Valentine’s Day is coming, and people have big feelings about it. On one hand, it’s nice to have a set day to celebrate loved ones, but on the other, pressure to buy overpriced chocolates and flowers to ‘show’ love can cast a shadow on things.

Me? I think gifts are nice to give and receive, but pressure shouldn’t be part of it. But on the subject of Valentine’s Day, I have a question for you:

When you’re showing others you care on V-Day, are you giving yourself some of that love, too?

Because you should. You deserve it. Think about how you put a ton of effort into others each day, being the best employee, partner, parent, dog walker, dinner-maker, errand-runner, etc. that you can. It’s who you are, and how you provide for others.

But doing so means there’s not much time for you, is there? And that’s my point, especially for writers.

Our reality is that we need to squeeze writing in around everything else, and after a long day, there’s not always a lot of gas left in the ‘ol mental tank. But we roll up our sleeves because we have books to write and careers to build.

It can be a heavy load.
We need to be kind to ourselves.

So, this Valentine’s Day, think about what you need. And be sure to give yourself these three important gifts:

1) The Gift of Grace

Are you becoming self-critical because you think your writing progress is too slow, you find it hard to manage all the things that come with this career, or right now, certain things are beyond your skill? Let that go. You aren’t a machine, just someone doing their best. Silence your internal critic who is saddling you with unreasonable expectations. Everything takes time to learn. You’re doing great and you’ve got this!

2) The Gift of Time

Because you usually put everyone else first, this Valentine’s Day, carve time out for you. Reflect on what is important to you, and what makes you happy. Put those things on the front burner, prioritizing them. Put your needs first.

If you want to be able to write guilt-free, take that time. If you need a break from duty and responsibility so you can do something for yourself, ask someone to step in and help. And while you’re investing in your mental health, consider what small changes will ensure there’s always time for you and what you need moving forward!

3) The Gift of Patience

Because life zips along at a breezy clip, we assume our writing career will too, but it doesn’t work that way. Learning to craft strong novels, understand the industry, build a platform, and become proficient at the business end of things all take time to accomplish.

It’s easy to forget this, especially when others are releasing books and furthering their goals. We feel a sense of urgency to keep up, and falsely believe that if we can’t, something’s wrong with us. Not true. This journey will look different for each of us. And, it’s not a race, so be patient with your progress. Remind yourself that when you rush, bad things can happen.

Remember, it’s okay to put yourself first!

This isn’t said enough, and it needs to be!

Many of us feel near-constant pressure to do ‘all the things’ and we try, but it comes at a cost. Neglecting our well-being for too long saps our energy and creativity, and we need both to further our writing goals. And if we start to feel we’re not making headway because we never have time or we’re too tired, doubt creeps in. We may start to worry we don’t have what it takes (and we do!)

This is why self-care is essential. When you invest in yourself, it reminds you that you have WORTH, that those goals of yours are valid and deserve your time and focus.

When you take care of your personal well-being, you feel confident and capable. You have energy for the road ahead. And that’s a win-win-win.

So, as we inch closer to February 14th, think about how you’ll celebrate yourself. Read a book, take yourself on a long walk, and treat yourself to guilt-free indulgence. You deserve it!

Speaking of Valentine’s Gifts…

Becca and I like to put something together for writers this time of year because we love this community and feel so lucky to be part of it. So if you have been eyeing a One Stop for Writers subscription, please use this 25% off code to save a bit.

SHOW-DON’T-TELL THESAURUS DATABASE
CHARACTER BUILDER
CHARACTER ARC BLUEPRINT
TIMELINE TOOL
STORY & SCENE MAPS
WORLDBUILDING SURVEYS
IDEA GENERATOR
WORKSHEETS & TEMPLATES
THE STORYTELLER’S ROADMAP
All the story support you need to write fantastic fiction, in one place.

To redeem this one-time 25% discount:

1) sign up or sign in
2) Go to Account >> My Subscription and choose any plan
3) Add & activate the VALENTINE code in the box provided
4) Enter your payment details, click the terms box, & hit subscribe

And that’s it. Our storyteller’s toolkit is now your storyteller’s toolkit!

If you are a current subscriber, add/activate this code on the My Subscription page. It will discount your next invoice. Offer ends February 17th, 2024.

What is your favorite type of self-care? Let us know in the comments!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Why Writers Should Be Their Own Valentine This Year appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I want to write a book.

You remember when this big idea first hit, right?

Maybe you were browsing for books, waiting for an author’s autograph, or sitting in awe after finishing a great novel. The idea took hold of you, and soon you found yourself buying notebooks, pens, and sticky notes. You browse online for writerly things—a cute laptop sticker or a mug that says, “Writer at Work.” And then when it arrives, you fill it with your favorite drink, sit down at your computer, and open up a new document. Because it’s SHOWTIME!

You place your hands on the keyboard, grinning like a clown-obsessed maniac. This is it—the magic is about to happen.

Onscreen, the cursor blinks. And blinks.

Boy, the page is so white. How did you not notice before? And that infernal flickering cursor… is it just you, or does it seem kind of judge-y?

And that’s when you realize your big idea has a second part to it:

I want to write a book…but I have no idea where to start.

Thankfully, this truth, while inconvenient, doesn’t have to stop any of us from writing. It may seem daunting at first, and doubts might try to sway us (What was I thinking? I can’t do this!), but I’m here to tell you that, yes, you can write a book.

7 Tips for How to Write a Book When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

Not knowing where to start is a problem countless writers before us have faced and figured out. So, if you are feeling a bit lost when it comes to your big dream, these seven things can help you move forward and even better, jump start your writing career.

1. Write

Sure, this seems obvious, but starting can be paralyzing. We worry about committing our ideas to the page because what if they resemble some four-year-old’s Cheerios-and-glue “masterpiece”? Well, guess what? They might, and that’s okay. Great storytelling takes time, and if that didn’t put off Stephen King, Susanne Collins, or Nora Roberts, it shouldn’t stop us, either.

To begin, think about your Big Story Idea. Jot down your ideas, or try outlining the story you envision using one of these methods or this outlining software. Or start with something small, like one scene. At the beginning of a writing journey our goal should be getting comfortable with putting words on the page and having fun, not pressuring ourselves into penning the next Game of Thrones.

2. Read Widely

Reading is so enjoyable we tend to forget how each story is a treasure trove of education on what makes a book good, bad, or off-the-charts great. So read widely, thinking about what makes each story compelling. Look for characters that stand out, story worlds that seem so real you feel part of them, and plots that keep you flipping pages long into the night. Ask yourself questions:

• What made certain characters larger than life?
• Did their personalities, complex motives, or a truth they live by pull you to them?
• What scenes and situations seemed the most real to you?

Studying where you fell under the storyteller’s spell can help you see how you can do the same for your readers.

3. Join a Writing Group

One of the best things you can do at the start of this journey is find others on the writer’s path. A community of writers puts you in touch with those who have the same goal, meaning you can learn from and support one another. Plus, having creatives in your circle helps to keep you accountable, meaning your butt stays in the chair and words get written.

4. Collect a War Chest of Knowledge

We all start with some talent and skill, but to write well we need to train up. Visit Amazon to find writing books with high reviews so you can judge which might be most helpful for your development. Make note of the title or ISBN and order them at your favorite bookstore.

Another way to build your knowledge is by subscribing to helpful writing blogs. Bite-sized learning can be perfect for a time-crunched writer. I recommend exploring all the resources on this page, studying up on character building, story structure, worldbuilding, and everything in between.

Getting to know who the people in our stories are and what makes them tick helps us understand what’s motivating them, and that makes writing their actions and behavior easier. To dive deep into who a character is so you can write them with authority, this tool will help.

5. Take a Course or Workshop

Investing in guided or self-guided learning can also kickstart your progress. The community is packed with great teachers. Below are some good options, but first, if you belong to a writing organization, check to see if they offer members classes for free or at a discount.

• Reedsy Learning Center
• Bang2Write Courses
• Lawson Writer’s Academy
• Jami Gold Workshops
• Jerry Jenkins
• Writing for Life Workshops
• Michael Hauge (Hero’s Two Journeys)

6. Look For Step-by-Step Help

As any writer will tell you, the road from an idea to a publish-ready novel is a long one, and it’s easy to get lost along the way. It’s no fun when we don’t know what to write next, or we don’t know how to solve a problem in the story. And, if we get too frustrated or our writing stalls for too long, we might end up quitting. Having an expert offer guidance as you write can keep you on track.

Some writers like to partner with a writing coach so they get personal feedback and support as they go. If this is something you might like, here’s a list to start with. A benefit is that you’ll learn a lot about writing as you go, but depending on how long you need coaching for it can get a bit costly. So another option might be the Storyteller’s Roadmap at One Stop for Writers. This roadmap breaks the novel-writing process into three parts: planning, writing, and revising. It has step-by-step instructions on what to do as you go, and points you to tools, resources, and articles that will make the job easier.

The Storyteller’s Roadmap also has built-in solutions for the most common writing problems, so whether you need to overcome Writer’s Block, Impostor’s Syndrome, or stop new ideas from derailing your story, the Code Red section keeps you on track.

7.  Above All Else, Be Fearless

Starting a book can seem like a monumental undertaking, and sometimes with big dreams, we have the tendency to try and talk ourselves out of them. We fear failing, because we think that’s worse than never trying at all. If you feel the passion to write, don’t let fear stop you. The world needs great stories!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post How to Write Your First Book appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

The iconic NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge has many of you rolling up your sleeves to pound out a novel. Becca and I love this event because it is a great time to become explore deep level ideas, experiment, and show ourselves we are absolutely capable of putting a novel-length story on the page.

NaNoWriMo is something you should make your own. Want to try a new genre? Go for it. Are you a plotter who would like to try pantsing (or the opposite)? Go for it! Maybe you want to channel an alter ego author voice, have an out-of-the box story premise you want to write, or you just need to get that next book done. Whatever it is, NaNo is a great time to blast out words and have fun doing it.

Writing a novel in a month also means telling your inner editor to take a holiday. He or she can go bug Elon Musk for a month – lots to criticize on the X front, after all. November is for you and your creativity alone, a pressure-free time to not worry about getting every word right as you draft.

We want this to be a terrific experience for everyone, so we’ve put together tips to help you smash out the words during NaNoWriMo:

1) Set yourself up for success before you write.

This is such an important step no matter what time of year it is, we’ve written an entire post about this! But there’s added pressure when it comes to NaNoWriMo because you’re attempting a draft a novel in a single month. If you haven’t yet done so, set up your space so you have what you need, talk to family members on how to respect your writing time, and click the link above to put yourself in a great place to draft.

2) Find an accountability partner.

NaNoWriMo is easier (and more fun) with friends, so find other writers who will be taking the challenge. Stay in touch so you can cheer each other on, have someone to turn to when you need help, and even meet up for writing sprints (in the real world, through Zoom, or over social media). NaNoWriMo makes this super easy–you can set up a group, join a group, find locals in your area who are doing the challenge, etc. If you belong to a writer’s organization, see who is taking the challenge and set up a group for you. If you participate on a writing forum, Facebook group, or something else, see who is doing NaNo and suggest you all exchange info to stay connected. Stay in touch, share your progress, support each other so everyone finishes November on a high note!

3) Know enough about your story to feel comfortable writing it.

This may look different for everyone, depending on your planning preferences, but planning a bit is essential. Whatever makes you comfortable, do. If you like to full-out outline and do character profiles, do! If you only need a few ideas to run with, great. But know what you need to be comfortable to start and keep writing. It can also be helpful to know your first scene well, so you have a strong first writing session. Highly recommended: the Storyteller’s Roadmap, and downloading the Story Planning Checklist. (Then, after planning, move on to the Writing Track of the Roadmap. You’ll find the Code Red section invaluable.)

4) End each session with an incomplete sentence.

This one sounds strange, but starting a new line with that damned blinking cursor can be paralyzing for some. If you know what the sentence is in full, but you leave it half-finished when you stop for the day, you immediately have something to write the next time you sit down, and muscle memory takes over. It can also be good to think on the next scene you want to write in between sessions so you have an easier time picking up again.

5) Keep sources of inspiration on speed dial.

There may be times you hit a lull and need ideas. (Totally okay, this happens.) Taking a bit of a break instead of trying to force words might help, so know what tends to make you feel creative and excited to write. Would you like to doodle a bit as you listen to music? Re-watch an old favorite Netflix movie that always leaves you with a rush to create? Bake something, or go for a walk? Maybe for you, inspiration hits in the shower. Whatever activity will help you work through story problems and recharge your creativity, give that a try.

6) If you don’t know what to write next, skip ahead.

Sometimes we hit a wall and feel pressure because the next scene is a big blank. We don’t know how the protagonist is going to get the magic dagger from their enemy, or what circumstances will ensure our romantic couple end up at the same ski resort. Guess what? It’s okay. Just think ahead to when that story problem is solved: the protagonist has the dagger. The couple run into each other at a ski lesson. Whatever “next scene” you can see clearly in your mind, start writing that scene.

Leave a note before you start reminding yourself what is missing <Jeff has to trick Lida into giving up the knife> or <Brand and Deena somehow both end up at the same ski resort>. Your brain will work on the skipped portion of the story in the background, and let you know how a leads to b. When it happens, you can go back and fill in the blanks.

7) Don’t be afraid to go off script.

A challenge like NaNoWriMo is meant to free your imagination, so even if you tend to plot and write to an outline, if your characters are taking things in a different direction, or your gut is telling you to deviate from the plan, you might want to give the story room to change. Add a mark you can find again using search like <<>> to note where you are deviating from the plan. Let the story unfold, and see where it goes. There is no wasted effort here, and you may find the new direction has you excited to write forward. Or you might decide the tangent isn’t for you. No worries! Add another <<>> and restart the story from where you deviated. The words still count toward the total and you can delete them later in revisions.

8) Don’t let doubt creep in.

It’s not easy to turn off the part of our mind that worries about quality, and sometimes our Internal Editor shows up despite our efforts to banish him. If he starts tsking over what you’re writing, do not listen. Every first draft is clay we must begin to shape if it is to evolve into the beautiful story we know it can become.

So, if the Internal Editor shows up, banish him to a room where this guy is waiting:

Imagine the resulting screams, smile, and keep writing.

9) Reward yourself.

Writing so many words while managing everything else in your life isn’t easy, and will require sacrifice. So make sure to reward yourself along the way, not just at the end of the challenge. Think about small things you love that you can promise yourself at certain points. You could set milestones to your word count, but maybe for you, writing 5 days in a row is a victory, or sticking to an internal promise of starting and finishing that rough chapter is the goal. Reward yourself in ways that motivate you to keep going.

10) Remember, you can’t really “fail” NaNoWriMo.

Even if you don’t hit 50K, or you decide to quit at a certain point because something comes up or you aren’t feeling the story, you had the courage to start, and to try! That’s a win, as is every word you did write!

No effort is ever a waste. Taking on this challenge is also a way to learn more about yourself and what does and doesn’t work for you. These are all lessons that will help you moving forward.

Becca and I are cheering you on! If you need any help at all, check out these three links

The Ultimate Prep Guide for NaNoWriMo (Plotters & Pantsers)
The Novelist’s Triage Center (Get Unstuck & Finish Your Book)
The Writer’s Secret Weapon Page

Go forth and be awesome–you’ve got this!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post NaNoWriMo: Top Tips for Smashing Out 50K appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

We’re a month away from the official kickoff to summer, and as someone who gets less of this season than many (Oh, Canada), I’m starting to get giddy. Summer is ahead, ready to unfurl like a warm, sunny rug. I’m talking longer days, less rigid schedules, and more trips to Gong Cha for bubble tea. Let the good times roll.

Some writers may be looking to take the next few months off from writing, or shift focus to other writerly tasks. Others have no such plans, and will be full steam ahead as usual.

I want to make room to enjoy summer, but I’ll still be working, balancing writing and research with the other things on my plate, and frankly, I’m good with that. I’m the type of person who needs to know I’m furthering the ball when it comes to my goals, even if it’s at a slower pace.

Writing over the summer is glorious because…

We can move our office wherever we want. I love being able to take my laptop outside and work on the sun-dappled balcony in the morning, or pull a deck chair into the shade during the afternoon. Sometimes I decide it’s a take-your-adult-beverage-to-work-day, because why not? Summer!

We can tap into greater creativity. Writing outside, or even with just the windows open, brings us birdsong, the shush of leaves, and perfumed air of flowers and greenery. Color is everywhere, too, visual reminders that everything is growing, coming into its own, just as we are with each word we write.

We can take our stories on the road. Is there anything better than taking a notebook on a walk, finding a quiet park or place along the river, and just letting our imagination flow? Getting out from the desk is a powerful way to reconnect with creativity and spontaneity (and it keeps us from losing hours to scrolling tiktok videos).

We have more energy. Summer tends to mean less activities and a slower pace as schools close and people at work rotate through holidays and vacations. With less pressure in these areas, we have more time for ourselves, and more mental energy for our books.

A break from writing can be beneficial because…

Life can be stressful, and sometimes we just need a break. Between work, family, social commitments, and unexpected life hurdles, sometimes the last thing we need is to fill a gap of time with more of anything. It’s okay to take time for yourself, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about not writing, especially if you are a bit burned out.

You just wrapped up something big, and need rest. Last year, my life was nuts. In a span of three months, both my children were married, I moved, and my husband was admitted for major surgery. With so many big life events happening all at once, I needed some downtime in the worst way, so I took it without regret.

You’re struggling with Writer’s Block. When retrieving words seems impossible, sometimes you need to keep trying, but other times, stepping back is the better choice. The dreaded block often happens because the creative well is empty, meaning it needs to be refilled. Read, get out in nature, watch movies, do art, bake, and do all the things that tend to make you feel creative and feed your imagination. When you are itching to get back to writing, you’ll know.

Or…strike a balance!

Few things are all-or-nothing, including your summer writing (or not-writing) strategy. If you have visitors to prep for, weekend camping trips, or this is the year you renovate the yard, it might be difficult to work on your novel with regularity. But if you’re like me and get a bit squidgy when you feel as if you aren’t furthering your writing goals, look for middle ground. One way might be to choose bite-sized tasks over a steady word count.

Think about where you are now, and where you want to be. Make a list of things that you need to know to have a clearer picture of your path forward. Do you need to research publishing options? Get a query letter & list of agents ready to go? Do you need to find a course to help you market, or create a shortlist of reputable freelance editors? Whatever things you believe should be in your headlights, make a list. Order it so what you need to get started on first is at the top.

Do some research. Being a writer means there’s always more for us to learn. Maybe it’s time to research website hosting, play with design tools so you’ll be able to create promotional materials down the road, or find answers to your publishing questions. Summer is a great time to visit new sites, test tools, and find resources that can help you take the next step.

Plan a new story. Summer is the BEST time to dream up new characters, outline a story, or build a fictional world. These are writing bits that are fun, creative, and perfect for smaller pockets of time. Being able to mull everything over, and do some of the important planning, can put you in a great place when it’s time to start writing!

You even have the time and space to decide the best way for your story to start. Having that first scene clear in your mind can make it so much easier to get going when it’s time to write it.

If you are planning to write…

You might want to check out One Stop for Writers. Becca and I have spent years building a powerful toolkit full of resources, the largest show-don’t-tell THESAURUS database anywhere, and a Storyteller’s Roadmap, which guides you step-by-step as you plan, write, and revise.

This can be especially helpful over the summer so you keep track of what comes next at whatever stage you’re in. Find out more.

What are your plans this summer – write, take a break, or something in between?

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Should You Write Over the Summer, or Take a Break? appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s a touchy topic, I know.

On one hand, we may putter a bit as a way ‘into’ writing–getting supplies together, pouring a cup of coffee, and putting a few cookies on standby. Most of us have a pre-writing ritual. But, on the other hand, after we do those things, how many of us suddenly remember something that needs our attention? Maybe, Oh, I forgot to send that email and so we head to the inbox. We send our message, but as we do, see another about a friend’s new book. So, naturally we zip over to Goodreads and add it to our shelf.

You know where this is going. Goodreads leads to Facebook, which leads to Instagram and Tiktok, and boom, an hour’s gone. Maybe more.

Another thing that chews up writing time is the research and brainstorming we need to do. There’s always things to look into for our story, and information for marketing, learning stronger craft, and more.

Finally, there’s the time we waste trying to locate our story planning materials – those characters bios, timelines, notes about the plot, worldbuilding information, and the rest which helps us as we write and revise. These things may be scattered in notebooks, on hard drives, post-its, etc. and every time we need to look something up, it pulls us out of the writing flow. Sometimes by the time we find it, we’ve lost track of what we had planned to say.

So…how do we get lost time back?

By changing our habits & process a touch so writing time is spent doing exactly that: writing. Here are some tweaks that might help you:

Procrastinate…with a timer. If you know it’s your habit to check a few things before you start writing, then give in to it, but set a timer on your phone to limit how long you spend surfing social and handling email.

Schedule time for non-writing tasks. Story planning, researching information to help us write and market, connecting with people on social media, and yes, answering email – it all needs to be done. But if we organize ourselves better, and create designated times for those bits of work, we protect our sit-down-and-write sessions.

Organize our story materials in the same place. It’s true, we can be like birds, storing shiny bits and bobs for our story all over. This happens because as we’re planning, we’re not always in the same place. Sometimes we’re at the computer and things go into a file, other times, ideas hit in the car and we jot down notes on our phone or on the back of a receipt.

Keeping things together means we always know where to go when we need to check something about a character, scan our outline, or remind ourselves of certain story details. Being able to find the information we need quickly is key to getting back to writing and more words each session.

If you’re looking for a way to organize all your story items, check out One Stop for Writers. We just revamped our dashboard, the Workspace. You can create everything for your story there, store it, and when you need to look something up, it auto-sorts everything for you. (Don’t you wish someone would create a button to sort out your actual desk? I do!)

Check it out:

Finally, if you’re procrastinating too often, ask yourself why. Often, we fall into a distraction hole because we’re struggling with the story. When the writing gets hard, our motivation drains away. We’d rather get lost on the internet than face a nasty knot in our manuscript.

Problems don’t fix themselves, so we need to push ourselves to identify what’s wrong, so we can find a solution. Going back to our story materials is often key as they can show us if we’ve planned enough, need to raise the stakes, give a character more depth, add a scene, or something else. TIP: The Storyteller’s Roadmap has a Code Red section to help you fix the most common story problems.

How do you make sure procrastination and disorganization doesn’t derail your writing? I’d love to hear your tips!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post How Much Time Do You Waste as a Writer? appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

When February 14th rolls around, it’s a reminder to let certain people know that we love and cherish them. So, we buy chocolate, flowers, or go for a night out. Maybe we give the gift of time and make a favorite meal or dessert.

In reality, most of us don’t need a special day to show our love for the people in our lives.

But we do need a reminder to show love for the person we tend to forget about: OURSELVES.

Speaking of the L word, many of you know Becca and I gave our hearts to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs long ago. We use it all the time to teach writers how to build stronger characters, arcs, and how to add meaningful conflict and stakes.

Well, if there were a hierarchy for a writer’s life, it might look something like this:

In other words…YOU always come last.

So this year, think about how to put yourself first.

Be your own Valentine!

Start with some meaningful gifts:

1) Give yourself the gift of space.

We all live busy lives and can end up trapped within responsibilities and routines. We’re used to taking every spare moment and filling it with stuff that must be done – errands, fixing things, appointments. When do we have time to reflect on what we need, what we want to see for ourselves, and what will bring us more happiness and fulfillment?

So…back away from the to-do list and give yourself some space to think and reflect. We only get one kick at the can of life (unless reincarnation is a thing), so go for a walk in the park, take yourself on a picnic, or fill the bathtub with suds and lock the door. Turn your thinker to what small changes you can make to move toward a happier and more balanced you.

2) Give yourself the gift of time.

The Writer’s Pyramid shows how everything else tends to come first. After all, we love the people around us and want to make sure their needs are taken care of. But the constant merry-go-round of work, driving everywhere for school and activities, and all the other life stuff doesn’t leave us a lot for writing and other fulfilling goals.

So…be a little selfish with your time this February. Putting your needs and interests first for once doesn’t make you a bad person. Pausing things that can wait so you can make room for your writing and yourself is a healthy habit and teaches us to make choices about what’s really important. Plus, when you have more time for yourself and things personal to you, you’ll be happier and more energized.

3) Give yourself the gift of escape.

Forgive me, Stephen King, for I have sinned: I have become so busy I barely have time to read anymore. In fact, I may have moved that stack of books I bought out of sight so I wouldn’t feel guilty about what I wasn’t doing…reading.

If this sounds familiar, it’s okay. You aren’t alone. A busy life means reading fiction can end up on the back burner. But remember, we write because we love stories and want readers to escape into our realities. Reading is key to furthering our career and keeping our creative well filled.

So…let’s escape, too, and go on a book date. Pick up that trilogy you’ve been eyeing. Buy yourself your favorite sweets, a new flavor of tea, or whatever will help you unplug from everything and focus on the fictional realm. Give yourself permission to put everything else on hold and fall into a story world.

4) Give yourself the gift of help.

Writing is hard work and requires passion, perseverance, and grit. It can seem like we’re climbing a mountain that only gets higher as we learn what strong writing looks like and how to get our own story craft to that level. But while there’s much to learn, we also have a writing community filled with experts to help!

So…put resources in your toolkit that can help carry the load. In fact, we created a giant i need help with… section on our home page so you’ll be able to get the help you need no matter what the topic. Click the image link and scroll down the page!

And did you know…

Many writers associate us with our thesaurus books, but we are also the creators of One Stop for Writers, a treasure chest of storytelling goodness.

One Stop for Writers has everything you need to build standout characters, fresh plots and stunning worlds. It also guides you step by step as you plan, write and revise.

And if you are a fan of our books like the Emotion Thesaurus, you might be interested to know an even larger THESAURUS database is at the site. So come check it out sometime. We have a 2-week free trial.

Or, if you’re ready to put this powerful tool in your writing kit, be our Valentine and save 25% on any plan with this one-time discount code:

ONESTOPVALENTINE

To redeem this 25% discount:

1) sign up or sign in

2) Go to Account >> My Subscription and choose your plan

3) Add & activate the ONESTOPVALENTINE code in the box provided

4) Enter your payment details, click the terms box, & hit subscribe

Plan, write, and revise faster and easier as One Stop for Writers’ Storyteller’s Roadmap, Thesaurus Database, and other story support tools!

5) Give yourself the gift of grace.

Above all else, we want to see you get your books in the hands of readers and realize your writing dreams. Fulfillment is fuel, and when we achieve meaningful goals, we’re happier, more balanced, and optimistic. But writing a strong story and publishing it takes time, especially when we have a full life and other responsibilities.

So…take a moment to remind yourself that this isn’t a race, and you’re not competing with anyone. Publishing a book and having a successful career of doing what you love is about putting one foot in front of the other. Go at the speed that is right for you, not one that might lead to burnout. Be kind to yourself and remember: YOU’VE GOT THIS!

6) Finally, how about the gift of sleep?

Hit snooze more often, or sneak in a nap or two. The world will not break apart if you rest more, I promise!

How are you taking care of yourself? Let us know in the comments!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post How Writers Can Be Their Own Valentine appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s that time of year when we’re thinking about upcoming holidays and the people in our lives who love writing as much as we do. Critique partners, accountability chums, fellow scribblers in the trenches…this is a great time to give them a little something to show them how special they are to us, and to show support of their author goals.

This year we wanted to share a few of our favorite things because we think they’ll make great gifts. (A few are affiliate links, but we only suggest things we like and think you will too.) Enjoy!

Motivational Stickers

Imagine opening your laptop and seeing an inspiring quote that gets you all pumped up – that’s what these great little stickers do.

Check out the huge variety of stickers you can get from BiblioficDesigns!

A Portable Desk

Want to write on the couch, in bed, in the car or on the lounger in the backyard? Get this portable laptop desk.

I have one and use it all the time. I love being able to move around and find the best spot to inspire me as I work!

Yankee Candles

Becca loves certain things – her kids, cats, peanut butter protein shakes, and yes, Yankee Candles.

Candles are a big part of her writing routine, and she always has one burning when it’s time to work because it triggers her brain to get down to business. This is a great addition to any writer’s desk, and heck, they smell so good!

An Owl Mug

Look I’m not saying I have an owl addiction, but well, yeah, I have an owl addiction.

Owls are wise and make a great writerly mascot, so I think we both know you and every other writer need at least one mug…maybe two. And my goodness, look at this pair. I’m in love!

A Bestselling Writing Guide from Us!

By now, you likely know we’re the authors behind The Emotion Thesaurus and its many sibling guides. These books have helped writers all over the world brainstorm stronger description and master show-don’t tell, and we love creating them.

If you are new to these books, you pick your topic, and then dive in. You’ll learn how to write that subject better, be it emotions, setting, personality, conflict, etc., and brainstorming lists (the ‘thesaurus’ part) to give you endless ideas for fresh ways to describe that element in your story through show, not tell.

Not sure which book to get? Try the Emotion Thesaurus (Blue), which is the most popular volume, and helps you describe what your characters are feeling through body language, thoughts, visceral sensations, cues, & more. Or, choose the Conflict Thesaurus (Gold & Silver), which were our last two releases. You’ll love having so many possible conflict scenarios on tap to help you write fresh, intense fiction.

Literary Insults Poster

This poster was a birthday gift from my daughter-in-law, and I love it. It’s filled with great literary insults (that you can use, muahaha), so that’s fun, right?

It’s a neat collectable and conversation piece all in one, so frame this poster and then display it in your office with epic nerdy pride. I did!

A Weighted Blanket

Okay, this is a super thoughtful gift, because we all know writers keep odd hours and never get enough sleep. So, make sure your sleep is quality by wrapping yourself in a heavy, fuzzy blanket that applies just enough pressure to make all your anxiety slip away. I bought one a few years ago and have never slept better.

A Powerful Story Toolkit

There’s no better story support than One Stop for Writers. With its massive show-don’t-tell database, innovative story tools, and the Storyteller’s Roadmap, planning, writing, and revising becomes so much easier.

This is a game-changer for anyone who needs help writing stronger stories, and the subscriptions are very affordable.

We hope you enjoyed this list of our favorite writerly things! Hopefully this inspires some gift ideas. And remember, it’s okay to buy yourself a little something, too, or add these to your personal wish list!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Our Favorite Gifts for Writers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

One thing that drives all writers is the desire to create a truly amazing story, one a reader can’t put down or forget.

It’s why we’re always learning to deepen our storytelling skills – we want that next book to be our best one yet.

But the learning curve can be frustrating, and it’s hard when so many things are competing for our time. Becca and I know this first hand as we’ve been studying story craft for almost 20 years.

We’ve been sharing what we know for a long time now, both here and at One Stop for Writers. Time is precious, and we want every writing session of yours to be a great one. If you only know us by our thesaurus books, you might be surprised to know we’ve built other tools to help writers think like a story expert so every aspect of their story is as strong as it can be.

Character Builder Tool

This tool at One Stop for Writers contains massive characterization databases for personality traits, emotions, skills, motivations, backstory wounds, physical features, occupations, and more, so planning original characters is incredibly easy. Even better, this tool uses psychology to show you how each element or quality you choose will alter how your character thinks and behaves, meaning it will be much easier to write their actions and responses in ways that line up with who they are.

Did we mention the Character Builder also identifies key details as you brainstorm and builds a character arc blueprint for you? See this tool in action >>

Story Map, Scene Maps, and Timeline Tools

Every writer has their own process when it comes to planning a story or novel. Some prefer to fully outline a story tip to toe so they know exactly which events they are writing towards, and see how plot and character arc work together. Story Maps is great for this, especially as it helps you navigate story structure so you end up with a strong story foundation. Visit Story Maps >>

Scene Maps look at planning at the scene level, which can be great both for micro-planning and diagnosing what’s not quite working in your novel. This tool shows you all the major elements a scene should have, and then you can make quick notes about each scene, stringing together as many as you like.

The scene cards are moveable, and come in two versions so you can choose the terminology that fits you best: Formal Scene Maps >> and Informal Scene Maps >>

Finally, for Pantsers who prefer less planning, we have the Timeline Tool, which is great for jotting down ideas about possible scenes without structuring them too much.

Like Scene Maps, the cards can be moved around, so play with the order as you storyboard ideas, track events like a series of murders or stops on a character’s quest, and more. Check out the Timeline Tool >>

WorldBuilding Surveys

Real-world or not, every story has a foundational “where” and it’s up to you to know this reality inside and out, whether it’s Middle Earth or Chicago.

We created choose-your-own surveys where you drag questions to answer about your story’s where, creating a custom survey. Putting thought into the cities, people, places, government, travel methods, climate, magic, and other key details etc. will help you write settings with authenticity and avoid logic problems that could pull readers out of the story. Find out more >>

Show-Don’t-Tell Database

Ideas come to life through description, and the more focus and meaningful the detail, the better readers can imagine what’s happening to the characters they’ve come to care about. But it’s all about choosing the right details, ones that work hard in your story.

Our show-don’t-tell THESAURUS is the largest of its kind, supplying you with non-stop ideas on how to showcase your characters, locations, and story events so readers feel part of each scene and experience. Explore the THESAURUS database >>

Storyteller’s Roadmap

With so many story elements to juggle–plot, pacing, characters, theme, symbolism, arc, dialogue, subtext, story structure and more–getting a novel from that first idea to a publish-ready novel is a huge undertaking. In fact, many writers stop before a story is complete because they got lost along the way, felt stuck, or believed they couldn’t get the story to where it needed to be.

The Storyteller’s Roadmap is the cure for unfinished novels because it guides writers step-by-step through planning, writing, and revising so they always know what to focus on, and have the tools, resources, and knowledge to get past any difficulty or struggle. Visit the Storyteller’s Roadmap >>

Templates, Worksheets, and Generators

Some writers prefer Templates and Worksheets to help launch their imagination and focus on one thing at a time. We’ve put together some innovative ones that go further than what you might typically see elsewhere.

And if you need an extra brainstorming nudge, the Idea Generator can help you round out a character with a secret or hobby, give you ideas for plot complications, suggest story stakes, and more.

Tip Sheets & Check List Database

Taking a story from good to great is done when we optimize everything we can. Our Tip Sheet Database is packed with ways to improve your story and troubleshoot problems. Come download a few – no subscription needed >>

Is It Time to Try Something New?

All of these tools can be found at One Stop for Writers, so if you’d like to try any of them out, activate the free trial and see if these are a game-changer for you. But if you already have a process that works and feel you have no real struggles on the writing front, keep doing what you’re doing now, because it’s clearly working for you!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Game-Changing Creative Tools for New & Advanced Writers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

If NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is new to you, think CHALLENGE meets CREATIVITY. Writers all over the world set the same goal: to write 50,000 words in the month of November. That’s a boatload of words, and for many, adds up to a full novel. But whether a person reaches 50K or not, participating is a way to silence the ‘ol You can’t write a novel! jerk-voice in their head and just write. (Fun Fact: my first full-length novel was a NaNo novel.)

This challenge is a great time to experiment: try a new genre, play with ideas, and let creativity take the wheel. But don’t mishear me – giving over to creativity doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do any story planning and instead assume the muse will show up on November 1st.

In fact, the key to a successful NaNoWriMo is to use October to plan and prep!

To be ready for a full month of intense writing bursts, we should know a few things about what we’re writing, and have a plan on how to get to our 50,000 word goal.

Plan the story…

Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, it’s generally not good to start NaNoWriMo with no idea what to write about…unless you are looking to experiment, pressure-free, and won’t sweat it if you get lost or stuck, or finishing is not a big deal. But for the majority, having some direction at the start means starting off well, and it’s easier to build momentum so the words continue to flow.

Pantsers should have some idea of the type of story they want to write, and know a bit about what might happen. It can be a looser plan where characters and plot are more impressions, and who they are and what will happen in the story will be discovered as they write.

Plotters will want to do a deeper level of planning, including building characters to understand their personality, backstory, needs, goals, and more so it’s easier to write their actions and choices in the story. They’ll also want to plot or outline so they have a firmer idea of where their story will go and some of the major events that will happen. World building is also something to spend time on so it’s easier to draw readers into the character’s reality.

TIP: Whether you plot, plan, or do something in between, download the Ultimate NaNoWriMo Prep Guide below. You’ll be so glad you did.

Plan your time…

One of the biggest reasons why writers fail to finish NaNoWriMo is because life takes over and they can’t carve out enough time to write. Looking ahead to November and what might be happening in your life then can help you see what will be competing for your time. Maybe there will be some things you can handle now, or you can proactively plan for so they aren’t as disruptive. It’s also a good time to sit down with family members to explain how they can help you achieve your goal, and how that certain times they’ll need to step up because you won’t be available.

Plan your toolkit…

There are plenty of resources that can make it easier for you to know what to write, focus on the task at hand, supply you with ideas when you need them, and support you in other ways. Bookmark these babies:

NANOWRIMO: Seems obvious, I know, but there’s a ton of support right at the NaNo site, and you don’t want to miss it. So, sign up, introduce yourself on the forums, find local groups, and explore the many resources that writers all over the world recommend. (Don’t forget to recommend the ones that help you, too!)

TRELLO: This free tool is great for brainstorming. Gather together story ideas, research links, create columns for each character…Trello’s drag-and-drop cards are a great way to organize your ideas.

ONE STOP FOR WRITERS: This creativity portal is LOADED with powerful resources to help you plan characters & their arcs, world-build, create timelines, outline your story, and have non-stop ideas on tap so you always know what to write next. Start with a 2-week free trial if you like, or take advantage of this birthday discount.

TIP: While you’re at One Stop, poke around the THESAURUS to see all the way you can bring out your freshest stories ideas. The Conflict Thesaurus may become your best friend!

BRAIN FM: I purchased a lifetime license years ago and have never looked back, and why? Because it helps me focus on the task at hand. This app plays special neural phase-locking music that engages with your brain, encouraging productive writing sessions. If you’d like to try it, use my member’s code to get a free month.

FREEDOM: If social media and email pings distract you, well, you aren’t alone. An unending stream of information is a blessing and a curse, so if you want to claw back your keyboard, try this app and website blocker. (There’s a free trial).

THE NOVELIST’S TRIAGE CENTER: If you write yourself into a corner, run out of ideas, a plot hole happens, etc., visit this page. It’s packed with the many possible problems you might encounter and how to free yourself of them so the words continue to flow.

ULTIMATE NANOWRIMO PREP GUIDE: Wondering what story elements you really need to plan to be ready for November, and the other things you can do now that will set you up for a great NaNoWriMo?

Everything you need to for a successful NaNoWriMo is in this handy guide.

It’s full of actionable ideas on how to make time to write, plan as much or as little as you need, and points you to ingenious tools and resources that can help you.

Plan in October, slay it in November!

Mindy, Becca, and I have our pom-poms ready to cheer you on. You’ve got this!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post The Key to a Successful NaNoWriMo? Using October Wisely appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s a big anniversary for us, folks! Ten years ago today we hit the publish button on The Emotion Thesaurus.

10 Years. Can you believe it?

We wrote this book hoping to help others who struggled with showing character emotion, but deep down, we were terrified. It was our first book. We were nobodies…who would take us seriously? And we were self-publishing at a time when the industry wasn’t too fond of that just yet.

We had no idea it would go on to become so well-loved book. And oh my gosh, guys–thank you so much for that!

Many of you have told us the Emotion Thesaurus never leaves your desk, and it’s hard to describe how good that makes us feel. Talk about honored. It got us thinking about the many other must-have resources that help writers create, publish, and build satisfying careers. That led to a very big question:

What would the Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit look like?

So, we polled other writers, made a list of the best of the best, and then reached out to the leaders in our industry to see if they would help us build an ULTIMATE toolkit and give it away.

The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit Giveaway

Buckle in, writers, because one of you will win…

A 1-Year Subscription to Jane Friedman’s The Hot Sheet: An award-winning newsletter that will keep you up to date on the market, industry news, author earnings, trending topics, and new opportunities. (Value: $59) 

Writer’s Digest’s Get Published in 2022 Bundle: Nine amazing resources to help you stay productive, get published, and keep a positive mindset, so you reach your creative goals. (Value: $79.99)

Joanna Penn’s Author Business Plan Course: Learn the elements of an effective business plan, questions you need to answer to discover what lies behind the plan, and how to act on decisions made to take your author career to the next level. (Value: $99)

A 1-Year Subscription to One Stop for Writers: Everything a writer needs to create fresh, breakout fiction: powerful character and plotting tools, worldbuilding surveys, worksheets, the largest show-don’t-tell database available anywhere, and a Storyteller’s Roadmap to guide you from that first idea all the way to a publish-ready book. (Value: $105)

A Scrivener Writing Software License: Provides all you need to write and brings together your notes, research, and writing…so it’s always at hand. It also lets you set word targets for your entire manuscript or for the current writing session—which can be great motivation. (Value: $49)

A 1-Year ProWritingAid License: More features than any other manuscript editing software on the market! Improve your writing quickly and efficiently with thousands of grammar, spelling and readability improvements delivered in real-time as you write. (Value: $79)

The Hero’s Two Journeys Video Access: Two of Hollywood’s top Story Experts, Michael Hauge & Chris Vogler, reveal the secrets of mastering Plot Structure, Character Arc, Identity, Essence, Archetype and Theme. (Value: $39)

A 1-Year Subscription to StoryTeller: Get ready for revision to get a lot easier! Use Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements to evaluate your story scene to scene so only your best writing makes it to the page. (Value: $200)

A 1-Year Premium Membership to The Critique Circle: Continuously improve your writing by critiquing others and building relationships with authors who will help with your manuscripts. You can receive multiple critiques and compare feedback to see what’s working and what areas need to be strengthened. (Value: $50)

A Publisher Rocket License: Publisher Rocket helps get your book in front of more Amazon shoppers with four tools to increase book sales. It makes finding keywords, sizing up the competition, and choosing profitable categories quick and easy. (Value: $97)

A 1-Year Subscription to Book Brush: The easiest way to create professional ads, social media images, and 3D book covers using author-specific stamps, templates and animations. (Value: $99)

A 1-Year Subscription to StoryOrigin: Build your mailing list, increase sales, and find reviewers for your book all in one place. Everything an author needs to super-charge their marketing! (Value: $100)

A Writers Helping Writers Thesaurus Set*: Nine bestselling writing guides to help you activate the power of show-don’t-tell to involve readers more deeply in the world, events, and emotional undercurrents of your book. *US winner: print, International winner: digital. Emotion Amplifiers is digital only

Say, are you drooling?
It’s okay, we don’t blame you!

We can’t wait to see who wins this unbelievable writing toolkit. It won’t just improve someone’s writing – it will accelerate their career!

Runner-Up Prize Alert!

Because Writer’s Digest is so generous, they are also offering a runner-up prize:

Writer’s Digest NaNoWriMo Prep Bundle: Tons of tools to get your creativity flowing, keep you motivated, and complete your first draft in 30 days. ($56.99)

Thank you to all the generous sponsors who contributed to this Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit!

A little something from Becca & Angela

Many of you have The Emotion Thesaurus, either the original (75 emotions), or the 2nd edition (130 emotions), but you may not know it’s also at One Stop for Writers where we expand it from time to time.

In fact, we recently added 5 NEW EMOTIONS: Joy, Indignation, Misery, Giddiness, and Revulsion, so if you like, start a 2-week free trial to check out these entries (and the rest of the database), or…

Give yourself a 30% discount by using the code EMOTION when you sign up to any paid plan.

(Code valid until May 18th, 2022.)

Ready to enter the Giveaway? Find it below & good luck!

All the usual giveaway legalese applies – no purchase necessary, must be 18, and the winner is subject to our giveaway policies here. Additionally, these prizes have no cash value and cannot be exchanged. Some may have a time limit for redemption or other prize-specific conditions.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post 10-Year Celebration: Win the Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

For writers, mindset is everything. It can’t be understated – having a positive attitude and strong self-belief keeps us focused and motivated. It sustains us during the long road to a publish-ready story.

Writing is hard work, and unfortunately life doesn’t always make it easy. Hardship and strain can sap our energy, and with everything going on in the world today following on the heels of a difficult past two years, many are reaching their limits as to what they can manage.

So when our mental tank is empty, how do we get to a place where we’re excited to write?

This is where there’s good news for anyone living in the Northern Hemisphere, because spring is here, and whether we consciously think about it or not, the seasons impact our mood and mindset. We make certain associations with each season, and in spring, these associations can be leveraged to boost our energy levels, creativity, and outlook.

Using seasonal symbolism to shift your mindset

Winter acts as a long sleep, with most of us content to hibernate a bit. We slow down, hole up inside, and wait out colder temperatures with plenty of snacks, blankets, and tea. And after a long year, we’re in need of that rest. But when spring comes, it’s the wake-up hit we need, bringing an abundance of earthy smells, green shoots, and sunlight to warm our bones.

This is our cue to pull back the metaphorical blanket and look ahead with fresh eyes. We’re naturally more curious, expectant, and energized during this part of the calendar year.

Spring is a time of new perspectives, fresh starts, and blank pages

Spring brims with symbolism that represents growth, renewal, healing, and hope. It reminds us what’s possible, and ignites our excitement to discover our own potential. This can offset lower moods and help us push back negativity.

If we embrace the idea of a new beginning, our mindset recalibrates. We can view the future more clearly and think about what our creative goals are, and that motivates us to get going on them. Maybe we will decide to dive back into a WIP with renewed vigor, start something new, or even switch gears and experiment a bit.

Want to use the symbolism of spring to full advantage? Here are four tips.

1) Think about what you need right now

If it’s been a challenging few weeks (months, years) and you’re feeling the strain, the first order of the day is to consider what you need, and how creativity can help strengthen you. Take some time to think about what you find energizing. If it’s reading, read. If it’s writing, write. And if you need to take a break from social media, certain responsibilities, or something else, give yourself space and grace to do that. It’s okay!

2) Start small

When the calendar turns to a new page, many set big, audacious goals in hopes of it being a productive year. This works well for some, but for others, it can paralyze them because here they are now, a few months in, and those goals seem too big to achieve. Spring is a great time to reassess what you want to accomplish, and possibly reset your goals to something more manageable.

And whatever those goals are, it’s important to break them down into achievable steps. Being successful in small increments is what keeps us moving forward and feeling good about our progress.

Think about what you want to accomplish this year, and then focus on the first step. For example…

If you want to write a new story, start by getting to know the main character.
If you want to revise a novel, start with your first pages and follow a revision plan.
If you want to try a new genre, read a few books first.
If you want to query a novel, start by researching agents or learn about writing queries.
If you want to self-publish, deepen your understanding of the steps ahead.
And if you’re just trying to get comfortable with writing, read this.

3) Try something new

Spring is a great time to shake things up, and when we do, it can free up our imagination and our spirits. Stories come in different sizes and shapes, so if a break from your usual projects will help, why not fool around a bit? Step outside your genre box, or try a different type of story. If you write short stories, try a novel, or if you write novels, experiment with flash fiction, a drabble, or try fan fiction for fun.

But if you are firm on the length you like, there are other ways to experiment, like changing up the type of plot in your next story. If you need ideas, download this Save the Cat Plot Types List.

4) Explore what works and evolve your toolkit

The resources we keep close to hand have a big impact on our success, but as we evolve as writers, we may need to adjust our writing toolkit. As we learn, we realize we need more help in certain areas. Here are a few places to look for help.

Find other writers. We can learn a lot from others because everyone has different strengths and experiences. Getting feedback on your writing, advice on what to do, and having others to be accountable to are all great reasons to get involved in a writing community.

Expand your reading library. With so many terrific writing guides out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Here are some of our favorite writing guides, but this list and this one are both great, too. Or browse Amazon’s bestselling list for writing guides. (Affiliate link)

Look for new tools to help you. We’re very lucky in that there are so many resources out there to help us plan, write, revise, publish, and market. No matter what you need help with, you can find tools to help you. Here are the sites I recommend the most to writers – a must-bookmark!

If spring has you energized to try something new…

Now’s a good time to head over to One Stop for Writers. You can activate a free trial and use it to build a new character, plot a new story, brainstorm a new world, or use the Storyteller’s Roadmap to see what the next step is for you in writing your current novel.

Now, one last great thing about spring? Easter chocolate is on sale (you know, in case you need to replenish your stockpile of writerly rewards!)

Spring is reminding you of your potential, so go make something amazing!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post How Writers Can Turn the Page This Spring appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

If you want to reach your writing goals this year, you’ve got to get rid of one thing: distractions. 

They surround you at every turn, vying for your attention, and every time they succeed, they pull you away from what really matters—your writing.

This year, you don’t have to settle for less than what you want because of distractions. Try these four strategies to improve your focus and make your writing dreams come true.

1. Create a Focus-Inspiring Writing Space

It’s common to blame your lack of willpower when you allow distractions to disrupt your focus. But often the problem isn’t you—it’s the space you’re writing in. 

Take a second look at your writing nook. Does it inspire focus while you’re writing, or does it easily allow distractions? 

First, consider what’s nearby. If you’ve got your phone sitting on the desk, a television against the wall, or other people in the room, it’s going to be harder to focus. 

This year, create a writing space that does not allow distractions. No phones, televisions, radios, or other people are allowed.

This may not be easy to do, particularly if you have limited space in your home. But creating a focus-inspired writing space is critical if you want to get your writing done. Consider alternatives like a quiet space in the basement, your parked car, or even a rented office space. 

If you do have access to a private space in your home, spruce it up to be inspiring but not distracting. Make it a “phone-free” zone, so that you leave your phone out of it every time you walk into it. Then include pictures, knick-knacks, and colors that will help you sink into the dream world of your story and stay there until you’re ready to come out. 

2. Create a Focus-Inspiring Reading List

Here’s something interesting: In a 2016 study, researchers found that what students read in college directly affected the level of writing they achieved—even more than writing instruction and frequency.

What you read can affect not only how you write, but how motivated you are. If you’re serious about finishing or publishing your book this year, increase your focus by carefully choosing your reading material. 

First, read books in your genre. If you’re writing romance, read romance. Next, read books about writing. It will help increase your focus and your skills. Third, read books about building your platform and marketing your books. 

And finally, read books that will motivate you to achieve, whatever those books may be. Some people are motivated by biographies of famous writers, while others prefer how-to or self-help books. 

The goal is to feed your mind writing-related, inspiring information every day. By doing so, you’ll create a much more focus-oriented mindset toward your goals.

3. Spend Time With Others Who Will Help Increase Your Focus

Be honest with yourself—after you spend time with your friends and family, do you feel more or less inspired to go after your writing goals?

Do you charge to your writing table and pound out the next chapter, or do you plop down in front of the television to watch a boring sitcom? 

We all have people we enjoy spending time with who are likely to encourage distraction more than focus. But if this describes most people you spend time with, you could be hindering your writing progress. 

This is the year to make a change. Seek out a writing group in your area. If there isn’t one, consider starting one yourself. 

Then, find an editor or writing coach that will encourage you to focus on your writing. (Yes, it may cost money, but you’re worth the investment!) There’s nothing like an editor waiting on pages to inspire you to ignore distractions. If you’re not ready for an editor yet, partner with another writer who will be happy to read your material in exchange for you doing the same.

4. Create a Focus-Inspired Daily Environment

Here is where you can make the biggest impact on your writing dreams: your daily environment. 

If you aren’t finding it easy to maintain a writing practice, something has to change. That something needs to be your environment.

Not your willpower. Not your discipline. Your environment. 

You can have all the willpower in the world, but in the end, if your environment is not encouraging you to write, your goals will remain out of reach.

What you want to do is create the right conditions that will inspire you to write. Let’s look at one example. Jim has decided that he wants to write first thing every morning. To create an environment that will inspire him, he should: 

• Set up his writing nook the night before. Clear off the desk so it looks inviting the next morning, and stick an inspiring quote to his laptop.
• Schedule the coffee maker to make coffee (or tea!) 10 minutes before his writing time starts. Waking up to a pleasant aroma can encourage getting out of bed.
• Set the alarm to wake him gradually to music or a brightening light. (A gentle awakening inspires hypnagogia, that state between awake and sleep when the brain is most creative.)
• Place comfortable clothing by his bed that he can quickly slip into. 
• Tuck his phone out of sight so he’s not tempted to check it until after his writing is done. Maybe hide the TV remote as well!
• Set out his dishes (and cookware if needed) for a tasty breakfast he can enjoy once his writing time is finished. (This will provide a reward for sticking with his routine.)

You get the idea. The important thing is to make your environment work for you so that it’s as easy as possible to write when you want to. Make it nearly impossible to make another decision, and you’ll be more likely to follow through. 

Note: For more help on setting meaningful and inspiring writing goals this year, see Colleen’s free report here!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

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