A written word is often seen as liberating - it sharpens the mind, and feeds the soul. The opportunities are everywhere, waking up with every morning, and going to sleep with hopes of finding more ideas in sweet dreams. However, in the world of creative writing there is good and bad, the good being inspiration and imagination creating aspiring writers. As opposed to this, there is the worst enemy of every writer - writer's block. Here are some tips to help you write more efficiently.
1. Create a Pleasant Atmosphere
Before you start writing, invest some time and effort into selecting your little corner where you'll be comfortable. This will prevent distractions, and allow you to fully concentrate on your writing.
2. Don't Put Pressure on Yourself
No matter how much you wish to write a creative piece, don't put pressure on yourself. Pressure is like a really big amount of empty air, aimed at replacing your ideas, talent, and imagination with just that - empty air. If you feel there is too much pressure above your head, take a break for as long as you need it.
3. Allow It Time
This is actually quite similar to getting rid of pressure, as fitting your writing into a very tight schedule can out a pressure on you. So, make some time for your writing, regardless of whether this is half an hour or a whole afternoon - the important thing is that you know this is your writing time.
4. Write in the Morning
The best time to write is in the morning, and this doesn't apply to creative writers only, and writing creative content. Freelance writers writing on any topic and in any direction should also get up early and start spilling their ideas on the paper with the arrival of the morning.
5. No Room for Perfection
Don't expect your every word to be perfect, as you will waste a lot of time on trying to achieve this, and the chances are you won't even achieve it. Nothing is perfect, so don't expect a flawless masterpiece, but allow it to have small imperfections - it is what makes it very close to perfect.
6. Improve Your Spelling and Grammar
Writers should invest time into their language, and this doesn't include only wordiness and having a rather rich vocabulary. It is also a very good idea to learn grammar rules, or at least read through them from time to time.
7. Write Things Down
You never know when the idea might strike, so keep a notebook and a pencil close by, so that you can write fresh ideas as soon as they come to your mind. You surely wouldn't want to forget them!
8. Use a Checklist
Before the process of creation begins, make a short list of the things you want to write about. Use this checklist to help you organize your ideas and thoughts.
9. Write about the Things You Like
Writing about the things that you find interesting, fascinating, and so forth, will give you the opportunity to put your passion and fascination you have for these things into your writing. You need to create a whole new world for your reader, and he needs to believe in your every single word.
10. Enjoy writing
Remember to always enjoy writing, and don't allow it to turn into a job. Writing is fun!
11. Write on a Computer while Being Disconnected from the Internet
When you start writing it might be a good idea to disconnect from the Internet, as this useful tool might easily distract you from your writing. A funny photo shared by your friend through Facebook, and you can easily lose track of time on this social network, forgetting about your writing. Organize your time wisely.
12. Don't Write About the Things You Are Not Familiar With
Without getting into complicated explanations, you shouldn't write about the things you know little or nothing about. Go back to number 9, where you'll find the answer why this is not a good idea.
13. Syncretism - Words from Pictures
In case you need inspiration, try this little writing exercise: take any photo, and try to write a short, or a long text based on what you see. The combination has proven to be ideal for creative writing. A picture is worth thousand words - why not write these words down?
14. Time Limit - Fifteen-Minute Exercise
Another writing exercise is based on the idea that you should use your time in a productive manner. Instead of spending hours staring at your laptop screen, try this fifteen-minute exercise. Tell yourself you have only fifteen minutes to write a story. Regardless of whether this is a reversed psychology or something else, it works like a charm. You'll be surprised with how many ideas you can come up with in such a short time frame.
15. Proofreading Your Work - The Perfect Timing
After you finish your work, don't proofread it instantly. Rather than this, wait for a day or even more before you start proofreading your work. This way you will be a lot more efficient in finding errors, if there should be any.