#obscuresquirrel

Hi, I’m @/obscuresquirrel on Instagram! :)

Writers' block is a very common issue among writers. Especially young or new authors. It can be tough to get through, but not impossible!

Every method is different, as is every author. This is a very small list. Some of these may differ in how much they help you! Let me know if you want a part two!

1) Forest: The App!

If you struggle with your phone being a distraction, like me, then Forest is the app for you! It was created to help students study, but it can totally be used to control phone usage while writing.

You set a timer, and you plant a virtual tree! The cute little tree will grow over the time you set. (Good for writing sprints!) However, if the app catches you sneaking around on any other app... Your tree will die! Nobody wants to kill a tree, right? Give Forest a try!

2) Reading A Book!

This tip may seem a little contradictory, seeing as you’re trying to write your own book, but taking a break and reading someone else's book can:

Increase your vocabulary

Give you prompts (within reason lol)

Give examples of how characters can interact with each other

You might pick up some good metaphors or other imagery tactics

Exposes you to a new style, that can influence how you write 

It’ll give you an insight into how an expert writes, and ultimately, it’ll get you back into the flow of writing!

3) Wait for it... Write in Comic Sans!

It had been proven that writing in Comic Sans induces creativity and inspiration. 

It may seem a bit odd at first but definitely try it. Often I’ve been in situations where I just can’t quite think, and Comic Sans has saved me! Don’t worry, you’re allowed to change it back... lol

4) Listen To a (Writing) Podcast

Sometimes part of the reason I get stuck is that I like to have something to listen to when writing. I’d say this is pretty common. Personally, loud and bright pop music can block realistic dialogue or scenes from forming. 

So I moved on to having a TV show in the background. That way I’m listening to conversation and it isn’t too busy. (My favourite distraction is Friends 😉)

However, the visuals drag my eyes away from the page. So, I had an idea to listen to a podcast! It gives conversation, and there are great writing podcasts out there that discuss great tips; how to publish, common mistakes, beta readers, etc.

My favourite: Writing Excuses! (Unfortunately, I cannot find it on Spotify. I listen on Google Podcasts!)

Hey, I’m @/obscuresquirrel on Instagram! ✌

The pace, or the speed, that your story is told, is important for a few reasons. Too slow, and your audience may get bored if the story does not move along. Too fast, and your audience will quickly have no idea what the hell is going on.

Here are a few things to consider when finding the correct pace:

Genre and Style

Different genres require different speeds. For example, you may want a mystery novel to move slowly: building suspense, raising questions, adding twists, etc. 

Adventure stories, however, may move speedily, keeping the audience on edge and constantly having things happening that moves the plot along. On the very first page, you could shove the reader right into the scene.

Character

Your character can also have a big impact on the pacing of your writing. If your character is the type who takes in their environment in a slow, observant way, the plot can move along with the character, and this tells the reader more about the person themselves.

The same goes for the opposite. However, keep in mind that having an occasional fast scene or a turning-point for a character where the novel is narrated in a different way, can provide a fresh moment for the reader and SHOW that aspect of personality!

Plot and Series

This one pretty much goes without saying, but imma talk about it anyway.

If you have a very detailed, hundreds of chapters long plot, the novel will need to be placed in a suitable way that everything happens soon enough into the beginning, as well as spacing out events so that there is a little bit of breathing time. This is slightly easier with series, as you have more books to spill over.

The recommended time to begin ‘the change’ - the thing that triggers the plot to commence - is within the first 10% of the novel. 

Hey, I’m @/obscuresquirrel on Instagram! ✌

Every writer has gone through a phase where they just have no inspiration, no ideas, no material. Hopefully, some of these ideas will help you know where to find some!

Society

Society as a whole is a fishing pond full of ideas and plots. Think of a societal aspect, and mould it into something you can build into a story. Turn conventions on their heads, add rules to normal events. 

For example, a world where you can only become a parent if you kill someone.* 

I literally just thought of that right now. There are millions of different ways to interpret society and humankind. 

*if you use that idea, send your story to me! sounds cool :)

Personal Experiences

Everyone’s life is different. Take inspiration from something that has happened to you, or someone else, that you think is interesting or thought-provoking. 

This could be life-changing events, or maybe even just a tradition you have.

You’d be surprised how much material you can find!

Characters

You could actually come up with an idea or concept for a character before you even begin to think about the plot. 

Often, when creating backgrounds or personality, the story will begin to piece together and become a basic outline. 

Give it a try sometime!

Thanks for reading! Hopefully, this post gave you some new methods of coming up with book ideas. If you are struggling, look up some writing prompts too! Good luck :)

Hey, I’m @/obscuresquirrel on Instagram! 

Creating detailed characters with intricate backgrounds come easy to some people, but others struggle. So this post has some resources I find useful that you may too!

PSA: If you’re viewing this on Instagram, you can follow my Tumblr (obscuresquirrel-writer) to click the links! some may be google-able :)

Name (and character profile) Generator!

There is this super cool website called Character Generator that lets you enter in the basic details of your character, like where they’re from, their parents' nationalities, their birthday, etc, and they apply those facts to create a list of as many names as you need!

As well as the names, every generated person comes with a randomised character profile! Its super fun to play around with! 

Link: https://www.name-generator.org.uk/?i=1cb6grk3

Family Tree Creator!

If a character has a huge family, it may be good to have a visual diagram of the males, females, deaths, etc. Also, marriages and birthdays. 

So I like to make family trees to compare the various relatives. I struggled to find some at first, so this is the one I use!

Link: https://www.familyecho.com/

Timeline Generator!

This isn’t just for characters, it can be for general plot development or an overview of your story. But let's say, like me, you wanna see how long it was after this person died that another person was born. 

Make a timeline! I found it helpful when I was doing a load of character dev. This is the only link I found that didn’t seem too official.

Link: https://time.graphics/

Names with Meanings!

I didn’t use this website, but I cannot remember which one I did use. However, if you are looking for a name that means something specific, there are some good websites out there, like this one:

Link: https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names

Zepeto!

This isn’t a website, and I know a lot of people that may not like it, as well as many that love it - including myself!

Instead, it is an application that allows you to create cartoon-like, animated characters. I can’t draw, so it really lets me experiment with my characters style, looks and how they all interact. 

Check it out! I recommend it :) 

App: Zepeto (on iPhones and android)

Thanks for reading my post! Hopefully, you’ll try out some of the things I shared. Maybe they might’ve helped! Follow my Instagram @/obscuresquirrel for more :) Peace out dudes! ✌