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Dealing With Negative Criticism of Your Writing

It’s a fact of writing life: Sooner or later, someone is going to say something unkind or downright cruel about your work. It’s going to be in a review on Amazon or (heaven forbid) a review in a major publication. Someone in your writer’s group is going to drop the pretense of being constructive and is going to point out all the flaws in your work. The comment trail on your blog is going to be populated by nasty trolls. Or, your loudmouth brother is going to make fun of your book at the family Christmas dinner. Brace yourself because it happens to all of us.

The first impulse is to get angry and to defend your work. Check yourself before you blow up, though. Responding to negativity with negativity just creates more problems. If you shoot your mouth off to the Publisher’s Weekly reviewer, don’t expect them to ever review you again. If you engage in a battle on Amazon or on a message board, you’re going to look like a diva who can’t handle criticism. And getting into a battle with a comment trail troll is the biggest waste of time because they will hate you no matter what you do, simply because they want to hate something. You’ll never win any of these battles. You can defend your work all you want, but if they didn’t like it (or you), nothing you can say will change their mind and you’ll only look like an argumentative jackass.

So how can you deal with criticism? Here are some ideas.

Vent in private

If you have to go off on someone, do it in private. Vent to your partner, the dog, or the bare walls. Tell them all the nasty things you can’t say to the person who’s criticizing you. Get it off your chest and then let it go.

Look for the kernel of truth

Sometimes there is some truth in criticism, no matter how unkindly worded it may be. Try to find the bit of actionable truth in the critique. Are your characters weak? Your plot derivative? Your article short on facts? If there’s something useful in there, think about it and see if it’s something you can use going forward.

Try gratitude

It may seem silly to actually thank someone who is criticizing you, but not all criticism comes from meanness. Some of it comes from people who genuinely desire to help you produce better work. Try thanking them for taking the time to read your work and offer advice. You might even want to ask for more.

Remind yourself that you’re dealing with individual taste

This is perhaps the most important lesson to learn. Taste is subjective and not everyone will like everything. If someone says they hate your book, it may simply be that they didn’t care for the genre, point of view, subject matter or any of a hundred other reasons that are taste based. You don’t like everything you read, so why should you expect all of your readers to love your work?

Fix it, if you can

If the criticism stems from something like a typo or a misreported fact and your piece is online, fix it. If your work is in print you’ll have to wait for another printing to address any errors, but notify the publishers so that things can be corrected. In the meantime, you can post corrections on your website. Thank the person for pointing out your mistakes.

If it’s too late to fix it, let it go

If you can’t do anything about it right now, let it go. You can ask that mistakes be corrected in a reprint or post corrections on your site, but beyond that you have to let it go. Just try to do better the next time.

Realize that some people are just mean

Some people get their jollies from making others feel bad. You probably learned this in elementary school and it’s still true today. Writers make easy targets for those who want to pick on someone. And the more successful you are, the bigger that target becomes. The advice is the same as what your mother told you in elementary school. Ignore the bullies. Engaging them just gives them more power.

Ignore personal attacks

Simply choose to ignore personal attacks, attacks that make no sense, and attacks that have no relevance to your work. It’s one thing to criticize your work, but comments like, “You must be fat and ugly,” “You’re a dumbass,” or, “You must sit around all day just thinking of ways to suck,” have nothing to do with the work. They are the product of someone who just wants to stir things up, or who has other issues. There’s nothing constructive or productive you can take from them so let them go.

Don’t let it stop you

If every writer who received negative feedback quit writing, we’d have no books. If you see a continuous pattern of people who don’t like your work and who are saying the same things it may be time to rethink your style, genre, or overall approach, but you can use the criticism to improve. You don’t quit just because of criticism. You get better.

Don’t take it personally

If someone is legitimately criticizing your work, don’t turn it into a personal attack. Your writing is not you. If someone says your sentence structure is weak, that doesn’t mean that you are weak. If someone says your character acted like an idiot, that doesn’t mean you are an idiot. Work is work and you are you. Separate the two and respond accordingly.

Discuss it

Discussing it is not defending your work. It is not saying, “Hey, I made the choice to kill off the main character because it felt right and that was my choice to make, not yours.” Discussing criticism means asking for clarification or inviting the reviewer to expound on their critique, particularly in the case where the review or comment was brief. Then you can talk about ways to address those concerns. A true discussion can be good for both of you. You can learn from readers, and they can learn how to make their critiques more useful.

Get support

While you can try to be big about taking criticism, sometimes you just need people to tell you you’re great and loved. Talk it over with your friends or partner. Have someone who likes your work reassure you. Reread some positive reviews/comments to reassure yourself that it’s not all bad.

Put it in perspective

If you have 600 positive reviews and thirty negatives, the negatives are only five percent of the total. No matter how angry or offensive they are, they aren’t the majority, or even close. Use numbers to give you some perspective.

Criticism happens to everyone. Look at the bright side — if someone is criticizing you it means that you’ve actually put your work out there and made people think about it. If you’ve got a bunch of trolls and haters ragging on you, that may very well be a (twisted) sign of success. They don’t usually bother haranguing unsuccessful authors. That’s a lot more than many would-be writers ever achieve.

(Image courtesy of Mollye Knox)

Writer’s Block is a Myth

I used to believe in writer’s block. On the days when I would sit at the computer or page and feel like I had nothing to say, I’d say, “Oh, I have writer’s block,” and then go off and do something else. Having this “disease” of writer’s block gave me an excuse to avoid the hard work of writing. It was a crutch, something I could point to when someone asked how the writing was going. “Oh, I have writer’s block,” I could say dramatically and sound like some sort of tortured artist who had much to say and could write great works, if only I weren’t burdened with this terrible disease.

And then I wised up to what writer’s block really is. It’s a myth, created by writers who know they should be writing but who simply don’t want to put in the work. They’d rather walk the dog, watch a movie, or play a game than write. They simply can’t admit that they don’t want to write because it’s hard work or because they simply aren’t that dedicated to the occupation. It’s easier and more face saving to invent this mythical condition that afflicts only the gifted and artistic.

In what other field do you hear of some kind of block? Outside of other artistic pursuits like painting or sculpting, you don’t. You never hear about a brain surgeon who stands in front of an open skull and says, “I can’t operate today because I have surgeon’s block.” You don’t hear about a mechanic who stands in front of an open hood and says, “You know, I have mechanic’s block and can’t do this right now.” You never see the great athlete who gets to the Olympics and says, “I can’t run today because I have runner’s block.” Nope. In almost every other occupation and pursuit people just get on with the work. They do what they have to do because it is their job, or because their dream is on the line.

If you think of writing as your job (even if it’s a hobby), you’ll never have writer’s block. You will always find something to write. If one project isn’t firing for you, you start another one or work on another existing project. If you are having trouble getting into the groove, you do some free writing until you get there. Or, you write something even if it’s horrible just to get the words flowing, knowing that everything can be fixed and that your job is to move this project forward. If you can’t think of your writing as a job to be done no matter how your delicate artistic temperament is feeling that day, then you need to find another occupation.

Writer’s block is defined as, “The condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.” This should never be a problem for a writer. You should always be able to write something. Maybe it’s not perfect (or even good) and maybe it’s got nothing to do with your primary project. But each time you sit down to write, you should be able to think of something to write, or some way to proceed. If you don’t, it’s not because you have some terrible disease called writer’s block. It’s because you have one of the following afflictions:

Laziness
You don’t want to work this hard
You don’t want it (success, publication, money, etc.) enough
You don’t like writing all that much and should probably find another hobby or occupation
Something else is simply more important to you
The project you’re working on isn’t for you (too difficult, not your specialty, it’s irredeemably bad, etc.) and it’s time to ditch it and start something else.
Lack of confidence in your ability
Fear
Lack of ability

Whatever ails you can be solved. You can dump a bad project. You can deal with your fear. You can do the work to become a better writer. You can decide writing isn’t for you and go out and become a wrestler, instead. You don’t have a disease, you have a problem that needs to be solved. If you solve the problem and approach writing as a professional, you’ll never say, “I have writer’s block” again.

The day I began to see writing as my job, even if I wasn’t getting paid for it just yet, the writer’s block disappeared. I knew I had to work at writing, just like I would have to work at any other occupation. There is no exemption because I’m in an “artistic” field. There’s no excuse for not doing the work, short of illness or some sort of catastrophe. Just like any employer would expect me to get the work done no matter what, I now expect the same for myself. Now that I’ve adopted that attitude, I can always find something to write or some project to work on.

Writer’s block is for divas who believe that writing is some mystical gift governed by a muse who either appears for you or doesn’t. It’s an excuse used to get someone out of the hard work of becoming a better writer. It’s not for professionals who treat writing as a job to be done.

(Photo courtesy of Drew Coffman)

Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

No one is born a perfect writer. Everyone has to learn and improve their skills. Even after you’ve finished school, you should still work to improve your writing skills. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy and accessible ways to improve your skills. Note that I didn’t say quick. Any sort of improvement requires a time commitment. However, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, and learn to curb procrastination, the result can be clearer, better work that attracts publishers, clients, and additional work opportunities. Here are sixteen ways you can boost your writing skills.

Take a class

There are online and offline classes. Some are free and some charge a fee. They may be offered by community colleges, extension agencies, libraries, or you may be able to audit a college course. You don’t have to go for a full degree. Identify the areas in which you need help and sign up for some instruction.

Join a writer’s group

Good writer’s groups give you constructive feedback on your work (and give you the chance to offer the same to other writers). They can point out mistakes and things that aren’t clear, as well as help with structural issues.

Find a mentor

If you can find another writer who is willing to act as your mentor, this can be a valuable relationship. He or she can offer suggestions for your work and help you through the publication process.

Practice

This is the best way to improve your writing. All artists get better with practice. With every new work, work to address the things that gave you problems the last time. The more you write, the faster you’ll improve and the more you’ll grow as a writer.

Master revision and editing

The freedom of writing first drafts is fun but the work isn’t finished until it’s been revised and polished. You cannot be a good writer unless you master revision and learn how to edit your work.

Read your work out loud

When you read aloud you see mistakes that your eyes just glanced over. You also hear if your dialogue sounds real or stilted, or if your work flows smoothly from sentence to sentence and topic to topic.

Learn the rules

Some writers claim that their work is “groundbreaking” and that they don’t have to follow the rules, much less bother to learn them. The most successful rule breakers are the writers who first learned the rules and then learned how to break them for effect. They aren’t ignorant of the rules and their knowledge makes them stronger writers, even when it seems like they threw all the rules out the window. Consciously breaking the rules is different from not knowing them.

Read

Reading exposes you to different styles of writing and lets you see how a good writer constructs their work. You’ll also benefit from reading bad writing. (Plus it gives you that, “I can do better than this,” boost.)

Don’t rely on your spelling/grammar checker

These are helpful tools, but they aren’t always right. A spellchecker won’t tell you if you’ve used the word correctly, only that you’ve spelled it correctly. A grammar checker may be too overzealous, leading to constructions that might be technically correct but which ruin the tone of your work. Or it might miss something altogether. Use an old-fashioned dictionary and thesaurus and learn how to edit your own work.

Rewrite old work

Take an old piece and rewrite it. Not only is this practice, it gives you the chance to see how you’ve improved since you first wrote the piece.

Rewrite the work of other writers

You don’t want to do this for publication because you’re teetering close to plagiarism. However, rewriting good work lets you deconstruct the sentences and construction so you can better see how it all works together. You can also experiment with forms (turning prose into poetry, for example), or turn a tragedy into a comedy. It’s also good writing practice.

Attend a writer’s conference/workshop/retreat

Conferences, workshops, and retreats can offer seminars, quiet time for writing, critique groups, or classes. When looking for events to attend, look closely at which ones will offer you the most benefit before you spend your money.

Outline

You don’t have to outline like you did in school with Roman numerals and headings, but it can be helpful to organize your thoughts before you begin to write. This may be as simple as writing, “This happens, then this, then that,” on a sheet of paper, or you might want to write some scenes or topics on index cards and fit them in the correct order before you begin. A little organization before you begin can lead to a cleaner draft and a story that makes more sense.

Invest in your writing

There are plenty of free resources to help you improve your skills, but at some point you’re likely going to have to be willing to put forth some money. Good reference books, conference fees, and tuition all require money. Set aside some savings and invest in your work when necessary.

Expand your vocabulary

Take the time to improve your vocabulary. The more words you know, the more tools you have to work with. Look up a new word every day or use a “Word a Day” calendar or screensaver. If you run into a word you don’t know while you’re reading, or if a speaker uses a word you don’t know, look it up.

Be informed

The more informed you are about your industry, world events, or writing in general, the more choices you have about what to write and how to write it. This will keep you from writing the same things over and over again. You’ll also be able to write more authoritatively.

Improvement is always possible. Even if you think you can’t get better, you can. To get the most “bang for your buck,” identify which areas of your writing are giving you the most trouble and look for resources that will help you correct them.

(Photo courtesy of Prashanth dotcompals)

27 Ways to Beat Writer’s Procrastination

Procrastination can be a problem for many writers. For some, it can become a habit that’s hard to break and which has the potential to derail your writing career. It’s not that you don’t need/want to work, but you keep coming up with a thousand other things that either have to be done right now, or which seem like a better alternative than writing. They may also simply be excuses. Then, before you know it, the day is over and you haven’t written a word.

String enough of these days together and you start to find yourself locked in a vicious cycle. You know you should be writing but you’re not, that makes you depressed or angry so you don’t want to write, so you go find something else to do like watch bad reality TV and eat chips. Maybe you miss a few deadlines due to your procrastination and either lose some work or end up rushing to finish something, which makes you feel even more tired and frustrated. The cycle repeats until you give up, decide it’s not meant to be, and go to work at the Zippy Mart.

I exaggerate, of course. (well, sort of). The good news is that (in the absence of a true mental illness) procrastination can usually be cured by honing your awareness of the problem, using your common sense, and employing good time management skills. Here are twenty-seven ideas to help you overcome your procrastination habit.

Don’t wait for the muse

Many writers say things like, “I’m not inspired just now,” or, “When the muse strikes, I’ll really put in the effort.” Newsflash: The muse is a fairy tale. Rarely does inspiration come out of nowhere. Usually it’s the result of some work on your part, like doing some freewriting, buckling down and researching your next article, or drafting something that you know is crap but which you intend to rework later. If you wait for the muse, you could be waiting forever. Just sit down and start working on something. Anything. That will get the creative juices flowing and lead to more inspiration.

Don’t wait for perfect conditions

“I’ll write when the kids are quiet.” “I’ll write when [insert crisis] is over.” “I’ll write when I’m retired.” “I’ll write once I get my office renovated.” Any of this sound familiar? If so, you could be guilty of waiting for ideal conditions in which to write. However, ideal conditions almost never happen. There’s always something going on, something going wrong, something (or someone) annoying you, and demands on your time. That’s life. If you want to make writing a priority in your life then you can’t wait for perfect conditions. You just have to deal with whatever else is going on and write, too. You do this for other things you’ve identified as priorities in your life, so why not writing?

Set a timer

Buy an egg timer, use your cell phone’s timer function, or set the timer on your stove. Set the timer for the minimum amount of time you’re willing to commit to writing right now. It may be fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, or an hour. Then put your butt in the chair and write until the timer goes off. If you’re into it by then (which you probably will be), keep going. If you really want to quit you can do so, secure in the knowledge that you did something semi-productive today.

Set a goal

If you don’t like writing with a timer, try a page or word count goal instead. If you need to focus on research, set a goal to call one source, or look up three facts. Once the goal is met, you can quit if you wish or keep going.

Keep an appointment

Some people work better when they have the formality of an appointment to keep. If that’s you, note in your calendar that you will be writing from 7 PM – 9 PM (for example) and then keep that appointment with yourself.

Become an “X” Man (or Woman)

Every day that you write and do the work you’re supposed to do, make an “X” (or smiley face, or star, etc.) on your calendar. After a while, you have a lovely string of X’s. You’re less tempted to skip a day at that point because it stinks to mess up such a pretty string of success.

Make it a habit

The point of numbers three through six, above, is to help make writing a habit. Research consistently shows that once something is a habit, you do it with little effort or angst. You simply do what you need to do and rarely do you skip it. You don’t spend an hour trying to decide whether you should shower or brush your teeth today, or decide to do something else instead of showering (I hope) because you just can’t bring yourself to turn on the water. You just do it. Make writing the same kind of habit.

Develop a ritual

Sometimes having a pre-writing ritual can help move your brain into work mode when it really wants to go take a nap. Maybe you sit down and sharpen your pencil. Maybe you freewrite for ten minutes before the “real” work begins. Maybe you get a glass of water in your favorite glass and set it on your desk before beginning work. Whatever it is, your ritual is something you do every time you get ready to write. After a while, your brain and body know that if the ritual is taking place, it’s time to get to work.

Keep multiple projects going at once

Sometimes procrastination is born out of boredom or being stuck on a project. This is why keeping multiple projects going at once can be helpful. If you become bored or stuck on your novel, for example, you can switch over and work on your short story or that article you want to pitch to your favorite magazine. If you only have one thing going, it’s a lot easier to say, “I’m stuck,” and break out the XBox.

Have someone check up on you

Accountability can do wonders for curing procrastination. Have a friend agree to call you at a certain time and ask you how much work you’ve done, or join a writer’s group that expects to see progress at each meeting. Sure, you could just lie and say, “Oh, I wrote thirty pages today,” but inside you’re going to feel like crap if you do. And if you’re honest and say, “I played video games all afternoon instead of writing,” you’re going to be ashamed. Actually working will alleviate both feelings.

Find a role model

If you have trouble getting down to work, find someone who doesn’t and make them your writing buddy. You can both go to the library or the coffee shop to work. If the other person is working diligently, chances are you won’t want to look like a slacker in comparison.

Go somewhere else

If working at home has too many ways you can procrastinate (laundry, maintenance, cleaning, etc.), go to the library. If the coffee shop is too full of friends or cool things to waste time with, stop trying to be a hipster and just go home. If you’re having trouble getting to work where you are, find a better place.

Plan tomorrow before you quit today

Write down what you need to do tomorrow, set a starting time, and note any other information to help you get started the next day. Rather than sitting at the computer wondering what to do (and then surfing Pinterest when you can’t figure it out), you’ll know what to do and can immediately get to it.

Practice and learn

Sometimes you aren’t skilled enough to tackle the project at hand and, rather than admit it, it’s easier to procrastinate. This tends to happen when you take on a project in an industry that you aren’t familiar with, or when you take on your first project of a given type. Maybe you’ve never written a training manual before but you’ve agreed to do one for your favorite client, for example. But you can learn to do almost anything. Rather than procrastinating, get to work learning about this new thing you’ve signed up for. Learn the rules and formats required, read examples of other’s work, and practice until you’ve got a feel for it.

Eliminate unnecessary tasks

Sometimes, when you have too much to do, your brain just says, “No, thanks,” and shuts down. This can lead to procrastination as you piddle around trying to figure out which thing to do first, or how you’re going to fit everything into the day. Say, “No,” to anything that isn’t essential. Delegate anything you can to someone else. Don’t take on an obligation if you know it’s going to cut into your writing time and you don’t have to do it. Schedule appointments for times other than your prime writing time. The more you can reduce the demands on your time, the more time you’ll have to write.

But beware of too much time

While it’s great to clear your calendar so you can write more, some people find that having too much time is worse than having none at all. When I first quit my job and started working from home as a full-time writer, I had a lot more time. Days stretched before me with no meetings, no set times for arrival or departure, and no commute. I could do as I chose and I often chose nothing. There’s an illusion with too much time that you can always get to it “later.” Since you’re not pressed for time, you can write anytime, right? But you often don’t. I overcame it using many of the strategies listed here, but I learned that having too much time can be as bad as being stretched to the limit.

Get organized and stay that way

It’s easy to procrastinate by filing, cleaning up the desk, or putting away reference materials. But this is just another way to avoid the work. If your desk is a mess, dedicate a day to cleaning it up, devising a workable filing system, and making sure that everything you need is easy to hand. Then keep it that way. Now you have no excuse for not writing because everything is in its place and easy to find.

Get over perfectionism

The thought that you have to be perfect can freeze you where you stand. If you can’t be perfect, you think, why bother? It’s easier to go clean the house or trawl Facebook than to write crap. Nobody’s perfect. Let it go and just do the best you can on any given day. If the day’s work is bad you can always fix it later, but get at least something down on the paper.

Break the project down

Rather than tackling a project all at once (which can seem overwhelming and lead to procrastination), break it down into smaller chunks. Focus on outlining just one chapter, for example, or writing one section of a book proposal.

Deal with fear

Sometimes fear masquerades as procrastination. It’s not that you don’t want to write, it’s that you’re afraid to write. You’re afraid of rejection, of failure, of what your friends or family will think, or even of success (it happens). If you admit your fear and deal with it, the procrastination may go away.

Turn off/ignore all distractions

You know how it goes. You answer the phone, only to be caught talking to your mother for an hour. Instead of saying, “I’ll call you back in two hours,” you actually think, “Thank goodness. Now I don’t have to work.” You let the distraction lead you down the path of procrastination. To prevent this, turn off the phone, get some noise canceling headphones, refuse to answer the door, etc. Also, if you can, turn off your Internet while you’re working. It’s one of the biggest, easiest distractions, so if you can make it harder to get online, you’ll eliminate at least one avenue of procrastination.

Learn to manage your time better

Time management is a skill that can be learned. When you’re bad at managing time it gets away from you, or you spend too much time on the unimportant things and not enough on what you really wanted to do. Procrastination can be a form (or symptom) of poor time management skills. There are books and classes on the subject if you need to improve your skill.

Find the motivation

If a project isn’t due for months, or it’s a big project like a book, it’s hard to find motivation day in and day out. The end is nowhere in sight and your motivation to work has left the building. You have to find something that motivates you to work. Maybe it’s the thought that you could finish early and impress your client. Maybe if you finish early you’ll get paid sooner. Maybe if you finish early (and you really don’t like this project) you can move on to something else. Maybe you can take satisfaction in the work itself, even if it doesn’t seem to be getting you anywhere. Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” and figure out how to keep your motivation high.

Keep moving

Ever notice that if you go a few days without writing it gets easier not to write? This is because projects build momentum and when you interrupt that momentum, it’s harder to get it restarted. It’s easier to say, “What’s one more day?” If you keep writing, though, you keep your momentum going and it becomes harder to stop writing than it is to start. (The same is true of exercise, incidentally.)

Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re working when you’re not

Yes, you may need to research the mating habits of squirrels for your project. But you probably don’t need to spend three hours doing so and you definitely don’t need to follow links from squirrels to nuts to cute pictures of squirrels on Pinterest and then to Amazon.com to search for nuts to buy. You can’t call all this wasted time “research” because it’s not. If you need to interrupt your writing, do so quickly and then get back to it. Better yet, make a note of what you need to know and keep on writing. You can do your “research” later.

Reward yourself

If you do what you’re supposed to do on a given day (and be honest here), give yourself a small reward. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Maybe one song download from iTunes, a sticker on your calendar, or a favorite snack. Rewards may not make the task any easier, but knowing that you’ll get something fun at the end can motivate you to put your butt in the chair.

Ask yourself if you really want to be a writer

If procrastination can’t be overcome, it might be time to ask yourself if you really want to write. Maybe you are really trying to fill someone else’s expectations, or to do a job that you heard was “great” but which you don’t really want to do. It’s better to admit that writing isn’t for you than to struggle every day.

Many things can cause procrastination and discovering why you’re dragging your feet to your desk is usually the first step in overcoming the problem. If you already know why you’re procrastinating, then taking some active steps to stop it can help you get to work. Procrastination is one of those things that always seems like a good (or at least harmless) idea at the time, but which just leads to problems later on.

(Photo courtesy of Rennett Stowe)

Finding Time to Write

Many people complain about not having time to write. Sure, we’re all busy these days and it can be difficult to find time to do the things that are important to us. But the bottom line is that if something is important to us, it’s important enough to carve out time to pursue. Yes, that may mean giving up something else, but that’s the price to be paid. If you want to pursue one thing, you have to put it ahead of something else. Harsh, but true. This holds true whether you want to write, fly kites, or learn to make origami swans.

There are ways to find time to write (or do anything else), though, and while many of them require prioritizing writing above other things, some simply require you to be aware of your time and make better use of it. Here are some suggestions for finding the time to write (or make those origami swans).

Give up TV

Or whatever else is sucking away big chunks of your time. It could be video games, the internet, or other activities. These are all fine in moderation but you have to cut them down or out if you want to be a productive writer. TV is usually the worst offender. Do you really have to watch the news twice a day? Do you have to keep up with whatever dramas or reality shows your coworkers are watching? Do you have to watch every sporting event in its entirety? Probably not. Inventory your viewing/playing/surfing habits and cut down to the bare minimum required to keep you happy.

Give up the idea of writing in large chunks

Many people feel that they can’t write unless they can sit down for two or three hours and write uninterrupted. How nice that would be. This isn’t an option for many of us. Kids, jobs, pets, and other interruptions mean that we often can’t write for more than a few minutes at time. This isn’t an insurmountable problem. You just have to train your brain to quickly focus, write, and then be able to come back to the project when you have another chance. Practice will make this easier.

Say, “No,” often

Stop taking on so many obligations. There are some things you cannot get out of, but a good bit of what takes up our time is optional. Get comfortable saying, “No” to demands on your time.

Get up earlier

If you want an extra half hour a day, you may have to simply get up earlier so you can write while the rest of the world is asleep. While this can be difficult at the beginning, forcing your self the first few weeks will quickly turn into a habit.

Stay up later

If getting up earlier isn’t for you, you can try staying up to write after everyone else has gone to bed. Experiment with your body clock to find out if you’re more a morning or evening person.

Subject everything to the “Priority Test”

Whenever you find yourself with a decision about how to spend your time, subject your choices to the Priority Test. Ask yourself which is more important: Working on your writing, or whatever other thing it is you’re about to do. If writing is important to you, it should win out most of the time over things like social media, web surfing, TV watching, cleaning, and talking on the phone. If writing isn’t winning these battles, then you either have a serious problem with procrastination or you need to ask yourself if you really want to be a writer.

Learn to live with more dirt

We spend a lot of time cleaning, even when things don’t need to be cleaned (or can be cleaned less often). Free up time in your schedule by getting comfortable with a little more dirt. No, you don’t have to become like one of those houses on Hoarders, but see if you can get by with a bit less cleaning. Change the sheets less often. Give the counters a quick wipe down instead of a deep scrubbing every week. Let the vacuuming go for another day. Chances are that even if you clean a bit less, you still won’t end up living in complete filth.

Get rid of the little “Time Wasters”

While we’re all guilty of wasting large chunks of time on things like TV and the internet, we all also have smaller time wasters that we might not even notice. Things like constant phone calls or social media updates, errands, solicitors, and inefficient daily chores all eat up our time. There are lots of ways to streamline your daily life, however. Look at your daily routine and figure out how you can make things more efficient.

Schedule the time

If you work better when everything is scheduled down to the minute, then be sure to schedule your writing time. Make it a recurring event on your calendar. If you see it there everyday as something that has to be done, you may be less likely to blow it off.

Depend on it

When you depend on the income from your writing to pay the bills, it gets pretty darn easy to find the time to write. While I’m not saying that you should quit your day job if you have one (starvation and eviction aren’t appealing options), at least try to act like you need to get paid from your writing. Set a long term goal like a great vacation or a new car and then try to fund it with only money you make writing. “Needing” that money will suddenly make writing a priority for you.

Use those random hours

Lunch hour. Your commute on the bus. The kid is napping. You’re waiting for Junior’s basketball practice to end. Waiting at the airport for a friend to arrive. Waiting in the doctor’s office or for your car to be repaired. We all have chunks of time in our day that are kind of random. With all of the mobile technologies available (and even good old pen and paper), there’s no reason these times can’t be used to eke out a few words.

Get your family on board

Talk to your kids, spouse, or partner and explain how important writing is to you. Explain that you need their help to cut down on interruptions and deal with things around the house. You don’t have to dump everything on them, but get them to help you with daily chores, let your spouse help with transportation for the kids, and make them understand that writing time can only be interrupted for life threatening emergencies. Set expectations up front and be grateful when they help out. Your family may be more receptive to helping you if they feel like their contribution is valued.

Stop multitasking

You think you’re being productive by writing and doing something else at the same time, but really you’re doing neither task well. Studies have shown that your brain can’t really do two things at once; it only switches back and forth between activities, reducing your concentration on both activities. Multitasking is another word for half-assing your work. Instead of writing while you watch TV, cook dinner, surf the internet, or help the kids with their homework, do one or the other. If you choose writing, that time, however short it may be, will be more productive than twice the time spent trying to multitask.

Write in your head

If you find yourself with time where your mind can wander but you cannot physically write, write in your head. If you have a physical job that doesn’t require much brain power or you’re bored out of your mind at a conference, outline your stories and articles in your head. Then, when you do have time to write, you can make that time super productive because you’ve already got a draft worked out in your head.

Audit your activities

List everything that you do. Clubs, volunteer work, social obligations, church, activities at your kid’s school, your job/second job, recreational activities, etc. Now ask yourself how many of those things are sill fun, meaningful, necessary, or relevant to your life today. Drop anything that no longer holds value or interest for you. It’s surprising how many things we do just because we’ve always done them, not because they are still important or required. It may be painful to let some things go (and you may meet some resistance), but it’s for the best if they’re no longer worthwhile.

Delegate and outsource

If you have others in your family who can help with chores, delegate some activities. If there are other members of your group or club who can help organize an activity, get them working. If you have the money, pay other people to do things like lawn maintenance or housecleaning. You don’t have to do everything yourself.

The time to write is out there, you just have to take the initiative to capture it. We all have chunks of wasted time or silly obligations that we can cut out. We just have to identify them and then do the hard work of prioritizing writing over those other things.

(Photo courtesy of Toni Verdu Carbo)

25 Ways to Improve Your Writing Vocabulary

A great vocabulary is just one essential tool in a writer’s toolbox, along with punctuation, grammar, and many others. Vocabulary can make your writing more powerful and more effective and help you say exactly what you mean. This indispensable tool will help you choose the best word for every job and avoid vague words that do not give your readers a good sense of your meaning.

Building your vocabulary is one of the easiest ways to improve the power of your writing and make any writing task that much easier, as you will have several synonyms in your repertoire to pull from every time. Developing your vocabulary need not be difficult or painful. Here are 25 ways you can improve your writing vocabulary every day.

Use New Words

Use a word immediately after you learn it. Try to make a game out of using a new word as soon as you learn it. Every day, try to slip in a new word into the conversation, a journal entry, an assignment or an email to a friend. Do this as often as possible, and repeat the word to yourself.

Read Every Day

Once you’re out of school, word drills and assigned reading become things of the past. While these were tools for building your vocabulary repertoire while you were young, it doesn’t mean you should abandon reading. Try to read a well-written and edited essay, magazine article, book or news article every day. Nonfiction and technical books will quickly teach you new ways to think and speak with words you may be unfamiliar with, but any type of reading will help you along.

Learn Roots

Learn the roots of words. Most words in the English language are built from a common root, prefix, and suffix, usually with an origin in the Greek or Latin language. Once you learn a root, you’ll begin to understand more words that use the same root. For example, -duc- (Latin root word) means to lead or to make, such as in the words produce or deduce.

Use a Thesaurus

Keep a thesaurus handy. As you write, keep a thesaurus handy and use it when you find yourself using a word too often, or using a word that you know doesn’t quite convey the right meaning. This will help you better express yourself, and you’ll also learn a new word in the process.

Develop Practical Vocabulary

This means you should start by learning words that express what’s important to you for the task at hand. A good example of this is learning trade language or words you use often in a hobby or vocation. Rather than immediately turning to cliches or jargon that’s tossed around, look for clearer words to express to peers what you’re writing about.

Learn New Words Every Day

To improve your vocabulary quickly, make an effort to learn at least one new word every single day. There are plenty of ways to do this, such as a Word of the Day calendar or email list, or simply picking a word from a thesaurus or dictionary.

Look up Words You Don’t Know

How often do you come across words that are unfamiliar as you read? Don’t just gloss over them; take the time to look them up, and if you don’t have the time right then, write them down and look them up later.

Keep a Journal

Journaling won’t just help you develop your writing style, it will also help you improve your vocabulary. Try to use new or interesting words you’ve learned recently into a journal entry for the day or the week.

Identify Empty Words

You’re probably familiar with empty words in your speech (such as “uh” or “um”), but your writing probably has empty words as well. Look for these empty words in your writing that do not offer any substance to your reader and replace them with something more appropriate. The same principle applies to phrases and sentences, so make sure that you haven’t used six or seven phrases to say something that could be better communicated in one sentence filled with carefully-chosen words.

Diversify Your Reading List

If you tend to read the same sort of things day in and day out, you may not be exposing yourself to a wide enough range of vocabulary. Diversify the topics you read to include natural science, Shakespeare, contemporary literature, politics, history, philosophy or any other topics you think you may enjoy.

Do Word Puzzles

Word puzzles in the newspaper or a magazine aren’t just a fun way to fill time, they’re also perfect for boosting your working vocabulary. Crossword puzzles are a challenge that get your brain working hard to search your memory for words you do know but don’t use, and this can help you move words from your memory banks into your working set of vocabulary which will come across in your writing.

Try Word Board Games

There are plenty of word games on the market designed to improve vocabulary and language skills without being a bore. Some of these games you may have played as a child, so it’s time to break them out again and get to “work.” If you have a friend who could also use some help — or someone with a great vocabulary you think will challenge you — invite them over for a game night.

Practice New Words in Divergent Ways

It takes between 10 and 20 repetitions to make a new word a part of your vocabulary. To help the word settle into your mind and memory, write it down (both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word), use it in conversation, include it in an email or any other way you can think of.

Make up Associations

Start by saying the new word aloud, then relate it to a word you already know. A good example of this is gargantuan, which means “very large” or “gigantic.” Say a sequence aloud: small, medium, large, very large, gargantuan. Then list things you think are gargantuan.

Use Mnemonics

Mnemonic techniques are memory tricks you can use to remember new words. You may remember a word by sounding it out and thinking of a funny sentence that matches the meaning, such as turning egregious (extremely bad) into “Don’t let that smelly rotten egg reach us!”

Visualize New Words

Research shows that visualization is a great way to remember new words and their meanings. A good example of this is the word stratovolcano, which is a high, pointed mountain with a violent explosion. One way to remember this meaning is the fact that the prefix “strato” sounds like “straight-oh,” which may make you think of a straight ruler or a “straight-o-volcano,” which describes the word’s definition.

Make Your Own Vocabulary Tests

Keep a list of the new words you learn each week and incorporate into writing and conversation. At the end of each week, make yourself a quiz using the words to cement them in your memory.

Make Synonym Word Lists

Do you find yourself turning to the same word again and again in your writing? Grab a piece of paper and write it at the top. Next, brainstorm or use a thesaurus to generate a list of ten to twenty new words you can use instead. You can keep these lists in a vocabulary notebook and add to them whenever you learn a new synonym.

Take a Writing Course

There are plenty of online courses as well as in-person classes you can attend to boost your writing vocabulary and learn how to use new words correctly. Try to find a self-paced course that uses assignments and quizzes to hep you increase fluency and brush up on your writing skills. Some classes are aimed at essay writing or creative writing, so you can find a class that will help you improve the style you need the most help with.

Edit Your Own Writing

After you finish writing, be your own editor and go though the piece with a fine-toothed comb to identify overused and nondescript words with something more precise or colorful. Editing is an important process for spotting writing errors, but it’s also great for improving the tone, style, and clarity of your writing. It might help to read the sentences aloud, then note any lack of precision. Search through your memory for more descriptive words, or consult a thesaurus if you need to.

As you replace words, remember that using a large number of complex words won’t necessarily clarify the meaning, and it may just make your writing more pompous. Ask yourself, “Do I know a better word to use instead?” You may replace “use” with “acquire” or “obtain,” or “do” with “perform.”

Move Words from Comprehensive to Expressive Vocabulary

You actually have two types of vocabulary: one is a much larger set of words you understand, even if only vaguely, and the other is a smaller set of words you actually use to express yourself. Moving words from your comprehensive, but passive vocabulary, to your active, expressive vocabulary is easier than you think. To do this, you’ll need to know how to define, pronounce and spell the words. Say them out loud and use them at every opportunity to move them into your active set.

Ask for Feedback

Do you think your writing could use some help? If you’re struggling with your written vocabulary, try asking someone else for help. A second set of eyes can offer a great deal of insight and spot problems you may not notice yourself, including poor word choice. Don’t be afraid to ask a friend, teacher, co-worker or someone online to review your writing for feedback on your vocabulary.

Carry a Dictionary and Thesaurus with You

How often do you find yourself with free time and nothing to do? Carry a pocket thesaurus or dictionary with you and you’ll find time to beef up your vocabulary while you’re waiting for an appointment, commuting to work or waiting for a bus. Whenever you have a few minutes to spare, read a page or two and learn a new word to add to your writing. It’s also a great idea to look up obscure words you don’t quite grasp that come to you on the fly as you go about your day. You can also use the dictionary or thesaurus to look up unfamiliar words you come across in your daily life.

Use College Preparation Tests

College prep tests that use SAT and ACT-type words are a great way to take your writing to the next level. This form of advanced study will challenge your mind and give you a new set of words to use that are practical and offer your writing the clarity it needs. You’ll also get the chance to brush up on the most important Latin and Greek roots and get a new set of words with activities to help move them into your active vocabulary set.

Play Games

There are tons of non-board games that will help you improve your writing vocabulary while you have fun. Try downloading fun word games onto your phone or computer so you can get some practice while you unwind after a busy day. Some games are designed to build vocabulary skills, but there are plenty of others that will help you practice spelling, phonics, and even typing skills. There are even some designed for college students to prepare for testing and vocabulary-rich exams.

Hopefully, this list has given you an excellent place to start to build your vocabulary a bit at a time. If you think about it, there are opportunities all around you to develop this important skill, so spend time every day reading and listening to take in new words and then develop a system to incorporate these new words in your writing and speech. Before long, you’ll find your vocabulary has grown to a new level and your writing has gained the clarity you need with an ease you didn’t think possible.

Author: Jovell Alingod

(Image courtesy of Michael Coghlan)

25 Excuses for Not Writing (And Why They’re Not Valid)

Writers (and those who want to be writers) have tons of excuses for not writing. I’m not sure there’s any other occupation with quite so many excuses for not working as writing. Everyone from school kids who have to write a term paper to novelists and freelance writers have piles of excuses for not doing the work.

Worse, many writers and would-be-writers have convinced themselves that these excuses are valid. While some of them may be valid on a limited basis (if you’re sick, injured, or in the middle of some kind of true crisis, for example, you may really not be able to write), most of them are just ways we try to justify our fears, insecurities, or laziness. They’re nothing but excuses, not legitimate reasons for skipping work. To help you sort out valid from invalid excuses, here are some of the most common excuses writers give for not working and why most of them are garbage.

I don’t have time

Everybody’s busy. We all have errands to run, jobs to do, family to take care of, volunteer assignments, and appointments to keep. If everyone was “too busy” to write, we’d never have another book published. If writing is something you want to do, you have to make it a priority. Drop whatever obligations you can get out of, delegate stuff to other people, and let the dishes sit in the sink for a little longer.

My family will hate me

This excuse comes up on two fronts. The first is that your family will hate you if you use real-life experiences in your work. They won’t like seeing themselves in print. And they probably won’t. But you can change names and alter events to protect the innocent. If they still get mad, well, you can hope that your royalty checks are enough to shut them up. The second fear is that your family will hate you if you start making writing a priority in your life. They may not get as much time as they’re used to and they might (gasp) have to start doing some more things for themselves. That’s not a bad thing. You can work out compromises as you go along to make sure they don’t feel left out.

I’m too old to start

“You can’t get published if you’re over forty. Publishers only want hot young authors who are TV worthy.” Or, “They won’t take a chance on an old guy who won’t live to give them thirty books.” Sometimes this is (sadly) true. But it’s even more true that publishers are businesses that want excellent products to sell. If you’ve got a great story well told or an original non-fiction book, they’ll want it, even if you’ve got one foot in the grave and it’s the only book you’re likely to ever write.

I’m too young to start

Yes, sometimes young authors lack experience and training and that comes through in their work, leading to rejections. But the younger you are when you start the learning process, the longer and more successful your career can be.

No one will take me seriously

They may not. Your work may be ridiculed and pushed aside. Or it may not. You won’t know unless you try. And unless your goal is to be a great literary author or the author of a serious non-fiction book, being taken seriously doesn’t matter all that much, anyway.

I’ve got writer’s block

There is no such thing as writer’s block. If you can’t think of a single thing to put on the page, you’ve got a very big problem and it probably means you’ve gone blind, deaf, and mute as well. With everything that goes on around you every day and all that has happened in your life, you should always be able to find something to write about. Whether what you write is good or not is a separate problem, but it’s not writer’s block.

It’ll never be published

Maybe not, but is publication the only reason you want to write? Do you want to write because you enjoy it, because you like to tell stories, or because you like to learn new things? If so, so what if you don’t get published? Writing is often its own reward and publication is just icing on the cake.

I have no talent

You may not. Lots of people don’t. But anyone can learn to write better. Spend some time in classes and working with a good writer’s group or mentor. You can get better. It may not be so much a lack of talent as you just don’t know the mechanics very well. At least try to improve before you write yourself off as a no-talent hack.

I’m saving it for when I retire/have more free time/the kids are gone

Sure. And something else will always insert itself into that, “free time.” Besides, what if you drop dead before you can retire, or what if the kids never leave? You have to write now, not put it off to some point in the future that may never come.

I don’t have any good ideas

Ideas are all over the place, you just have to learn how to recognize them and then turn that tiny fragment of an idea into a story or article. Everything that you read, watch, see, hear, or smell has the potential to be a good idea.

There are too many interruptions

You can move your work area to someplace less distracting like the library. Turn off the phone and refuse to answer the door. Buy some noise-canceling headphones. Turn off your internet connection and email notifications. If the kids won’t leave you alone, drop them off at the movies for a couple of hours. Dump them on your spouse for the afternoon and go to the library. Distractions can be managed if you’re motivated.

I need an MFA before I can write

Yes, you might need some more training before your work is publishable. Chances are, though, that you can learn what you need through an extension course or by working with a writer’s group and by practicing on your own. An MFA is nice, but very few people “need” one at all, much less need to complete one before they can write at all. After all, if you can’t write without it, how are you going to get into the program in the first place?

The last thing I wrote was rejected

Every writer is rejected. Most of them get rejected a lot. Even writers that are now legends like J.K. Rowling were rejected. It’s not always a matter of your work being bad. Sometimes it’s just that the particular publisher didn’t need what you’re selling, or that they already have something similar on their list. You have to keep writing and submitting.

There’s not a market for what I want to write

True, it can be harder to get work published that doesn’t fit into an established genre. But someone has to be the first to start a new trend. It could be you.

I’m too tired and stressed

Then get your life under control. Go to bed earlier. Try writing in the morning while you’re still fresh. Drop some obligations to reduce your stress. Figure out what’s stressing you and then work to eliminate or control it. Exercise to burn off some anger and increase your energy levels. Eat right to keep your overall health in balance. Everyone is tired and stressed but you have to learn how to get things under control so that you can be productive.

People will laugh at me

They might. Generally, though, most people are too absorbed in themselves to care about what you’re doing. And no publisher or agent is going to call you up and laugh at your submission to your face. They’re too busy to bother laughing at you. You’ll just get a polite rejection with no laughter.

The whole thing is just too hard

If it’s just too hard to write and go through the process of submitting and revising your work, you’re in the wrong line of work. Writing is a job and, like any job, it’s not easy. If it were easy, we’d all be getting six-figure royalty checks.

I’ll never finish, so why start?

This speaks to a problem with completion. Do you finish other things you start? If so, then writing just isn’t important enough to you to finish. Think about whether it’s something you want to do. If you never finish anything, then you’ve got a bigger problem you have to solve before you can write or do anything else successfully. Regardless, starting is worthwhile because you might discover that this is the one thing you do finish.

I’d rather be doing something else

Then go do it. Writing is either important enough to you that you will forego other activities, or it’s not. If you don’t want to do it, don’t. If you want to write, you’ll put your butt in the chair and do the work. Otherwise you’ll go to the movies and let other people’s work populate the bookshelves.

I don’t know how to get published

A lot of people don’t, but they learn. There are plenty of books and magazines to help you and in the age of the Internet, the answer to any question is one Google away. There are also extension classes dedicated to the publishing process. Write the story or book first, then worry about what comes next.

I have nothing new to say

If everything on the market had to be 100% original, we could all stop writing right now. There is very little that hasn’t already been covered. What matters is how you present your material. Is your voice unique? Do you have a slightly different angle on an old problem? Can you improve on something someone has already done?

I’m not an expert on anything

You don’t have to be. You can learn what you need to know as you go along. Sure, publishers like people who are well established in their fields, but you have a chance even if you’re not that guy. If you are professional and have something original to say, you can find work. And you can make yourself an expert. Start writing for smaller publications and work your way up. By the time you get to the upper echelon of publications, you’ll be an expert.

I’m not web savvy

It helps if you know how to set up a blog or website, and if you can promote yourself on Facebook and Twitter. But you can either learn these things as you go along, or hire someone to handle them for you. There are plenty of writers who pay someone to maintain their websites or presence on social media. There are also plenty of writers who’ve gone to classes to learn about these things.

I can’t handle failure (or success)

And if you never write, you won’t have to, now will you? That’s the allure of this excuse. But if you can’t handle failure or success in your writing, how can you handle anything that happens to you? Do you freak out if you get promoted at work? Probably not. Are you reduced to despondency if your dinner party doesn’t turn out the way you hoped? Probably not. The good news is that failure or success in writing is rarely life-threatening. So your story doesn’t get published? You had a good time writing it, didn’t you? And you probably weren’t counting on the money just yet. So try again. And if you succeed, the odds are very low that you’ll succeed to the point that the paparazzi are camping outside your door and the phone is ringing day and night with people wanting interviews.

I work full-time and have to take care of the house/kids/pets, too

Again, you need to prioritize your time. Can you write on your lunch hour? Are the kids old enough that they can be dropped at a friend’s house for a couple of hours? Can they carpool with someone else in their activities once a week so you don’t have to drive them? And if you do drive them, can you take your laptop and write while you wait? Do you have a spouse that can pick up some of the work? Can you hire a housekeeper who comes in once a month to deal with the worst of the housework? You have to have time for the things that are important to you, whether it’s writing or something else. Otherwise you’ll go bonkers. Figure out how to carve that time out of your schedule.

If you find yourself offering up excuse after excuse, it might be time to reevaluate your career choice. You probably shouldn’t be a writer. If you really want to write, however, you have to realize that these excuses are just that. Excuses. And they’re probably hiding something else like fear, insecurity, or even something like depression. It may be that you really don’t want to be a writer. If you deal with the root problem, your excuses will likely go away.

(Image courtesy of Achim Hepp)

53 Places and Ways to Get Ideas for Your Writing

Getting ideas isn’t as difficult or mystical as many make it out to be. It’s not a matter of being struck by lightning or having the muse whisper ideas into your ear. The truth is, ideas are everywhere. You just have to pay attention and train yourself to see an idea in what others see as just a normal part of every day life. If you can do that, you’ll never be without an idea for stories, articles, and other projects. Here are fifty-three sources of ideas to get you started.

Books

Good writers read widely. They don’t steal from other’s work, but they do find inspiration in the work of others. A passage in a book, a fact, a line of dialogue, or an unresolved situation can give you an idea for your own work.

Movies

Movies are more visual than books, but the same idea applies. You may find an idea in something that the filmmakers left unresolved, or in a fact presented in a documentary.

Magazines/journals/trade publications

Magazines exist for almost every interest and hobby. They are packed with facts, statistics, interesting pictures, sordid tabloid gossip, and boring trade secrets. Any of this can be fodder for your work.

Blogs

Like magazines, blogs are full of all kinds of stories and information. Read ones that interest you, but also take the time to scan some that are outside of your interests so you learn something new and unexpected.

People watching

People are fascinating. They do strange things and all you have to do is sit in a public place and watch them. Someone’s mannerisms, actions, or situation may inspire you.

Message forums

Again, read forums that reflect your interests, but also read some that are completely new to you. People post the strangest things including things that are way more personal than you’d expect to find in a “public” place.

Music

A good lyric or arrangement can give you an idea. Or maybe you start to wonder about the artist who wrote the song, or the drummer who can drum like no one you ever heard before. At the very least, music can set a mood that may make it easier for you to think of new ideas.

Nature

Take a walk outside and pay attention to what you see, hear, and smell.

Relaxation

Ideas seem to flow easier when you’re relaxed. This is why many writers get ideas as they’re about to drift off to sleep, doing mindless chores, or while in the shower. Chill out and let your brain do the work.

Idea generators/prompts

There are plenty of books and websites that offer up brief prompts or situations to get you going. “Two people are sitting at a restaurant table, conversing. One jumps up and points at the other and starts shouting. What’s going on here?”

Artwork/Photography

Art is inspiring in two ways. Just being in the presence of creativity and mastery can get you thinking of things you want to do. You can also use the art as a prompt. For example, if you see a painting of peasants fleeing their homes, pick one of the peasants and finish his or her story.

Friends/family

The people we’re close to often tell interesting stories. Too often, though, we tune them out. Take the time to listen whenever someone starts up with, “When I was a kid…”

Travel

Travel opens your eyes to how other people live and new places. It’s a great way to find ideas.

Exercise

Exercise relaxes your mind and gives you time to think. If you exercise outside, you can combine some nature watching with your exercise. If you’re in a gym, throw in some people watching and eavesdropping. Or just tune it all out and let your subconscious surprise you.

Pressure

Some people crumble under deadlines, but others thrive. Sometimes there’s nothing like knowing you have to produce an article or story to get the ideas flowing. True story: I once won a short story contest with a story I wrote the night before the deadline. I’d put it off and put it off and finally decided to sit down and write. I was stumped for a while but then I just started with the first crazy thing that came into my head. I don’t recommend living a life that’s stressed out all of the time but sometimes a little pressure can get you moving when nothing else can.

Writer’s groups

Your writing colleagues may be able to help you come up with an idea, or the act of simply hanging out with them may generate an idea.

Book clubs

Not only are you reading, but you’re discussing what you read with others. Hearing how other people experience the book may give you an idea or a new way of seeing the material that can be spun off into your own work.

Newspapers/TV News

Read the headlines to see what’s happening. Read the ads, the comics, and the lifestyle section, as well. You never know when something will hit you. Also, if your library has old newspapers on microfilm, trawl through those. Televised news can also be a source of ideas. Everything from the headlines to the anchors themselves becomes fair game.

Journaling

Writing down the events of the day, working through a problem, ranting about your boss, or just jotting down your random thoughts will sometimes yield an idea you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Just remember to keep the journal private. Blogs are good for some things, but posting your most intimate, uncensored, and damaging thoughts isn’t one of them.

Dreams

It’s funny what our subconscious serves up at night. A lot of it makes no sense, but every once in a while you get a dream (or part of a dream) that’s the idea for a great story.

Blue Sky

Disney has a process called “Blue Sky.” This is where everyone involved in a project (and even some who are not involved like the janitors) are asked to simply throw ideas into the mix without censoring. Every idea, no matter how silly, far-fetched, or expensive is written down and considered. No one is allowed to say, “That won’t work,” on the first pass. Most ideas are eventually discarded, but some (or combinations of some) work out and go on to become movies or attractions. Have your own “Blue Sky” time and just write down every crazy thing that comes into your head. When you go back and read it, you might be surprised at what you find.

Get out of your rut

Ruts make it difficult for us to see new things. Try driving to work a different way, take a new route for your evening walk, eat at a new restaurant, or go somewhere you wouldn’t normally choose. Just do something different and see if you get new ideas.

Pinterest/collages

The ideas here come from looking at interesting combinations of things you might not have thought of. Why is someone showcasing jam jars with vampires?

Freewriting

This is similar to journaling, except you’re not trying to record your thoughts or the events of your life, per se. You start with a prompt or something that just pops into your head and write whatever comes to mind. Or, you could start with a question about a current project or something that you want to know. Write for ten or fifteen minutes without censoring yourself and then see what you’ve got.

Historical research

History is full of fun facts and events that can be used for stories and articles. Many things are well known, but it’s often the overlooked things and people, or the events that get one line mentions in books that are the most fun to think about.

Memories/personal experience

Where better to get ideas than from your own personal experience? Maybe you write about your high school boyfriend, or the time your neighbor pissed you off.

Daydreams

Staring out the window and daydreaming can be a valid way to get an idea. It relaxes your brain and you often think about things that aren’t terribly realistic or which you wouldn’t do in real life. When daydreaming, we often turn off the censor in our minds which leads to ideas flowing more freely.

Ask, “What if…?”

This is the best question to ask when looking for ideas. Take any situation, experience, or product and ask, “What if…?” Then fill in the blank with whatever crazy thing you want.

Fix a problem or address a need

Ever said to yourself, “If only this product did [insert feature].” Or, “Wouldn’t it be neat if I could do [insert ability or problem fix].” Or, “I really need [insert need here], but it doesn’t exist.” Sure, your solution could be really out there, but that’s where the story begins.

Mash up ideas

Things that at first seem like they have no relation to each other can sometimes be made to fit together in a new and interesting way. Look at the people who put Pride and Prejudice together with Zombies. It might seem crazy, but go with it and see where it leads.

Re-read your old work

Maybe there’s something there you didn’t explore fully the first time, or you see a new way you can slant it to appeal to new markets.

Talk to strangers

Chat up the shopkeeper or the guy changing your oil. Talk to the guy who fixes your furnace or your favorite librarian. You don’t have to become best friends, but you never know when a fascinating story or idea will come out of their experience.

Attend an event

Go to a conference or seminar. Better yet, go to one that covers a topic or industry with which you have no experience. You might see a whole different world and way of thinking that opens your mind.

Newsletters

Newsletters can be good sources for keeping up with trends, following events in a field, or just getting bits of gossip that are fun to read. Subscribe to newsletters from a variety of fields and interests.

Statistics

Numbers don’t lie. Or do they? Statistics can represent hard facts, or they can be manipulated by various groups to gain support for their causes. Whenever you see a statistic, stop and think about what it means, who benefits from this statistic, and how you might work it into a story or article.

Take the opposite position

Whenever you encounter an article or real life situation, try taking the opposite position. They say yes, you say no. They say good idea, you say bad idea. They say, “They lived happily ever after,” you say, “And they died in complete misery.”

Take a class

Classes not only teach you new things, they expose you to new people and new ways of looking at the world. Pick something you want to know (or that your character wants to know) and take a class on the subject.

Learn something new

The age old advice for writers is to “write what you know.” But the best articles and story ideas often come from learning about what you don’t know. Ask yourself, “What do I want to know?” and then go learn about it.

Read your junk mail

Yes, most of it is pure garbage. But every now and then you get a piece with an interesting statistic, a cause you’ve never heard of before, or a political appeal that’s so far “out there” that you wonder where these people come from.

Be somebody else for a while

The old saying that you don’t know about someone else’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes is true. Do manual labor instead of working your cushy desk job. Spend a day in a wheelchair or wearing a blindfold to see how hard it is to be disabled. Immerse yourself in the conservative political rhetoric instead of the liberal, or vice versa. Spend some time in someone else’s shoes and see how it changes your outlook on things.

Ask what happens next

Say that a police car blows by you at 90 MPH, followed closely by an ambulance and a fire truck. There are choppers overhead, too. Think about what they could be responding to and where the story goes from there. Whenever you see something interesting happening in the world around you, ask what happens next.

Social media

It’s the ultimate source for keeping up with tends, reading about people’s lives, seeing interesting pictures, and hearing the best gossip. It’s a petri dish of ideas.

Hobbies

Your hobbies might introduce you to new people, places, or ways of thinking. If your hobbies tend to be solitary like reading or knitting, see if you can join a club or go to classes to broaden your horizons.

Finish the story

So, you watched a movie or read a book and then wondered what happened to the characters after the end. Continue the story. This is the basis for fan fiction, but it can also be lead to something that you can turn into your own story. Not to mention there is a whole industry these days that takes old books like Pride and Prejudice and remakes them or their characters into something else.

Play like a kid

When we become adults, we often stop playing. But it’s during play that some of the best ideas can come out. Remember when you were a kid? You’d start with a game, or maybe something like playing house and then it would evolve into something else as you went along. That tree became the enemy castle. The creek became a mighty river that swallowed your settlers. (Or it held a giant crocodile.) Or your dolls were suddenly living in opulence in the mansion you set up under the dining room table. GI Joe was getting along great with Barbie and they were raising a herd of Star Wars Action figures. Kids are great at creating things on the fly because they don’t stop to say, “That’s not believable.” They just go with it.

Religion

Religious texts are full of stories and allegories that can become ideas for other things. I’m not saying that you should devalue religion, but some things can be the basis for something else. How many stories are similar to the fall of Adam and Eve, or to the trials of Job, for example?

Re-write history

How many books on the market today took a real life event and then re-imagined the outcome? It doesn’t even have to be a well known historical event. You can take an event from your own life and imagine that it turned out differently.

Take something ordinary to the extreme

Much of what we see and do everyday is fairly boring. But what if you took something ordinary and took it to the extreme? (In your head, only, please. No matter how much you want to kill your neighbor, do it on the page, not in real life.) What would happen if, instead of stopping at that stoplight, you ran it and got chased by cops and ended up in a ditch and then running for your life? What if, instead of kowtowing politely to your boss you told him off?

Scientific research and experimentation

Plenty of ideas can be found in cutting edge scientific research. Some of it is already pretty far out there and you can use your imagination to take it even further or to consider the consequences of such research. You can also do a few experiments yourself to see what happens. (Just don’t blow up your house.)

Check the calendar

There are always holidays, observances, and tribute months coming up. Think about what happens on these days or during these time periods and ask how you can make one of them relevant to your audience. Or ask what would happen to a character who’s observing one of these holidays and something goes wrong. Or ask why the character is participating in a holiday activity.

Look at objects

Really take the time to study that glass or coffee table. Study that building or train. We see so many things every day but we rarely really look at them. Who knows what you might see in everyday objects.

Quotes

I recently finished reading, “My Year With Eleanor,” which was based on one of Eleanor Roosevelt’s quotes. “Do one thing every day that scares you,” prompted the author to spend a year doing exactly that.

Eavesdrop

Like people watching, listening to their conversations can be fascinating. Don’t listen where you aren’t supposed to, but if someone is having a full volume conversation in a restaurant or yelling into their cell phone at the park, tune in to what they’re saying. The situation might be ripe for a story.

Remember that the idea is only a small part of the creative process and it’s actually the easiest part. Everyone has ideas, and a lot of people have the same ideas. And some ideas, in their original form, are too silly, incomplete, or nonsensical to become stories. It’s what you do with the idea that matters. What matters most is that you do something with the ideas you get. A notebook full of great ideas isn’t worth anything until you put them on paper and turn them into stories or articles that others want to read.

(Photo courtesy of nic519)