Advice and Resources for Writers: Writing

This post is brought to you by author and longtime Hampshire Writers’ Society member, B Random.

Look after Yourself

• Find a place conducive to concentration.
• Drink – hydration is concentration.
• Comfy chair with lumbar support, knees at right angles, feet flat.
• Screen set so your eyes are central.
• No distractions.
• Read yourself into the mood.
• Deep breaths to relax.
• Don’t forget to get up and move every half hour or so, set a timer.

Stuck?

• We all have off days. Be kind to yourself.
• Poetry is a powerful tool.
• It’s liberating to free write; rant about the work, relatives or the state of the world.
• It’s always useful to pick one character and write their childhood.
• Sometimes it helps to derail your story.
• If you write anything, the flow will soon burst through. That’s the quality stuff you’re after.
• Remember, you are not alone. If all else fails, talk to another writer! We understand.

Inspiration

• Out and about, absorb what’s around you: atmospheres, settings. Think like a photographer. 
• Take inspiration from people around you, odd dress, idioms, the smallest event.
• Relish odd behaviour.
• Eavesdrop shamelessly.
• Indoors, try news stories. Think of the ripples that flow out from any incident. Explode norms. Twist expectations. Put yourself in the shoes of a Russian soldier with a broken tank, a stranded grandmother, a lost orphan. Alternatively, look back at old holiday snaps. 

My Advice

• Enjoy! (Bad vibes bleed through.) Indulge yourself in a scrumptious word feast. It’s good for you! 
• Learn creative writing, make your work the best it can be. 
• Write in scenes, like movies. Use your senses throughout. 
• If you’re having a bad day, use it, write it out. Make it worse. Get ridiculous. Make yourself laugh. It’s therapy.
• Join HWS and/or another local writing group. You could even form your own from classmates. Also join ALLI or SCWBI (for children’s) and use writer conferences.
• Compete! Don’t expect to win. Judging is subjective but every bit of feedback is useful. Free ones first. Then go for the most prestigious, biggest ones. It’s all about your CV/exposure.