What Blocks Your Writing?

I don't get writers block in the sense of not being able to think of anything to write, but I do manage to block myself from writing by convincing myself there are other tasks that MUST be completed first. My latest? I wanted a new screensaver and just couldn't find the 'right' picture. I've now been working on this for three days. In this time I've gotten NO writing done.

What silly things do you let interrupt your writing? 

Tomorrow WILL be productive. That is my vow. But for now, here's my laptop wallpaper:

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4 Links for Pushing Through Writer's Block

I know, I know, it's been a while.

NaNoWriMo was a struggle for me this year and I only just slipped in with my wordcount goal. I'm proud of the story I told, but think it will take more editing than any other novel I've written. How'd you go?

I'm not sure if other writers find this, but once I met my goal, I became blocked. I could not bring myself to try to write anything, not even my blog. I think my daughters were the same, they temporarily abandoned their Paper Dolls book reviews blog too. So what's the cure for writer's block? There's many suggestions, you can visit some of my earlier posts on the subject:

Flexing the Creative Muscle
Make it Happen
Writing Resources and Distractions
Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration (an interview with K M Weiland)

But this time I decided to go with the old 'write anyway' trick. I didn't know if I had anything writerly to tell you all, but decided to blog anyway. And so, now I do have something to share. I'll have to push the girls to get onto their blog too, it's been lovely to receive messages from people asking when they will blog again.

We did have some family dramas, our Devon Rex, Freckles, passed away. She was only young but developed tumours in her lungs. We miss her racing down the hallway at night and trying to open the bedroom doors by turning the handles.

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10 Motivators to Keep Writing for NaNoWriMo

I like to move it, movie it...

Well I told myself to slow down. My NaNo novel came to a bit of a halt last week. I just decided to give myself a day off, or maybe three, I'd reward myself with words later. Turns out, I'm a bit stingy with my rewards. This week I will have to work hard to push those numbers up again. I did get a few words in on Sunday, and I didn't let myself waste my time off.

To keep the flow and motivation of writing when I just can't get to the keyboard or pick up the flow of my story, I like to:

1. Write something else about my character in my notebook, like a diary entry. This can help me gain some insight to her deeper motivation.
2. Watch youtube clips and listen to podcasts on the craft of writing - there's so many good one's out there!
3. Watch a flick or shows in my genre - in my case it's mystery, so I sat through a few good episodes of Castle.
4. Go to the movies. You watch a creative story unfold and you're in a new environment, away from home.
5. Take walks. My imagination goes into overdrive when I walk the dog. It must be because I can't talk to anyone, my mouth shuts up and gives my brain a go.
6. Start recording my dreams, even the silly one.
7. READ. I read books on writing, and look for the element I'm struggling with, like dialogue or structure. I'll also read something similar to my writing style - I try to read things that are simple and don't take too much thinking.
8. Draw. I doodle, 'cause I'm not much of an artist, but drawing loosens my mind and lets me be creative.
9. Listen to Audio books. Sometimes I don't write because I'm exhausted or unwell, at these times I find it hard to read as well, so, I pop on a Charlaine Harris audio book and listen to the story unwind.
10. I listen to Relaxation and Meditation books on my iPhone right before bed.

Is your story flowing or trickling? Do you keep pounding on, or step away?

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Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration

I'm very excited today! Why? Because I'm hosting my first-ever author interview! Featured today, we have K. M. Weiland, author of the recently released Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration.

When did you first feel like a ‘real’ writer?

In some ways, that’s a trick question! I came to published writing through the back door, so for most of my writing life, publication wasn’t the sought-after validation it is for most writers. I wrote because I loved it and was reasonably proficient at it, and that was always good enough for me. But when I did decide to pursue publication, I suddenly entered a brand new world of trepidation, frustration, and insecurity. Mostly, it’s an up-and-down roller coaster, even now that I have two books published. If I had to put a date on my validation as a writer, it would probably be the publication of my second novel Behold the Dawn (http://www.kmweiland.com/books_BTD.php) and its overwhelmingly encouraging reception by readers.

What, for you, is the hardest part of writing a novel?

The beginning, no bones about it. Even though I’m an in-depth outliner and always know what’s supposed to happen at every step of the story, the first fifty pages are murder to write. I have enough perfectionist blood in my veins that I have to get it right before moving on, and as most authors know, beginnings are always tough to get right, if only because they are so important.

How long has it taken you to produce a finished novel?

As a general rule, a novel—from outline to publication—takes me three to four years. I usually plan a year for brainstorming, outlining, and researching; a year for writing; and another year or two for editing. I’m much more interested in spending the time to perfect a story, rather than churning one out every year.

Do you have a writing style or genre?

Technically, I write historical and speculative fiction, but most of my stories seem to fall into what I laughingly call the “blood and thunder” genre. All of my published stories have centered around a war (land wars in A Man Called Outlaw (http://www.kmweiland.com/books_AMCO.php), the Third Crusade in Behold the Dawn, a fictional conflict in my upcoming fantasy Dreamers (http://www.kmweiland.com/WIPs.php#dreamers), and World War I in my work-in-progress The Deepest Breath (http://www.kmweiland.com/WIPs.php#deepest). They’re usually stories of good vs. evil, with lots of swashbuckling and a little romance thrown in.

What inspired you to write Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration?

Over the last several years, I’ve been sharing writing tips and essays about the writing life on my blog Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors (http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com). Posts on inspiration and fighting writer’s block have always been some of my most popular posts. It’s ironic, really: Here we are, a bunch of people who discovered this whole writing business because one day we woke up inspired with an idea for a story—and yet consistent inspiration is something most of us struggle with on almost a daily basis. I wanted to put together a presentation that shared some of my own tricks for encouraging inspiration. Thanks to the Wordplay podcast, I already had some experience with audio productions and thought it would be an interesting adventure to create a CD that would be accessible and helpful to others.

Who would benefit from Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration?

If you’ve ever sat down at your computer and stared at the cursor—or avoided sitting down at the computer so you didn’t have to look at that infernal blank page—then you will probably relate to what I discuss in the CD. Basically, Conquering Writer’s Block is aimed at writers who want to nurture a creative lifestyle, prevent writer’s block from ever attacking, and learn how to ward it off when it does appear.

Can you download it to your iPod?

Absolutely! You can either purchase the hardcopy (http://www.kmweiland.com/books_CWBASI.php) or download the tracks (http://www.kmweiland.com/store.php#conquering).

Could you share one pearl of wisdom from your current Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration?

On my blog, I often talk about how “variety is the spice of fiction.” That applies to how writers approach their craft just as much as the words and techniques they put on the page. Some of us (myself included) thrive on routine and schedules. But the muse is a free-spirited critter, and changing up our routine a little can sometimes works wonders in boosting creativity. Find a new writing spot—under a tree, at a café, in the backseat of the car. If you write on the computer, try writing longhand. If you always listen to Mozart when writing, try something radically different such as metal or bluegrass. Adding a little change to our routines can shake our snoozing creativity awake, even if we eventually decide to go back to the old habits.

What have you read lately that you simply must recommend?

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn is the first fiction book in ages that I’ve awarded a five-star rating. It was lip-smackingly good: great characters, great setting, great premise. I loved it. At the moment, I’m just finishing up Margaret Atwood’s The Robber Bride, and I’m blown away by the depth and power of her writing. The woman is a genius. She not only gave me a great story, she inspired me to greater heights in my own writing.

I hope you've enjoyed this interview with K M Weiland! I know I've learned a lot, and am eagerly awaiting my CD from Amazon to put on my handy-dandy iPod (I can't download MP3s from Amazon because I'm in Australia), I'll blog about the CD once I've heard all the great advice. If you'd like to know more about this author, you could visit her blog:

K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

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