author

10 More Relatable Author Quotes about Writing

Posted on by emilylizthompson

Welcome back to another week of blog posts about writing and books! This week, I could not resist bringing back a post that I loved researching. As a writer, you’ve probably thought that you’re the only one struggling. Surely once you are published all of these problems go away! Alas, that is not the case. Even famous authors with dozens of books published still struggle with the writing process. If you’ve read my previous post, then you know where this is going. It’s time for more relatable author quotes about writing! This time I’ve tried to sprinkle in a few that are more motivational, because we all need that sweet motivation sometimes. 

  1. This first quote is a mood. Thomas knows what’s up.
  1. Writing hacks: the Mark Twain special. I couldn’t resist including this one even though it’s more of a writing tip.
  1. Anonymous really understands the struggle of modern writers.
  1. Steven understands the meaning of procrastination for writers.
  1. That ten page book isn’t as easy to write as it looks, my friends. 
  1. I don’t know why, but this is very true. 
  1. Mr. Neil Gaiman back at it again. We’ve all experienced something in a similar vein.
  1. The unknown is both the fun and the dread of being a writer. Beatrix prefers to focus on the optimistic side of things.
  1. Those who are both readers and writers have felt this at some point. Who wouldn’t love to call up their favorite writer for advice and a lovely chat?
  1. If you hadn’t noticed, I love Neil Gaiman and his catalogue of relatable writing quotes. 

What did you think of these quotes? Was there one that related to you the most? Let me know in the comments below! I always love going on a quest to find these. I often stumble upon things that are both insightful and hilarious. If you want to find some more great quotes about writing, check out my other post, or search “writing” in Goodreads quotes. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!

10 Writing Goals to Conquer in 2021

Posted on by emilylizthompson

We’re still at the beginning of 2021, but so many resolutions already seem unrealistic amid the uncertainty. Instead, why not focus on goals that can be obtained anywhere and anytime? If you’re a writer, goals like these are easy to find. Writing goals are a great way to feel productive and keep the creative side of your brain happy! The endless options of writing goals can be a bit overwhelming. If you feel a headache coming on from all these options, I’m here to help! Here are ten writing goals that you can conquer in 2021.

  1. Practice is key. Writing prompts are a great way to get your creative juices flowing!
  1. Do you have a character that you’ve created that you want to learn more about? Try fleshing them out with a character sheet!
  1. If you want to practice writing or do your writing warm ups  in one place, get a writing prompt book! It’s a great way to find fun prompts and is easy to reference if you later want to revisit a prompt.
  1. Reading is a big part of the writing process. Reading books about writing is a great way to get tips and multiple perspectives on the writing process. 
  1. This one is a long ways off, but it’s always good to keep in the back of your mind. If you want to do NaNoWriMO 2021, start warming up your writing muscles so that they’re ready to go in November. You can do Camp NaNoWriMo in April or July to practice as well.
  1. If you often find yourself wishing you had someone to fangirl with over writing, it’s time to do something about it! 
  1. Once you have made a writing buddy, why not help them edit their story? It’s a great way to bond, and improve your own editing skills. 
  1. Have you ever gotten a story idea or thought of a great line when you were away from your computer? Start a list of ideas that you can reference later. You can do it in a notebook or put these ideas in notes on your phone. 
  1. This is a goal that is a great thing to keep up. The more you work on improving your editing skills, the easier it gets to turn that first draft into a final product. If you struggle a bit with this end of writing like me, check out videos on YouTube or Skillshare for tips and tricks.
  1.  This final goal is a twist on the writing prompt goals. Instead of following writing prompts, why not create your own? It’s a great way to think out of the box and come up with new story ideas. Share them with your writing friends to see what inspiration sparks from the prompts. You could have a writing party and create themed prompts for the writers!

What are your writing goals this year? Did any of these pique your interest? Let me know in the comments below! I felt stuck trying to come up with my own writing goals for this year, but writing this post really helped. If you decide to attempt any of the writing goals on this list, please keep me updated! I always love hearing from y’all about your writing journey. Thanks so much for reading everyone, and happy writing!

NaNoWriMo- The Final Countdown

Posted on by emilylizthompson

It’s the final countdownnnnn! Today is not only Thanksgiving, but just two days until the end of NaNoWriMo. Looking back, this month has been a mixture of productive nights and afternoons stuck staring at a blank page. Through it all, I’ve had the encouragement of my friends and family helping me battle against my procrastinating-tendencies to keep going. While I will not finish at the 50,000 word goal, I have done a lot that makes me proud.

At the beginning of this month, I wanted to hone in on my characters, expand the plot, and build the world of my story. I feel that I have made strides in the right direction, especially with my story! Each day I got myself to the writing stage, new and interesting things would come up. Why would my main character decide to join a ban of thieves? How does the big reveal and/ or twist occur? The seeds of ideas planted themselves in my brain, and I can’t wait to see where they’ll take me next.

Writing a story is like pouring a small piece of yourself into a living, breathing, art form that others can then read. Basically, it’s horcrux. I never had anyone read the writing I worked on this month, but I did talk it through with a few people. They offered great questions and insight that helped me fill in some of the cracks. My sister was my champion in this area. We’re often on the phone for long stretches of time, so I decided to fill it with my story ideas. She would patiently sit and listen to me blab for thirty minutes about something I wanted to expand upon, and ask me some questions that sent my brain buzzing with ideas. Thanks Twin! You’re the best.

With these new ideas and a deeper insight into a few of my characters and their relationships with one another, I feel like I’ve accomplished the heart of NaNoWriMo. While it’s mostly about writing an entire novel of thirty days, it’s also about growing in your skills and learning new things about the writing process. I hope that I can use the skills I’ve gained this month and apply them into 2020.

I hope to finish this challenge with 20,0000 words under my belt. With only 2,791 words left before I hit that mark, it seems like a possibility. To me, hitting 20,000 words will be an exciting win. Last year I only wrote 6,000, so it would be over 2x the amount of words! The idea of it is very exciting. However, I still have around three days until the challenge is over. Counting my chickens before they hatch would be a bad idea. Until the final day, I’ll keep on truckin’ and hope for the best.

Good luck to all my fellow participants as we get into the last few days! How did your NaNoWriMo go? Are you hoping to expand your story after November ends? Let me know in the comments below!