Writing Advice - Week Two
Jun. 11th, 2018 09:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
festforall_mods posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
festforall_genficby: Ryan Michael (there is romance on their blog)
Note: some of this advice may not apply to everyone, because this is written by a disabled autistic person with ADHD and dyslexia.
Headings:
1. Incorporate writing into your schedule
2. Always have a snack and hydrating beverage nearby
3. Get comfortable
4. Background noise
5. Change the document background
6. Count your successes
7. It's okay to write scenes out of order
8. Write whatever you want
9. Trust yourself
10. Have fun
Bonus tip
1. Incorporate writing into your schedule.
This is the biggest piece of advice I can give you, no matter what your situation is. You aren't going to write very often if it isn't part of your schedule.
There are a few things to consider when making writing a part of your schedule:
a. Be realistic. How often will you actually be able to sit down and write for? If you know you'll only actually sit down twice a week to write, schedule that. Set yourself up for success, not failure.
b. Set yourself a time limit. This way, you're not stressing yourself out by sitting there forever, struggling in front of a document with no end in sight.
I recommend using other parts of your schedule for this. I schedule myself to write twice a week - Saturday and Sunday, because that's what works best for me - from two in the afternoon to dinnertime.
I decided on 2p because it's long enough after lunch that I won't still be eating, even if I have a late lunch, and I don't have anything else scheduled. And then dinner is around 6p, so I won't be spending more than four hours struggling, maximum.
However, if I get into the zone, I will be pulled out of it for dinner, so I won't skip any meals, which is important. And if I want to continue writing after dinner, I can. But that's a rare choice.
c. Make a plan for bad days. We all have bad days, no matter who we are, and having a plan can help reduce the stress when they occur.
For me, that looks like sitting in front of the computer and trying to write, but understanding that if I can't write, I'll stop trying at 3.30p and let myself rest and recuperate.
2. Always have a snack and hydrating beverage nearby. I recommend a salty, protein-filled snack, but anything will work. When you inevitably get hungry, instead of being miserable while trying to write, recognise that writing takes energy, which means you might need some extra food. And that's okay.
3. Get comfortable. Put on comfy clothes, grab a blanket or jacket, grab fidget/stim tools if you use them, put your hair up, whatever will make you comfortable. You don't want to be thinking about that itchy tag or button while trying to write.
4. Background noise. If you are a person who needs ambient noise, here is a great resource to making the perfect noise for you.
If you are a person who needs music, go ahead and take the time to make a playlist. It will absolutely benefit you; even if it feels like it's a waste of time, it isn't. I’ve been using the same writing playlist for over three years, and I won’t be changing it for quite some time.
5. Change the document background to a colour that strains your eyes less. I usually choose pastel colours. In google docs, it’s under files > page setup. In Word, I believe it’s under format, but I could be wrong.
I also recommend changing the font to something easier on your eyes. OpenDyslexic is really good - it's very easy on the eyes, and makes the eyes work less to decipher each letter (at least for dyslexics). I use Sintony on google docs, which also helps.
6. Count your successes. As long as you sit down in front of a word document and try to get the words out, count it as a success. This is so important.
7. It's okay to write scenes out of order. Just make sure to make a note of the scenes that need to be written.
8. Write whatever you want. You can always edit and change things later.
9. Trust yourself. You know yourself best.
10. Have fun. Seriously. Writing is difficult, but it's important to have fun with it. If you're stressed out about your writing, take a break and write something that is fun to write.
Bonus tip: Put your phone on sound, and check it when it goes off. I don't recommend responding to most things, but this way you aren't constantly checking your phone - you know what's going on. Plus, you get occasional small breaks to think outside what you're writing, which is good.
