How to Get Out of a Writing Rut FAST - Practical Tips You Can Apply Now

[@Amy_Mi6]

I've also been known to use my creative slumps as a good time to write the "thank you/acknowledgements" portion of my book... a book that is FAR from finished. Writing the "finish line" while I'm still on the starting block gives me hope that I will one day get there and it encourages me to keep going.

[@mergesviz]

That’s so smart! I’ll have to try that when I find myself in a similar situation.

[@KAEmmons]

I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!

[@fatimasajid9224]

To not leave yourself like on a bad note.. to not walk away from it thinking I can't do that so I'm walking away from it. This spoke to me.

[@aurevoirshoshanna1773]

This is exactly the video I needed! I just finished writing a 75k story and I'm very happy with it. My next story is already outlined, but somehow I can't find the strength to write it. I find tip 1 in particular very helpful! And I think your podcast, your videos in general help me to find inspiration. Thank you very much for all your hard work ♥

[@Amy_Mi6]

"Turn up the volume of your soul." . . . . Filed under: Things I expect Kate to say... lol

[@KAEmmons]

😂🙌💛

[@Ruthie888]

You two do a great job!

[@juliaherkel8051]

I really like the idea of "Relax, explode." I've been really trying to implement that in my own writing life, because I feel like I'm a little too religious in my explosions and forget the relaxing. :P

[@naomievelyn2062]

I love these podcasts! They're so helpful.

[@KingandQueens12]

I’m that writer that gets in a rut so bad that I take a break and completely forget about writing for months at a time sometimes. A lot of it has to do with the fact that my work burns me out beyond belief and also I’m in school. (I’m a CNA btw and in school for computer science) but I can’t help but create. It kills me I can’t sit down for more than a week to finish even a short story now.

[@WritingsOfASpicyMind]

This is an old comment, but I remember Brandon Sanderson said something about how computer science is one of the most difficult degrees to do while writing. Something about how the amount of brainpower you use already writing (code I think he said) burns you out for writing when you get home. So be kind to yourself. It's okay to take breaks. If anything, try to read a lot during them. I find for me that it helps me still improve my writing without actively writing.

[@RoseShojo]

THANK YOU

[@madhutelajala9741]

I have been waiting for this one! Eeek! So excited ❤

[@KAEmmons]

Yay!! Enjoy & thank you for being here 🙏

[@veronicageorge3825]

Right now, I'm working on an alternate version of my story for fun and hopefully see it from a different angle. I'm also outlining a story that's been in my head for awhile to take a break from my current novel.

[@taytaythehufflepuff8532]

I’ve been stuck in I guess what should be considered procrastination since December. Every time I’ve visited family or seen someone who knows I’ve written stuff, they ask how it’s going. It’s not like I haven’t done anything-but I don’t feel like saying I’ve been working on it because I’m not seeing any progression. And don’t get me wrong-I absolutely love writing. I love the world I can live in for the thirty minutes to two hours I spend at a time. But now, I hardly get anything done. I don’t even know if I do it as much as once a week. It makes me feel like I’m not doing enough, but I have other hobbies and things that I’m putting lots of effort into and I know I can’t do everything in the world. It almost gives a sense of imposter syndrome (for lack of better word) and that I shouldn’t consider myself someone in the writing community. I’ve gotta thank Abbie for the writing sprint live streams. Those have been very helpful in getting me along. Those days are probably the most work I do compared to an entire month it feels like. Once again, I don’t dislike writing, I’m just not feeling motivated to work on it (unless imagining it out before bed or midday counts as working on it). I’m not going to put pressure on anyone else to help me out here. I’m not expecting this podcast to fix this problem I have. Either way, thanks for what you guys do to help us amateur and/or aspiring authors improve our art.

[@geniusgameram9100]

I created a world where magic is possible, travelling across time is possible, fighting gods is possible, meeting your own multiversal counterparts is possible. But I am procastinating them more than I write since words can't always express what I feel when I am in the shoes of my main character. And also, I am way too forward in the plot than in writing which makes me feel demotivated since writing the backstory is so boring but without them I can't put everyone from a god to an alien mafia leader on the same track so that the readers won't find them as a sudden introduction.

[@lexysartworld]

Love that quote at the end! So meaningful! 😊😊

[@tseritykat404]

This was suuuper helpful and gave me a lot of useful information as I was looking at my outline for a good few hours and trying to put in some tweaks but I couldn't bring myself to connect with the ending

[@AllieJCALM]

Hey guys I just wanted to let you know that I absolutely love your show and love the positive light Feeling that I get listening to you! I was wondering where you put the links to the meditations you talked about in this episode. Meditation with positive affirmation it was,right? Could you post them? Would be great to try that out to fill my cup again ☺️☺️

[@anniek1746]

Loved this episode as always!

[@urinarycanary9994]

Do y’all have any of those affirmation links? I did see Abbie’s, I was just also looking forward to checking those others out too... thanks 😊💗

[@logicianbones]

Consider, instead of fearing the neurons that say you're in a rut, reveling in that they get to do something, and building on what they do. "Yes! I'm finally in a rut again! That hasn't happened in a while. Let's expand on this rut! Let's imagine a world inside the rut, and it widens into a wide canyon, and our story takes an unexpected new turn that continues to breathe life into it."

[@fatimasajid9224]

Exactly what I need today.. thank you!

[@haileyandanimals8399]

I am trying to write a manga. I have the storyline plotted but I am not motivated or confident in my ability to draw the characters like the original ones look like. I am also a little worried that it won't turn out good . Also I just subscribed.

[@johannageisel5390]

Hm, that sadly was not as helpful as I had hoped. I've been stuck basically in the plotting/outlining phase of my WIP for YEARS. I jusI just don't know how my heroes can solve the huge pile of problems they are in. :((( Realistically, they should lose their struggle and die. But that would make a very sad story. How can one get out of something like that? It's a recurring problem I have. That I do not know how to get from an exciting premise to a fully functioning plot. At some point I always get stuck or it falls apart. What can I do?

[@KAEmmons]

I would check out Abbie's YT channel, I think you will find her videos really help with plotting a book like this: kzbin.info/door/20oEMuKgfaNBfpV7JlFRQQ

[@johannageisel5390]

@@KAEmmons I have already watched some of her videos but so far to no avail. Will look further, though.

[@taytaythehufflepuff8532]

Might I suggest that instead of plotting it, you get to writing it. As a plotter myself, I can understand how it would be hard to try pantsing at a project.... but maybe it would work? Or maybe work on another story idea until the end comes to you? I just wonder if you’d get more inspired if you just got to writing it. Then you could re-outline with whatever you come up with?

[@johannageisel5390]

@@taytaythehufflepuff8532 I actually have written parts of it already, but then I didn't know how to continue, because I don't know where to go.

[@snslayer9433]

​@@johannageisel5390 something i do when i'm feeling stuck in my work is to run whatever problem my characters are in by other people - my friends, my parents, my coworkers, strangers on the internet - and ask how they would solve it. all those people will give really different answers and rarely will their answers work but usually they do inspire an answer that will. and sometimes you have to accept that the problems you've created can't be resolved in the way you want them to so you need to either accept a different outcome or lose some of the problems. maybe try writing some scenes where a character fails to solve a problem and see what that alternate universe looks like. explore a little and see what you find! most importantly, don't put so much pressure on yourself. you'll figure it out and there's no timeline for when you need to do it (unless you have a publisher who has given you both money and a deadline...). you got this johanna!

[@thesamuraiman]

I've been listening to these on spotify, but still wanted to support the videos. Have a comment: 💜😂

[@emeraldeye14]

Where do you share original short stories?

[@LottajaPappa]

Oh no, where is this in podcast form? 🙉

[@Amy_Mi6]

😃💜💕

[@jameskaraparashos2231]

Hi, can you please give me some ideas on how I can get published. I understand I need a literary agent, what is the process to do this? I have written a fantasy novel but don't know what the process is after have written.

[@renatakr754]

you can check youtube, there is plenty of inspiration :) lucky you, that you finished your novel, good luck!

[@fatimasajid9224]

all my brilliant5 ideas come when I'm about to sleep lol

[@Amy_Mi6]

My go-to technique when I'm feeling like I'm in a writing slump is to do a "just for fun" graphic design project. It totally re-energizes my creative soul and helps me get back into the swing of things. Thanks for another excellent episode, Kate and Abbie! Stellar advise, as always :)

[@dilraising1007]

Right on time! I was thinking my WIP was missing something or I needed to rewrite it....but really I just needed motivation. Thank you!🙂

[@opollitico]

NEEDED this. Haven't written properly in weeks. Fear that I'm losing grip of my novel.

[@KAEmmons]

You've got this! We're cheering you on 🙌

[@opollitico]

@@KAEmmons ah wow, thanks so much

[@eriqeashwaq692]

This video helped me so much, especially after I read the ending of aot that disappointed me like hell ,I felt really depressed and made unmotivated to write my own novel, but now you've given motivation to balancing my schedule to continue to write it .