Five Tips to Make Writing More Fun

Writing can be a tricky endeavor, because you may not always want to write. I think there are a number of things that can help with this effort. The hope is to make it more fun to write and more inspiring to write. Here are five tips to make writing more fun:

Tip #1: Plan your writing

Often times the worst part of writing is not knowing what you want to write. That blank screen can be intimidating. By taking some time to plan your writing, it gives you “training wheels” on starting to write. That can make things a lot easier.

Tip #2: Dig up inspiration

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to find pieces of writing, artwork, or music that inspire you. That inspiration can give you a feeling that you can then describe in your work. That feeling not only helps move the word count forward, but it can help you give some extra authenticity to your work.

Tip #3: Writing prompts

When you don’t have anything particular to write, but you still want to write, these can be very useful. They help you by tipping you into a particular topic or thought experiment. They ask the question, what if, and leave it open ended for you to resolve. That can make things a lot more fun, since you get to answer the question however you desire.

Tip #4: Use word count meters

Sometimes the best way to get words on the screen is to use a word count meter. These can not only track how much you are writing, but at what pace. That can help you force yourself to write more words and improve your craft much faster.

Tip #5: Think about what makes you happy

Sometimes the best way to build a wonderful product is to determine what makes you happy. If you like writing about funny stories, write a funny story. If you like thinking about action and how to make things move fast, write that. If you just want to write something to work out the kinks in your own head, write that. Ultimately, if you’re writing something that makes you happy, you are much more likely to write.

Bonus Tip: Dig out an app or book

Sometimes the best way to have fun writing is to look at from a new perspective. That can be done through a new writing app or reference book. Even looking up articles on writing can help. Example apps include ones that have timers and if you don’t beat the clock, you lose your writing. Example books can include reference or thesaurus books that are based on setting. These can provide a breath of fresh air or perspective to your writing, which can make it fun again. In addition, these can help bolster areas that you may dislike or not be as strong in. For example, if you aren’t good at describing scenery, then a reference book may help kick start you in the right direction. If you suffer when writing dialog, a book may make that more effective. By becoming more proficient, you can build a better attitude (and have more fun) when writing.

In summation, plan your writing and frame it with some inspiration points. If you aren’t sure what to write, use writing prompts. Use word count meters to measure your progress and really focus on what things make you happy to write. For me, writing articles like this makes me happy.

Time for 10k - Western Fantasy

I've just finished part 1 of 3 for "4 Wizards" (that will not be the official title, but I am just keeping it that way until I figure out a good title). With that complete, I've decided to write the next 10k effort. This is part of an ongoing effort to sprinkle 10k's along with the major books. These 10k's will then wrap up into a larger effort forming their own book. The idea is to make book 2 in the "Morning Motivation" series. It would be nice to have a new morning motivation book every year.

Beyond letting me practice writing in a variety of different ways, this effort helps me reset my brain. That way it's not dragging as I work through major series. This gives me a quick break while I transition from part to part of the larger books.

This 10k that I am currently working on is called Western Fantasy and is going to be an odd one. I am hoping to write it in a Western style, but incorporate some magic traces in there. I was going to work on a 10k that surrounded being put in a coma for 10,000 years... but found the test write as kind of boring. Instead, I want to write about a cross genre with some grit.

I don’t think this one will sell a bunch, but that’s okay. The point isn’t to sell a bunch, but rather to tell a lot of different tales. I want to write things which make me happy and writing this odd ball 10k stories does just that. Ultimately, that’s why I write, to make myself happy and to build fun stories. The more fun I can have with writing, the better.

In addition to writing these 10k’s, I need to think of ways to make writing fun. I don’t know if that’s flash fiction or getting into a writing group, but I need to find more ways. Beyond making a writing habit, I want to make this a fun habit.

How to Write a Sentence

The title of this article may sound silly to most, as sentences were taught back in grade school. However, there is more to writing a quality sentence than simply reflecting knowledge that you found out at the same time as brushing your teeth. A great sentence takes the world, full of oddities, and puts logic to it. Sentences define the intention behind the logic. They show patterns and help us expand our focus.

In addition, a great sentence should be as few words as possible. The fewer the words, the easier it is to understand. That's the skill of writing a sentence. Convey logic from chaos with as few of words as possible, without losing intention.

Once a sentence is perfectly constructed, you do it again and again. That leads to a paragraph. Much like a sentence, there is an intention here as well. One paragraph leads to another, leading in and out of each intention. Soon a rhythm or outlining idea is presented. This is what people understand as writing.

There is one level (possible more?) above this: voice. Just like a regional dialog has an accent, writers develop accents in their writing. Some may convey ideas with simplicity, getting straight to the point. Others may wonder through fields of metaphors, selecting their thoughts like picking flowers in a meadow. Each of these feels different to the reader and each has their place. These differences in voice can lead to differences in sentence construction.