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Jakarta Post

Have an unfinished novel? Here are some tips to overcome writer's block

Annisa Ihsani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, April 7, 2016

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Have an unfinished novel? Here are some tips to overcome writer's block (shutterstock.com/-)

F

or years I had always been too scared to write my own novel. When I did start and felt that the first few pages sounded stupid then I would not continue.

"Nobody will like your book"; the monster of self-doubt said. "Stop wasting your time and get a real job". So I always ended up with a pile of unfinished writings.

But somehow, in the last few years, I have managed to get two novels written and published.

 

If you are experiencing similar struggles, here are a few tips for how to finish your novel:

 

Show up to work

Most days you will feel uninspired. You don't know how to put your ideas into words and it can be very tempting to put off writing until inspiration comes.

 

But in corporate job, you can't tell your boss you're skipping work today because you feel uninspired. It's the same with writing.

 

Have a designated workspace and just show up. Make writing a routine.

 

Research as you go

You just have to read one more book before you start. A few minutes of fact checking.

 

But the truth is, you can never do enough research. At some point, you need to stop reading and get your hands dirty.

 

Just write; you can research while you're not writing.

 

Set a goal

It can be a deadline for when you have to finish the first draft; or smaller goals, for example: write two hours a day or write 300 words a day.

 

While working on my first novel, I aimed for 500 words a day. For my second novel, I set the bar higher at 1000 words. I usually stop when I reach this word count, even if it’s in the middle of a sentence.

 

Have an outline

A blank white page can be very intimidating, so make sure you know what to write.

 

Have a general idea of what happens in the beginning, middle and end of the book. Create a setting. Know your characters by filling in characters sheet (you can find a lot of them online). List the scenes you need to get the plot moving.

 

Outlining also helps overcome writer's block.

 

Don't edit while you write

Resist from fixing typos or trying to perfect a sentence. That's not writing, that's procrastination; it only slows you down.

 

Your first draft is not going to leave your hard drive, nobody is going to see it. It's okay to write badly, you can revise it later.

 

Don't dwell on a passage

If you have difficulty writing a scene, write down a list of the problems.

 

You can't think of how the main character finds out that her husband is cheating? It's okay to resolve this issue later and jump to the next scene.

 

Avoid distractions

I am the primary caregiver for my toddler, and I’m writing this at 3 a.m. I only have less than two hours before she wakes up.

 

Maybe you don't have small children, but you have a full-time job. Either way, your time is precious. Don't waste it by checking updates on Facebook.

Give it a break

There are times I sit for two hours in front of my laptop but not a single word comes up. It's okay to take a break from your manuscript and do something else.

 

Go for a walk or a bike ride. You can come back later with a fresh perspective.

***

Annisa Ihsani is a writer, book nerd, and mother of one. She is the author of middle-grade novel "Teka-Teki Terakhir" (Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2014 ).

 

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