Introduction

I’m a self-published author of 16 books. I was able to write and publish them over the span of 10 years. While there are authors out there who have written more books than I have, I really enjoyed my writing journey because I found ways to work it into my routine and keep writing the stories I wanted to tell.

Here are some tips that can help you keep writing that book if you feel stuck:

#1 Carve out the time to write. It sounds so simple, but this is the top reason a lot of people don’t finish their book. When I decided to start writing books, I prioritized the time to write. That was essentially what I did and everything else had to work around it (Besides my day job, of course).

The most important thing to do when you want to write a book is to set aside the time to do it. In order to finish a book, you have to sit down and actually write. It can be an hour here, two hours there. You’d be surprised how much writing you can get done in one focused hour. Before you know it, your story’s done!

#2 Don’t worry about writing rules. If you hope to have your book represented by a big publisher, you will probably want to follow certain guidelines depending on your book’s genre, but when you’re first getting the story written it’s more important to enjoy what you’re writing and focus on completing it. If you’re planning to self-publish, story rules matter less and you can focus more on writing an authentic tale you’ll be proud to represent. The key is to get the story done.

#3 Switch things up. If you get a sudden great new story idea while you’re writing another one, there’s nothing wrong with working on two projects at once. Some writers swear by the rule of only working on one book at one time, but I’ve honestly written a couple of different books at once and I find it really fun. Sometimes you’re more in the mood for one book depending on the day and it will keep you motivated to write. Writing, in the end, should be about having fun. Some people would call this “Going with the flow.” If it worked for me, it may work for you!

#4 Don’t stress about quality for the first draft. The first draft of any book is almost always going to be a rough mess (Some writers even harshly call it sh!t). Don’t concern yourself with the first draft’s quality (or lack thereof). The main thing is to get the story down first so you have something to edit and rework later.

#5 Editing is your friend. I enjoyed editing as much as the first draft process. It can be a lot of fun. I know some people dread the editing phase, but it’s the part where you get to go over what you’ve already written and fine-tune it. You can take out parts you don’t like, add more depth to the characters, and create more scene building. You can also intensify certain moments and even develop weaker parts or characters. It can be a blast when you have a great playlist while you’re doing it. Editing can be one of the best parts of the writing process if you look at it from the right angle.

#6 Music matters. Listening to the right music can do wonders for your writing process. I say listen to whatever inspires you/motivates you at the time. It can be music that mirrors the mood of your story or simply music that helps you focus. Some writers prefer complete silence, because music distracts them too much. Regardless of who you are, the right sounds (or no sounds) can make or break your writing session. Choose wisely.

#7 It’s your story. Above all, it’s your work. Beta readers and editors can be helpful and offer feedback/insights that can help you grow as an author. In the end, though, it’s up to you what you want to keep in your story. I’ve had editors tell me to erase parts that meant a lot to me and it didn’t feel right. It matters what readers think, because we want people to enjoy our stories, but in the end I think we need to make sure we’re publishing the story that’s true to what we want it to be and the right people will appreciate it.

#8 Read books. Not only are books inspiring for your own writing, you can see how other authors describe things, build tension, etc. You’ll develop your own unique style as you write, though having other writers to gain inspiration from is helpful. If you’re planning to publish traditionally in a certain genre then it’s a good idea to read books in that category. With all that being said, it’s nice just to read for the fun of it. Reading another author’s story can be a nice mental break from your own work.

#9 Stay Active. I’ve said this several times now – my writing and fitness journey have gone hand in hand. I don’t know how much I would have written had I not been so into fitness. On my runs, I’d envision certain story ideas or fantasy-like situations while listening to music. I’ve found that walking with music does this as well. Any type of movement is good for the mind as well as the body and in my opinion it’s essential for any type of creativity. If you’re stuck, try going for a walk or catching a sunset at a pretty spot – anything to get you outside and moving. You may this find this can help move you past a block in your story.

#10 Look To Films. Some of my books have been inspired by films (or a combination of films and music). For example, The Broken & The Foolish took some inspiration from The Keeping Room, though if you were to read one and watch the other you’d notice they’re two totally different stories. Inspiration can lead you in some really cool directions. It’s like a spark then you decide how big the fire’s going to grow.

#11 Nature Walks. If you’ve followed my blog posts over the last couple of years, you’ll have noticed all the nature photos I’ve posted. On my writing journey, I took many nature walks regardless of where I lived. You may find this helpful, too!

Conclusion

This is all just my opinion and these tips are not meant to be a rule book or guideline by any means. You’ll end up finding what works best for you – some of these might speak to you or others won’t work for you at all. If you found any of them useful, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your feedback.