Monday Motivation: Break Through Writer's Block

[Writers Digest]

In this issue, discover how to break through writer's block; plus, much more.

In this issue, find out how to break through writer's block with positive self-talk; plus, a November poetry challenge, how to finish writing a novel, and more!  Writer's Digest Online | Writer's Digest Shop | Online Education Break Through Writer's Block Writer's block happens to everyone. You sit down to write, but the words just won't come. Most of the time, it's not that you don't have ideas—it's that little voice in your head saying things like, "This isn't good enough" or "Why bother?" That negative self-talk can keep you stuck. (7 Easy Ways to Stay Present and Boost Creativity.) The good news? You can flip the script with positive affirmations. Read more... FREE MASTERCLASS: 3 THINGS AGENTS & PUBLISHERS MUST SEE IN YOUR FIRST 30 PAGES. Industry pros decide quickly whether your manuscript’s opening intrigues them enough to read on – or reject. Bestselling author Barbara Kyle shows you the 3 elements your story’s first 30 pages must have to succeed. Read more ... MORE MOTIVATION Write a Poem-A-Day in November! Join poets from around the world for the 18th annual November Poem-A-Day Chapbook Challenge in the pursuit of writing a poem each day of November and then assembling those poems into a chapbook manuscript during December and into January. Here are the first three prompts (just click each link for further elaboration and to read other sample poems): * Day 1: Write an Entrance Poem. * Day 2: Write a Fun Poem. * Day 3: Write a "How (blank)" Poem.  Read the guidelines here... Ana Huang: Don't Be Afraid of a Messy First Draft "Don’t be afraid of a messy first draft. Placeholder scenes, plot holes, grammatical errors—all of that can be fixed during later drafts and editing. Some people are clean first drafters, and that’s amazing! But if you find yourself constantly stuck or overthinking things, give yourself the grace to make mistakes. Your first goal is to finish the story. After that, you can work on polishing it to where you want the final product to be." Read more... 25 Plot Twist Ideas and Prompts I've collected 25 plot twist ideas and prompts to help writers spark new directions in their stories when they're feeling stuck. Read more... Celebrating the Whimsical & Weird From the time we’re children, the whimsical and weird draws us in and makes us imagine worlds beyond our own, creatures that exist only in our imaginations, and endless possibilities. In this issue, we celebrate whimsical and weird writing by exploring fantasy writing, magic, talking animals, monsters, unusual writing formats, and much more.   Click here to learn more >> How to Finish Writing a Novel Whether it’s at a writer’s conference or simply in a social setting, one of the most common questions authors get asked is, “What do you write?” Answers vary depending on the situation, from something as vague as fiction or nonfiction to specific genres—suspense (me) or fantasy (not me). And if the conversation continues, it can even go into more specific subgenres, such as political thrillers (me), sweet romance (also me), or science fiction (definitely not me). (Why I Keep Coming Back to the Same Questions in My Novels—and Why You Should Too.) Yet one of the most important questions we need to ask ourselves is often left unspoken: Why do we write? The answers vary from person to person, particularly for those of us who are on the road to publication. Among the most common reasons are the need to tell a story, the desire to share knowledge, and the hope that becoming an author will turn into a full-time career. Money and fame can fall onto the list as well. Most of us will find our reasons fit several categories. Read more... From Your Writer's Digest Editor: Robert Lee Brewer Robert Lee Brewer is a senior editor for Writer’s Digest and former editor of the Writer's Market book series. He is also the author of Smash Poetry Journal and Solving the World's Problems. His family hosted their 10th annual haunted garage on Halloween, which was once again a neighborhood hit. Active Interest Media 2143 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50312 USA View online You received this email because you are subscribed to newsletters from Writer's Digest Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive.