Excuse my absence. I have been working on Book Two in the series that began with 'Dreams of the Many'. I took a break to continue the promised tips on the writing process. If you are new to writing, you may be wondering how to get into the groove. The struggle to get your thoughts on paper might relate to writer's block, or it might simply relate to scheduling. Writing may be your passion but, like every other kind of work, it requires some discipline. At this point in your life you may have some idea whether you are a morning person or a night owl. If you haven't already figured this out, take the time to notice when you find it easiest to focus.
Establish a writing schedule that will get you into the habit of writing and stick to that schedule. Even if you aren't feeling particularly inspired on a given day, sit down and write anyway. If you are writing a novel, there is plenty of time to edit the excess and fuzziness out of your work later. Just get it on paper.
Think of your writing as a job at the office. Close the door (or imaginary door, if you don't have a real one) and focus on the work. Do not answer the phone. Do not stop to have a conversation with a loved one (unless, of course, there is an emergency!). Tell your family and friends not to disturb you. They will get used to the idea that you are a writer and this is your process!
If you are like many other authors and creative people, you may get great ideas and even specific lines for a poem or novel just as you are about to drift off to sleep. Keep a notebook and pen handy near your bed and write it down. We have all experienced the frustration of trying (unsuccessfully) to recall that wonderful thought or line in the morning and knowing we have lost it forever.
Time doesn't have to be your enemy. If you structure your work to get the most out of your creative process while you are the most focused and at your best, you will get through the process faster and with less frustration!
