Feeling stuck in your writing? Journaling might be your answer to getting unstuck! NaNo Participant Ashley has some tips on using journaling as a guide to get you writing again.

We all know writing is no easy feat, and it can be especially difficult when we find ourselves in a funk. Sometimes it’s best to take a break, reset, and turn our energy elsewhere and inward to help us get re-focused on the goal ahead. So, whether you’re struggling to start a new work or find yourself stumped on writing that next chapter, try these tips to help you get over the hump.

It takes many different forms, but every writer faces the monster of self-doubt at some point. Today, writer Ellie Joy shares her encounter with the dreaded beast, and shares some encouragement for facing and moving past that doubt:

“Me? A writer? I’m not experienced enough, old enough, creative enough.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve thought these same lines too many times. The end of my sentence differs, but the result of the words are still the same. Have you ever heard the saying that you are your own worst enemy? It’s so true.

As an aspiring author, I want to write something worth remembering. Ever since that fateful day when I sat down to write my first story, I knew this was my dream. Never mind that I wasn’t even eight. For that year, I was convinced I practically was an author.

But as I got older, things began to change. My stories no longer seemed impressive to me, and uncertainty began to cloud the dreams of what I aimed my future toward. A wisp of doubt took hold at the back of my mind.

Okay, I’ll share a little more backstory and get more personal. The biggest doubts didn’t just appear overnight.

There are about a thousand tricks to help push yourself to write, so what about using flash fiction? Nano guest Michael Mortenson shares how flash fiction has helped him and his work.

Halfway through draft two of my novel manuscript, I hit a wall. You know the one—thick bricks that scrape up hands, barbed wire across the top, and no holds for your trusty grappling hook. That’s where I was when I discovered flash fiction.

I had been warned by other writers that dipping toes into the pool of sparkly, new ideas halfway through a project was a decidedly bad idea. But between me and the wall, progress wasn’t happening. So, I thumbed my nose at warning and told myself that writing something was better than writing nothing. I started writing flash fiction.

Feeling a writing slump approaching you and your story? Get ready for some tips by guest writer Aamna to help get you focused and ready to continue your writing goals.

So writing slumps. Wow! Isn’t that a big can of worms? This little curse can descend upon a writer, no matter a beginner or published when they least expect it. And for several reasons. The most common instance can be when you are right in the middle of a story or a first draft. So here are some methods that I have come across in my writing journey, and have seen work really well for either myself or others.  

1) Take a break from your current project. Let your subconscious do the processing.

Sometimes you’re just not feeling your current project. How do get your heart back into it again? Drop it and do something else. What I would recommend doing in this situation is, write a short story. Or a poem. Or fanfic. It doesn’t have to be related to your WIP. It will get your conscious mind out of a rut, but it’ll still be processing in the back of your brain, and later when you come to your novel, Voila! You have a fresh set of eyes and renewed vigor for your story. 

2) There’s a reason NaNoWriMo has pep talks.

By far, the thing that has worked for me the most is listening to other writers speak. Even if it is just a writing buddy and not a published author, there is something truly magical about listening to a storyteller gush about their story with the passion of a hero ready to save the world. The incessant urge to create something just as beautiful or being on that high of imagination that washes over me as I listen to them has worked for me several times when I feel myself falling into a slump.

Go through the NaNoWriMo pep talks, listen to author interviews or podcasts, or find a writing buddy. Remind yourself how fun it is to write. 

3) Go back to the synopsis of your story to see what made you excited to write that in the first place. Rejuvenate the love! 

I have personally seen that doing this little can trick can give you that dose of motivation you need to get back into a story. It takes you back to that place when you loved that idea and gets you excited to work on it again. 

My ideas come to me in the form of something like a Goodreads synopsis, so whenever I want to get back to working on it again after a break (maybe because of upcoming exams or tests), I have seen that going through the “hook”, helps to re-ignite that love and excitement about the idea. 

4) Make a mood board or playlist for your characters or setting.

A writing slump may not necessarily be a complete turn-off from working on a story. It can also be that you are just in a position that you are not able to get the words out, but that doesn’t mean the only way to effectively work is ‘words.’

Creating aesthetics and playlists can be a very fun, entertaining exercise to do, and make the writing process seem less like a chore. 

5) Allow yourself the break. Don’t push yourself back into writing full-length novels or projects. 

Every time you take a break from writing does not have to be called a writing slump. Sometimes it’s way better to take a mental health break, or just put a pause for no other reason that you don’t want to, and you’d rather work on something else. 

You should know when to shelve a story or let a project go. It’s completely okay to stop in the middle of a WIP and delve into a new idea instead of forcing yourself to brainstorm and drag yourself through a story that you are not interested in anymore. A lot of the time that’s exactly what pushes you into a slump in the first place. 

6) Remove the pressure. Don’t let perfectionism hold you back.

Editing as you write is not the most advisable course of action, especially when you’re a new writer. And fretting about things like sentence structure, word choice, or minute grammar errors shouldn’t be the focus while you’re writing. The first draft of anything is a mess. This is when you should turn off your inner editor, and let your perfectionist inner-self take a back seat. Little things like these, even though you may not realize it, do a lot to demotivate you and take the away joy of writing because you feel that nothing you write is ever good enough. Don’t compare yourself to published authors. Their books have gone through developmental edits, copy edits, beta readers, and whatnot. 

Constantly expecting and beating yourself up for not being as good as someone else can push you into a slump faster than a boring story. 

Aamna (she/her) is a young devourer of books, stories, and any other form of words you can give her. More often than not, you can find her either reading, daydreaming about her seemingly never-ending WIP, or working on her blog. She likes to say that words are her superpower, and has a weird obsession with Marvel, ice cream, really bad art journaling, and Scrabble. She lives in India and is currently working on a Turkish-inspired fantasy novel. You can also follow her on IG.

Top Photo by Ryan Snaadt on Unsplash  

It’s important to take breaks when you’re writing so that you don’t get blocked. Here are some helpful hints by Young Writers Program Participant Cozetta J!

As we all know, writer’s block is no fun. Writer’s block is when you want to keep writing, but you feel like you can’t. Like the words and the inspiration won’t come. Let’s go back to when you were first starting to write your book. Your novel was doing great. The plot was progressing, and your characters were thriving. You were so excited about getting your novel started, and you couldn’t wait till you had it finished and on your shelf; possibly even published! 

But then, all of a sudden, you realize that your plot went by too fast, or you got ahead of yourself and you began writing about things that weren’t supposed to happen till a while later in your book. You realize that your book is a mess. Disgusted, you stop writing your novel, and you move on to other things. Everyone keeps telling you to “not give up!”, or “don’t stop writing!” which are two very important things to do. But sometimes, you need a break from writing. There is such a thing as writing TOO much in too little time. I’m not saying that it can’t be done, just that it could give you the dreaded writer’s block. But can you really avoid getting it? Well, I am sorry to say that you can not. It’s almost like your brain just freezes and says, “This isn’t fun anymore,” and so you stop writing your novel.

With this year’s Camp Pep Talks all written by Young Writers Program participants, we’re happy to introduce you all to Hannah. She’s here with us today to offer some encouragement and share a few strategies on overcoming procrastination & writer’s block.

I’m not going to lie, writing is hard. I’m sure we all know that by now. There are so many things that can get in the way of us writers just sitting down and getting those words on the page. The four main ones, at least for me, are procrastination (“But right now I just wanna watch Grey’s Anatomy!”), Writer’s Block (staring at a blank page and wondering “How on earth do I write?” is part of the process), prior responsibilities (work, school, family, etc.), and the need for sleep (coffee might help a little, but in the end you can’t get around this one). 

Besides prior responsibilities and the whole sleep thing, I’ve found ways to fix most of the other things that get in the way of writing. As long as I’m willing to put in the effort. So I’m going to share my tips with you.

We’ve all been there, chasing down some magical plot bunny, that seems to be leading us to our narrative destiny. Then, somewhere along the way, that plot bunny seems to disappear into thin air and leave us stranded on the trail to who knows where. Today, NaNoWriMo Participant K.S. Trenten reminds us that when the going gets tough, the tough… start talking to themselves:

Uh oh. You started out with a good story, it was moving forward, only now you’re not sure what to write. You’re stuck. 

How do you get moving again? 

Sometimes a simple solution is to move around. Get up. Cross the room and pour yourself a cup of coffee. Go for a walk. See if stirring from the spot you’re sitting in doesn’t shake up your imagination a bit, jarring something loose you hadn’t thought of. An idea may tumble free in the process, giving you the impetus to get your story going again. Perhaps you should pick up your writing tools and relocate somewhere else. Physical movement often gets my mind moving as well. 

Nor is that the only way to get going. 

What do you do after that first spark of inspiration fades away? Today, Camp NaNoWriMo Participant Shalom Goodrich offers some helpful hints on how to keep writing when you feel stuck:

Are you positively out of creative popsicles? No more new goggles to try? Well, here are ten tips on how to snap out of that catnap and start fighting for writing!

1. Take a walk. No matter how boring it may sound, it really will help. Just breathe deeply and take in the nature (or city sights) around you.

2. Read a chapter of a book. Some good ones to inspire creativity are The Hunger Games, Under the Lilacs, Insignificant Events In the Life of a Cactus (one of my personal favorites), or Bruchco.

3. Write about your day, good or bad, for at least ten minutes. Or, you can make up a word, then write a story that includes the word. Then go back to working on your project.

Camp NaNoWriMo is an exciting time, but it can feel a bit intimidating to tackle a creative project head-on. Today, NaNoWriMo participant Jarrick DeWaine Exum offers some helpful tips for those of us struggling with writer’s block:

Ahh, writing!

People seem to think that we writers are always endowed with the gift of creating something out of a simple idea. And many readers seem to think that it always come naturally, that the author must be blessed with the talent, right? Wrong! 

Now that we’re in mid-July, some of you writers out there may have discovered that it’s not so easy as it seemed when you started that project of yours (whether it’s editing a recent piece that you took a break from or starting something new). 

Oh sure, one moment you’re flying high and putting down every single idea that forms in your mind. From the get-go, you never want the flow of ideas to end. And then… you hit the wall. The dreaded wall of writer’s block. 

Camp NaNoWriMo is here! It’s an exciting time, but it can feel a bit intimidating to tackle a new project head-on. Today, Camp NaNoWriMo Participant Elizabeth Sacks offers some helpful hints on how to keep writing when you feel stuck: 

It’s Camp NaNoWriMo time! 

One of the few times of the year millions of old pros and novices come together to write a fantastical new story. If you are new to this exciting experience, I bet you’re worried about tackling that first writer’s block that comes your way. Maybe you’re experiencing one right now. It happens to beginners and seasoned writers alike. I’m here to give you some tips and tricks on how to overcome that dreaded block on the road to an awesome story.

The first thing you can do is go to NaNoWriMo’s “Word Sprint” tab. This page has an awesome “Dare Me” button that will give you random writing prompts. Use that prompt to write a wild event into your draft. You may like the way this scene works into your story, or you may not. 

Camp NaNoWriMo is in full swing! Now that we’re in the second week, you may find yourself struggling to figure out what to write next. Today, NaNoWriMo YWP participant Rylee Kazort shares some writing advice and tips for breaking through writer’s block: 

As a writer myself, I will be the last to tell you writing is as simple as picking up a pen and just going for it. Everyone has their own style and vision. A lot goes into writing a good story, and not all the rules are clear cut.

But what if I get stuck? Writer’s block is something we have or will experience at one time or another. Here are a few things to help get over or avoid that situation.

1. Make every scene important.

Whenever you’re between action sequences in the story and nothing is really happening that will hold interest, give the reader important information about the story. Add information when you can’t show action.

Camp NaNoWriMo starts in just a few days! April is just around the corner, and we’re preparing for our next writing adventure starting April 1st. Today, NaNoWriMo participant Chyina Powell shares tips to help avoid getting tripped up on the trail:

Camp NaNoWriMo is fast approaching… and you know what that means! Shake the dust out from between the keys of your keyboard and grab some writing snacks because it’s time to get to work!

As a creative person, there are times when you feel stuck. You aren’t sure what a character should do next or the story isn’t turning out the way you wrote it in your outline. Maybe you don’t know how to insert something crucial into your story without it seeming to come out of nowhere. Welcome to the Frustrated Writers Club. It’s normal, but I know these little moments can lead to doubt.

Here at NaNoWriMo HQ, we’re gearing up to start our next Camp NaNoWriMo event in April. If you haven’t written anything in a while, this is a great excuse to jump back into the habit! Today, writer and blogger Joel Syder is here with a few tips to help you overcome writer’s block if you’re feeling stuck:

As a writer, it’s inevitable that sooner or later you’re going to come up against what is known as writer’s block. As a writer myself, I went two years without coming across this taboo concept, but alas, one day I awoke and found myself staring at a blank word document with absolutely no ideas or any clue on what to say.

This drought lasted months. Of course, I was able to complete client work or other projects where I had guidance or templates to work with, but when it came to my personal writing, I just couldn’t seem to put pen to paper.

After trying basically everything I could, after advice from writer friends to online advice, I found several ways to help overcome it. Some worked. Some didn’t. Today, we’re going to explore some of the more successful methods, helping you to overcome your writer’s block.

With Camp NaNoWriMo behind us and November still a few months away, it can be difficult to remain engaged in a writing project you’ve been working on for a long time. Today, author and participant Mareth Griffith shares a few things that have helped her stay in touch with her writing:

As I write this, I am looking through a porthole at a near-vertical hillside, covered with tenuously clinging evergreens. The yacht I work on has spent the day exploring the rugged coast of Southeast Alaska.  After a twelve-hour day spent tracking bears through meadows, driving skiffs in search of humpback whales, and kayaking up to towering waterfalls, I tuck myself into my tiny bunk, pull the curtains shut against the ever-present midnight sun, stare at the blinking cursor on my computer screen… and wonder how I will ever have the energy to work on my novel again?

Camp NaNoWriMo is almost over! It can be tempting to give up on your writing project if you’re feeling frustrated, but today, Camper Eva Papka reminds you of the reasons you shouldn’t give up:

Maybe this thought has crept into a corner of your mind. After all, at the beginning of your writing quest, those words seemed a surmountable task. And it’s true that you’ve been adventuring for awhile in your Camp NaNoWriMo writing, but now you find yourself weary and filled with doubt. Dreaded responsibility monsters might even be attacking you and calling you away from your writing. Perhaps you find yourself stuck at an impossible plot point, or your characters are really misbehaving from your outline and consequently you’ve toyed with the idea of putting your sword down.