Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Sometimes writing a poem for your story can help bring out the details you must focus on.  What I call a "writer's block" poem takes apart what you know of your novel and the keys that your character holds to it all.  Find the most important set back that a character experiences and his/her adoration and link the two together.  Basically, tell the characters story in summary, focusing on key details, and let it be in their psychological world, if you will.  For example, a problem should be symbolized  by something, or by the setting (dark, gloomy, etc.).  The long term goal or happiness that the character experiences everyday can be symbolized by many things; usually it's best to have it go along with the setting and other symbols.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Has writer's block struck again?  Relax, your story is not going anywhere- hand it over to the pros!  Try letting a character from your book write the story.


     The character is in a climax, he's at the edge of that cliff, and actually feels much like you right now- frustrated, exhausted, and challenged.  They'd laugh if you told them that they could write the rest of the story.  But then they would realize, it's no joke.  Imagine their emotions, and the outcomes they make for themselves.


     Did the character create an even better story?  Has this new author written you over?  Ha!  By the time this is finished, you might feel like the character yourself!

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     We have all experienced Writer's Block at one time or another, but what about when it's the other way around- too many ideas leave us cycling off a cliff to a dead end (to our death...)?  Just today I had too many expectations, wound up with a migraine, and what did I do?  After getting rid of the migraine, I wrote this post.  Going back to #1 on my list of ways to cope with writer's block I realized I could apply the same techniques to this situation.  I'm looking back on these activities to smooth out my writing- and my mind.


I revisited this post about 6 fun ways to cope as well as the newer activities that I have listed in the past. Don't forget: making a list of small adorations, bringing a poetic sense into the picture, the trash book, character group meetings, physical stimulation, and gift cards.

Writing Ideas- Activities for Your Book

     What if everything you wrote was trash?  (Raising of hands.  Murmurs, "That's happened to me before.")  Okay, that's horrible to call any writing trash, I know, but us writers set such high expectations for our work that sometimes that's exactly how we feel.  High expectations are great; don't get me wrong, but often the expectation of 'better work' puts us in a block.  Here's a helpful tip: don't always force your writing to work.


     I always think, this isn't good enough!  But I think that is partly due to my insisting that it should be.  So I create a trash book.  Yes, - a trash book.  I write on my trash book, knowing that whatever comes out is trash anyways, and actually end up using the material a lot of the time.  I do love my trash book! : )