Tips for the writing life
Here’s a short, non-extensive, list of somethings I do to make my writing life easier.
1. Coffee
Coffee, tea, etc... This is given.
2. List of Potential character names
This was something I started doing before I even began writing. I have a file on my computer with every name idea, good and bad, that’s I’ve had for the last several years. There are some weird names in there…
Picking out a character’s name is much easier though. I rarely look beyond my list for any character name now. Sometimes a name I have written down is tweaked or a variant used, but picking a name not on the list? Can’t remember the last time I had to do that.
This also means the list is ever growing. From variants of common words, to the name of a friend’s dog, to a name on a gravestone. The ideas and inspirations are everywhere. (And no, walking through a graveyard, looking at all the names isn’t weird. You’re weird. :})
3. A document of bullet points and writing bits
Same as the names. There are awesome bits of conversations I’ve come up with or overheard that I didn’t have any use for in my story right away. Into this document (very conveniently named Writing Bits) they went. Think of an amazing description for the wind in the trees? Write it down! And save it for when you have just the place for it. (Reading the last sentence, I sound like a digital, writing hoarder.)
Anyway, this is another easy way to save time in the future.
4. A writing schedule (at least a start time)
The fickleness of motivation is not something to depend on for any writing project. Reaching that word count you are aiming for is awesome, but you have to start from nothing. And you have to start every day.
Make a schedule and be motivated to start, every day (bar rest day). Nuff said.
5. A rest day
Ah, rest days. I love them. Of course they always end up turning into brainstorm days, but...
Actually, I can't remember a 'rest' day that didn't turn into a brainstorm day. But it still stands. The brain must recharge.
Well, that's my short list of the few things I did, especially when starting a new writing project, to make sure I finished.