Wed, Feb 03 2010

How to stay too busy for writer's block

Even if you write full-time you may have days when your actual writing time is very limited, or you may have time to write but find that your time to stay in a creative flow is restricted or cut into small sessions. One of my habits is to keep an easy acces to non-fiction, fiction, poetry and other projects. If I'm at a computer I try to have handy access to a notepad type of program and keep plenty of notes going there. If an idea strikes while I'm working on some research I jot down my thoughts in a notepad window. I carry pads or paper with me in the car on short or long trips. A camera is handy to capture scenery or buildings that spark story scenes or new settings. I have file folders containing photos and character notes. I even keep grocery lists on the refrigerator that have been known to spark ideas for a story. Writing is a life-long habit for me. Memory can fail, but getting a thought or a list down on paper helps guarantee that I'll take action with it later. If you're doing queries or focusing on certain markets you might be trying to keep track of that along with all your other writing. If you're also an illustrator or you take your own photos for articles you'll need a way to keep track of those. Trust me. There is always plenty for a writer to do, including at those times one can't sit and stare at the computer screen or composition book and "create".



posted at: 23:05 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry