Don't Give Up!

Hi there! I'm baaack and I've finally found a topic to talk about. After looking over a few topics on Inkpop, I've found this one to show up all the time: "I feel like I'll never finish my book!"

Don't fret my dear writers; I've been in the same exact boat as you and I have your solution! Well they're more like tips but I'm positive they'll work.

Tip Number One: Don't multi-task!
So you're sitting on the computer chatting on Facebook, blasting your music, texting, doing homework and, finally, writing your novel. Yeah, I know you do it. I'm guilty of it too. And I know it's a helpful tool to help you reconnect with your long-lost friends, but--I have too say it--TURN OFF FACEBOOK! Better yet, turn off your internet! You know how I finished my story? A week and a half without any internet service. Yes, it was torture. Yes, I died, saw Dumbledore, and somehow came back to life, BUT I finished my story. You may think this is bull, but try it. You'll be surprised how much you can get done when there's only a document on your screen and complete silence.

Tip Number Two: Make references.
You're onto an epic (Yes, I said epic.) part of your super-villain novel, you get to the scene where the superhero comes in and then you blank. You sit there for thirty minutes wondering, "What is that dang catchphrase?" I strongly advise you to have a convenient little folder that holds all those little details AND a basic outline of your story because if you're like me (a writer with a thousand plot lines in her head) then, trust me, you WILL forget it. And then you have inconsistencies in your story and spend more time editing then actually writing and blahblahblah. Trust me, it gets baaad.

Tip Number Three: Friendly Competition is the best motivator.
Have you ever heard of NaNoWriMo? If not, basically it's where you write a brand-new story starting the beginning of November and then try to get fifty-thousand words by the end of the month. If you haven't tried this, you should. Sign up now at nanowrimo.org and when November rolls around, be ready for a heck of a ride. Until then, I suggest a smaller version of this event. We at Inkpop call them, (Imagine this being said as Wrestling Match announcer guy) "Word Wars." Word Wars are when you get a time limit (it can range from five minutes to an hour) to write as many words as possible. When the time is up, you tell your word count. The person with the highest word count wins. These are a fun and easy way to get your book going again.

Tip Number Four: Make EASY and REALISTIC goals.
I mean it! When you tell yourself you need to write your entire book THIS WEEKEND, then you're setting yourself up for failure. Start small and slowly, but surely, build up. When you reach your small goal, it still feels good and it's much better than being let down by not making it to your big goal. Fulfilling your quota for that week can make you feel amazing and a positive attitude is what makes you keep writing.

Tip Number Five: Don't Worry, Be Happy.
Whatever happens, this is your story. Let people say whatever they want, but the only thing that matters is that you just keep swimming. (Finding Nemo FTW) If someone tells you your writing sucks, ask them why. If they don't have a legit reason, then ignore them. (Haters gon' hate. Or however you say it heh.) If they do, then take it as constructive criticism and work off of it. Most likely that comment could make you a better writer.

So I hope this helps you on your journey. I've got to be off. I'll be back later!

Peace&<3,
Angela