Improving Your Creative Writing

1. Introduction: Hello and welcome to improving Your Creative Writing. My name is Nia Hogan and I'm a multi published author. When I'm not teaching middle-school English language arts and helping young writers find their voice. I'm helping writers online to tap into their own inner writer and improve their skills. During my six-year freelancing career, I helped hundreds of clients develop their own writing style, improve their Creative Writing abilities, and discover their unique voice. This course is for new writers who haven't quite tapped into the writer within themselves are looking for ways to improve their natural or developing abilities. Writer's with some experience who are looking for ways to become better at Creative Writing. This course is not for writers with no interest in Creative Writing. In this course, I will teach you the Value in Being a Strong Creative Writer. How to Improve your Creative Writing Skills, and how to Overcome Writer's Block. At the end of this course, you'll find information about a free resource that comes with this course called Tap Into Your Inner Writer. It's a 30-day Writing Challenge. Unlike anything you've seen before, that applies the things you will learn in this class to improve yourself as a creative writer. 2. The Value in Being a Strong Creative Writer: If you're ready to begin making improvements in your Creative Writing abilities, Let's get started with our first lecture, the Value in Being a Strong Creative Writer. Creative Writing as a way to communicate your thoughts, feelings, and to tell a story. Some of us are born into a long line of writers like myself. My family is full of poets, playwrights, and authors. Because I was surrounded by people with a love for writing. I was influenced and taught by them. Some people think that you are born or writer. I believe that some people are more inclined to write effectively because of their exposure to language and written communication practice with the Art and craft of writing. I also believe that everyone has the ability to grow their skill set within written communication. We all have a Writer inside of ourselves because as humans, we are communicators. Sometimes it just takes nurturing that ability to see it. Writing is often referred to as a gift or a hidden talent. I do believe we are all born with special gifts. Writing Being a possibility. I think when we nurture those gifts is what makes all the difference. Some of us hi, this talent for Fear of what others will think of our words, but I encourage you to use your voice. It's one of the most powerful tools you have. There are people in history who didn't get a chance to use their voice. And it's important that we exercise our right to speak freely and from the heart. And maybe you're just becoming aware of your ability to write. That's also possible. Just know you're never too old to learn how to share your gift. I'd like you to think about a time when you received a confusing email. Maybe the flow is disorganized. Key information was missing. They were spelling errors interrupting the meaning, or maybe it was something else. On the receiving end of this email, you probably felt confused and frustrated. That doesn't make the writer of that e-mail bad. It just means that they weren't effectively communicating their thoughts. There is value in being a strong creative writer. My freshman year of college, I was inclined to change my major. At the time, I was interested in exploring Creative Writing. I spoke to an advisor who told me that Creative Writing graduates either become professors are struggling artists. At the time I was very easily persuaded because I had no interest in struggling. So I decided to pursue education fast-forward and I'm finishing up my ninth year in education. So ultimately it worked out. I'm putting my degree to use and I love the subject area that I teach. However, I wished that advisor who turned out to be a professor in the College of Education at my university and one of the best professors that I had and all of my years of higher education had presented the information to me differently. There is value in creative writing. There are so many fields that benefit from the creative minds of writers like you and me, industries that you wouldn't think need writers, seek our help. Whether you're an entertainment marketing, advertising, education, or something else. Good writers are needed. When you found your niche, it's a lot easier to figure out what type of career would be a good fit for you. I learned at the end of the MFA program that I was not interested in screenwriting or writing for television. There's a lot of money in both, but it's not something that brings me joy as a new writer, especially if you're taking college-level courses, it may take you awhile to figure out your strengths and your interests as far as how you can best support yourself. Whenever I made aspiring writers on their way to pursuing a degree in writing, I remind them that if you're passionate about writing, the sky is the limit. If you treat your journey as such. If the pandemic taught us nothing, It reminded us how many of us have skills that are transferable. Creative writers. You are writers. So please don't think that you can't bring creativity into more technical writing jobs. For many jobs, Writing is a core competency of your daily duties. You are likely using Writing Skills to communicate results, to organize and share information, or to communicate throughout your department. Strong writing skills help you not only get your job done, but also allow you to grow in your current role. Strong written communication can help you to ask for what you want or need. Sometimes having a creative writing background can open doors to doing more support roles when I freelanced. Here's some things I have been able to do to flex my Creative Writing Skills without actually having to do any writing. I have assisted with researching time periods and settings. Some people don't want to do this type of legwork. And I was able to provide them with information that helped them to build an authentic story world. I've also researched certain topics and character traits. I once was critiquing a client's story that had a character who was an escape artist. There was a scene that included an escape act, but the imagery was off. And I could tell that this person had no idea how this feat was performed. I mentioned that the scene could benefit from some details and the client admitted that they didn't know much about escape artistry. I offered my services to do some extensive research, which in turn helped improve that scene so much that I felt like I was witnessing the show. I add another client who was writing about a character with bipolar disorder. I grew up with two people who are bipolar and their behaviors are completely different despite having the same diagnosis. I was tasked with researching the disorder to provide some medical facts to this client to help them make that character more believable. I have also help writers improve their outlines to providing feedback. In addition, I've done a lot of editing jobs on existing manuscripts. I was able to do all of these things well because I understand how important research, feedback, and editing is to the writing process. Not all creative writers are making full-time income with their passion. But it doesn't mean that we shouldn't pursue our desires or not use them if our job description doesn't explicitly state a need for it. Remember that these skills are valuable, needed, and are never going out of style. In this lecture, we discussed the value in being a strong creative writer. I hope that you feel empowered to grow in your craft, which leads us to our second lecture 3. How to Improve your Creative Writing Skills: How to Improve your Creative Writing Skills. If you've made it this far into this course, it's evidenced that you either consider yourself a writer or are interested in developing the skill that you can confidently claim writing as something you do well. All writing is inspired by something. Each piece may have been inspired by something different. Good creative writers are always looking for ways to stimulate their brain. Most writers have goals for the future and lean on what inspires them to use their voice. Writing is like exercising a muscle. The more you use it and practice with it, the stronger it becomes, and the easier it is for you to do well. How you improve those skills are very similar to how you might improve your writing skills in general, with a few things that are unique to the genre fiction. In this lecture, I will be exploring 25 strategies that you can implement to make improvements in your ability to write creatively. Number one, improve your grammar basics, and vocabulary. Good Creative Writing is clear and concise. As an avid reader, There's nothing worse than reading something that's riddled with typos that disrupts the meaning. Finding a paid or free grammar resource to help you improve your grammar skills can help take your writing to the next level. In addition, expanding your vocabulary can be done in a number of ways online as well. Number to read more. If you ever start reading a novel and something sparks a creative idea that happens to meet all the time. The more I read, the more creative energy I possess. If this hasn't happened to you, that's okay because reading has other benefits. Reading fiction allows you to see other styles and ways of unveiling a story. You can learn new words and I can show you different ways of organizing ideas or ways of engaging your reader. Reading non-fiction, especially on Writing, can teach you new strategies, provides you with a different perspective on Writing or teach you something that you didn't know about or how to do before. Number three, study areas of writing you want to improve N, we typically know are areas of weaknesses as writers, it's usually the thing that just doesn't feel authentic. If you don't know what to do to improve, ask somebody you trust to read a sample of your writing and critique it. This can help point you in the right direction. There are tons of resources, both paid and free, that can help you to learn a specific writing related skill. Developing yourself as a writer is an ongoing process. The best writers are always open to feedback and learning. Try different Writing tools. For example, Writing in the premium version of the grammarly desktop app can allow the software to make immediate corrections or suggestions. Another idea is to change the mode. If you're used to using a computer, try Handwriting, getting out of your comfort zone or trying things you don't normally do can allow you to find different ways that work well for you. Number five, practice writing for different audiences in different tones. We tend to write to the people and in the way that makes us feel most comfortable. I have extensive experience writing to different audiences for different reasons. If that's not your experience, you'd be surprised how much you'll learn about your abilities by writing to a different audience. The best way to practice this is through letter writing for different causes. Generate a list of audiences and reasons for Writing. Practice doing that in different tones, you might surprise yourself. Number six, practice expanding on sentences. This was one of my favorite writing exercises in fourth grade. Our teacher would give us one subject, one verb sentences, and ask us to expand on it by adding additional information. We were given the creative freedom to make up new information to help beef up those sentences, it helped me to learn how to write more descriptively. This is a great practice activity that you can do by using your existing writing pieces, looking at simple sentences online, or by choosing a patient, a book, and expanding on some of those sentences. Number seven, practice eliminating filler words in your writing. This editing tasks can allow you to make improvements. You'd be surprised how many filler words you might find on just one page of your Writing. Number eight, get feedback. As writers, we are artists and some of us are sensitive about our work. It's natural to be protective over words that came from a deep and personal space. But think about this. Even New York Times bestsellers have a team of editors and people that they trust to get feedback from to help make their writing better. Having another perspective can bring value to the way you see yourself. You don't have to apply all the feedback you receive either. Number nine, edit old pieces. Do you have journals full of old Writing or folders on your computer that is full of story ideas. Good, returned to them, and start editing. You'll be tempted to revise, but I challenge you to work in stages. Proofread the first round at a for syntax and readability next, then start looking at it from a bird's-eye view. This will allow you to practice making improvements to your writing from a technical standpoint, you can reflect on how you use to write and focus less on idea generating and more on the technical aspects of Writing. Number ten Do some soul searching. It will be challenging to get out of your own way if there's something standing in-between you and unlocking your fullest potential. Maybe it's a lack of self-confidence. Maybe you're worried about how people were, will receive your work. Maybe you're worried about your technical skills or you struggled to commit to the process. Either way, it's important to know yourself. When you've discovered who you are at the core, you can unlock the subjects and themes that are most important to you. Determine the story you want to tell and can be vulnerable enough to give it your all. Number 11. Determine your purpose for writing. Some people write, just write. Other people, find therapy in it. Some people are writing to process things that are happening around them. And some write to entertain themselves or to educate others. The list goes on and on. Determining your y's important because it will become your north star when your journey gets tough. If you know your reason for writing, it allows you to work towards fulfilling that purpose. Number 12, let go of fear. Writing is a very vulnerable process, especially if you're writing about a lived experience. Most writers have a moment where they worry how their audience will receive their Writing. It's completely normal. By letting go of fear, you're allowing yourself to go deep with your Writing. Not everyone is going to love it, but you're not writing for everyone. Even bestsellers receive harsh and negative reviews. Don't be afraid to share what's on your heart. If one person is moved by your work, that should be enough to feel like your job was well done. Number 13, find your inspiration. What topics do you find the most interesting? Your topic list maybe all over the place, and that's okay. Most people have interests that don't fit into a neat box. What things excite you from a reader standpoint? We often write the types of books we want to read ourselves. So what inspires you? What do you like? What makes you feel most Creative? Not everything that inspires you may be useful story fabric, but it sure can help you to create characters, settings, and scenes that excite you. Number 14, try something new. Experience is the best teacher. It's easier to write about something authentically if you've actually done it. Some people are just very good about describing experiences, the research. But imagine how much more powerful your imagery could be if you knew how all five senses came into play. Number 15, get out of your comfort zone. Some of the best books think outside the box or unexpected and challenge the way we see the world. Getting out of your comfort zone could allow you to write something that people will love because it's so different from what's already on the market. Number 16 Network. In 2020, I joined Twitter and I quickly left it. But each day I had a new author connection. They post interesting questions, created poles, sheared snippets of their story ideas, asked for help on developing their Writing. Share tips, and open the dialogue around Writing. Building your Writer network not only gives you resources when you have questions, but it provides you with a support system that can help you when you're feeling stuck or discouraged. Number 17, challenge yourself. Not every scene or chapter is going to come easy. Challenge yourself to push through the hard parts. The only way to grow is to try new things. In the same way, try different Writing things to discover other areas of writing that you may be good at. Number 18, take classes, workshops, and explore different learning resources. Take advice from seasoned writers. Listen to podcasts, watch interviews, read articles, attend workshops, try some Writing challenges, find ways to grow in your craft. Number 19, find a writing coach. Some of the best writers have a team of people behind them. Hiring a writing coach can be helpful when you have questions, need advice, or just need general indirect help. You can also find a writing mentor. There are some people who are willing to help for free. These people can help you to untap Your Inner Writer because they may see things in you that you don't see in yourself and can provide suggestions to help you dive in deep. Number 20, discovered the genres you like to read. Often. Those are the genres you'll be the strongest at trying your hand at, because there's genres that you've explored the most of the most experienced as a reader N, enjoy the most and know the most about element-wise. Number 21, practice only writing dialogue. When writing scenes, we are tasked with showing and telling. Some writers get so caught up and setting the scene that they forget to move the story along using the scene. What I mean by that is we tap into the sensory details rather than using the characters to take action, to move the scene forward. Try focusing on what characters have to say. Characters don't always say what's on their mind. Focus on what the characters might say to move the scene rather than what they are doing. Dialogue is just as powerful as external responses and it's important that they understand what motivates our characters as much as we understand their voice. Number 20, to try writing non-fiction. If you're feeling like your creative juices are running dry, Writing real can give you a break from generating unique ideas. Try writing a blog post about your writing journey and what you've learned about yourself along the way. Write an article about an experience you've had like a restaurant visit or a vacation you went on. This gives you a chance to practice explaining and organizing your thoughts without having to create a storyworld from scratch. Number 23, focus on developing one story element at a time. Maybe you want to focus on setting, researching the place your story idea takes place, learning the history of the area, looking at images, researching the weather and things that make this place unique. By taking things one step at a time, it can allow you to do a thorough job of exploring the parts of your story without forgetting anything or getting overwhelmed. Either. Number 24, right, about different perspectives. For example, right from the point of view of a different character in your story. Another FUN idea is Writing from an unlikable characters point of view to explore their thought process. And finally number 25, use outlines. I wrote an entire course and outlining because I believe in the importance of organizing your ideas. Outlining can be helpful if you're feeling lost or overwhelmed and can improve the quality of your Writing. 4. How to Overcome Writer's Block: In the last lecture, we went over how to Improve your Creative Writing Skills through 25 strategies. I hope you found that lecture helpful to creating a plan to become a better creative writer. Sharing the discussion section what your favorite strategy is, which you are already using and if there are any you haven't considered. In this next section, we're going to explore how to overcome the dreaded writer's block. Writer's block can show up in many ways. But one thing I want to stress is that writer's block is just a feeling. It will pass. It doesn't make you any less of a writer and there are ways to get through it. Some common signs that you have a block is you feel like you're unable to, right? You've run out of ideas. You feel stuck on a project. You feel frustrated or stressed when you write. Your writing is unfocused. You don't feel inspired or excited. Maybe you're discouraged. Always in revision mode are struggling to finish something. Or maybe you're avoiding Writing tasks. It happens to the best of us. Writer's block can derive from many sources. It's up to you to figure out how to on clog your Creative pipeline. Sometimes it's bigger than Writing. Sometimes it's specific to something you're working on, and sometimes it's connected to deeper feelings about things that you may feel are out of your control. Here, 27 questions to ask yourself that can help you figure out what's blocking you from writing and things to consider about your answers. Number one, does someone say something to you about your writing that's affected your confidence? If so, what was valuable and applicable about that feedback? If the answer is nothing, consider why that opinion is weighing on you. All writers have critics. Take what you find helpful into consideration and ignore the rest. To. Are you feeling anxious about an impending deadline? If it's flexible, don't be afraid to ask for an extension. If that's not the case, you need to create a plan for yourself. By chunking your responsibilities into manageable pieces, you can help alleviate some of that anxiety. Three, are you stressed about things in life that aren't related to your writing? Most of us are carrying around baggage, but think about your job. For example, most workplaces asked you to leave your baggage at the door. So try treating your writing as a workplace as best you can. Sometimes it's a good idea to write about and through the things that are causing you stress. Try journaling that you can get back to your writing projects. For. Is there anything outside of writing that's making you feel inspired right now? That's where the best stories are born. Maybe you're not inspired by your current writing piece. Try figuring out what is currently sparking joy for you and write about that. This is just an exercise to get that Writing muscle warm back up to get you back to it. Number five, what is the stuff point in your current writing piece? If the block is a specific point, try writing a scene that comes much later. That's not an option. Identify what you're stuck on and ask someone their thoughts. They may not help you solve your issue completely, but it may help oil the creative wheels to get you going again. Number six, have you set extremely high expectations of yourself that you're not meeting? I used to and when I miss the mark, I became discouraged if I was off track with meeting my goals. That I learned how important it was for my sanity to set achievable goals and add stretch goals for when those short-term goals were met. It completely changed my life and the way I view writing because it allowed me to feel success without feeling like I wasn't challenging myself enough. Seven, have you negatively compared yourself to another writer? If you're experiencing impostor syndrome, I challenge you to spend more time with yourself outside of Writing. Explore who you are and what makes you unique. Remember that you are one-of-a-kind and your voice matters. It will never be like anyone else's. And that's what makes it so special. Is the project you're currently trying to write something you were ever passionate about. Don't be afraid to scrap a passion project. There are so many story ideas that I started because I was trying to write for the market and not from a place of passion. I never really had an interest in those books. I just felt like they were what was in-demand at the time and I could make a lot of money off of that story idea because that's what was hot at the moment. Meanwhile, I had no desire to write it at all. And the result was that the writing was falling flat. I was also feeling writer's block anytime I tried to revisit it, I have abandoned so many stories shifts and it's okay if you need to as well. Number nine, are you worried about the outcome of your current project? Anytime I'm writing a book, I worry about how it will be received and reviewed. I worry if it'll be good enough or cell as well or better than the last worrying about the what-ifs isn't going to change the outcome. So why not put that energy into focusing on where you're at? Number ten, are you worried about the future of your writing career? If your livelihood is dependent on the success of your Writing, this can be a stressful position. If you're looking to transition out of your current role into full-time writing, this can be equally as stressful. Warning about the future isn't going to change it. Finding actionable ways to make income from Writing and get noticed is the only way you can turn your passion into a career. What steps will you need to take to get there? And what do you need to put that energy into? Number 11? Is there a problem that needs solving? It's difficult to focus on writing when you have bigger fish to fry. Writer's Block, maybe the brain's way of saying, I need to attend to this first. Number 12 is the end goal of something important, unclear to you. By planning, you can get a better idea of what's to come. In education, we call this backwards design. If we know what we need the end product to be, we can build up to that and manageable steps. Creating a plan for your life can help reduce the fog and get you back to Writing. 13. Do you have a perfectionist mindset? Listen. No one on this planet is perfect. And adopting a mindset like this around your writing projects can be volatile. Your writing will never be perfect. And as soon as you accept that, you can get back to writing from the heart. 14. Are you waiting for ideas to come to you? Yeah, story fabric is all around you. And yes, a good story idea might just fall into your lap. But more than likely it's going to come from living. Think about writing like dating. How can the right person find you if you never get out? 15? Are there writing goals you haven't met that were important to you? It's easy to feel discouraged when you're not meeting your goals. I created a planner specifically for writers because this was one of my Writing Block triggers. I had to remember that life happens and it's okay to fall short as long as you get reorganized and don't let it stop you from moving forward. 16, do you desire more structure? Some types of writing requires us to get organized and have a formal structure. 17, are you afraid of failing? Not all writing pieces will be a success and that's okay. Failure is subjective. And the best thing about writing is that we can always make our words better. Number 18, are you feeling well? I always say the best writing comes from the heart. If you need a break, writing will always be there when you're ready to return. Health is wealth, and it's important to take care of our bodies and minds to produce our best Writing. 19. Are you going through a difficult time? This could be story fabric for the future. Tried journaling to document your perspective. This can help you cope and process and even give you a starting point for continuing healing if you choose to share your story. 20, are you facing any mounting pressures? Is like throwing you lemons and you're just not sure how to make lemonade just yet. Figured out how to work through those pressures first, it'll be hard to write with clarity if you're mind is worried about the rising pressures around you. 21 is something discouraging you. Write about it. This may lead to you discovering things you'd like to improve about yourself, and in turn, can help build your confidence around your Writing. Have you committed to something you're no longer interested in pursuing? When I freelance, I did this a lot. I'd take on projects I didn't like or committed to working with clients who'd previously left a bad taste in my mouth because I was putting money over everything. My work on those projects wasn't my best effort and my time with those clients was miserable. Remember that project you're working on is temporary and moving forward. What can you do to be more intentional about the work that you do? 23. Are you feeling burnt out as a teacher? I know that feeling all too well. Things I had to learn to ask myself was am I overextending myself? Can this situation work without me being at the head or the center of it? What can I do to alleviate this feeling? And what responsibilities can I give to others to give me some recovery time? All of those questions can be applied to your writing projects. 24. Are you on a new medication or implementing a new routine? Change can sometimes disrupt our creativity. Give your body some time to adjust to unexpected side effects. 25, are you rested? The best medicine for a lot of things is to just rest. If your brain is tired, it's going into preservation mode and I guarantee you formulating a best-selling novel is not on your brain's priority list at this 0.26 is the environment your writing and conducive to create a flow. These days I write best indoors with a little bit of background noise and some natural sunlight. I used to be a busy coffee shop girl. Now, I can't even think about how I'd focus on my Writing and a place with so much stimulation. 27. Are you writing too much or more than you're used to? When's the last time you gave yourself a mind break? We sometimes overload ourselves without even realizing it. Maybe Your brain is simply just overstimulated. In the same way, if your workload is increased, you may need some time to adjust to the demands. It's okay to step away for a bit. Now that we've explored these important questions that could be the source of your writer's block. Let's explore some additional keys to conquering it. These are strategies I've used and other season writers have used to help them overcome the dreaded writer's block. In addition to the suggestions just mentioned, there are, these are just ideas for ways to get your creative juices flowing. Again, not everything may work for you, but I'd love to know what things you're open to trying. And the discussion section of this lecture, here are some exercises you can do and strategies you can use to unlock your creativity and get back to Writing. Number one, find an activity to exercise your minds, such as a puzzle, a brain game, or an activity that requires logic or strategy. Wake up your brain to do something to get your mind going. Number to sit down with a writing coach or a fellow writer you trust. Think of this as therapy for writers. Talking to your problems or the problem you're having in your current writing piece might help to spark an idea to get you going again. Maybe they can lend you some advice that worked for them. Or might even offer to listen to your story idea, which can lead you to finding passion and your work again. Number three, nothing. Taking a mental break from everything stimulating could be the ticket. This doesn't mean that you have to take a nap. You could try meditation, going to your safe space, just sitting, going somewhere comfortable to just Daydream or finding a deep focus playlist to just free your mind. Maybe, maybe the problem is that you have too much trying to filter through you at once. And you just need to give your brain a rest from being Creative. Number four, have an idea dumping session to dispose of ideas that you can look back on at a later time. It's sometimes hard to focus on one thing when your brain is trying to tell you ten others, five, think back to what made you take writing seriously in the first place. For me, it started as a coping mechanism. I used it to escape the world around me. It was a way to have FUN by myself. Then Writing became something I wanted to do as a career. Today, Writing is also therapy for me. It's something I do to release stress and have a little time to myself. This led to Writing courses for Skillshare and writing fiction for pleasure. When I think about these reasons for taking up writing, it motivates me to keep going. And what do you do with the things you love? You nurture them? Number six, create a plan. Whether you create a list of annual goals, are Writing bucket list, shirt short-term goals to help keep you organized. Goal-setting is a way to help you focus and achieve. Sometimes writer's block is disorganization in disguise. Seven, set the mood. There are many areas of our lives where we create comfortable atmospheres. When I cook, I like to watch TV. When I take a bath, I like to light candles. When I clean, I put on a podcast, want to get ready in the morning? I like silence. Creating an atmosphere for your writing can be as simple as finding the best view, putting on music that fits the mood of your writing and finding a comfy place to sit. Creating a place that welcomes your thoughts might be just what you need. Number eight, say some affirming words. I use affirmations when I'm going through a hard time in my life, it helps me to release negative thoughts. Writer affirmations can be words of encouragement focused around you're writing, your ability to write your desires for your writing and the outcome. Repeating these mantras or putting a list of affirming phrase is somewhere nearby to read when you're feeling blocked, can relax and reset your Spirit. Number nine, deep breathing. I used to think deep breathing was only for meditation and yoga. There are many benefits to breath work. Breadth work is good for your mind and body and can help you clear your mind for the things that matter. Ten, take up a Writing Challenge. There's always a Writing Challenge running somewhere. Find a network in your genre and keep abreast of new writing challenges. You can find old ones or create your own. The whole point is to challenge you to make a commitment to Writing for a set period of time. This will help you become more disciplined and it removes the guesswork about what to rape. At the end of this course, I will take you through it 30 Day Writing Challenge that I developed specifically for this class. And it's free to download. 11. Seek daily Writing inspiration. People post motivational quotes about writing on social media every single day. Follow accounts that do this That way when you log into social media, you have something that inspires you. You can even bookmark passages or quotes that resonate with you. 12, reward your progress. As an educator, having a reward system in place has proven crucial to classroom management. I used to think that all students would make noticeable daily progress if a teacher was doing their job. But if I've learned nothing else in my career, the student also has to put in work. Some students are only motivated by rewards. So I'm big on celebrating success. If a student or the class makes growth in measurable areas, we celebrate that success no matter how big or small that growth is. Of course, the bigger the growth, the bigger the celebration. But I like to apply this to my writing as well. It's okay to celebrate the steps that you've taken to be a better writer or to celebrate things that you've written. These can be private or public moments to motivate yourself to keep going. 13, socialize. I know the introverts like myself are in the back just groaning. Some of the best story fabric though, comes from my personal interactions. Those give me a chance to hear natural dialogue, witness conflict, sometimes even resolution. Notice the settings or observe character traits in human behavior. All of which can help me to make descriptions and to develop scenes. Take advantage of these rich free resources. 14, take a trip. Even if it's somewhere local. This change of scenery can be just as beneficial as getting out and socializing. Take it to the next level. Let's say you're writing a story that's set in Portland. Go visit Portland. Writing a story about a character traveling by plane and it's been awhile, book a plane ride. If you're writing a wilderness story, go camping. By putting yourself in these environments and having these experiences, you are creating an opportunity to not only get away from your daily routine and experience something new, but also soak in your surroundings, which can help create an authentic experience for your readers. Number 15, self-care, massages, bubble baths, yoga, beach days, going for a run. Whatever way that you take care of yourself is a good way to relieve the pressure and find a bit of joy in life. I have noticed that the more relaxed and content I am in my personal life, the more committed I am to my writing goals. Don't get me wrong. A terrible breakup has also given me some really strong writing sessions. But taking care of your whole self is a good way to create a space for you to enjoy doing the things that you love. And in this case, that's Writing. Number 16, create a moodboard. Pinterest is where I live when I'm deep in a story idea, I create secret boards and I look up images of words and themes that may relate to my Writing. Once I'm done filling up the board with pins, I revisit them anytime I want to get back to my writing. These images tend to spark joy and they get me excited. It also helps me to create imagery and my Writing that's equally as powerful. Number 17, use a timer. I used to write in the mornings for 30 min before work. On days that I was running late thanks to hitting the snooze button or not being able to settle on an outfit. That was shortened my writing time. And I regretted every minute that I lost. Number 18, immerse yourself in Art. That could be scripts, films, painting, photography aren't often gets us thinking. It inspires us my go-to Art mediums or film and photography. Number 19. Their shopping. Most of stores are full of items that are old and well loved. These pieces hold rich history, memories and stories. Even if you're not writing a piece from the past, seeing and touching and handling these objects can help you think about who wants ONE these, how did it end up here? And so much more. Number 20, gonna writers retreat or retreat doesn't have to be a formal trip that you take with other writers, but it's certainly can be, it can be something that you plan to do solo or with close writer friends. This can give you a chance to exchange ideas, commit to a certain amount of writing, or just change up the scenery. My last writers retreat, I honestly didn't get much done on that solo trip, but I realized that what I really needed at that time was an opportunity to be with my thoughts. And I don't consider that a wasted trip. 21 create what if scenarios. I used to do a lot of this on the subway during the short time that I lived up north as an adult. What if this man decides to hold the woman next to him hostage? What happens if the dog and this woman's purse gets snatched? The difference off the train, the next stop. What happens if there's an electrical outing while we go through this tunnel? This game of limitless scenarios helped me to explore Writing and storylines work the same way. Characters are always at a crossroad, and this is good practice for you to learn how to move characters along. Number 20 to create a Writing knock I don't have a designated Writing Space to my home mostly because I just don't need one for you. Maybe you require a special place for your Writing. The space doesn't have to be big or grand. Some people designate small spaces for a lot of things in their homes such as prayer closets or man have's. These spaces are often decorated for their intended purpose. 23, talk to a stranger. This may sound sketchy and slightly dangerous, but hear me out. They are so many people roaming this earth that have no one to talk, to, sit outside at parks, sometimes at coffee shops. They might even be confined to a nursing hall. If you ask if you can sit with them, the likely say yes, you can share with them that you're a writer and ask if they want to tell you their life story. You don't need to turn their life story into your next novel, but their experiences may spark an idea that you want to explore. 24, try something new. This could be exploring a new style or genre or going somewhere you've never gone before and trying something new. This strategy can help your brain process information in new ways or gather new observations. 25, critique your own writing. When I write critiques for clients, I pose questions that I think a reader would ask us celebrate the best parts of the writing. I note things that could be clearer or that needs to be further developed. I challenge the Writing and give my honest opinion. By doing this with your own writing. You can look at it from a different perspective and it might give you the inspiration to continue building upon it. 26, explore your childhood. As a kid, you are probably very carefree when it came to what interested you, at least in the early years. You didn't care about what people thought about the things that made you happy. Maybe as you got older, your peers influenced your interests. Maybe the people in your home didn't approve. Maybe your hobbies just died out because you gained more responsibilities. Think about the experiences that have shaped the person you have become and tap into that innocence. Embrace the ability to be boundaryless and free. You may find a lesson in this or remember what it feels like to lack inhibition, which is important if you intend to share your writing with the world. 27, right, the easy parts first, many writers write chapters in the order that they would fall on the story. Well, this is completely a personal preference. The Block might be centered around a certain part of your story. Meanwhile, you have great ideas that you can fill in around it. 28, celebrate your success. Anything notable that happens on your journey deserves to be celebrated. Whether that's positive feedback that was given on a sample that you shared. Maybe you are vulnerable enough to submit your writing somewhere. Or maybe you just finished the first chapter. Keep track of all the positives no matter how big or small, because this can remind you of your Y on days when writing just feels difficult. 29, allow your writing to take you places. How often do you just go with the flow? Have you ever sat down without perimeters are expectations of yourself and just let your words carry you. Going with the flow can unlock and create some beautiful things. 30, try writing shorter pieces. Sometimes the idea of writing a full length novel can be overwhelming and you just don't have the motivation to finish. 31. Use visuals. My earliest memories of Writing was using illustrations to tell new stories. Number 30, to use writing prompts. Don't be afraid to use existing story ideas to create your own. Writing prompts are a great way to exercise your brain and try out new styles of writing. There are journals, apps, free prompts online, and even paid resources that you can purchase to keep the ideas flowing everyday of the year. 33. Use music to inspire you. Some books have soundtracks that you can listen to that are curated by the author themselves. There are also cinematic audio books that feature music throughout. Remember, lyrics are just poetry with music put to it. Music can help you connect to the words in your head and can allow you to write freely and passionately. 34, try your hand at fanfiction. There are fans of fanfiction who love existing story worlds and the characters in them so much that they want more. If you're feeling stuck developing your own world and characters, try exploring the world that already exists that you fallen in love with an alternate ending, a sequel, or rewrite your least favorite scene to make it something you love. This takes the guesswork out of getting to know these characters because they've already been developed and you know them well, because you love the storyworld they're coming from. And speaking of their world, this also takes out the research Porsche portion of the setting because the storyworld already exist. And that gives you the freedom to have FUN with your writing and explore new possibilities. Number 35, try a retelling. There's so many classic stories that had been retold over the centuries and you've probably been exposed to most of them in school when you compare and contrast is stories on the same topic by putting your own spin on an old story that you know well, this can allow you to stretch your imagination. 36, try out activities like Mad Libs. If you've never played Mad Libs before, you're given a silly story that's missing words. It's your job to fill any word that fits in that part of speech. But you have no idea what the story will become. You just know the title of it. After you're done plugging in words with that part of speech, you read your new silly story with the new words filled in. Mad Libs is a great way to play with new words, expand your vocabulary and find inspiration. And 37 is outlining. Outlining can be helpful if you're feeling lost or overwhelmed and can improve the overall quality of your Writing. 5. Conclusion: That completes the list of ideas for how to unlock your Block. I hope there's something on this list that you're looking forward to trying or some things that you've never thought of before. In this lecture, we explored ways to conquer writer's block. Before you go, I'd like to introduce the resource that I've created called Tap Into Your Inner Writer. This is a 30 Day Writing Challenge. I created this challenge to help writers tap into their creativity, grow in their craft, and to be more consistent writers. This challenge combines all of the ideas listed in this course into a neat 30 Day calendar. This resource can be used chronologically or like a choice board. The idea is to complete all of the activities within 30 days. By the end of this challenge, I can guarantee that you will be more disciplined and inspired than you were at the start. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the challenge and I'm sure your peers would to we've come to the end of this course. And my hope is that you understand three very important things. Your value as a strong creative writer, that you can always improve your writing skills. And that writer's block is temporary. If you found this course helpful, please leave a positive review to help others struggling writers learn the same information that you have. If you have private questions, feel free to e-mail me at novel Writing for beginners@gmail.com. Again, my name is Nia Hogan and I've really enjoyed our time together. I'd love to know how your 30-day Writing Challenge wet. So don't forget to post about it in the discussion section of this course. Until next time, happy writing