Happy Friday, friends! I am so excited to share with you all a special interview with Tessa Hall, a young author and Associate Agent at Hartline Literary Agency. Tessa is an inspirational writer and she's also the founder of Pursue Magazine. It was an honor to chat with her about writing, and I can't wait for you all to read her encouraging words here today. Don't forget to leave a comment and show Tessa some love! Bella: Thank you so much for joining me here today, Tessa! It’s an honor to be featuring you in my blog. Would you please start off by just sharing a little bit about yourself? Tessa: Sure! My name is Tessa, and I began my writing career when I was 16-years-old. Since then, I’ve had two books release, titled PURPLE MOON and UNWRITTEN MELODY. My next book is a non-fiction devotional for teen girls, titled COFFEE SHOP DEVOS. This will release September 2018 with Bethany House. I work on the publishing side of the industry as well. I’m an associate agent at Hartline Literary Agency and a YA acquisitions editor for IlluminateYA, teen imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. I also love encouraging teens to pursue their God-given calling through my magazine, PURSUEMagazine.net. Bella: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Why is writing important to you? Tessa: I first discovered my love of writing when I was 3-years-old. I loved the freedom writing gave me to use my imagination to become someone else and go on adventures. Once I first fell in love with it, I knew there wasn’t anything else I’d prefer to do with my life than to write books for a living. Writing is important to me because it’s what I feel called to do. I believe God has given each of us gifts, and He wants us to use them to expand His Kingdom. Even though I would write for the pure joy of it, even if it meant never finding publication, I still find motivation to write when I think about the people who could someday be reached by my words and stories. Our time on earth is short. There’s no better way to spend our lives than to love God, love others, and use the tools He’s given us to reach the lost and build the Body of Christ. So to me, writing isn’t simply a hobby or a self-focused pursuit. If I don’t pursue it—especially when I believe God is calling me into this field—then I risk impacting lives for eternity. That might sound “overly spiritual”, but hey, aren’t we spiritual beings who are called to live with an eternal mindset? (See 2 Corinthians. 4:18.) Bella: I love that answer. Great advice, Tessa. So do you keep a strict writing schedule or do you just write whenever you have a chance? What advice do you have for young writers on consistency? Tessa: My life is too sporadic to keep a regular schedule. However, when I’m on a deadline, then I have to make sure that my writing time is protected. In these seasons, it does help to have a specific time that I plug away at the project every day. This helps my brain to stay focused during that time and it forces me to devote my entire attention on the project. Sometimes this time is in the morning, since this is my favorite time to write—but sometimes this time might come at night before bed. I’d advise young writers to discover what time of the day they work best. When I was a senior in high school, it helped for me to wake up early before school and get writing done then. Personally, when I was a teen who was serious about my writing, I had to make sacrifices and cut out some social activities in my life in order to finish my book. I’d advise that you understand what it is that you want to accomplish as a teen. Are you hoping to write for a hobby or pursue writing seriously? Do you have any concrete goals? (For instance, my goal was to have my first book published by the time that I graduated high school.) Then, analyze your time. Where can you fit writing into your daily schedule, and are there any sacrifices you might have to make in order to see this through? Your sacrifice might not be cutting out social activities, but it might come in the form of cutting out excess free time—such as time spent on social media or binge watching shows on Netflix. Whatever it is, be intentional with your time. You’ll never get back the free time you have as a teen, so use it wisely to plant seeds that could cultivate into a future career and/or ministry. Bella: Where do you get inspiration to write when you’re dealing with things like writer’s block or lack of story ideas? Tessa: It depends on what the cause is for the writer’s block. Most of the time, I’ve discovered that this is due to feeling overwhelmed or working too much. When that happens, I give myself permission to take a break. I might go on a walk, hang out with friends, work out, go to the park, go to a coffee shop, etc. I just need my brain to focus on something that does not involve being on the computer or working with words. Then, when I return to my project, my brain usually feels fresher, and I can see the WIP through new lens. However, there are times when I am lacking inspiration/ideas. When this happens, I turn to the sources of my inspiration. Most of my ideas come from listening to music, looking at photography/artwork, watching films, or reading books. So again, when this happens, I’ll take a break from my WIP and expose myself to other forms of art. This is usually enough to get the creative juices flowing again. Bella: What was one of the most surprising things you’ve learned through your journey with writing, getting published, and then launching your career as an Associate Agent at Hartline Literary Agency? Tessa: This might sound like a general statement, but I think the most surprising thing I’ve learned through this journey has been how difficult it is to succeed in this industry. It’s rare that I was able to gain the attention of a publisher at the first writing conference I attended when I was 16. Since that happened so quickly and easily, I almost expected the rest of the writing journey to be that way as well. But I soon had my own taste of the struggle that most aspiring authors experience when they attempt to pursue publication. Writing a book in itself is hard work and a long process that requires determination, passion, belief in oneself, and self-discipline. The editing process is often even more time-consuming and discouraging. Then, when the book is finally shopped to agents or publishers, it can take months—if not years—to receive interest. Finally, when the book is contracted with the publisher, then the book usually releases 1 – 2 years after the contract is signed. That’s only the beginning. Once the book is contracted with a publisher, you have to go through an editing process with your editor. Then you have to market your book so you can actually find readers to read this book you’ve poured so much time and energy into. All of that to say—those who don’t have a true passion for the field of writing/publishing don’t usually make it far in this industry. ;) However, the highlights of the writing journey—such as the anticipation of a book release, receiving literary awards, hearing from readers, garnering good book reviews, seeing your book in print, etc.—makes the journey worthwhile. Bella: When did you first decide to launch your own magazine, and would you please share with us a little bit about that journey? Tessa: Sure! When I was 11-years-old, I launched an online Christian newsletter for tweens with one of my friends. We ran this newsletter for about two years. During that time, I fell in love with the process of managing Christian content that encouraged girls to pursue Christ. That’s when I first made it my goal to someday start my own Christian magazine for teen girls. Then, when I was either 14 or 15, I came across the scripture Ecclesiastes 11:9 (MSG), which states: “You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.” After I found that, I wrote in my notebook, in big, bold letters: PURSUE Magazine. I knew what I wanted my magazine to be about from that day forward: I wanted to encourage teen girls to make the most of their teen years by pursuing their God-given calling while first pursuing a relationship with Christ. In January 2016, that vision became a reality when I launched the PURSUE Magazine blog (www.PURSUEMagazine.net). Our first digital issue released on Amazon in April 2017, and our second issue will release spring 2018. Bella: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given as a writer? Tessa: The best advice I hear over and over from authors is this: Keep your priorities in balance. I do believe that aspiring authors should treat their writing time with respect, especially if they hope to see success; however, our love for our art should never take the place of our love for God, and the time we spend writing should never be as sacred as the time we spend with our family. I believe that writing is part of the work God has called me to do while I’m on earth, and I will continue to do this out of obedience. But if my passion for writing, or if my drive to succeed, ever comes before my loved ones—and especially God—then my life will be out of balance. Bella: If you could only give one last piece of writing advice to any young writer, what would you share? Tessa: My advice would be summed up in one word: Persevere. The process of seeing your publication dreams come to fruition isn’t necessarily quick or easy. The writing journey in itself is a long, winding, bumpy road. It’s often filled with stumbling blocks, dead ends, and forks in the road. And once you reach a milestone, there’s always going to be another milestone to strive toward. Writing a book in itself is not an easy feat by any means—much less the process toward seeing that book published. But if your passion is big enough—and if you can be patient and wait on God’s perfect timing—then you’ll have what it takes to persevere. Keep the big picture in mind, and enjoy every step along the journey. Strive forward. Learn the craft, write multiple books, attend writing conferences, find critique partners, understand how the publishing industry works, etc. The only way you’re guaranteed failure is if you quit. Bella: For a more fun question to end, what’s one genre you think would be fun to write, but you’ve never ventured out in it? Tessa: I would love to try writing speculative fiction in the future. I absolutely love James L. Rubart’s works, and I think it’d be so fun to incorporate supernatural and fantastical elements into a contemporary genre. I’ve always been interested in writing a dystopian book as well. I love that both of these genres offer plenty of room for the imagination. Writers aren’t limited by historical events or the boundaries of reality; instead, they can invent a story world that readers have yet to experience before. I definitely think I’ll experiment with these genres someday! Bella: Thank you so much for joining us today, Tessa! It's been a joy to have you here. Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show teens they’re not alone. Her passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as an Associate Agent at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. Tessa's first teen devotional will release with Bethany House in 2018. She's guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: www.tessaemilyhall.com. Ah yes, NaNoWriMo. How are we doing with this incredible, somewhat daunting task, dear writers? I'm afraid I'm a bit behind schedule, but I have been known to write 7,000 words in one sitting so hope to catch up very soon. What word count are you at? This is my first year participating in NaNo and it's been so much more difficult and crazier than I first anticipated. The first ten days in and I'm wondering exactly how I'm going to get this massive word count finished before the 30th. Never fear however, because there are definitely ways to keep your sanity while still participating in NaNo. Want to know how? Lots of coffee and/or chocolate. Pretty self-explanatory. Snacks and fuel make for happy writers. I'm not a fan of coffee, but love the way it feels to write in coffee shops. Chocolate is my NaNo go-to treat (fairly traded, of course). And peanut butter sundaes. Anything with sugar in it really... Great music to have a dance party to. Music is always an emotional motivator to inspire you to reach your word count for the day, or to inspire you into a dance party that causes you to procrastinate your word count. Either way, music is my favorite way to get my creative juices flowing. Friends to write and party with. Get together with your writing friends and have a party! Have a blast writing away...or getting distracted by conversation--either one works. Encourage each other through the difficult middle story parts, rejoice in the exciting plot twists, and cheer each other on to the end. Never give up. It all comes down to this, fellow writing friend. NaNo may be hard and you may wonder if you'll ever make it to 50k. Let me tell you: you can make it. But you have to keep going. You can't give up. You have to press on. Now enough of reading this post. Sit back down at your keyboard and write. I thought it would be fun to do a different kind of writing post, geared specifically towards fiction writers. :) This seemed like an even better idea considering NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) began this week! During the month of November, I may be doing even more fiction writing tips here on this page. For those of you who don't know, I began writing when I was about eight years old and I started out with writing fiction. My stories were my whole world. Creating characters and developing plot twists was what I thrived on. My characters were my friends and naming them was my favorite part. But sometimes a character in a story or novel is so complex that it can be hard to pick just the perfect name for them. A name that fits them like it was made for them and a name that readers will fall in love with. To help you along, I've listed out three tips I have for creating the best character names ever. 1) Do something unique. When I first started writing I would use really common character names, such as Sarah. Using a common character name isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't give much depth to your character. It doesn't make that character feel unique and special to your story. Craft a name that hasn't been used as often. It doesn't have to be some weird, out-of-this-world kind of name either. I'm just saying use variety and uniqueness. 2) Create a character name list. Sometimes, for me, when I would sit down to write, I would find it hard to come up with a name right on the spot. Something that assisted me with this was creating a character name list that I could reference back at any time. If, for example, I came up with a great character name but didn't have a story for it at the time, I would write it into my list and save it for another time. Sometimes I would just write down every name I could possibly think of so that I could use them in the future. 3) Know your character. In order to be unique, your character's personality should flow with their name. If they're a very unique person, give them a very unique name. If they're a minor character who doesn't say a whole lot, a more simple name should do. For your main character, figure out who she/he is before naming her/him. This will help tremendously with picking just the perfect name. Have fun writing! Do you have any tips for character naming? Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? These days my life is crazy. Take for example the fact that this blog post was supposed to be scheduled yesterday and release at 6am, but in fact I'm just now typing these words at 5:30pm and I don't know when the post is actually going to go up. (In all honesty, I have a great excuse though, since today is release day for my sister's new book and we went to Starbucks to celebrate! *throws confetti*) In the midst of the rush and craziness, sometimes I can find it hard to make time for what I love most. Writing. But the truth is that writing is a skill and to develop that skill I have to (surprise)...write. So when time runs short these days, what exactly helps me to keep writing through the craziness? And maybe you relate because you're in a busy season too? Well, then let me share just a few ideas for you on how to keep writing, even if it feels like you're racing the clock. 1) Just write something! Even if it's ten words. Even if it's two sentences. Just. Write. Something. If you struggle with blogging consistently because of your schedule, just remember that blog posts don't have to be super long. They could be a paragraph or two. Just make sure you're writing something consistently, no matter how short. 2) Turn off social media. What's more important? Your writing or checking your Instagram status for the tenth time? Priorities, my friend. Turn off the socials for a bit and get back to what truly matters. Use every spare moment to work on your craft of writing. 3) Get up a little bit early. Maybe set your alarm for fifteen or thirty minutes earlier and then use that time to write! It may not seem like a lot, but it will make a big difference. I know it can be hard to keep your focus on writing when time goes crazy, but trust me it's worth it. You'll become a better writer and in the process you'll have tons of fun. What are some ways that you keep writing, even during your own busy seasons of life? When I published my first book, I had no idea what a blog tour was. But when I was ready for book three, "Worth it All," to release I was much more familiar with blog tours and how beneficial they can be to spreading the word about your newly released book. So first of all, what is a blog tour? A blog tour is the virtual way of doing a book tour. A lot of times when a published author (usually with a traditional publishing contract) releases a new book they'll have a book tour where they go and speak at certain places, or they'll set up and do book signings all over the place. A blog tour is your way of doing that from the comfort of your own home. You'll pre-set a list of so many blogs that you'll be visiting during the week or month of your book release. At each blog stop, the blogger can do something fun such as: an author interview, giveaway, author guest post, character interview, or book review. Or you can get creative and come up with your own idea. By doing this with lots of other blogs, you're exposing your writing and new book to a fresh audience. This begins circulating your work around the internet. Second, how do you host a successful blog tour? Well, I'm probably no expert at this because I've only actually done one blog tour, but I've definitely learned a few things from my experience with marketing. The first thing you'll need to do to make your blog tour a success is schedule everything ahead of time. Trust me on this. Procrastinating or planning-as-you-go with a blog tour is not the way to do it. Lives get busy and if you wait until the day of the tour to start organizing things, it's going to go crazy. Have posts scheduled in advance. If this is your first blog tour, maybe start out small with 5-7 blog stops. Organize which blog post you'll be on what day and if you're doing any guest posts or author interviews at the blogs, always schedule them in advance. Don't wait until that day to write them. Please, you'll be doing yourself and everyone else a favor by staying organized. Organization shows professionalism, and when promoting a book it's always best to stay professional. The second thing to do to have a successful blog tour is to spread the word. Even if you have blogger friends who aren't on the blog tour, maybe ask them to spread the word. Ask your social media pals to tell others about the tour. Join blog link-ups which are a great way to spread your blog to a higher audience. Use your own social media to direct traffic to every blog stop and always ask your readers to show each blogger some love by leaving a comment. You should also leave a comment and share/follow each blogger as a way of saying thank you. If you're hoping to reach a really big audience with your book release, try something fun by asking a more experienced or popular author/blogger to join your blog tour. Maybe offer to do a giveaway on their blog or have them do an interview with you on your personal blog which will drive their blog traffic your way. Do you have a favorite author or blogger? Just go for it and ask if they have some time in their schedule. The worst they can say is no, but the best they can say is yes. Finally, to have a great blog tour, focus on having fun. Don't make it all about selling books or getting blog traffic. Although those are very important things, always keep your focus on what truly matters: Developing relationships, having fun, and most of all, glorifying God. Support the bloggers on your tour, have fun creating the posts, and point every message back to God. Have fun creating your blog tour! Have you done a blog tour before? What tips or advice helped you most? Since the release of my very first book, I Dare You, I have hosted three book signings and a writer's workshop/signing. Because of this, I've learned a thing or two about how to host a successful signing and how they can benefit you as a writer. :) Here are my thoughts: 1) Don't overestimate how many books to order. For my first book signing, I ran out of books. However for the next two and my writing workshop, I had ordered far too many books. Honestly, it's better to run out than to take some home. :) Of course, you can always use extra books for another book signing. But then you've got lots of money put out that you haven't made back yet. If you do run out of books at a signing and more people come by wanting to buy some, have a form ready where you can get their name, phone number, and address. That way you can follow up with them about buying the book the next time you have some on hand. Especially for a writer just starting out, you don't need to have 50 books at your book signing most likely. My first signing I sold 22 books. 2) Plan your location and time strategically. My first book signing was super successful because of the day and time I did it and my location. I had it at our local library when an event was already happening at the library. This brought more people to the library than usual which meant more people at my signing. My last book signing was at the library on a regular Tuesday evening and it didn't go so well at all. If your book signing doesn't do very well, don't be discouraged! Consider your location and time and see if you can make it better next time around. Try to do the signing in places where there will already be a lot of people and on a day/time when people will be more available. (Like don't do it on a Monday afternoon when most people are working or in school) 3) Advertise well. Another reason that my last signing didn't go so well was because I didn't advertise nearly as well as I should have. For my first signing my mom did most of the advertising (and my mom ran her own successful business for over a decade, so she knows marketing/advertising), which is probably why it went so well. Make sure you're using successful advertising strategies. Set up a Facebook event for the signing and invite your friends if you have Facebook. If you don't, maybe ask a friend to help you out with it. 4) Interact with your guest. Don't just sell a book, sign it, and move on. Whenever I meet a band at a concert and all they want to do is sign my CD and move on, it makes me sad. I always told myself that I never wanted to do that with my readers. If someone is taking the time to come buy your book and have you sign it, be genuine towards them. Smile, create small talk, thank them for coming. Of course, if your signing is super busy and there are a lot of people wanting to see you, this may be more difficult, but trust me; you can still make each guest at your signing feel like they were more than a reader to you. Always be genuine. Don't make it about money. Make it about your reader. 5) Have free food. I mean, enough said. Who doesn't love free food, right? Have bottled water or soda, and maybe some cookies or a fruit tray. My mom brought cookies and water to my first book signing, and they were very popular. :) 6) Do something fun. It doesn't have to just be sitting at a table, selling and signing books. When I did my writing workshop, I taught the attendees about writing and then signed books afterwards. If you want to teach something, maybe a craft workshop, writing workshop, or journaling workshop, go for it. Then sign books after. (Make it about your book though. If your book is a craft book, have a craft workshop. The book I was promoting was about writing, so I did a writing workshop.) Other ideas are to have an author Q&A or read an excerpt from your book. If you wrote a novel, maybe have your friends help you act out one of the main scenes, or create character profile cards that readers can look through at your table. Make the evening fun! There you have it! Those are my top tips for a fun, successful, and epic book signing. If you're an author and you have book signing tips, I'd love to hear them in the comments below. Editing has always been one of my least favorite parts of being a writer. I'm not the most patient person you'll ever meet (probably why I'm impulsive too), so after I'm done writing an article I'm totally ready to just get it out there and post it somewhere. I cringe at the editing process. Yet what I've learned over the years is that editing is your friend. Yep, it really is. Editing (especially when others edit your work) makes you a better writer. And although I strongly recommend an editor if you are working on publishing a book, it's still necessary for you to edit yourself. So with that being said, here are five quick tips to help you edit better and faster: 1) Read your work out loud. Reading aloud gives you the chance to slow down and catch little mistakes. It also allows you the ability to see how well your words flow together. 2) Read through it a few times. Don't just read it through once and let it go. This will prevent you from catching mistakes. Read a couple times with different paces. Maybe one time you'll read it really slowly and the next time you'll read really quickly. 3) Print it out. Read your book/article/story in printed form. If you're publishing a book, this is where you buy a physical proof copy and read it. Reading it off the computer gives it a new dimension and helps you read it differently. 4) Put yourself in your reader's shoes. When writing something, you should first identify your general audience. You can't write to please everyone. Figure out who will benefit most from your work. The general audience for my first book was teenagers and young adults. With that knowledge in mind, when editing my book I had to ask myself, "Is this something that would catch the interest of a teenager? Are the chapters too long and intense for a busy young adult?" Put yourself in their shoes. 5) Remember you can't be perfect. No one is perfect, not even your favorite author. You can't possibly catch every mistake or plot error. Edit to the best of your ability, allow one or multiple people to edit with you, and then leave the book in God's hands. He's got it from there. I've known for just about forever that God made me to write. I've known it even before I really knew it. Know that feeling? Anyway, sometimes it's a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. Worth it? Absolutely, one hundred percent. But easy? Nope. Especially when it comes to developing a writing platform. I've been blessed to have a mom who ran her own business for over a decade, so she's been super helpful when it comes to the marketing side of my writing. I'm taking an online writing workshop currently as well that has given me tremendous advice for platform-building. But it can still be so overwhelming. However, by God's grace I've learned quite a bit over the years of my writing adventure on how to develop your platform, and I want to share just a few easy tips with you today. Sometimes, I think writers avoid this topic of platform-building for two reasons. Number one--they're afraid that if they focus on building their platform they will become prideful or come across to others as prideful and pushy. Number two--they want to keep their writing focus on God and not getting as many readers as possible. Before diving into the purpose of this article I would just like to briefly address both these concerns. First, platform-building can be done with a humble and graceful attitude. You must evaluate your heart regularly to make sure you're keeping the right mindset, and it could be helpful to also have accountability partners to keep your head where it should be. But growing your platform does not mean you're being prideful, nor does it mean you have to be pushy with your writing, if you do it tastefully and respectfully, with the purpose of serving your readers. Second, no matter what, your focus in writing should always be on God. However, I feel in my heart that growing your platform is also a way to honor God. And let me explain that. If God has given you a gift of writing, He gave you that gift for a reason. He wants you to use that to honor and glorify Him through it. But if you keep that gift to yourself and do not seek ways to share it with others, for His glory, you are not honoring God fully with that gift. (Matthew 25:14-30) Of course, that's just my opinion, but I feel that when I expand my platform and reach more people with my writing, I'm letting God do more of His work through my words. Just remember that through all of it, keep your eyes on Jesus and do it to serve Him and His people. Serving God and your readers should be your first concern. Alright, with that being said, let's dive into my four easy platform-building ideas that you can start working on today. 1) Create an email list. I've been learning so much about why email lists are valuable, especially if you want to publish a book someday. So consider starting one today. Don't focus so much on the number of subscribers right now, but instead focus on how you can bless your subscribers. Is there anything you can give to them as a free gift for signing up for your email list (such as a special article you wrote, an e-book you published, etc.)? Is there a fun way you can get them involved in your writing journey (surveys, giveaways, etc.)? Email your friends and family and ask them if you can add them to your email list and let God work on growing it! 2) Submit guest posts. This could be really big for your platform. The more you get your writing out there for readers to view, the better you're able to reach people. Some popular websites that accept guest submissions are The Rebelution, KingdomPen, and (in)courage (they only accept certain times of the year). Submitting guest posts is also a great way to develop your writing skills. You may face rejection or constructive criticism and the honest truth is that, even though those things may hurt, they are making you a better writer. Just don't give up and keep submitting! For anyone wondering, I do accept guest submissions occasionally for my blog. However, I don't accept many. If you are interested in guest posting here, contact me. My online magazine ministry, The King's Princess, also accepts guest submissions more regularly. 3) Start a blog. Blogs are a super fun way for readers to get familiar with your writing style without the commitment of paying for anything! If you hope to publish a book someday, a blog would probably do you a lot of good. It helps you develop your craft, while getting dedicated readers in the process. Always a good thing. :) I'll be writing another post about launching your first blog soon. 4) Launch a Facebook page. Especially if you're younger, you may not be allowed to use social media. And when it comes to social media, always talk to your parents first before creating an account. However, if you are allowed to develop a Facebook page for your writing/blog/book, go for it. A Facebook page can be difficult to grow at first, but if you keep at it, eventually you'll see results. I used to have about 50-100 views per post on my author Facebook page, but the more I promoted it and shared the page, the more views I got per post. One of my more recent posts had over 4,500 views! So keep at it and don't give up. I know platform-building can be hard and frustrating at times. The key is to keep being faithful to share your gift with others for God's glory, and trust Him for the results. He'll get you where He wants you in His timing. Trust me. <3 Writer’s block. That dreaded term in every writer’s vocabulary. Enter the sick feeling, the eye roll, and the heart racing. Okay, maybe you’re not quite as dramatic as I am. However, every writer knows how dreaded this term is. Writer’s block can prevent even the most experienced writers from writing for weeks. It’s almost like the writer’s equivalent of walking through a desert for who knows how long, without any supply of water. Told you I’m dramatic. Sometimes it feels real though, doesn’t it? Writer’s block is hard and it can even be exhausting as you pour all of your efforts into trying to write, even when the words won’t come easily. It feels as if your well of inspiration and love for writing has all but dried up. I’m no expert at conquering this giant fear of writing woe’s, trust me. However, when you’ve been writing for over half of your life, you definitely learn some in’s and out’s of defeating such enemies as writer’s block. With that being said, here are six ways I have found to fight this enemy in your own writing journey… 1) Read. I’ve been reading for basically as long as I can remember. Just as good musicians listen to other good music, good writers should read good books. Reading is a great way to gain inspiration, grow as a writer, and figure out what you will most enjoy writing about. Reading opens your mind to new ideas, new phrases, and different ways to say things. You can learn so much from simply reading a book by an inspirational author. So next time writer’s block strikes, don’t sit down in front of the computer in despair and watch three hours of Netflix! Read, read, and read some more. 2) Get out and do something! Most of us are not going to gain more inspiration by sitting in front of a blank Microsoft Word document and sipping our fourth cup of coffee. If you need new inspiration for a story idea or you’re looking for a new perspective, get out and live a little bit! Take a nature walk through some woods and observe the wildlife. Go swimming in a lake and soak up the sunshine. Invite some friends for an ice cream date. Try something you’ve never tried before: a new food flavor, a new sport, a new writing method, or a new instrument. Sometimes just taking a break will refresh your mind and give you a new perspective on your story. 3) Always carry a notebook. Sometimes writer’s block occurs whenever we sit and stare at those blank pages. I don’t know about you, but a blank page with no words on it yet is more daunting to me than the thought of climbing the Great Wall of China. But when I’m actually out living life, ideas always seem to be flowing. Can you relate? This is why carrying a notebook is so important as a writer! Whenever you hear a phrase, or you see a beautiful sight that sparks inspiration in you, write it down. Don’t wait until later. Waiting will only give time for the inspiration to die or for you to forget what it was you wanted to remember all along. Don’t forget that precious paper and pen. 4) Get words on the paper anyway. I can still remember a time in my life where writer’s block felt like it was going to destroy my whole love of writing. I dreaded just sitting at my computer because I knew the words were not going to come easily, and I would probably not even like what I was going to write. The biggest piece of advice I was given during this time was: write anyway. Writers write. Even when it’s hard. Even when they’re busy. Even when they don’t have inspiration. Even when they feel that sting of writer’s block. Don’t stop writing because you don’t know what to say, or you don’t know how to say what you want to say. Write words down, even if they stink. You can always fix them later. Just make sure they’re on that paper. 5) Join a writing community. Writer’s block and community reminds me a little bit of darkness and light. Whenever there is a whole lot of light, the darkness disappears. So whenever you are fellowshipping with a community of other writers, writer’s block will tend to disappear. There are so many advantages to a writing community. Not only will you gain accountability from the other writers in the group, but they will also encourage and inspire you to just keep writing. Join a writing group on Facebook, connect with others on Goodreads, or create a writing group for your friends who love to write. Have fun and watch the writer’s block disappear! 6) Know Who you are writing for. Writing has always been a huge part of my life. It is my avenue of expressing my heart, my thoughts, and my message. It is where I get out frustration, learn new things, and create new ideas. But more than anything, the biggest reason I write is to share with others more about the God who gave me the gift to write. Since I started writing seriously, I dedicated everything I wrote to the One who gave me this gift. I write for Him, and because I write for Him, whatever comes of my writing is for His glory. I encourage to honestly evaluate your writing and who you’re writing for. Is it for yourself? For the approval of others? For money? Or is it to give back the glory to God? When we write with our focus on glorifying God, everything changes. Writer’s block loses its hold on us because we no longer worry about what we are “supposed” to write to look good. Instead, we are focused on what we are called to write to honor Jesus. Pray over your writing. Develop a team of prayer warriors when you are working on a new project. And then, dear writer, just write. Write words that will point your audience back to Who you are writing for, every time. I've been passionate about writing ever since I was a little girl. I'd sit down and scribble out stories and words in as many notebooks as I could get my hands on. When I was old enough to get a laptop computer, I would sit there for hours and type, letting my fingers fly across the keys. Of course, writing isn't always easy and the truth is that I can't do it on my own. I need mentors who have walked the journey of writing ahead of me. I need readers who want to listen to what I have to say. I need family and friends to encourage me (and maybe bring me peanut butter cup ice cream when the editing is getting stressful). Because I know the community that writing requires, I have become passionate about encouraging, mentoring, and providing resources to other writers, so they don't have to do this alone either. That's why I created this page on my blog. This page of my blog is dedicated to every writer who wants to grow but doesn't know how. It's dedicated to every writer passionate about sharing meaningful words, but having no clue how to grow a platform. It's dedicated to every writer looking for resources or advice. Here I will share encouragement, advice, and resources. And if you ever have any questions, or just need someone to assure you that you can do this, feel free to contact me through my contact page any time. Let's do this thing together, okay? And in the meantime, if you haven't heard I've also written a mini guide specifically for writers who are looking for help on writing, editing, self-publishing, and marketing. This guide is called, "Yes, You Can: A Guide to Writing and Sharing Your Story." It can be purchased by contacting me directly or clicking on the link below. This book was created because I want to help you. And I understand that sometimes money can be tight, so if you are serious about writing and think this could be a helpful resource to you, but you don't have the money, contact me. I'd love to send you a digital copy on me. ♥ |
About this page:
This page of my blog is dedicated specifically to writers. I've been writing for over half of my life. I live and breathe writing. Because of that, I'm passionate about helping other writers grow, develop, and succeed. This section of my blog will include blog posts dedicated to writing, encouragement, and resources. Feel free to read through some posts and my contact form is always open if you ever have any questions or need encouragement! ♥ Archives
April 2018
Categories |