how to keep from getting bored while writing.
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Quokka
wandering
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It's hard because writing is such a personal thing, some people will happily sit down for days and write chapter after chapter but I bet there's plenty of successful writers out there who don't. Imo the biggest thing would be to try to find a routine that works for you, even if its only one or two thousand words a week (or less) if you can do it consistently it will add up and you may find that as the weeks go by and you get more experienced or more into your story that you'll naturally start writing more.
What's an average novel (apart from how long is a piece of string
), maybe ~100k? So at 2000 a week you can have it written in under a year, if you can find a routine that works for you.
Maybe try just leaving it open and sitting down to write whenever the mood takes you, whether that's a chapter or a sentence or pages. Write what you want, walk away watch some tv or whatever and next time something pops into your head go back and write it down. If you're always chipping away with a few words then it's still going to be going around in your mind and that may help suggest the next thing to be written and just leaving it open like that you're letting yourself just add a sentence if you want, you don't feel like you have to hit 10,000 words or something.
But when you're getting frustrated and bored take a break.
Depending on how focused you are on what you're writing at the moment (if it is a novel) you could also try entering a few short story contests (there's plenty about on the net). They are different to writing a novel but imo it can be nice sometimes just to spend a few weeks creating something from scratch, edit and then sending it off. At that point you've succeeded in submitting something for other people to read, which when you're writing your first novel can seem a long way off.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit: One other thing, if you are typing and are bad at it, you can always look at improving that as another way of increasing your word counts. There's nothing worse then having your fingers holding you back.
What's an average novel (apart from how long is a piece of string
), maybe ~100k? So at 2000 a week you can have it written in under a year, if you can find a routine that works for you.Maybe try just leaving it open and sitting down to write whenever the mood takes you, whether that's a chapter or a sentence or pages. Write what you want, walk away watch some tv or whatever and next time something pops into your head go back and write it down. If you're always chipping away with a few words then it's still going to be going around in your mind and that may help suggest the next thing to be written and just leaving it open like that you're letting yourself just add a sentence if you want, you don't feel like you have to hit 10,000 words or something.
But when you're getting frustrated and bored take a break.
Depending on how focused you are on what you're writing at the moment (if it is a novel) you could also try entering a few short story contests (there's plenty about on the net). They are different to writing a novel but imo it can be nice sometimes just to spend a few weeks creating something from scratch, edit and then sending it off. At that point you've succeeded in submitting something for other people to read, which when you're writing your first novel can seem a long way off.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit: One other thing, if you are typing and are bad at it, you can always look at improving that as another way of increasing your word counts. There's nothing worse then having your fingers holding you back
.
Last edited:
Have you asked yourself why you are bored? In my experience, if a person is doing something she really enjoys, boredom is rarely an issue.
First of all, do you enjoy writing? Or do you just enjoy the thought of being a writer?
If you love writing, then look to see whether it is the subject matter which is boring you. It may be trying to write a romance is wrong for you, and you need to write something fast-paced. What kind of things do you enjoy reading? Do you get bored while reading them?
If you love the writing and the style of story you are writing, ask yourself whether there is something about the way you are writing, or the part of the process, which is boring. For instance, I find myself yawning sometimes when I'm editing a piece which I've gone over before - which is a big hint to leave that chapter alone and find another one.
Finally, is it boredom, or is it you are uncomfortable in some way, and your brain is switching off? By uncomfortable, I mean either mentally or physically. For instance, if a person were conscious of a lack of basic grammar or inadequate word usage, he might take refuge in a kind of defensive "well, this is boring anyway" in order to create a reason for giving up. Similarly, if one is trying to write in a position which is not conducive to writing, your body may be trying to attract your attention to make you sit up and write at a desk. And, of course, if you're not getting enough sleep or exercise you may be yawning which you think is from boredom, but is simply from tiredness or the like.
First of all, do you enjoy writing? Or do you just enjoy the thought of being a writer?
If you love writing, then look to see whether it is the subject matter which is boring you. It may be trying to write a romance is wrong for you, and you need to write something fast-paced. What kind of things do you enjoy reading? Do you get bored while reading them?
If you love the writing and the style of story you are writing, ask yourself whether there is something about the way you are writing, or the part of the process, which is boring. For instance, I find myself yawning sometimes when I'm editing a piece which I've gone over before - which is a big hint to leave that chapter alone and find another one.
Finally, is it boredom, or is it you are uncomfortable in some way, and your brain is switching off? By uncomfortable, I mean either mentally or physically. For instance, if a person were conscious of a lack of basic grammar or inadequate word usage, he might take refuge in a kind of defensive "well, this is boring anyway" in order to create a reason for giving up. Similarly, if one is trying to write in a position which is not conducive to writing, your body may be trying to attract your attention to make you sit up and write at a desk. And, of course, if you're not getting enough sleep or exercise you may be yawning which you think is from boredom, but is simply from tiredness or the like.
Boneman
Well-Known Member
Hmm.. boredom or writers block? I do know what you mean, and I have two ways of solving it:
a) start another piece that is never intended for the light of day, it should be the furthest from the style that you're writing and it should be fun, fun, fun. It could be an autobiography (well, you'll need it when you're rich and famous), it could be a childrens book with disturbing characters, it could be a trashy sex novel, a gripping war story - anything you like, anything at all. In this story you will just write what you want, never correct your own grammar, and laugh to yourself when you read it back.
Why do this? Well, because I think that 'boredom' isn't boredom, it's a kind of brain-fatigue in the creative centres, where you're trying incredibly hard to produce the best that you can. You're calling up and streaming an incredible amount of consciousness, trying to filter it down to words... Of course it's hard, and eventually (after 500 words, in your case) your logical brain gets fed up trying to do this for you, and you get 'bored'. It's almost as if the logical brain is saying to the creative "Come on! I need ideas, dialogue, action!" and the creative brain is being stifled by the continual demands.
So, to free this up, you write without pressure just 'aving a laff. The logical brain sits to one side, and you write for the pleasure of it, nothing more. In my case, it actually gave me ideas for my major opus as I did it, and I found myself wanting to go back to it to get them down. In this way, I found I wrote more and more words. I haven't actually visited my trashy novel in ages, I think I've just trained my brain...
b) Stop writing and play 'Hearts'.
a) start another piece that is never intended for the light of day, it should be the furthest from the style that you're writing and it should be fun, fun, fun. It could be an autobiography (well, you'll need it when you're rich and famous), it could be a childrens book with disturbing characters, it could be a trashy sex novel, a gripping war story - anything you like, anything at all. In this story you will just write what you want, never correct your own grammar, and laugh to yourself when you read it back.
Why do this? Well, because I think that 'boredom' isn't boredom, it's a kind of brain-fatigue in the creative centres, where you're trying incredibly hard to produce the best that you can. You're calling up and streaming an incredible amount of consciousness, trying to filter it down to words... Of course it's hard, and eventually (after 500 words, in your case) your logical brain gets fed up trying to do this for you, and you get 'bored'. It's almost as if the logical brain is saying to the creative "Come on! I need ideas, dialogue, action!" and the creative brain is being stifled by the continual demands.
So, to free this up, you write without pressure just 'aving a laff. The logical brain sits to one side, and you write for the pleasure of it, nothing more. In my case, it actually gave me ideas for my major opus as I did it, and I found myself wanting to go back to it to get them down. In this way, I found I wrote more and more words. I haven't actually visited my trashy novel in ages, I think I've just trained my brain...
b) Stop writing and play 'Hearts'.
Karn Maeshalanadae
I'm a pineapple
Is it possible.
Yes, it is. I've written upwards of five to ten thousand words in a single sitting and, my methods that I use are usually proofreading while writing, good music, and delving into your world, perhaps even becoming your favorite character.
I know those don't sound like much, but they've certainly helped me, and they might help you too. Then again, everyone's different.....
Haha. And as Boneman just said there, trashy sex novel. I seem to be fairly good with those, I shamefully admit.....
(No, you guys on Chrons will NOT ever see such things from me-at least, not over Chrons. I respect Brian's rules far too much to allow such a thing.)
mygoditsraining
Well-Known Member
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It's natural to plateau, even if you're the most determined person in the world there will always be times you just feel like going "stuff it" and sitting in the garden with a cocktail instead.
Try and motivate yourself by setting targets - attainable targets - and as the others have been saying, mix things up to keep yourself interested.
Try and motivate yourself by setting targets - attainable targets - and as the others have been saying, mix things up to keep yourself interested.
Urien
Well-Known Member
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- Oct 31, 2006
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I think the key word is "bored", if you're bored after 500 words then seriously reconsider writing as a career/hobby/necessity/compulsion.
Writing's tough and frustrating but usually not boring.
There are mucho experts on here, published authors and the like, I'm sure their advice would be sterling.
Writing's tough and frustrating but usually not boring.
There are mucho experts on here, published authors and the like, I'm sure their advice would be sterling.
Susan Boulton
The storyteller
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Agree. Frustrated, tired, annoyed I can't get to write, but never bored with it.
If I am planning a whole day at the keyboard, I work for an hour, then have upto 30minutes break, then work another hour. It is often not an hour typing, it could be sorting out research, reading back already written work, deleting waffle, in fact anything to do with the current monster I am creating.
RcGrant
Loves semi-colons
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I agree with what the others said about being bored (e.g. writing never bores me), HOWEVER, are you confusing boredom with something else? I go through phases that I wouldn't consider writer's block so much, because I can still produce, but I just don't want to. And 99% of the time it's because there is an issue in the piece I am writing that I need to resolve. If you want to be productive, then the best thing to do, like Boneman pointed out, is to write something else. Sometimes focusing your attention elsewhere will give the original piece the time it needs to sit and simmer in the back of your brain without frustrating the hell out of you.
Precise Calibre
Storywright
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- Nov 12, 2007
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- 447
If you truly enjoy writing, boredom should not be an issue. You can, however, run across any number of issues which might disrupt you from your goal.
If you find what you are writing about to be unappealing to you, STOP. If it doesn't please you, you won't be able to form it into what you want and you will pass the buck along to your readers; a waste of everyone's time.
What is your writing environment like? Some people can completely ignore all distractions but some people require a very particular atmosphere when they create. I, myself, cannot write anything serious if there are a lot of people nearby talking, watching TV or just being loud.
Sometimes you just get burned out. Don't push yourself too hard. Do other things. Sometimes inspiration will just come to you if you occupy yourself and let your subconcious mull the problem over.
If you find what you are writing about to be unappealing to you, STOP. If it doesn't please you, you won't be able to form it into what you want and you will pass the buck along to your readers; a waste of everyone's time.
What is your writing environment like? Some people can completely ignore all distractions but some people require a very particular atmosphere when they create. I, myself, cannot write anything serious if there are a lot of people nearby talking, watching TV or just being loud.
Sometimes you just get burned out. Don't push yourself too hard. Do other things. Sometimes inspiration will just come to you if you occupy yourself and let your subconcious mull the problem over.
Nik
Speaker to Cats
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- Jul 31, 2007
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"...five hundred words..."
That's about how much I scribble when I 'wake, grabbing for note-book'.
Must be said that few such notions go further. Only a small proportion deserve telling and some-- Well, come day-light, I can see they're just too much for my modest skills...
One thing you must NOT do is throw those notions away. When I look at them later, I've had stories sprout tangentially from their improbable premise plus an accidental turn of phrase...
That's about how much I scribble when I 'wake, grabbing for note-book'.
Must be said that few such notions go further. Only a small proportion deserve telling and some-- Well, come day-light, I can see they're just too much for my modest skills...
One thing you must NOT do is throw those notions away. When I look at them later, I've had stories sprout tangentially from their improbable premise plus an accidental turn of phrase...
mygoditsraining
Well-Known Member
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- Dec 4, 2008
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- 448
I tried that "wake up, grab notebook" thing Nik, it's not for me. I was so groggy I knocked over a pot of my girlfriends foot cream from the Santa Maria Novella farmaceutica. She was not impressed that my creative urges had such expensive casualties...
Back on-topic, I write about 1000 words per session when I sit down and write. Sometimes less, sometimes more, it depends on a lot of things although I find that starting stories is easier than finishing them. My current serious WIP is really dragging because I know exactly what I want to say but can't seem to get the words out onto the page. Every single word in that seems to get dragged out of me, kicking and screaming and spitting and generally being wholly disagreeable about the process.
Back on-topic, I write about 1000 words per session when I sit down and write. Sometimes less, sometimes more, it depends on a lot of things although I find that starting stories is easier than finishing them. My current serious WIP is really dragging because I know exactly what I want to say but can't seem to get the words out onto the page. Every single word in that seems to get dragged out of me, kicking and screaming and spitting and generally being wholly disagreeable about the process.
I never get bored with writing per se, but I do get bored with the scene I'm trying to write. At which point I promptly ask myself: If I'm bored with writing this, won't it bore anyone that reads it?
After that, my limit break counter fills up and I select omnislash, and then the scene disappears and I get some exp and gil. */FF7*
After that, my limit break counter fills up and I select omnislash, and then the scene disappears and I get some exp and gil. */FF7*
Culhwch
Lost Boy
Amen to that! If I could just find someone who finds it easier to finish stories we'd make an awesome team...
Not always -- if you've got bored with a scene just because you've spent so long revising it in a quest for perfection, it might still seem fresh and interesting to a reader coming at it for the first time. You just need to leave it alone for a while before you can tell.
I find it easier to write the end than the beginning, and start with the end sometimes!
That's a different part of the creative process. I'm talking about the first pen to paper phase before I'm going back to edit. Often times when I get bored with writing something. Generally, it's because it's starting to bog down and usually isn't meshing well with the rest of the story.
J Riff
The Ants are my friends..
Quit writing and do something you enjoy instead ?
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