New writers are often in awe of writers who have written several full-length books. In their enthusiasm to achieve those same goals, they ask where and how those more-seasoned writers find inspiration. The truth is that inspiration is all around, it comes organically through the thing we call life.

Sometimes it's a story that you hear about–something that happened to a friend of a friend–or that you witness firsthand, and it lights the spark of your imagination. Current events are another source of inspiration. Surviving COVID, or the current Palestinian genocide, local or presidential elections, climate change, even the latest in pop-culture. Any of these can inspire you to write, either about the real-life situation, or fictionalizing it to explore the more intimate aspects of the issue.

Once an idea comes to you, it is incumbent upon you to get it down as soon as possible. If, for example, you’re in a traffic jam, and you get an idea of the perfect scene for an accident that brings together strangers from different parts of the city, and you imagine how their interaction could lead to a romance, or a murder, or expose family secrets, then you must record that idea in a notebook or on your phone. This way, when you are ready to expand upon the idea, you have that initial spark and all the thoughts that arrived with it, and you get off to a running start.

But what new writers sometimes fail to realize, is that those more-seasoned writers recognize that inspiration is not actually the answer to writing full-length books. The answer to writing a full length book is a consistent writing routine, not inspiration.

Inspiration is a fickle creature; it shows up at random times in random places, and although you can do your best to lure it forward, it may remain elusive for months (or years!) at a time. To be a professional writer, you must sit down and do the work even when there's no inspiration. You can not rely on inspiration, so if you choose to write only when inspiration strikes, you will be setting yourself up for failure.

If, on the other hand, you cultivate a strong writing habit through which you write every day, then you give yourself the best chance at finishing your project. Not only will you be making daily progress towards your long term goal, but eventually your brain will recognize that your writing is an act of creativity. Once that happens, your inspiration–which generally hides in the shadows–will be coaxed to the forefront, and you will have a higher chance of your daily writing pouring forth from a place of inspiration. Of course, maintaining a daily writing routine does not guarantee that your writing will always be inspired, mind you, but it certainly increases the possibility that it will be.

Your daily writing routine will mean that your writing will sometimes take precedence over other activities. You may need to decline outings with friends or family because you’ve already dedicated that time to your writing. And if you’re serious about your writing project, those who love you will understand how important it is to you, so they will respect your writing time and be understanding when you cancel or postpone plans.

Finishing a full length novel is about putting in the time and effort every day, including and especially when inspiration eludes you. Commit to your goal, put in the work every day, and watch your writing goals come to life!

Many beginner writers wonder whether they must fulfill specific requirements before they are qualified to write a book. They debate getting some kind of a writing degree, whether it be in an MFA, a degree in creative writing, or a degree in journalism.

Now, there are plenty of writers out there who do have an MFA or a degree in journalism or a degree in some other kind of writing related field, but without a doubt, you do not NEED any of those degrees to be a writer.

There are two important credentials you should fulfill in order to be a writer:

1. You must have the love of story and storytelling. If you enjoy reading stories–and that’s both fiction and non-fiction, by the way–then that’s one credential you already have.

2. You must have the desire to learn how to do it properly. That doesn’t mean your learning has to be done in a classroom setting. Reading posts (like this one!) is one way of learning your craft. There are plenty of other resources out there, from books, to websites, to conferences, to podcasts, to online courses.

One of the best ways for you to learn how to write is to do a lot of reading. If you’re not reading in the genre that you love, then you’re probably not prepared to write in that genre. If there’s a book on your heart that you want to write, then you might consider “studying” that genre by reading several books that are similar. If you are not reading thrillers, then you probably aren’t familiar with them enough for you to begin writing one. Similarly, if you are somebody who wants to write nonfiction, you really should do your research on what the industry standards are for that type of nonfiction. Read books that are similar to yours and see how they are structured so that you can get a grasp on how your readers will expect your book to be structured and how they will expect your information to be presented.

By reading, you not only learn the industry standards of the genres, but you also pick up the different styles of the writers who have come before you, those who have been doing this for a while. So, no matter what genre you want to write in, make sure you are reading widely in that genre.

The other way for you to really learn how to write is to practice. Now, there are two different ways for you to practice. The first way is copy work. If there’s a book or story that excites or inspires or interests you, then copy (by hand or typing at your keyboard) a couple of pages from that work. The idea is that the more you do this, the more you will internalize those fantastic writing styles that inspired you.

(It goes without saying that this is a writing exercise and you should never attempt to pass copy work off as your own creation. Plagiarism is illegal and unethical, but copying the work as part of your own training, for your own private purposes, is fine.)

The second form of practicing is simply to sit and write. When you keep practicing writing, when you stick to it and make it a priority, then your writing improves, especially if you are reading alongside your writing.

Anybody can be a writer. Continue to foster your love of story by reading and practicing your writing, and investing your time and energy in resources that help you hone your craft. Show up for yourself in these ways, and before you know it you’ll be embracing your writer identity.

The truth is that some feedback you’ll receive will be very useful--it will truly help you improve as a writer--and some will be utterly useless. And the truth is that *most* of the useless feedback is positive. For example, “This was a great book!” or “I love this author!” Those are wonderful sentiments, and every author LOVES to hear them! But while they are great for our egos, they do nothing for our writing.
Negative feedback, on the other hand, while it may feel like a punch in the face, is really the best thing for a writer. Here are some examples:
* The main character didn’t seem believable.
* The writer spent too much time describing settings/details.
* The secondary plot was underdeveloped.
* The order of events left me confused.
* The dialogue was realistic, but boring.

A writer can sit with each of these statements and analyze how she can make specific changes to improve her writing.

So don’t get discouraged if at any stage of your writing process you receive negative feedback. Know that, while it may hurt now, it really is in your (and your book’s!) best interest.
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@author.hend

There is lots of controversy surrounding the legitimacy of writer’s block, but I’m not going to argue for or against it here. Whether or not writer’s block is a real phenomenon is inconsequential; the truth is, all writers eventually find themselves at a point where they feel unable to proceed, where they are unsure of the direction to take their piece, or they run out of ideas completely, or they simply feel deflated by a lack of external validation, and these feelings reflect as creative obstacles. In this article I will share some techniques to help you overcome whatever is preventing you from getting those words down.

While our emotional state doesn’t appear to be directly related to our creative ability, the truth is that if our emotional state is disturbed, our entire being is affected. We are affected physically and mentally, and consequently, creatively. Such emotional chaos can overwhelm us to the point of paralysis; we are not able to reason or work or think about anything clearly.  

Even if the underlying cause of your emotional distress cannot be easily removed or fixed, there are still ways for you to clear this internal chaos, so that you can again begin to create:

1. Write in your journal. Release your pent up anger or fear or anxiety or sadness onto pages that you know are safe from prying eyes. Let the words—or drawings or doodles—go where they need to. Sometimes the physical act of getting words on paper releases you, even if you begin by not knowing what to say or quite what’s bothering you.

2. Write a letter. This works similarly to the concept of journaling, but I find that letter writing offers greater relief. Address the letter to the person who hurt you, to the one you’re missing, to the loved one who has passed. To someone you’re mourning, even if that is you. It could be a letter to God. Or to a concept: to your success, your dreams, your failures, your goals, your fears. Writing a letter helps put the emotions out of you. It helps to organize them so that you can review and analyze them, and thus think (and create!) more clearly. Even if the letter is to an actual person, you don’t have to send it; often penning it is enough to release the turmoil inside of you.

Regardless of whether or not the barrier to your writing flow is emotional, the following techniques can help you overcome that barrier:

1. Go for a walk, especially outdoors. Physical activity gets blood pumping to all areas of your body, including, of course, your brain, helping to stimulate thoughts and creativity. The fresh outdoor air—the sights, sounds and smells of nature—provide you with a sense of serenity while simultaneously connecting you with a larger purpose, provoking inspiration and direction.

2. Read. Reading in your genre can help inspire you. Immersing yourself in someone else’s creativity can often spur your own. Reading in your craft can help increase your knowledge and elevate your style, which will in turn widen your mindspace to allow you to create.

3. Remind yourself of your purpose. One of the main methods of remaining committed to your writing is remembering the intention you had when you began the piece, acknowledging how it will affect your readers, and realizing how much they will gain from it. Take time to reconnect with this intention.

4. Check your mindset. At this point, your mindset may be your biggest enemy. If you find yourself doubting yourself, or doubting your piece, then of course you will eventually get stuck. Like begets like, so if you keep cultivating negative thoughts, you will keep reaping negative results. “I can’t do this,” or “who am I to do this,” or “this task is too big,” or “I can’t write a book,” or “who am I to have a goal of bestseller status” are all thoughts that set you up for failure. I can not stress enough the importance of a positive mindset! The great thing about it is that it can be learned. When we repeat positive statements about ourselves and our work, we eventually begin to believe them. Not only that, but we take steps to actualize them. So even if you don’t believe those affirmation yet, keep repeating them to yourself. Keep saying them over and over, day after day, until eventually you find that they are indeed your own beliefs. This positive mindset will help you stay committed to your writing goal, remain focused on the result, and thus, help you to achieve it.

In Part 2 of this series, I’ll be discussing techniques that can help you maneuver crossroads and dead ends in your work. Make sure to tune in next week!

If you’re interested in working with me as your writing coach, fill in this form and we can schedule your complimentary session.