You might think it is not big of advice, you might think I am crazy, as well. Truth is: it helps me to write and I feel the NEED for sharing it! (So bad, it itches!) 🙂
Couple of days ago I found myself sitting by the swimming pool and grasping for words. Where to start, when I am already 15,000 words behind? My momma told me never to give up, so I did not. Instead I used some outrageous creativity. For starters: I tucked away my computer. Then I grabbed some blank pages, colored pens, timer and headed to a quite place. After two hours of intensive writing I felt like the Queen of the World!
First – I wrote in handwriting. I imagined that I was about to write a letter and that I was running out of time. No one in the world wants to share a burden of re-writing the letter, so I chose to be a talented letter writer rather than a poor scribbler!
Second – I used colored pens to separate different parts of my novel and focus myself on a new paragraph or chapter. Color also helped me to set appropriate mood for character description (red), weather/nature (green), beginning and culmination (black).
Third – I used timer. A lot of us, especially those of you, who are regulars at NaNoWriMo write-ins, will know this as Word Wars. You set the timer, zip your mouth and go! I choose to write carefully, I like to think my writing through. One way or another – timer helps!
After all, I am pleased with the result – 3,000 quality words in 2 hours. How do you get your writing done? Share!
Crazy thoughts from people like me (and those who said “No” to NaNoWriMo):
- NaNoWriMo Tip #6: Don’t Think Like an Editor (Yet) (mediabistro.com)
- NaNoWriMo Day 9: Writing Marathon 2013 (thesisterseternal.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo (whitneydaniellewriting.wordpress.com)
- Just Say No To NaNoWriMo: Part 1 (michaelallanleonard.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo – Day 9 (donnasfamilylife.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo Tip #5: Develop Your Novel’s Plot (mediabistro.com)
- 30 Questions To Ask Yourself During NaNoWriMo-Day 9 (aspiringwriter22.wordpress.com)
- 23 Reasons I’m NOT Doing NaNoWriMo (todaysauthor.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo: You are not doing it wrong! (wytchofthenorth.wordpress.com)
I think this advice works for NaBloPoMo as well. I know I’ve had quite a few moments where I was at a loss for words.
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How do you deal with those moments?! I am feeling stuck again – gonna tuck computer away and grab my color pens 😀
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I wrote posts about music. If that didn’t work, I just didn’t post. I can’t always force it no matter how much I want to.
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Good for you Alisa! If I wrote in handwriting, I’d never be able to figure out what I wrote later. My writing as gotten so terrible ever since I’ve been using a computer.
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