Jan 22, 2012

No More Excuses

The last quarter of 2011 was a whirlwind for me, and I've allowed that to flow onto 2012. No more.

Time to get back to writing and blogging. It's hard to break a slump, here's some ways I find helpful.

  • Write something small, maybe a diary entry.
  • Browse and comment on writing blogs, they're very inspirational.
  • Get up before the family and don't let yourself away from your writing until you have at least one page.
  • Listen to a podcast on writing. I love Writing Excuses because the episodes are short but extremely helpful and they always end with a prompt.
  • Join a writers group.
  • Take a writing class.
  • Find a writing exercise (in how-to books, podcasts, blogs or anywhere). Just try doing one writing exercise unrelated to your bigger work-in-progress.
I've chosen to start my writing off with a blog post, but I might work my way through the rest of the list.

My new writing spot in Auchenflower, Brisbane:

Our furniture hasn't arrived yet, so we are camping out - in:

How do you lure yourself back into writing after a break? Are you in the zone now, or in a writing slump?

11 comments:

  1. Writing groups and conferences always get me fired up.
    I like your desk. I've had to use a card table before.

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  2. It is so hard to get back into writing after time off! A friend and I got into swapping a sentence a day. It had to be written that day - didn't have to be good.

    I love your new writing area! (I see kitty does too.)

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  3. Looks like a beautiful place. Shame to clutter it up with all that furniture.

    I keep thinking I'll have a quick half-hour of video games and then back to the writing. 6 hours later...

    mood

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  4. Today I had to force myself to sit and write for an hour. Sometimes I'll just start looking around for contests and calls for submissions - even if they are outside of my genre or scope, they give me a starting point or a framework to work within.

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  5. I've been in a bit of a slump too. Thank goodness I have encouraging crit partners, and went back to revising a story I began in November. Slowly fleshing it out helped me get back in the swing, though I'm still not quite where I want to be.
    Love the new digs!

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  6. I've never dropped into a blogging slump, but once I'd completed my second book and sent it to my publisher, I didn't write anything for almost six months. I was waiting for the right idea for the third book. It has hit and I'm writing again!
    I don't recommend taking that much time off though...

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  7. In some ways I am in a zone, in others, a slump. But that lately, somehow balances out and gets me moving. Looking to get more accomplished in 2012. Best wishes to you for this as well! :)

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  8. "The last quarter of 2011 was a whirlwind for me, and I've allowed that to flow onto 2012. No more."

    Describes my past 6 months perfectly!

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  9. I'm probably in the worst writing slump I've experienced in a long time. Thanks for your suggestions.

    I sounds like you're a happy camper.

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  10. I have to set a date with myself to get back into it for the fiction. The deadlines for the non-fiction take care of that effort. Your move must have been exhausting. The place looks sunny and warm.

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  11. About two years ago the urge to fulfill my long lost dreams of becoming a writer resurfaced. I wanted to write so badly, but I even then I would only write something sporadically. I couldn't seem to discipline myself enough to set a routine. Recently, I found a local writing group to join and that sparked a fire in me to take my writing more seriously. I started an online writing class that I've just about completed. And starting my blog has been a fun step along my path to establishing myself as a writer.

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