by Kariss Lynch, @Kariss_Lynch
Hey, you. Yes, you, frantically searching the internet for a cure for the blank page or the rough word count. Stop right there. Now take a breath. You don’t need a cure. You don’t need a fix.
You need a perspective check.
And you’ve come to the right place.
See, you’ve stumbled across a group of writers who are familiar with bad writing days. Many of us probably had one today. I have good news and frustrating news, both wrapped up in the same sentence: It’s normal, and it’s going to be okay.
The truth is, writing is hard work. It’s brain and heart surgery simultaneously. It’s vulnerability and creation, logic and emotion. In many ways, it’s unnatural. But for you sitting in front of that screen, it’s your calling, which means, whatever you are experiencing right now is natural. Don’t give up.
The cursor will move. The words will come. Black letters will fill the once blank screen. One sentence will turn into a page, a chapter, a book, maybe more. It happened for me. It started with a few paragraphs, which became three books and now a spin-off series in the works. But it was hard. It is hard. And it’s oh so good.
Embrace that hard and good go hand and hand. Acknowledge that your story—and you—will be better for it.
Still not convinced? With every perspective check, we also need a tangible next step. A quick fix, if you will. And it’s different for every writer. But here are a few to get you started:
Go for a walk, or turn on a workout video or YouTube and spend 30 minutes exercising your body. It will clear your mind and release endorphins, the kind that snap you out of discouragement and remind you that you just powered through something and finished.
Read a couple chapters of your favorite book. One of my favorite authors writes poetically and descriptively. After reading a couple chapters, my language choice is smoother and more enhanced in my own stories.
Check a few things off your to do list. I find that tackling just a couple of things that are lurking in the back of my mind often clears my brain to be creative.
Talk it out. Call a friend and tell them where you’re stuck. Share what you want to accomplish in your story and where you want it to go. Talk through ideas. Often talking out loud unravels the knots in our minds.
Then get back at it. Don’t let the bad writing moment or day win. Even if it takes longer than you planned, keep typing one word after another. Before you know it, you’ll have a whole story full of them.
Surrendered
With a wedding on the horizon, Nick Carmichael and Kaylan Richards prepare to commit themselves to one another and their future together. But for Kaylan, every step closer to the big day brings with it more disaster as she struggles to learn the sacrifice of joining the Navy SEAL family. In the middle of wedding plans, Nick is called away on one last mission. And this time, he will be forced to cooperate with the woman he fears and hates above all others: known terrorist, Janus. As the clock ticks closer to the wedding day, Kaylan and Nick fear Janus’s actions will cost them everything. Victory is possible, but it will only come with surrender.
Kariss Lynch writes contemporary romance about characters with big dreams, adventurous hearts, and enduring hope. She is the author of the Heart of a Warrior series and loves to encourage her readers to have courage. In her free time, she hangs out with her family and friends, explores the great outdoors, and tries not to plot five stories at once. Connect with her at karisslynch.com, or on Facebook, Instagram, or Goodreads.