How To Overcome Writer’s Block
What Is Writer’s Block?
Writer’s block is the kryptonite to a writer’s superpower—creativity. Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page, unable to write? Perhaps you feel paralyzed by fear or unable to begin the process. Perhaps you move your hands to the keyboard, or lift your pencil to the page time and time again, only to pull them away, thinking hmm, why won’t the words just flow? Writer’s block happens to nearly every writer; it’s inevitable. Writer’s block is the inability to freely dive into writing and the feeling that whatever words come from your fingertips aren’t worth writing in the first place or won’t be good enough. The bad news? You’ve diagnosed yourself with writer’s block. But the good news? It’s treatable and an obstacle you can definitely overcome.
How To Submit Your Writing To—And Get It Published In—Literary Journals
To successfully publish your work in literary journals, it's essential to understand the submission process and tailor your approach accordingly. Begin by thoroughly researching potential journals to ensure your work aligns with their editorial focus and submission guidelines. Resources like Poets & Writers' Literary Journals and Magazines Guide offer valuable insights into various publications. Before submitting, meticulously revise your work to ensure it meets the highest standards. Adhering to each journal's specific submission guidelines is crucial. Keep in mind that many journals claim first North American serial rights, meaning they seek to be the first to publish your work. By carefully selecting appropriate journals, refining your work, and adhering to submission protocols, you increase the likelihood of seeing your writing published in esteemed literary outlets.
With 2023 wrapping up and the new year just around the corner, I thought it would be helpful to share some amazing resources for writers looking to submit their work in 2024! Many literary journals are still accepting submissions into 2024 and there are plenty of publications looking for high-quality writing for their next issue! Below is an in-depth guide for submitting your writing as well as a list of my top Oklahoma-based literary journals that I’d recommend submitting to!
How To Write Poems With Artificial Intelligence (Using Google's Verse by Verse)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been integrated into various creative fields, including poetry. Google's experimental tool, Verse by Verse, assists users in composing poems by offering suggestions inspired by classic American poets. To use the tool, individuals select up to three poets from a list that includes Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Edgar Allan Poe. After choosing the desired poetic structure—such as quatrain, couplet, or free verse—and specifying parameters such as syllable count and rhyme scheme, users input the first line of their poem. The AI then generates subsequent lines, emulating the style of the selected poets. It's important to note that while AI can provide creative suggestions, human intervention remains crucial in refining and finalizing the poem, ensuring authenticity and personal expression.
Info-Dumping in Science Fiction & Fantasy Novels by Breyonna Jordan
Info-dumping occurs when writers provide excessive background information in a single section, potentially overwhelming readers and disrupting the narrative flow. This issue is prevalent in science fiction and fantasy genres due to their complex world-building requirements. Indicators of info-dumping include lengthy paragraphs, minimal action or conflict, and the author's voice overshadowing the characters'. To avoid this, authors should focus on essential details, integrating additional information gradually as the story progresses. This approach keeps readers engaged without inundating them with information, maintaining a robust and immersive setting.
“Twenty Little Poetry Projects” Writing Exercise by Jim Simmerman
The "Twenty Little Poetry Projects" is a creative writing exercise devised by Jim Simmerman, featured in The Practice of Poetry by Robin Behn and Chase Twichell. This exercise presents poets with twenty prompts designed to invigorate their writing process and explore unconventional poetic techniques. By engaging with these varied prompts, poets can break free from conventional patterns, experiment with new forms, and infuse their work with fresh perspectives. This exercise encourages the blending of sensory experiences, the use of unexpected language, and the creation of imaginative scenarios, all contributing to the development of a more dynamic and original poetic voice.
Screenwriting for Novelists: How Different Mediums Can Improve Your Writing
Exploring different writing mediums, such as screenwriting, can significantly enhance a novelist's skills. Engaging in various formats keeps the writing process fresh and invigorating, preventing creative stagnation. Screenwriting's emphasis on concise storytelling, dialogue, and visual elements can teach novelists to "show, don't tell," enriching their narrative techniques. The structured nature of screenwriting, with its three-act format and strict adherence to industry standards, offers novelists a framework that can be both challenging and liberating, fostering new avenues of creativity. By venturing into screenwriting, novelists can broaden their horizons, refine their craft, and infuse their prose with cinematic qualities that captivate readers.
Experimentation Is Essential For Creators’ Growth (In Both Art and Writing)
Experimentation is essential for artists and writers to foster growth and maintain creativity. Engaging in various styles, themes, and mediums prevents stagnation and keeps work fresh and engaging. For instance, resin artists can incorporate materials like alcohol ink, watercolor, acrylics, glitter, or beads to achieve diverse effects. Similarly, painters and sculptors can explore different tools, colors, and techniques to expand their creative horizons. Likewise, writers can mix techniques that are characteristic of different genres to create stories that are refreshing and new. Embracing experimentation allows creators to discover new possibilities, refine their unique voice, and enhance their overall artistic practice.
Writing Exercises from Jeff Tweedy's Book, How To Write One Song
Jeff Tweedy's book "How to Write One Song" offers innovative exercises to unlock creativity in songwriting and poetry. One such exercise is the "Word Ladder," which involves selecting a specific profession (e.g., physician) and listing ten associated verbs, followed by ten nouns from your immediate surroundings. By pairing these verbs and nouns in unexpected ways, writers can craft unique phrases that serve as the foundation for poems or lyrics. This method encourages the use of simple, everyday language to create fresh and compelling imagery. Tweedy emphasizes that this exercise is less about producing polished lyrics and more about rediscovering the joy and playfulness inherent in language, helping writers break free from conventional patterns and explore new creative avenues.
8 Reasons Why Having A Creative Community Matters
Engaging with a writing community offers numerous benefits that can significantly enhance a writer's journey. Firstly, it provides essential support, offering motivation and encouragement during challenging phases of the writing process. Secondly, such a community fosters accountability, helping writers adhere to their goals and deadlines. Thirdly, it serves as a valuable source of constructive feedback, enabling writers to refine their work through diverse perspectives. Fourthly, fellow writers can share practical advice, recommending resources like books, blogs, and workshops to aid development. Fifthly, writing communities often include readers who can offer insights from an audience's viewpoint, aiding in reaching and understanding one's target demographic. Sixthly, observing peers' progress and achievements can serve as inspiration, fueling one's own creativity and commitment. Seventhly, contributing to others' growth by offering feedback and support can be fulfilling and reinforce one's own skills. Lastly, being part of a writing community establishes a sense of belonging, connecting individuals with shared aspirations and challenges, thus enriching the overall writing experience.
4 of the Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers
Though it may seem counterintuitive from a notification/distraction standpoint, there are many great tools for both readers and writers readily accessible from multiple devices. If you want to knock out your book challenge or level up your writing game for 2022, keep reading to find out what apps might help you reach your bookish goals this year!
Book Writing 101: Everything You Need To Know About Dialogue
No matter what genre you write in, learning how to write dialogue effective is an essential part of any writer’s toolkit. Poorly-written dialogue can be distracting or worse —it could cause your readers to close the book in disgust. However, dialogue that is done well can transform your characters into truly believable people and you readers into satisfied, lifelong fans. Of course, the best kind of dialogue isn’t just believable conversation between characters. Good dialogue provide exposition, involves distinct language true to the voice of the speaker, and most importantly, helps move the story along. Dialogue is directly tied to pacing, plot, and tension, and can make or break your story just as much as lame characters or a sagging plot.
This guide is separated into three parts for your convenience — Dialogue Basics, Punctuating Dialogue, and Dialogue Tags —and is filled with cheat sheets, quick-reference-guides, examples, and more to help you with your writing!
Book Writing 101: How To Choose The Right POV For Your Novel
The point of view is the lens through which your readers connect with your characters and having the right POV can make your story while having the wrong point of view can certainly break it. There’s no real wrong or right here, but sometimes certain viewpoints just make sense for certain stories. We’re going to look at the definition of POV, the importance of POV, the four different POV’s, what POV’s are popular in what genres, how to know when the POV you’re using is right/wrong for your novel, the top POV mistakes new writers make, and how to execute POV well so that it acts as the perfect vehicle through which you tell your story.
Book Writing 101: How To Achieve Good Story Pacing
In literature, pace, or pacing is the speed at which a story is told—not necessarily the speed at which the story takes place. The pace is determined by the length of the scenes, how fast the action moves, and how quickly the reader is provided with information.
Pacing is an element of storytelling that seems to trip up many new writers. It can be hard to pin down. What is a good pacing for a story? Well, to get a better idea of good story pacing, we have to look at bad story pacing first.
Book Writing 101: How To Name Your Book Characters
What’s in a name? It’s a question Shakespeare asked and many other writers today find themselves pondering because sometimes character names are a very crucial part of creating compelling characters. A name can make or break a character’s believability and so, authors should always chose carefully when selecting names for their characters. However, this isn’t something to get too in-your-head about. While there’s many factors that can influence a character’s name, it’s really up to you to chose something you feel best represents that character.
Christmas Wishlist For Writers: 5 Must-Have, Useful Items For The Writer In Your Life
While we can’t all be with our loved ones during this crazy time, you can still show the writers in your life love by gifting them something useful they’ll actually use! Ditch the boring old notebook and go for one of these ideas! If you’re the writer in your life, gift yourself something nice or add your faves from this list to your own personal wishlist!
Book Writing 101: How to Develop and Write Compelling, Consistent Characters
Characters are the beating heart and soul of any story. Books with lackluster writing or major plot holes can get away unscathed (mostly) if they at least have believable, loveable characters—not that writers should cut corners, though. Readers will follow these types of characters anywhere which is why Fanfiction is such a big interest to many readers.