by Christine Clemetson
It takes perseverance to keep writing and submitting when time is limited. Here are ten quick ideas to get your words in:
- Use the Notes app on your phone to jot down character traits during the day.
- Write a story idea over morning coffee.
- Use a voice recorder app to get ideas down during a morning run or walking the dog.
- Listen to writing podcasts on your work commute to learn craft and stir up creative juices.
- Solve plot problems while waiting in line at the store, gas station, etc.
- At lunch time, bring a notebook or laptop to a bench outside or a local park.
- Think up scene ideas during the afternoon break.
- While dinner is in the oven, create a character’s goal/motivation/conflict.
- Write in the car while your kids are at soccer practice.
- Use the weekends or your days off to transcribe all those notes into your manuscript.
BONUS STEP: When you’re busy at work and tired, and can’t imagine writing when you get home, visualize your love for writing. Imagine your published book in your hands. Feel it with your fingers clutching the pages. Close your eyes and smell the paper. Put a stickie note up on your bathroom mirror with your favorite motivational quote! Use those images to keep your dream right in front of you. You got this!
About the author...
Christine Clemetson was born to write stories. She can’t even remember a time when she wasn’t listening to the whispers of characters telling her their stories. She just had to put them down on paper, otherwise, how would we find out how they lived –or how they died for that matter?Besides Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew was Christine's ultimate hero growing up in the small beach town of Point Pleasant, NJ. When Nancy, Bess, and George got together for the latest adventure, she stayed with them until it was solved—even if it took the whole morning on my beach towel.
Soon Christine realized her own stories couldn’t wait any longer. Through reading and writing, she found her niche writing scary stories–the ones that send you under the covers! If you’re a reader, writer, or love everything in between, please join Christine for some fun topics. And most of all, get inspired!
Connect with Christine here:
Email: cdclemetson@aol.com
Center Lane by Christine Clemetson
16 comments:
That's why I still write everything on paper first. I always have a notebook with me but not my laptop.
These days every story begins in the notes app on my phone. It’s been a life saver. I always carry a notebook and pen too, but for some reason the Notes app works better. Guess it’s the season I’m going through. ��♀️ Unfortunately, years ago my phone crashed and I lost everything in my notes. No backup. �� I learned my lesson. I back up now and I email my notes to myself. ☺️ Enjoyed this post, Tara!
jessicafergusonwriter.com
The Notes app! Excellent idea.
Those are great tips! Life is always crazy-wacky-busy around here and I sometimes have to think about my stories more than write them for a while before I can find the time!
Fantastic tips! I do love that thinking about the story/characters is part of writing. Some days, it's the only writing I accomplish. Heh.
I'm the same way, Diane! I keep a notebook in my car too. You never know when an idea will strike!
Thanks Jessica. Sorry to hear you lost your notes. Great idea about emailing them! I need to do that.
Thank you! Such an easy way to jot things down.
Hi Jemi. Glad they could help! Thank you. I am the same way. I want to get the ideas down quickly so I can jump right in when I'm ready.
Thanks Cherie! I feel like that's all part of the writing process. When we're super busy, we can still think about the characters and it helps keep us close to the story.
It's always the busiest people who produce the most product. Loved this post. It reminded me that there are many ways to keep writing.
Thanks Lee. So glad you liked it!
I love these ways to keep writing going throughout the day!
I like to write micro-fiction to keep my creativity alive, so I write story "titles" in my memo app and then go back to them and fill them in with micro-fiction. Knowing I have something there to start me on a new story makes me look forward to it.
I'm also starting to do with that with scene starts for my ongoing WIP - if I can get 50 words down on my phone, then I have something to start with when I sit down to really write.
Hi Tyrean. Thank you! What a great idea of creating a title as a starting point for when you can write. I'm going to try this!
I have an addiction to little notebooks. I carry one in my purse for everything from grocery lists to story ideas. I also love the notes app on my phone. I wrote half a book on it once.
I know what you mean about notebooks. That's awesome about the notes app! So easy to jot things down.
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