A Drift of Quills – Writer’s Challenges

Would C.S. Lewis Tweet, or Facebook? What if J.R.R. Tolkien hadn’t been able to find the time to finish The Hobbit?

A Drift of Quills invited me to help welcome in May by penning a short note on “Writer’s Challenges.”

Writing is a serious, fun and tough discipline. Here are a couple of my biggest writing challenges, cut down to size. Then check out Robin Lythgoe and Patricia Reding on the subject, linked below.

When it comes to writing, who hasn’t had a hard time with discipline and time management?

I have yet to meet a writer who says, “No way, it’s easy-peasy! I get up with the creativity bubbling, nothing gets in my way, my family never intrudes—shucks, I don’t even have to eat!”

I mean, who even says “easy-peasy?”

More often when I chat with serious writers, we talk about time management and scheduled writing. It’s always interesting to hear what works for someone else—and it’s almost never right for me. We can agree that some kind of time management is needed—a schedule usually helps—and self-discipline is a must, but what that looks like on an everyday basis is as varied as the number of different personality combinations you can get with the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator.

I’m currently an ENFJ, (because who says you can’t change!), which means I’m not super disciplined. A couple of things help me hurdle the “oh ma word, 300 pages is a ton o’ writin!’” bar. One, I set a low page count that I want to complete each day and week. I know that if I can sit down and write a page, I can write five. But I might avoid sitting down if I know I have to write five pages—but one—I can do that. Once started, I don’t want to quit. Charis and the kids lovingly drag me away from my writing desk, kicking and screaming, “I don’t have to eat! Easy-peasy!”

The other thing that helps me is accountability. I’m part of a writing group that meets weekly, and we bring a new section of story to every meeting. That regularly scheduled accountability keeps me working—and moving forward. If you’re interested in a writing group, check your library—a librarian can often help you start the process of getting plugged into a local group.

Here’s the writing challenge I could do without: marketing. And it isn’t so much about a lack of knowledge—although I am always learning more. The problem here is a lack of desire. Let me chat about storycraft, heroes, fantasy and YA lit all day long—make me tweet about it—well, it just isn’t the same. I’m that old fashioned type that prefers email, or even better, written letters, to tweets, and I prefer face to face to Facebook.

Marketing can be a black hole. I can spend money anywhere—Facebook, Google, Twitter, Goodreads, contests and entry fees, groups and associations. I could spend all my time on any one of those platforms. Marketing and interacting with social media takes a lot of blood—and then demands I do it again tomorrow. I know it’s important to let others know about the adventure, but I haven’t conquered this beast. I’m just muddling through.

Robin has a great perspective on the subject of Writer’s Challenges and writing with joy:

“The details of How to Write a Book go on and on and on. The bajillion options can be overwhelming.

I’ve been writing since I could first manage a pencil. I wrote what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted. I wrote with joy. Gleefully! Along the way I figured that if I were going to make a career of it, I should study up on the craft.

I’ve learned a lot, but…”

Check out the rest of Robin’s post here.

And here is Patricia, with some great thoughts on writer’s block and cutting:

“Every writer knows what it’s like when an idea comes to her, then fleshes itself out into a scene that plays out in her imagination. Sometimes she has to wrestle to put other life events aside so that she may clear the time it will take to get the words down. Occasionally those words then flow out with a rapidity that defies her wildest dreams. Then there are those “other times.” These are the times when the blank screen before her can—at least temporarily—cripple her efforts. But in due course, comes the telling.

Thus it is that there are two parts to this craft I find most difficult: the first is in getting any words out at all; and the second, is in “the cutting.”

As to the first, what some call “writer’s block,” I’ve recently put a new practice into place . . .”

See her full post here.

What about you? Do you have a corner on marketing? Is it like disciplined writing techniques, different for every personality, or is there a formula for breaking the internet?

Comment away!