By Dana R. Lynn, @DanaRLynn

When I was younger and dreamed of becoming a published author, my idea of what the life of an author looked like was rather fanciful. I could see myself sitting in front of my computer, a mug of fragrant tea or coffee close at hand. I’d write either at a coffee shop or at home. And the most important part was how I’d write. In my imagination, the words would flow steadily, easily.

Fast forward to life past that coveted first contract, and reality has set in. While I love writing, and I am blessed to be able to craft stories that glorify God, it’s different when you’re on deadline and need to turn in a completed manuscript by a specific date. Or when you are out of contract and need to get a new book or proposal into your editor in a timely fashion, so you get a new contract. The ideas and words don’t always flow.

In fact, sometimes you might walk away from a writing session discouraged because you’ve written nothing, or almost nothing. Or maybe you managed to eke out a few words, but your head tells you they’re garbage and you’ll have to start over next session.

That’s the reality of a writer’s life. Sometimes, you get stuck. It can happen at any stage of the book, too. It’s not fun. It can be stressful. I have a few ideas I’ve picked up over the years, many from talking with other writers.

When starting a new project and you don’t know what to write about, you can:

• Brainstorm either with friends or by yourself. 
• Throw out ideas as fast as you can. It doesn’t matter if they make sense. A friend calls this tossing spaghetti on the wall and seeing if something sticks.

• Take a few moments to browse headlines and see if anything sparks your imagination.
• Figure out your characters first, then ask yourself what’s the worst thing that could happen to them (this is a favorite).

When you are writing the book and get stuck:

• I sometimes go for a walk outside and talk out my next scene to myself. I live in the country, so I don’t worry about people seeing me.
• Call or video chat with a friend and talk out the scene.
• Just write. Anything. A stream of consciousness sprint where you write as fast as possible without editing. Maybe you’ll have to chuck most of it, but when I do this, it almost always sparks ideas. 
• Do a writing sprint with other writers. There’s nothing like a little bit of competition to get you writing faster.
• I have a friend who leaves her computer and sits in a comfy chair with a notebook and pen to write when she gets stuck. She says sometimes she needs to write longhand to help her think and get rid of distractions.
• If the internet or your phone are a distraction, turn off your phone or your internet while you write.
• If your environment is a distraction, try writing somewhere else.

This list isn’t exhaustive. I’ve only mentioned a few of the tricks I’ve used or that my friends have used. There are many more. The wonderful thing about writing is that once you have something down, no matter how dreadful it appears, you can edit it later and make it shine. 

Writing may be different than what I imagined, but I am grateful God blessed me with this gift. I hope you are, too.

---

Crime Scene Witness

Finding a safe haven

is the only way to stay alive

When crime scene cleaner Lissa Page discovers a clue at a murder site, she’s attacked and becomes the killer’s new target. Now Deputy US Marshal Micah Bender must protect the single mother from becoming another victim. But with threats coming from every direction, Micah needs to hide Lissa—and the Amish community he left behind might be the answer to keeping his witness safe.

Dana R. Lynn grew up in Illinois. She met her husband at a wedding and told her parents she had met her future husband. Nineteen months later, they were married. Today, they live in rural Pennsylvania with their three teenaged children and enough pets to open a petting zoo. She is a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by day and writes stories of romance and danger at night. She believes in the power of God to touch people through stories. She has been on the USA Today and a Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller lists. She has been a Holt Medallion finalist, a Selah Award Winner, and a New England Readers Choice finalist and Award winner. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. She is an avid reader, loves cats and thinks chocolate should be a food group. She enjoys engaging with readers and can be found on social media or contacted via her website www.danarlynn.com.