write again I was filled with doubts. My writing was stiff. My stories lacked fire. I’d lost not only the routine of writing, but also the skills of writing. It took many months of writing again to bring back the clarity of thought that is required of writers. It took many months of writing to loosen my prose.

When we write a lot we gain confidence. We are more willing to take a risk, to experiment with the words, to try something different.

When we write a lot we build a routine. We don’t need to scramble for writing time because we’ve already scheduled that time. People around us are used to that schedule and aren’t shocked when we suddenly need to disappear to write.

And when we write a lot we put into action all the subtle lessons we’ve learned through reading a lot. What might work for one writer, may not work for you. The more you write, the more you learn what works for you.

So, I urge you, don’t stop writing. Don’t let the doubts get the better of you. Don’t expect perfection in an instant. Write, write and keep writing.

What are the things that stop you from writing? On average how much do you try to write per day?