Overcoming Writer's Block

See the end of this blog for details about my annotated ARC contest! All you have to do is comment and or tweet!

Subtitled: Bethany's Big Contradictory List of Tips that Sometimes Help Some People (meaning her) Overcome Writer's Block. 

So, it's no secret that I've kept writing through conditions that would make many sane people quit. With an interval of four years between my first published book and my second...when you count in the fact that my first book sold a good two years before publication, well, I wrote for years while feeling hopeless, like an unmitigated failure who would never be published again. I wrote with toddlers. I wrote with small children who, each time I looked away to write, were prone to eating things that poison control said weren't poisonous, (but I was never quite sure about that). I wrote through floods, tornados, and blizzards (note- the author is prone to exaggeration). I wrote while walking ten miles to school uphill both ways. 

But none of that prepared me for writing under contract. My friends told me that writing under contract was harder. My agent told me the same thing. But somehow I thought I was, or should be, left out of the category titled: everyone. What I'm saying is, not only did I find writing my sequel incredibly difficult, but I was filled with a sense of angry self-loathing at my perceived lack of writing strength, and long story short- got very frustrated with myself, which only made things even harder. 

Now, no matter where you are, writing a new book--that's exciting, but what happens when the excitement evaporates?--writing while on submission--difficult, but not impossible, at least after the first few weeks when all you can think about is being on submission, writing a sequel...my first sequel was also the book that has to wrap up my duology, so unlike people who write trilogies, I had to figure out how to continue the book, and end the book all at the same time. At any point, you can have a day, a week, a month of crippling writer's block. What do you do? 

What I'm going to share today are my list of tips for overcoming writer's block. Please note, they don't all work for everyone at every time. All of these have worked for me, but at different times in my writing life, so while several of them seem (and are) contradictory, they are also, possibly, potentially, probably, helpful.

1. Write every day- setting a goal, 500 words, 1000 words, is a good way to get a writing pattern. Even if you have the world's busiest day, if you make time to sit down and write your 500 words, it helps you prioritize writing as important.

2. Don't write every day- take breathers. Write when you are inspired. When there is not inspiration, do laundry so that when you rediscover the inspiration, you won't have to stop to do laundry! 

3. Reward yourself. Maybe not with ice-cream if you are on a diet, but find something nice to do for yourself when you hit a writing goal. Give yourself a day off from doing the laundry. Read a book, take a hike, watch a movie or an episode of Bing Bang Theory, or whatever makes you happy. 

4. visit bookstores. Touch the books. There is nothing more inspirational that feeling books. Eventually, in feeling your own book...but you won't ever get there until you conquer writer's block. Or at least finish that manuscript. 

5. Write in order- especially if you have an epic scene with grandiose action or swoon-worthy hotness. Make yourself write the scenes  leading up to it, and remember that these scenes build to the major scene, don't let them be filler! Challenge yourself. 

6. Write out of order- got a scene that you can't wait to write, a scene that you are dreaming about, thinking about? Go ahead and write it, you don't want it to evaporate, for the excitement to dissipate. Write that scene! 

7. Write by hand- this is, in all honesty, the thing that I ALWAYS do. When I have no inspiration, I get out my notebook, my good pen, and I scratch out the scenes. In the end, no matter how bad the stuff I've written is, when I type it, it will be improved. I would never have gotten through my sequel (the name of which I cannot yet reveal) without my notebook and my pen. I realized that I already blogged about this here. So if you want to know more, or see pics of the office supplies I discuss below, visit my blog. :) 

8. Buy office supplies. When I google myself, using google images, I find a big picture that says, I heart office supplies. I do. For each manuscript I buy a new notebook, (for scratching out scenes, for writing notes, for notes when I talk to my agent etc) and usually a binder for printing out pages. Oh, and pretty sticky notes, for notes to myself throughout the physical manuscript. 

9. Find a concept that pushes you forward. For me, I always find some little challenge in each manuscript. Can I do this? Well, I have to finish the manuscript to see. For Handcuffs I wanted to see if I could write an  entire story without naming a main character or giving him a nickname, yet make it clear who he is in every scene, or every time he is mentioned. In Masque I wanted to see if I could coax a suicidal/self destructive narrator into becoming a hero. 

10. Enjoy other people's success. There is nothing that will kill your writing mojo more than jealousy. Sure, some people seem to find success over night. Sometimes you'll see an interview where the author is like, "oh, I never meant to write a book, or no, I never revise, or I wrote this in fifteen minutes and then sold it at auction!" Whatever. Ignore the 'I never revise one precious word that I write' folks, and focus on the success stories of authors who've worked hard, who have awesome talent, who inspire you. Find inspiration, not jealousy. 

11. Allow yourself to feel jealous- for a few minutes. Whether it's someone you know on the internet who got a major deal and a movie deal and a parade, all within 24 hours. Or a best friend, or your secret writing rival. Allow yourself to feel it, and then acknowledge that you want that kind of success and use it as motivation to keep going. Remember motivation, a small does of rivalry= healthy. Murderous envy=not healthy.

12. Find a fan base. I don't care if it's your mom (though you should resist referencing her in your query). Find someone, or a group of someones who are waiting for your next installment, there is nothing like adulation, admiration, the simple verbalization of, 'I must know what happens next' to push you into writing the next scene. I would never have finished Masque, especially in the face of a rather devastating series of rejections, if it wasn't for my critique group! (Thanks guys!)

And that's my list of contradictory tips for overcoming writer's block. Unlike your oversized t-shirt with the pithy writing epithet (watch out or I'll put you in my novel) one size does not fit all.

Now for the contest. I'm giving away an annotated Masque ARC. This is my last unread, pristine, lovely ARC. I'm going to go through it, page by page and fill it with observations and notes. I'll also throw in a Masque of the Red Death leather bracelet. They are hot, you want one! 


All you have to do to be entered is leave a comment about a way you get over writer's block. or leave a comment about how much/why you want to win the ARC. You'll be entered once for each comment. You'll also be entered for each tweet, just make sure I see them by including my twitter handle @_bethanygriffin 


Thanks for reading, hope these tips help, and good luck!  Winner will be announced on Colette's day in two weeks! (April 8, I believe).