Climbing Out of a Rut
I wore myself out editing in March and in bad slow-motion camera work I crashed head first into a nasty writing rut. I stopped writing everyday, which had been the source for my creativity. I also got (don't tell my husband I am admitting to this) grumpy. Funny how not doing something you enjoy can make you feel unhappy.
The first step to getting out of a rut? Google "getting out of a rut," of course. Which brought me to Lifehack Blog for 12 Useful Ways to Get Out of a Rut. I was too melancholy to process 12 tips, so I used these 4 to claw my way out of my writing rut:
1. Work on the small tasks. Maybe now is the time to work on the one line pitch for the manuscript. Update your twitter picture. Buy some new envelopes. You may not be finishing the manuscript, though these little steps are at least moving you in the right direction.
2. Upgrade yourself. Read the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Read the blogs in your feed. Attend a webinar or conference. Join a Linked In group for writers. Inspiration can be hiding anywhere.
3. Remember why you are doing this. Oh yeah, writing feels great! It's balancing the endorphin-producing creativity and the life-zapping editing / querying which is tricky. You want to introduce yourself as a writer one day and that means some hard work.
4. Find some competition. Set a goal for an upcoming competition. Work on a writing prompt. Pretend you are battling with Jacky Davis for the next great book!
Thank you to My Name is Not Bob's April Platform Challenge, I got the push I needed to write. I was able to get my fix just by writing down my bio and goals. Now that I remember the euphoric feeling writing creates, I am back to writing every day. We all get in a rut once in a while, but there's no need to punish yourself by not writing!
**The lovely drawing above is by Caroline at Caroline's Crayons
 |
| Courtesy of Caroline's Crayons |
1. Work on the small tasks. Maybe now is the time to work on the one line pitch for the manuscript. Update your twitter picture. Buy some new envelopes. You may not be finishing the manuscript, though these little steps are at least moving you in the right direction.
2. Upgrade yourself. Read the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Read the blogs in your feed. Attend a webinar or conference. Join a Linked In group for writers. Inspiration can be hiding anywhere.
3. Remember why you are doing this. Oh yeah, writing feels great! It's balancing the endorphin-producing creativity and the life-zapping editing / querying which is tricky. You want to introduce yourself as a writer one day and that means some hard work.
4. Find some competition. Set a goal for an upcoming competition. Work on a writing prompt. Pretend you are battling with Jacky Davis for the next great book!
Thank you to My Name is Not Bob's April Platform Challenge, I got the push I needed to write. I was able to get my fix just by writing down my bio and goals. Now that I remember the euphoric feeling writing creates, I am back to writing every day. We all get in a rut once in a while, but there's no need to punish yourself by not writing!
**The lovely drawing above is by Caroline at Caroline's Crayons
I'm glad the Platform Challenge has helped you get out of your rut. Best of luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteSopphey, you are my hero today. You will always live in immortality here as the first person to comment on my blog. Hopefully not the last...
DeleteHey Lauri, Fellow NMINB challengee here. Today underhand the whoever rut thing, since mine lasted from the end of the Nov PAD challenge to the April PAD challenge. Sometimes you are just gearing up and absorbing life & experiences for the next flurry of creative activity. But editing does suck the creative life right out of ya. Glad you're back int the saddle. :)
ReplyDeleteThat was supposed to be "totally understand"
ReplyDeleteAh! Thanks for that.. I did play a fun game of "what did Mr. Auto Correct do now" before I caught the second post. You re so right that there is time when you just need to observe and regenerate ideas.
DeleteHi Lauri,
ReplyDeleteI suffer from the same thing in my illustration. I liked all of your suggestions, especially pretending that I'm competing with a favorite author/illustrator. Thanks for that post.
Caroline Apr 15, 2012
ReplyDeleteHi Lauri,
I suffer from the same thing in my illustration. I liked all of your suggestions, especially pretending that I'm competing with a favorite author/illustrator. Thanks for that post.