I began my journey into the world of Indie Publishing only a couple months ago. I’ve been writing for a long while before then, but only just recently started challenging myself to really write and not just jot something down once every few months. These two instances go hand in hand and has inspired each other to keep me going. My procrastination level is nearing maximum and my self-doubt is just below that. But the motivation that I derive from self-publishing and people enjoying my work has encouraged me to write more often.
Thus, I do not have all the answer. I don’t even have most of them. But what I do have is some answers, and they are the ones that keep me on my toes and give me the grounds to learn new things. Whether you are a beginner just like me or have been at this for some time, I hope you can take something from my insight to help you better your marketing and writing game.
- Make a To-Do List -- And Do Something!
Now, when I say to-do list, I am not necessarily referring to a writing or marketing to-do list. I’m talking about anything that you need to do whether it is cleaning your bathroom, washing the dishes, going to the post office, or what have you.
The importance of this is to allow yourself the realization that you have accomplished something. This sense of accomplishment will fuel your creativity and drive to do what you need to do (write that chapter, edit that paragraph, or venture into new marketing arenas)! Never underestimate the power of the to-do list!
These past few days I have fallen victim to lazily sitting around, doing nothing. This is not an unusual problem I face, but has been compounded by the reality of the world we are facing entering into 2020. It’s very easy to get lost in a movie or the 3rd season of TV shows we’ve already binged 300x. I find myself getting stuck in the quicksand of waiting for the mood to strike before opening up my laptop to write.
Not only had my writing fallen to the wayside, but my chores, too, had been neglected. So, what did I do? I spent most of the morning cleaning. I mopped the floors, rearranged my couch, scrubbed the bathtub, and mopped the kitchen. Am I done? No! I still have my bedroom that has been on my to-do list for weeks, the dishes that never seem to stop, and my bathroom sink that has a ring of soap that needs to be gone!
But by doing those few chores, I have found myself in a mode of inspiration and rejuvenation. I have added about 1,000 words to my WIP (Work in Progress) and still going strong. Not only that, but I have taken on this blog entry. I’ve also been struck with an idea on how to strengthen my marketing on my Amazon page.
All this because I was able to mop the floor! So, are you stuck in a creativity rut? Then get out the mop, the broom, or the sponge and start cleaning something! Or go into your garden and weed it--or start a garden. It really doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do it!
2. Listen to the Voices, but Follow Your Gut.
There are several sages and oracles of the Indie World. They have shrines on Facebook, Twitter, or their own website. They offer advice, services, guides, and more. In fact, while I am in no wise a sage or oracle, I am another voice that it speaking out to you on the matter of your work and industry.
So what should you do?
Stop and listen. Hear what they have to say. Digest it. Swim in it. But don’t follow everything you hear! Sometimes advice is misguided or misleading. Sometimes the whole picture isn’t seen. Sometimes what works for one person won’t work for another.
In terms of marketing, sometimes there is a wind that bring about the attention we need, and we can do all the marketing we can, but until that wind comes we’re stuck rowing along with still sails.
In terms of writing, sometimes we just need to write enough to develop a sense of our own style. Maybe we need to read a book to see what works, what doesn’t, or how something is handled to strike a chord within us.
In the end, many times we just need to follow our gut. Do what works for you. If you find that making a to-do list only distracts you, then find some other way to foster a sense of accomplishment that inspires you to write. If you can’t seem to find the right markets, then try out a new marketing strategy you thought of in the shower or while you were drifting off to sleep.
Trust yourself and believe that you can do it. Sharpen your skills; try new things; listen to the wise. But believe in yourself; know you are capable of being the next best thing if you have the patience and commitment to hone your craft.
3. Frolic in Your Creativity
While we need to keep our schedules and be consistent to our writing, sometimes it doesn’t pay off to force a chapter or to write when we aren’t in the mood. It’ll hurt the writing game if you keep pressing out pages only to go back and find they lacked creativity and you have to scrap it all.
So what should you do instead?
Brainstorm. In a separate document, write out what could happen, couldn’t happen, what has happened, what emotions you want to convey, etc. Just keep jotting things down. It’ll generate ideas and possibilities that you might be able to pursue once your mood returns to you, but you won’t have to deal with editing a wall of text that you stuccoed together.
Another important thing you can do is to embrace the wonders of flash fiction. Whether anyone sees these pieces of writing or not, by crafting a story than self-contains and maintains a beginning, middle, and end, you can see your creativity soar.
I was stuck for quite some time on my big novel. It is a complex story that I am piecing together, but I could never find the words to actually craft the narrative. I only could jot down ideas and shape a history to the whole thing. I was crippled by my own lack of experience but still wanted to create the perfect story.
Instead of writing a story that would eventually be scrapped, rewired, or completely flipped upside down in edits, I began writing short stories based on a prompt. I tried to write the second or third thing that popped in my mind in order to be as original and creative as I possibly could be.
This is what introduced me into the world of self-publishing because I began writing flash fiction I knew people would enjoy and that would build my audience, even though it was completely unrelated to my novel. Now, I am working on my upcoming novella series while I still play with the ideas of my main novel. I am shaping my abilities as an author to fit my skills and a thinker and story creator, giving myself the tools I need to take that thought and mold it into a story people want to read.
So take up writing challenges. Think of a random word and tell an interesting story about it in only 250 words. Imagine an emotion and convey it in a brief setting. Try new styles and voices. Write in the first person. Dabble in the second person. Experiment with present tense or past tense. Do something completely different than your WIP and see where it takes you!
These are my tips, but like I said--follow your gut! Your experience in life is what guides you, but keep an ear for the voices of people who have more or different experience to give you a second pair of tools to help you out!
Happy writing and remember to believe in your creativity!
Please consider supporting me by grabbing your own copy of Creativity Brewing, my latest flash fiction collection!
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