Back in June I wrote about some of the things that can make writing go slooooowly, even if the writer isn’t suffering from writer’s block. I’m pleased to say I finally finished the novella I was working back then, although at just short of 50,000 words, it’s really nudging novel territory.
So what can an author do when their writing is proceeding at a snail’s pace? I offer some suggestions!
- Take a break. Like a lot of writers, I always feel guilty if I skip a writing day. But sometimes we really need a day (or several) away from the keyboard. Midway through that novella, I went on a 2-week road trip with one of my kids. Didn’t write a word (I couldn’t; my laptop died en route). I had a great time and the world didn’t end, and I came back eager to write more.
- Read. I find other authors’ work really inspirational. It doesn’t have to be in my genre; it just needs to be really good. When I get to a clever turn of words or a beautifully drawn character, my fingers start itching to type. I think it’s a reminder of how wonderful words can be.
- Read your own old stuff. Yeah, I do this now and then. On that road trip, for instance, we listened to K.C. Kelly’s wonderful narration of my novel Brute. That book’s not perfect, but I still love the characters, and listening was a good reminder of what I’m capable of.
- Get a change of scenery. I know this can be tough if money’s tight, and the pandemic makes it even more challenging. But you don’t have go far (although it’s great if you can). Maybe visit a park you haven’t been to or take a walk in a new neighborhood. Camp out at a Starbucks. Take a different route than usual home. Not only can you get great plot ideas, but I think new scenery jostles rusty brain cells loose.
- Read bad reviews. This one works if you’re feeling discouraged over negative reviews. Find a book you really love, one you know is amazing. And read some of the 1-star reviews. They all have them. American Gods, one of my favorite books, has over 17,000 1-star reviews on Goodreads. Then there’s the reviewer who gave The Diary of Anne Frank one star because it has “so much whining.” Or the one who DNFed To Kill a Mockingbird because it’s “bland and boring. Oh, and Fahrenheit 451is “utter shit,” The Book Thief “has no plot,” and in The Iliad, “Homer needed a better editor.” There? Don’t you feel better already?
- Set a goal. Some people—I’m one—work best with deadlines and concrete goals. That’s why National Novel Writing Month was great for me. If you’re one of these people too, make yourself some pretty charts, set a (reachable) goal, and go for it. Give yourself a reward if you win.
- Find a writing buddy. Even if you have to do this virtually, this can work. Do word sprints, where you each try to write as many words as possible for 20 minutes.
- Unflounder. If your story seems stuck or tied up in knots, you can try a few things. You can forge forward and hope it all works itself out (sometimes it does!) or pledge to fix it in revisions. You can throw in something entirely random and see where that takes you. I mean really Ask a friend or family member to give you a word (don’t tell them why) and pledge to use that word in your current chapter. Or you can use a random word generator. I think these unexpected swings wake up a sleepy brain.
- Keep going slow. You only wrote 50 words today? That’s 50 more than you had yesterday. Remind yourself that all progress is good, even if it’s tiny. Don’t berate yourself for not being speedy.
- Reduce distractions. Sometimes this just isn’t possible. But if you can, set aside a time and place to write. Turn off your social media. Hide from the people you live with. I do most of my writing after 10 pm, which is when my husband turns off the TV and goes to bed.
- The mighty To Do list. This often works for me—I make a list of even small things I need to do. It reminds me and organizes me. And it also gives me a sense of accomplishment when I cross something off.
Above all, keep trying. Different strategies work for different people. Even the same person may need to switch things up as time and circumstances change.
What works for you?
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Kim Fielding is the bestselling author of numerous m/m romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.
After having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls the boring part of California home. She lives there with her family and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.
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A complete list of Kim’s books: http://www.kfieldingwrites.com/books/
