3 Easy Writing Tips To Get Things Done In 2020

 

Let’s look at some useful writing tips for 2020, courtesy of our local writers’ group.

(Original post from December 2017; edited and updated)

Writing tips: start with a process

Ouch. I used to have a writing process, but that vanished this year, due to workplace chaos.

I wrote about an easy writing process here, and I’m getting back to the “50 words” strategy:

I can write those 50 words anywhere:

• While I’m waiting for a meeting to start;

• When I’m hanging on the phone;

• First thing in the morning — even before I make coffee;

• Last thing at night, before I switch off my bedside lamp.

Then I’ll commit to my favorite writing tips from our writers’ group.

1. Write!

That pretty much says it all — write. This year, I found I was too demanding.

My demands included not merely knowing what I wanted to write before I sat at my desk, but also that I “felt creative” before I wrote anything. (Sigh.)

Yes, experience has taught me that creativity comes when I write, but it’s all too easy to forget that. 🙂

2. Be happy: accept

I started the Follyjohn Gossip series of Regency romances on a whim; it’s fun.

At our group, we discussed all the plans we have for our writing, and how much our expectations get in our way. In 2018, I’ll accept whatever I happen to write, whether it’s a sentence, a scene, or a snippet for a blog post… I’ll let my muse decide.

I love this paragraph from Creativity Kick-Start: Practice Creative Self-Acceptance:

To ride the waves of the creative journey requires showing up for yourself. As we move into a season of holiday giving and family craziness, look past the judgments that may come up about yourself and others. Try to see what you can do to create a more self-supportive practice to nourish your creativity in small ways that feel light and fun and make you smile.

My resolution for 2020: accept more, and judge less.

3. Create an editorial calendar for 2020

We (the self-publishing authors in our group) realized that we spend too little time on marketing our books. We decided that we’d commit to a little marketing time each week, rather than focusing on “launches.”

While a big effort on launching a new novel may work for some authors, it’s a huge time and energy commitment. As someone who barely has time to write each week, the time investment in a launch isn’t possible for me.

Other authors in our group agreed. Instead of focusing on launches, we’ll focus on a little advertising, and on social media interaction.