We're just over halfway through National Novel Writing Month. My plan was to be at 16,000 words by now. I'm not there, but I've written a damn sight more than I had last year which I'm incredibly happy with. Even if you haven't started anything yet, there's still time, don't despair! :)
Here are my top tips for finding inspiration and writing, not just during NaNoWriMo, but for whenever you're working on something.
Start small.
No one expects you to pen your first novel the first time you take part in NaNoWriMo, or even the tenth time you take part! Personally, I feel it's easier to start small with poetry and short stories. Who knows, maybe even one of these ideas can develop and grow into something much bigger? It's all about writing as much as you feel you can, and making sure that, above all, you enjoy what you're writing about. Pick a subject you enjoy or something you're passionate about and the words will just flow from there, be that 100 words or 10,000.
Find inspiration in a range of different places.
For me, inspiration can hit me at any time. I carry a notebook around with me in my bag for that sole reason. Sometimes I'll think of an idea when I'm at work, or sometimes someone else will inspire me. Most recently, my dad gave me the inspiration for a brilliant idea that I want to develop into a short story. And it's not just the big wide world around us that can help us to plant these seeds of ideas. Other writing blogs are pivotal within my creative process. Some of my favourites include Write World, Yeah Write and Wordstuck. They post prompt ideas, writing tips and interesting words to use within your writing. Do your research and find other blogs that inspire you personally too :)
Other hobbies also provide me with a wealth of inspiration. Reading is so important. If you want to write romance novels, read romance novels. If you want to write about crime, read crime novels. If you want to write contemporary poetry, then make sure you read plenty of it. It's all about knowing you subject matter inside out. Personally, I'm inspired by a wide range of genres; sometimes chick-lit, sometimes fantasy, and sometimes thrillers. Photography also inspires me. Occassionally I use my own work as a starting point for my writing to see if I can build a narrative from there. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it's always fun to challange yourself to pick the best words possible.
Don't compete with anyone else.
Of course, writing can be a very social activity. Sharing your work with friends and other writers is a very enriching exercise. Recieving critique for your work is always helpful, and it helps you to look at your writing from a different perspective, seeing things that you wouldn't ordinarily notice when you look through it yourself. However, don't fall into the trap of comparing your work to other people's. It's an easy trap to tumble into; thinking that your writing isn't as good as someone else's or that your plot idea isn't as strong. Above anything else, writing is personal, and there is always room for improvement whether you're a successful, published writer or not. You are free to develop your own style and voice, don't remove that sense of character because you want to write like someone else.
Write. Write. Write. Just keep writing.
It doesn't matter what you write about, just keep the flow of creativity going. I remember when I was at university, during one of my creative writing seminars, my lecturer would start off the class with a simple exercise. He would give us a subject and instruct us to just write; scribble down the very first thing that came to mind and keep going. One subject that really stuck in my mind was when he asked us to write about bread. It didn't matter that I didn't like what I had written, because most of the time we all hate first drafts, but it gave me material to work with. The beautiful thing about writing is that you can rework and remould and restructure what you've written until you're happy with it.
Flesh out your characters.
If there's one thing that helps me to write fluently, it's really getting to know that characters I'm writing about or from the perspective of. If I create a character then I really need to flesh them out, get to know them and figure out what they would be like as a real life person. I always feel like if I don't do this then I can't decide whether certain actions or behaviours would be considered out of character. To make a character realistic, you as the writer must get to know them first.
Most importantly - enjoy writing!
If you don't enjoy what you're writing about then something isn't quite right. Don't force yourself to churn out words that don't feel natural. Start something new, something that excites you. There's no shame in not finishing something that doesn't have your full heart in it to begin with. Who knows, you may return to it in the future and find your inspiration once again :)
~ C xxx
