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Overcome These Barriers To Write More Effectively

By on August 15, 2018
Overcome These Barriers To Write More Effectively - Writer's Life.org

All writers have days where they feel as though they are totally up against it, that no matter what they do they continuously have to push their way past barriers that make the whole process difficult, infuriating and frustrating.

There are many common obstacles that writers face, and knowing how to overcome them quickly will help you become a more proficient and productive writer and find the whole process more enjoyable too.

So what are the best ways to tackle common writing barriers?

Pay attention to the details.

There are some jobs where the phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ is particularly apt.

Writing is not one of them.

To be a good writer you need to be eagle-eyed and pay attention from the outset. By being detail orientated and precise from the moment you start, you’ll avoid wasting your own time - misspellings, inconsistencies and parts of the plot that don’t work can all be avoided if you write as skilfully as possible first time around.

Take time to get to know your characters.

Don’t introduce a character into your story until you feel you truly know them. Write things down about them, ask them questions, have conversations with them. A well-rounded, well-written character is a character that has been fully realised in the authors head, so make sure you are willing to get to know your character properly otherwise you could find that you get halfway through your story and they’ve made no impact at all.

Learn how to deal with writing fatigue.

All writers will suffer from some form of writer’s block or writer’s fatigue where they ‘go off’ their writing and feel disheartened and demotivated. It’s important to learn to recognise when this is happening to you and how you best respond to tactics to get over writing fatigue as soon as possible. Different people find different methods useful, discover yours, put it into practice and then carry on.

Write your story, no one else’s

Don’t panic if your story isn’t unique. Your perspective will be. As long as you stay true to yourself and tell your story the way only you can, you will come up with something creative and original. If you stress too much trying to make every detail entirely new, you’ll never get your book finished!

Be clear and eliminate fluff.

When telling your story, don’t beat around the bush. Be clear and precise through using smart, succinct, arresting descriptions and intelligent details to bring it to life. Remove anything that doesn’t advance your story, trim the fat, keep it neat, direct and to the point and you’ll realise you’ve written a real page turner - just like that!

Make writing a priority.

One of the most common obstacles any writer faces is finding the time or headspace to write. The sooner you make writing a natural part of your routine the sooner this obstacle will be eliminated from your life and the more productive and proficient a writer you’ll be.

By tackling these common writing problems head-on and learning how to deal with them effectively, you can ensure you are your most productive writing self and that you don’t let anything get in your way!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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