5 things that can help keep writers on track

Being a writer can be exhilarating one moment — for example, when you’re winning awards or you have editors contact you personally to write a story — and lonely and frustrating the next — like the days when you sit in an office by yourself staring at a blank screen and waiting for the inspiration fairy to visit.

What are some of the things that writers do to keep on track?

1. Journaling – Some people do it early in the morning, some right before bed. I like to do it first thing in the a.m., before I get to anything else. Writing longhand, scribbling as fast as I can in a notebook for about three pages, I ignore bad punctuation and misspellings and just keep going to keep the thought process moving ahead. I learned the technique years ago from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. It has resulted in some memorable pages, and some some real yawners. The point is to let your mind fly open and express itself, no holds barred. Another way to look at it is from the perspective of Ernest Hemingway who said, “Write Drunk, edit sober.“

2. Meeting regularly with other writers – There is nothing more supportive than hanging out with fellow writers who are succeeding (and struggling) and facing some of the same challenges, questions and frustrations that we face. Often our spouses and partners are not writers and, while they love and appreciate our angst, intestinal fortitude and dreams, there is no way they can really “get it” in their gut. Other writers…well, they just know. I maintain a membership in the Idaho Writer’s Guild, where I have met many wonderful, talented artists.

3. Blogging – I realize there are some great bloggers out there who write about writing a lot more prolifically than I, but that doesn’t mean this blog has nothing to contribute. Blogging encourages us to think about writing and explore  information that interests ourselves as well as others. It also forces us to seek out all those other cool blogs, leave comments, read what is being said and learn, learn, learn. And who knows, we might just blog about something that helps another writer.

4. Writer’s conferences – Spending a focused day in a learning environment with other writers, coaches, agents and other pros can’t be beat. It is not just about sucking up information, it is about networking and expanding opportunities…and meeting people that can help fulfill #2 above! Sometimes with work and other commitments it is difficult, but we should all try to keep our education going.

5. Persistence – It is hard to persist, especially when you feel insecure and unsure about your skills, yet we need to keep stepping into the new, scary unknowns in order to grow. I am going through that right now and frankly, it is uncomfortable. I am preparing for some agent pitching, proposal writing, and the fear of rejection – these are all tough things to face. But, what do I gain by not going through the challenge? I am reminded of the saying, “Life is not a dress rehearsal.” For me, that means I need to just take a shot at it, because I will never get the exact same chance again.

6. Relaxing – There are times when we simply have to shut the computer off, flip off the light, pour a glass of wine, a mug of hot chocolate or a cup of tea and let it go. Our minds and bodies need the rest that we often don’t allow. As freelancers we tend to take on too much, have crazy deadlines and feel we need to do more, more, more. When we are over tired, over committed or over stressed our minds can’t focus. Naturally, we try to do even more to gain control. Bad idea. Give the brain a rest.

What are your tips for staying on track? Beating writers block? Staying connected and energized?

As always, thanks for visiting Murphy Writes.