Last Fall, I found a great appreciation for writing and learned all the great things that come with joining a literary community. From making new friends to opening up my imagination, I found so many benefits to jumping into this new world. Being a new author, I thought that some tips from a not-so-experienced writer could be beneficial to others in my position.
Environment
Find a place that works for you! Picking out a good spot where your imagination can run wild while staying focused on the document in front of you is mission number one. For some, this can be a busy coffee shop, for others simply their room with no background activity. It doesn’t matter what works, just that you know where’s best for you as an author!
What are you writing about?
Writer’s block is very real and very frustrating. To solve this problem, I’ve found a couple of solutions that work well for me. Seeking out a new environment to draw inspiration from is one. Simple things like the decorations on the walls, the weather, and the people around you are all factors that go into picking a topic. Another would be eavesdropping. I know that sounds kind of crazy, but it really does work! The professor of my first writing class at NDSU gave this out as an actual assignment. “Go somewhere with lots of people. Listen to what they’re saying and write it down.” Picking an open-ended quote and expanding from it is a fantastic way to write your next best story.
Just do it
It’s not just the Nike slogan, it’s also the best way to get rolling. You’re not going to write anything worthwhile unless you’re doing just that. Writing. Pick a time and a place and say, “I’m going to do this.” Setting a goal during that time can also be helpful. Setting an objective of getting X amount of pages written is an example of how to create a target. No matter if it’s the great American novel or something to throw away at the end of the day, you can still say you sat down and wrote something from your own imagination.