Another year has come and gone and I hope that everyone was able to keep on top of their goal list for the year. I'd like to say I've stayed on track, but I know I've derailed on occasion. It's okay! Keep on writing. Work on your goals and don't give up. Even though the end of the road may seem so far away, you can do it.
From my family to yours, Happy New Year and keep on writing!
As we plunge into the holidays, which ever they may be, we spend a lot of time trying to fit in family activities and our projects go to the way side. Don't get me wrong, families are very important! But so is your writing. Here are a few ideas on how to sneak in a few minutes of writing in-between all the fun family activities, at least what has helped me.
1) The few minutes you are eating breakfast. Make sure to eat breakfast, of course, but take a notebook to the table. Think on your story ideas and jot down a few notes. If you are like some families, where everyone eats together, zone out for a few minutes and just think on ideas. Then after breakfast, jot them down quick. The same could work for lunch and dinner, even at work!
2) Ten minutes before bed, as things are winding down, jot down the ideas of the day or think on your story to relax your mind. Just because you don't write anything down doesn't mean you haven't been productive. Sometimes thinking on the story plot is just as important as the writing.
3)Tell the family you need a few minutes to yourself and dump out your ideas, (or some of them), before you forget them. Most families will understand the need. Creativity doesn't happen on a schedule.
4) Don't stress if you can't think of anything. This last one is important. With all the hustle and bustle going on during the holidays, it is understandable if you can't think on your story. Just remember to pick up the pen, (or keyboard), after the holidays. Don't give up on your dream.
Have a wonderful holiday season and good luck in the new year with your writing projects!
The world you create is unique to you and you, as a writer, can take it where ever you want. But what happened before your characters went on their little jaunt? These are a few things I think are good ideas to look at and look at doing.
1) A timeline. I made one of these for my roleplaying sessions just so I could make "ruins" or "lost civilizations" my characters could discover. But this works for books, as well. Characters will interact and talk about the past, mostly in passing, in your stories, so it is good to be consistent.
2) In that same vein, a timeline may make you think of other story ideas. In my case there is the "Time of Chaos". There is got to be some good short stories in there somewhere, right?
3) Or knowing where my other story ideas fit in to my world. I have the Chosen, (War of the Gods), and Noshi and her adventures. Though I haven't written their sagas, (or nothing I want to share at the moment), I needed to know where they sat because they are referenced to so many times in my novels I am publishing. Readers want to know there is some thought put into the timeline of things.
4) Fleshing out the past. I use these as small writing exercises to get my brain going. I have worked on fleshing out the Temple of the Gods and the kingdom of Janesh, along with other small bits of history. Maybe I might talk about the founding of the Clan Warriors. But then you can sneak tidbits in to your main novel, knowing that you will be consistent with what you are writing.
You may not use any of this, but it will help you make out a well rounded world and may just lead to other story ideas! Not to mention keep you writing!
Happy Writing.
