My teenager has a love/hate relationship with music right now.
I can understand where he’s coming from. He really enjoys music and loves making it. He’s not so wild about the hours of practice.
He plays the baritone for school and recently told me that he was interested in starting guitar lessons.
My husband pointed out that he would probably enjoy guitar more and practice more if he enjoyed the lessons and if the teacher made it fun. I asked around and finally settled on a teacher that several of my son’s friends were using.
Last week was the first lesson. I knew the teacher was going to work out when the first thing he asked my son was, “What type of music do you like to listen to?”
Sometimes I can feel the same way about writing that my son feels about music. There’s a lot of work involved in practicing the writing craft. I love writing. But sometimes when the editing or promo is dragging me down, I have to remind myself that I do.
There are definitely some easy ways to make writing more fun. I think the most important one is to write what you enjoy reading.
Also:
Write what you’re good at (dialogue, action, humor). Nothing beats feeling successful about what you’re writing and know that you’re doing a good job.
Write in different places—outside, inside, coffee shops, etc. . The nice thing about writing is its portability.
Read for inspiration and as a reminder of why we choose to write.
For some reason, office supply stores (which are dangerous places for me!) are always fun. I love coming back with sticky notes, pencils, pens, and new notebooks of different sizes.
Hang out with other writers—online and in person. It’s inspirational.
How do you keep writing fun?
**********
Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)
I actually do a lot of the things you do.
Another thing I do is have several fun projects on the back burner. When I feel I need a break from one, I’ll bring out another one and play with it for a while.
I am also an office supply junkie. The best way for me to keep writing fun is to just take my notebook and favorite pen and sit out by the pool and write without placing any specific restrictions on my word count or amount of time and the words seem to just flow.
Write what you enjoy reading and what you’re good at it excellent advice! Sometimes I think we writers get caught up in creating something and forget that. I keep it fun by learning more about my characters with short stories based on them before the book takes place. It helps a lot!
Oh yes, I love office supplies!
I’m like The Daring Novelist. I have a few projects on the go and if I need a break from one I’ll do something else. It’s never usually the writing I’m frustrated with, just the project.
Elizabeth – You are so right that it’s important to keep writing fun. I like your ideas, too, for doing so, especially writing what you love to write. That’s the main thing I do to keep the fun in it.
I also find that telling some of my trusted friends about my story helps keep it fun, too. They get excited about what I’m’ doing and are so eager to feel like they’re part of the story that they charge up my batteries, so to speak.
OMG! I love office supplies! :)
Also, I just started using Scrivener and all the cool features are getting me excited about outlining the second draft.
Anything is more fun than cleaning toilets. Escaping with characters you have a semblance of control over is fun. Worry about the “perfection” later.
And speaking of descriptions, I’ve left some hints at my blog today. If you don’t like writing descriptions, maybe they’ll help you find the ‘fun.’
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
Oh how I needed your post today, Elizabeth. Writing has stopped being fun for me. It’s very hard allowing this story to emerge. And it’s not a “fun” story. But it seems to want to be told. I will spend some time figuring out how to make the process more fun.
Thank you.
Karen
I keep it fun by writing what I’d love to read! Which is a story with both humor and heart.
LOL, Elizabeth, yes keeping track of so many characters can be …interesting.
The main problem with multiple projects is that you can have so much fun going back and forth and indulging in this and indulging in that, that it takes forever to finish things. If you finish them at all.
I find reading my favourite authors arouses my enthusiasm to write and pushes my fun button. Also acquiring a new reader. The angst of will he/she like or hate it is overcome by the excitement of waiting. I confes to being a bit of an adrenaline junkie.
I know I’ve rediscovered the fun when I realize I’m smiling at what just appeared on the page. Of course, it might just be a smile of relief that *something* was written!
Heather–Whenever writing seems more like work I try to go back to the basics. :)
The Daring Novelist–Do you have any trouble going back and forth between projects? I think I’ve messed character names up before. Oops. :)
Mallory–I hear good things about Scrivener. And our programming friend Mike Fleming is working on some software that I think will make writing fun, too.
SugarScribes–Ah, the pool. I love doing that! Not quite summer here yet, though–that’ll be in a couple of months that I’m doing that (with kids in tow. Sigh.)
Sarah–I usually have a book I’m writing and one that I’m editing and that’s sort of the same, I think, as what you’re doing. Although it would be more fun to work on the creative parts of 2 projects at once.
Laura–Sounds like a winning combination to me!
Margot–That’s a good idea–sharing your story with friends. I’m not so great at doing that…I should try it.
Diane–I get that adrenaline rush sometimes, too! It’s great. Good point about reading our favorite writers (although sometimes I can be inspired by bad writers, too! Ha!)
Terry–Sounds like a great post! I’ll pop over.
Karen–I hope the fun of writing comes back quickly for you! :)
Great tips. I hope the music teacher and guitar work out. Of course, it’s fun in the honey moon stage, but you eventually realize you have to practice that instrument, too!
I’m also a sucker for post-its!
There’s nothing like cracking open a new shiny notebook! I have trouble writing in public spaces — my car, bookstores, cafes, the library are all ok, but outside of that I tend to get a bit paranoid:)
Office supply stores are fun for me too! I love buying new notebooks and pens and pencils and other desk supplies. :)
Mary–Good point! The practice has to happen, too. As you would know, being a musician *and* a writer!
Bluestocking–I can understand that feeling. I definitely *used* to be that way. Now I’m so completely oblivious to everyone when I’m out writing that I’ve even caught myself talking to myself in public (which is what I do sometimes when I’m writing a lot of dialogue.) When that happens, it’s time to go home. :)
The Daring Novelist–That would definitely be a danger! The deadlines are keeping me focused–well, sort of…
Laura–I’d keep to my budget a lot better if I never set foot in office supply stores…
Elspeth–That’s the best feeling, isn’t it? Having written. :)
And another rock star guitarist is born! Tell him the Ninja thinks he’s cool.
I keep it fun by writing what I want.
I tend to write in my office, since I like quiet so I can think. I get too distracted if I go to coffee shops or places where there are people to watch.