Most of us writers are our own worst enemies.
We inadvertently lay down our own bear traps and landmines that hinder and stop us from finishing our books.
Maybe you can relate?
If you are nearing the finish of NaNoWriMo(National Novel Writing Month) like I am, you might be struggling to reach the finish line with your novel.
This is exactly what I’m experiencing now as I’m on the finishing trail to reach the end of my romance novel. I’m pretty sure I inadvertently put more pressure on myself with this novel as it’s Book #1 in a new cowboy romance series. I want to get it just right… which let’s face it — for most of us fiction writers ‘getting it just right’ is not going to happen. There’s no such thing as a perfect book, ironically 😉
Because of discouraging days and feeling stuck, I allowed too many time wasters into my life… shiny pennies that distract me like: checking email; fixing the websites; Ooo… it’s Black Friday week, let me look at deals for 3 hours; I need to check Facebook… etc. You get what I mean.
Needless to say, I needed to force a stricter regimen with myself and try different ways that would motivate me to finish this book.
Below, I share a few tips on what I’ve learned in these past few weeks, that I hope help you finish writing your novel too!
5 Useful Tips to Help You Finish Writing Your Novel
I thought I’d lay out a short list of five tips that I hope help you finish writing your book. These are the five that came to mind, because it’s exactly what I’ve struggled with and needed to make changes in my own life so I could write “the end.”
So here they are…
1.Start Your Day with a Healthy Breakfast.
You might be asking, what does this have to do with writing? A lot as it turns out. If you’re feeling sluggish(this might be from too many carbs or too much sugar), more than likely you’ll have a tough time writing that day. Eating something that gives you protein without making you sluggish or mentally foggy is a great option. I often boil two eggs and have a green tea and find that I can go for hours with a mental clarity(and a stomach that isn’t protesting) which helps me to write.
2.Set a Timer for Writing Sprints and FOCUS.
I’ll be the first one to raise my hand here to say that too often I chase the newest “shiny object” or whatever else looks interesting… I’ve done this even in the middle of writing a scene. Ack! So don’t do that, if you can at all help yourself. What I’ve found helps me is when I set the timer for twenty to twenty-five minutes and then FOCUS. I’m serious. I have to tell myself: you are not going to anything else except write until this timer goes off. That means no looking at your phone, no going onto Facebook or anywhere else online. You wanted to write this romance and readers are already waiting for it, remember? So, write already! When I give myself this stern ‘talking to’, it motivates me to focus for the next timed writing sprint.
3.Writing is Work.
Yes writing is fun… or it should be. But, it is also hard work. There will be days when it’s fun work. And you’ll even have days when it’s hard but satisfying work. But, there will be other days when you’ll feel like you’d rather visit the dentist than write. You just need to know at the outset, that not everyday will it be rainbows and sunshine. Some days will feel like a rainy, muddy slog. But, the great thing is that you can push through it! You really can. I was experiencing the messy slog for the past week and it’s only when I started talking out loud the plot points with my hubby, that I had a breakthrough on what was holding me back. Which brings me to the next point…
4.Connect with others who will encourage and help you.
Many times we need help when we’re struggling to get something done and writing is no different. If you need help, do ask for help from other writer friends on Facebook, read an inspiring blogpost and leave a comment or talk to you spouse or one of your kids. You can even talk through your story with them. Most of the time, someone else will respond and you can find the help that way. Also, if you have family that supports your writing, talking through some of your thoughts on what you’re facing that day in your writing. This will help give you clarity and will also inspire them to do what they can, to help you get through the messy middle.
5.Continue to fill Your Creative Well.
Sometimes when we’re slogging away in the messy middle of our book, we might feel uninspired to keep going. This could possibly mean that you need to fill your creative well. Bring back the wonder, the mystery and the curiosity into what got you excited about writing this book in the first place. Maybe the characters inspired you in fiction, or maybe you are excited to write something you’ve never tried before. I encourage you to recall from your memory bank when you first had this story idea… get back to your original passion for your book. I often think about what inspired my book ideas and then go to Pinterest or Instagram and look at images that are related to the book I’m writing. This helps me re-ignite my passion for the story. If you want more ideas, I share a few tips on how writers can fill their creative well here.
Most of all, don’t give up. Don’t quit on yourself and don’t quit on your story. You can write your novel and finish it! At it happens, I’m in the middle of finishing my novel too. Today, I discovered that by simply writing this blogpost, it has inspired me to get back to the writing. I hope this post has given you courage to finish writing your novel too!🙂
How do you find the finishing energy you need to finish your book? Please do leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts. We can learn from each other!
