Writing Tips from Ace!

Writer's Block

Everyone gets writer's block. Maybe there is a part in your book that isn't very interesting or you don't know how to write a scene. That's okay. Everyone has that issue.

Here is what I do. If I come to a spot in my book that is boring and lame, I speed through it as fast as I can. Most of the time, I just trust my gut to put words down, and it comes out fairly well. Something to keep in mind is that if you find it boring to write, your reader may find it boring to read, so racing to the good part may be beneficial for both of you. Don't waste your time on a part you don't enjoy.

If you're frustrated about it, step away. Take a break. That could be a few hours for a few weeks. Get your head straight or come up with another idea. Take your time. Quality writing takes time. Another idea could pop into your head, and you may make that boring part less boring!

Practice makes skill (no such thing as perfect). If you want a certain scene in your book that you don't know how to write, don't panic. Just try your best. Don't worry about it being bad or wrong. Take your time with it, too, if it's frustrating. I will go over how to write certain scenes later in this book. You can take your writing and scene and compare it with mine and other people's. If you're comfortable, you can ask people to critique it as well. You can always add and improve.

Now, what if you don't feel like writing but feel pressured to do so? No one is making you write. If you don't feel like writing, don't write. Even if you're late on a book or feel like you have to please followers or fans (apologies followers). Forced writing is not good writing. I have gone months and even years without writing because maybe something big was going on in my life, I was stressed, I had no fresh ideas, or I just didn't want to. You may piss people off, but you're writing for your pleasure, not for others. Your writing is just convenient for them.

Do you want to get back into writing if you haven't for a while? Try writing a scene in your book you're excited about if you're trying to get back into writing. You can also think about your story a bunch! Get excited about it! Hype yourself up like when you first had the idea! Create new scenarios and ideas for your book while in your day-to-day life. You don't have to come up with your scenes while you're at a desk or staring at a blank page. That can create unwanted pressure and stress that will prevent ideas.

You can try writing prompts, too! Get ideas flowing like a river! I will have a whole chapter in this book for writing prompts you can try! If you ask in the comments, I'll give you some, too!

Something I've always done is what I call an Idea Catcher. An Idea Catcher is exactly as it sounds. It is a document or notebook that is just for catching your ideas. It doesn't have to be organized, planned, or finished. Just a place for ideas to start so you don't have to feel pressured to finish something if you don't want to finish. I even have mine posted for you to read if you want to read my idea barf. That is how most of my books started (like Cranial). In an Idea Catcher, they evolved into the books they are now.