These are weird times, to say the least. If you are having trouble writing, take my word for it, you are not alone. It’s just difficult to focus on writing when it feels like the world is falling to pieces, miright?
But take heart. There are actually a lot of things we can do to support ourselves as writers, even if we’re not actually writing. Because there’s a lot of work that goes on around writing that doesn’t require nearly as much concentration as actually writing.
Ready? Here’s my list:
1. Submit
A writer’s favorite word… Submit. Submit to literary journals, contest, residencies. You know they’re out there, and you know you’ve been meaning to send you work out, but you just haven’t gotten around to it. If you’ve got a few minutes (hahahah) click on over to Submittable and send out a story.
2. Plan to Submit
Okay, so we don’t all have a file of short stories that are ready to go out. If you’re not ready to actually start submitting, make a list of journals/contest/residencies you will submit to when you’re ready. Check out my Submission Spreadsheet if you need help getting organized.
3. Research Your Dream Agent(s)
Much like planning to submit, this is a step toward querying agents when your novel is ready. With just a few minutes of free time, you can grab a book you loved, check the acknowledgements for the part where the author thanks their awesome agent, then take the name of that agent online and do a little cyber-stalking.
Check out the agent’s website, see what they’re looking for, determine if they’re a good fit for your work. If so, add them to your list. I had a list of thirty agents ready by the time I sent out my first letter.
4. Beautify Your Writing Space
This is one of those things that is kind of always needing to be done, but I can never justify doing when I could be writing. But with the kids home from school and doing what they do (read: bickering, making messes), I started puttering around the office.
I filed that giant stack of papers in the corner. I collected all the things that are in my office but shouldn’t be (legos and dog toys and hot sauce) and moved them back to the kitchen where clutter belongs. I dusted the book shelf. Now, when things do quiet down and I actually try to write, my space will feel so nice and clean. It’s important to have a designated writing space that you love.
5. Read Blog Posts by Your Favorite Writers
I keep a little file of bookmarks in my browser window of all the writerly blogs I like to read when I have a few minutes. I always learn something. You can also check out Feedly, and app that allows you to search blog posts by topic and select the bloggers you want to read regularly.
6. Encourage a Fellow Writer Online
You know you’re on social media. So next time you’re scrolling through, take a moment and share a few words of encouragement with another writer. Try the hashtags #amwriting, #writers, #writingtips, and things like that to find the other writers out there. I just consider this good karma.
7. Read, Read, Read
Writers read. Adjust accordingly. Use all this time at home to dig into that TBR pile. It is critical for us as writers. Just because it doesn’t feel like work, doesn’t mean it isn’t part of the job. Read, read, read.
8. Do A Character Study
We can think about our characters no matter what our hands are doing. Consider each of yours and ask yourself if they feel like real people. Do you know where they went to school? What they wanted for breakfast? What they actually had for breakfast?
If you have the luxury of sitting down with a pen and paper go ahead and write it down, but you can do this just as easily in your mind. Do a little mental interview with your villain, for instance, and see if you know him as well as you think you do.
9. Do Research
One of the things I love about being a writer is that anything can be considered research. Eat a food your character eats in your story. Browse the home decor section of Amazon and consider your character’s life: does she sleep on Egyptian Cotton or scratchy discount poly-blend? Does he have a matching plate set? Who gave her the sliver frames for her wedding photos? Go outside after a hard rain and take note of the smells. Read a non-fiction book that relates to your story.
10. Make a Dream Board
Okay, I know there will be haters out there, but I LOVE my dream board. I’m a big believer in the idea that if you don’t know what you’re after you won’t recognize it if it falls in your lap. So I maintain a dream board. I update it from time to time when I realize I can be more specific about something.
For instance, I recently taped a bunch of Monopoly money to mine, because – oh yeah – I actually want to make money as a writer. I pulled the “10 Titles to Pick Up Now” page from a recent O magazine and taped the cover of my book onto it. Silly, I know, but it helps me to stay focused on my goals. It’s also a fun one to do with the kids, since they can make their own, and it involves cutting and pasting and stuff.
So there you have it. 10 ways to keep working on your writing career, even when the apocolypse mess up your plans to write.
I hope you enjoyed this piece and learned a little something. If you found the content valuable, tips are hugely appreciated.
What about contacting the famous astrophysicist we occasionally see on TV, Neil Degrasse Tyson, and ask him for his help. I would imagine you’d need to work out an agreement to give him acknowledgement for his part of the project, much like you would give acknowledgement for any other resources. You might even want to ask him to write the Foreword of your book as part of the agreement.
Considering the sexual harassment allegations against him, I would rather not go that route, besides someone that famous is not likely to help someone like me, who is unpublished.
The research part is where I’m stuck. I’m working on a sci-fi story set on another planet, and I need to find someone who knows astrophysics. I have to figure out real calculations for the size of my planet, it’s rotation and revolution around sun(s) and how that will affect time. A day, a year, the weather, etc.
I’ve tried doing cold-call emails to astronomy departments at colleges and universities, but not finding anyone who will even respond.
Any tips on how to get over this hurdle? It’s hard to keep building the story ( I have 5 chapters and 3-5 more outlined) when I don’t know these big factors to the environment my characters are in.
Thanks!
Hi, Courtney,
I often find that simply putting a call out to social media can open doors. I guess because that’s a place people go for procrastination?
You could also reach out to students. Maybe contact a teacher of physics at a college and ask if any of their students would be will to collaborate in exchange for having their name listed as a “consultant” on a creative project. The idea here is to catch the next aspiring Science Guy (or Gal) on their way up.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
Cheers,
April
I’ve tried social media, but the idea of asking a professor or teacher to ask their students is a good idea. My thought was that if I ever published I would give them credit and 10% as I won’t be able to creat the world I want, if it doesn’t have a feasible makeup to it.
In my experience, most folks are happy with the credit. That said, I have paid readers in the past. It’s usually a pretty modest fee – the most I’ve ever paid is $200 – but it feels appropriate as a recognition of the fact that they’re giving me their time and attention, in addition to their expertise. I also buy them dinner when I can.