25 Inspiration Sources for the Discouraged Writer

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Ever feel discouraged about writing?

Andrew Stawarz

Photo Credit

We’ve all had them: days when the words don’t flow, characters remain flat, plot refuses to cooperate, and three rejections show up in your inbox. Maybe you’re rethinking this whole writing thing. Maybe you’re questioning your sanity. Or whether you actually have talent.

Or both.

Well, I’ve got good news for you: you aren’t alone. And I don’t know about you, but I find that it helps, somehow, to know that other writers have trudged through swamps of despair and lived to tell the tale. I can tell myself that this, too shall pass.

But what do you do when you’re in the midst of an uncooperative rewrite, a slew of rejections, or a complete desert of inspiration? What do you do when you’re the discouraged writer?

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Ten Obstacles to Creativity–and How to Overcome Them

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Do you ever feel like this?

Dave-F

Photo Credit: Dave-F, Flickr Creative Commons

When you can’t quite find your creative groove, it can make you a little nuts! Check out these common obstacles to creativity—and then see what you can do to overcome them.

Ten Obstacles to Creativity

  1. Interruptions
  2. Lack of interruptions (aka breaks)
  3. Stress
  4. Lack of exercise
  5. Over-long hours and burnout
  6. Not taking yourself seriously
  7. Inability to take criticism
  8. New project-itis (aka inability to finish)
  9. Inability to let a project go (aka perfectionism)
  10. A loud inner critic

Resources to Overcome!

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Finding Time for Writing…at the Wild Writers

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This week I’m blogging about Finding Time for Writing: the Power of Small Assignments over at the Wild Writers—because heaven knows there’s not time for much else this week! Small assignments are the ONLY way I’m keeping my head in the writing game, so I don’t completely lose momentum by the New Year.

Here’s a teaser:

As I write this, I’m sitting in my living room before an undecorated Christmas tree, with my kiddo whistling Christmas carols as he puts together the Lego train that will circle the tree—and I’m coughing counterpoint to the music, sick with a nasty case of bronchitis that’s knocked me out for the past few days. The house is a mess, the presents aren’t wrapped, and there definitelyisn’t time to write.

Right?

Not exactly. That used to be my view of situations such as these…but since a dose of writing time is my best antidote for stress and overwhelm, I’ve got a few  tricks up my sleeves for sneaking in a bit of writing even when my world gets topsy-turvey.  Inspired by Heather Sellers’ Page After Page, here are some “small assignments”—writing tasks that take me anywhere from 5-55 minutes—that help me get my daily writing dose even during the craziest times of year. Hope they help you, too!

Click on over for 26 ideas on how to insert a little bit of writing pick-me-up time into even the craziest schedule.

:) Cheryl

cheryl snow