Already a Voltie? Sign in!

Escape to Voltra!

Join for free

Forums Literature Getting back into writing

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/2 14:13:30 )

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to get yourself back into writing? I was thinking that one way might be to have others to talk to about writing so I decided to make this thread.

I've been struggling with lots of things lately, but I know that writing makes me happy and I was hoping that others might join me. :)

List of Tips and Tricks:

  • Take a time in the day when you have five minutes and do nothing but write. Whatever comes to mind. A dream diary, a journal of your day. A story idea. Wrote for that five minutes weather you get 5 words or 500, as long as you took that time devoted to writing.
  • Design a playlist of music that is calming to you to write to and helps you focus in.
  • Kale:
    When you do your daily writing, don't look back on what you've written before. Especially if this is a first draft, your only job is to get words onto paper. You can review it later.

  • Holyghost:
    i will write a scene i have in my head that is separate from the story itself or a part i'm not quite at yet. It gives me a feel of my characters and gets me back into writing them. Sometimes drawing my characters in scenes that i've written or scenes to be written is beneficial too!





Report

Donator — he/him Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/3 16:46:24 )
Both of those tips are good. I have been frustrated as I don't have as much time to write as I used to, but I do try to set aside 10-20 minutes each morning before work. Some days I only get a few sentences out, and sometimes those sentences are utter garbage, but it's better than nothing.

Another tip I've seen is this: When you do your daily writing, don't look back on what you've written before. Especially if this is a first draft, your only job is to get words onto paper. You can review it later. Personally I can get bogged down by editing what I've written previously, or sometimes rereading it can make me sad enough to stop writing the story altogether.

At the same time, I know some people prefer to warm up their brain by editing what they wrote the day before, and in a world where I am a professional author and have that kind of time, I can see how that would be a good way to get the ol' word machine going.
Report
previously keef with a k

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/3 18:12:36 )

That's a pretty good tip. I'm going to add it. :]

I am hoping to find a time to set aside, I just haven't quite found the best time yet. my schedules still a little crazy. I might do something like while I'm eating lunch, jot down stuff on paper.


Report

Voltie — she/her Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/8 00:22:37 )
i love to write! But i feel like lately i lack the motivation to. One thing that helps is sometimes if it's like, a story, i will write a scene i have in my head that is separate from the story itself or a part i'm not quite at yet. It gives me a feel of my characters and gets me back into writing them. Sometimes drawing my characters in scenes that i've written or scenes to be written is beneficial too!
Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/8 01:35:53 )

I've been struggling alot lately to. I hadn't thought about trying to draw some of my characters. I wonder if that will actually help.


Report

Donator Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/26 04:20:20 )
I've been struggling lately. I've just been working so much that I feel so drained when I have a little free time and work just saps all my creativity along with my energy. There's really not a lot I can do about that, but I'm now working on a special project and it's really lightened my usual workload, so I'm trying to catch up on rest and I'm working fewer hours so hopefully I can get back into the writing groove.
Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/03/26 09:17:11 )

That's really what I. Hoping to do as well. I've been sitting down at the computer to write something though and just staring blankly at it.

Gotta figure out someway to get my creativity and drive to write back.


Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/04/2 00:55:24 )

It's camp nano April and poetry month. So those are some things I may be tackling this month. :) Try to write again!


Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/05/13 03:28:05 )


Username:
"If you could book a flight tomorrow for anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?"

I typed this out in my writing prompt thread. But figured I would share it here as well. What do people think of these kinds of writing prompts?


Report

Donator — They/Them Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/05/14 01:57:48 )
╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍
@Shadami: Well when it comes to writing about myself, I only have so much to say. Sure those kinds of prompts get words on a page, but they feel limited to me because I can't practice novel-related writing conventions. I can't think about, what would my character do? How would I make the plot work with this? So on and so forth. Unless I was writing an autobiography I don't think I would find it very useful.


╍╍Gʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢꜱ Fʀᴏᴍ╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍Tʜᴇ Lᴏɴᴇʟʏ Cɪᴛʏ╍╍
Report
Pʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ @ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴀ ʀᴇꜱᴘᴏɴꜱᴇ.

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 5 years ago ( 2019/05/14 04:34:05 )


Yeah kinda what I was thinking. These were the types of questions in a prompt book my husband got me for mother's day. "Because I know you have been having trouble writing"....
He's clearly not a writer xD but I guess the thought counts.


Report

Voltie Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/7 01:43:05 )
Lately my writing progress has been about Sims 4 lots, and reading back through and editing a novel I've been working on for awhile.
Report

Voltie Posted 4 years ago ( 2020/04/9 06:09:46 )
Journaling has always been good for me. One thing that's an issue when writing, especially new works, you have to build world's from the ground up. By writing about your own life you don't need to worry about building new fantasy history, or fictional characters, instead you can focus on your writing style and learning how to most artistically describe things.
Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 4 years ago ( 2020/04/10 00:04:44 )


That's very true. I do love world building. But just drabbling in a journal has been comforting lately


Report

Voltie — She/Her Posted 4 years ago ( 2020/04/20 13:17:23 )
I've always found that when I step away from writing for a little while, I've needed to just sit down and write something, usually with music on that inspires me regarding the story. For instance, when I am writing a particular character, I usually try to put on Ellie Goulding, who just typically has music that resonates with the tone.

Ultimately, I do like writing with regard to just escaping my own problems and finding new ones for someone not-me to be anxious about, ha. I don't necessarily write my own issues into a story, but often the writing lets me vent on frustrations that don't hurt others in my day to day. The last thing I do personally is try to count words each day. its a sure way to demoralize me for weeks if I miss a self-imposed deadline a few times.

Have you been able to get back into writing as of late?
Report

Have a good day!

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 4 years ago ( 2020/04/25 14:31:31 )


I've been trying to get back into writing. Everytime I sit down I stare at the screen and just want to cry. XD my mind is just "I am so sick of this and life and being quarentined. Life was just heading in the right direction and now we have nothing!"

Honestly I should try to write. And by some miracle publish it. And then perhaps if have an income and not want to curl in a ball every day


Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 3 years ago ( 2020/10/28 22:00:09 )


Bumping this to keep it alive.

I am working on getting back into writing yet again. I'm not sure I am going to participate in nanowrimo this year though. I just haven't been able to concentrate on things for long periods of time likes that right now.


Report

Donator — they/them Posted 3 years ago ( 2020/10/30 20:26:11 )
════════════════⠀ ∘◦ᵒ .⋆。˚☽˚。⋆. ᵒ◦∘



ah a few months ago i said i would give nanowrimo a try this year (just short stories though, probably not an anthology) , but now that it's gonna happen in a few days i feel like my mind has been focused elsewhere and maybe i shouldn't try to force it? idk >_>

i think trying to do stuff , sometimes can go either way for me - like it can be a helpful coping mechanism for dealing w the year, to stay occupied and get myself to focus on a specific thing and get me thru bad thoughts/feelings. but i wouldn't want to force myself to do things if i'm over capacity or it could just make things worse

sometimes reading can get me into a writing mood?? like reading a good book, and when i think abt how that author wrote it, it can be inspiring sometimes!
i also felt the most motivated to write when i was trying to forum rp - having a partner takes so much writing pressure off, and thinking abt it more from the perspective of improv, for me was useful for not being too perfectionist abt it + overcoming blank canvas syndrome :0

∘◦ᵒ .⋆。˚☽˚。⋆. ᵒ◦∘ ⠀════════════
Report


⠀∘◦ᵒ .⋆。˚☽⠀ {⠀art shop⠀·⠀gallery⠀·⠀closet⠀}⠀☽˚。⋆. ᵒ◦∘

∘◦ᵒ .⋆。˚☽⠀ {⠀buying / questing: capricorn ⠀}⠀☽˚。⋆. ᵒ◦∘

art by kiwi and koneko <3


Voltie — Sha/female Posted 3 years ago ( 2020/10/31 00:15:17 )


My best advice if you haven't done nano before and you're nervous about it, try a camp nano cause you can pick a much shorter number of words.

I'm definitely resonating with what you're saying though. :D


Report

Voltie — Sha/female Posted 3 years ago ( 2020/12/17 04:46:24 )






i have no minds eye which creates some trouble for me as an artist xD

also... spell work? like... spelling or magic?

Report
Currently recovering from large amounts of PTSD. I'll post when I can, please ping for replies. Things are very difficult for me right now.

You must be logged in to post

Login now to reply
Don't have an account? Sign up for free!
Having you as a Voltie would be awesome.