How to Make Writing Less of a Chore
May 30, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
Guest post by Courtney Ramirez
Writing for a living seems like a dream job, and in many ways it is. But the quickest thing you learn as a freelance writer is that your hobby can become a chore. If you’re anything like me, writing used to be something that you did for fun. I used to write to relax and now it’s become something that I need a break from!
This was disheartening at first. I began to wonder why I began writing in the first place, and I forgot some of the passion I used to have for the writing process. Spending a whole day on a paragraph or experiencing the luxury of perfecting a sentence for a half an hour were experiences that were left behind for deadlines and keyword density. Maybe you can relate?
I know it’s too late for a New Year’s Resolution, but I’m making one anyway. It’s time to make writing fun again, and here’s how:
Think outside the box
Stretch your creative muscles by stepping outside of your comfort zone. Used to writing newspaper articles? Try out some flash fiction. Make your living as a content writer? Write a poem. It doesn’t matter if it’s the worst poem in the world. No one is going to see it. This is purely for your own pleasure. The more ridiculous….the better! Write a limerick, create a haiku or jot down a funny greeting card saying. These little exercise will help you associate writing with fun. And you might be surprised at the type of writing that you’re capable of doing.
Write by hand
How long has it been since you wrote with a pen and paper? If your journal, correspondence and freelance writing have all gone digital (as it has for most of us), you may find it freeing to pick up that Bic again and write your cares away. Writing by hand is a bit slower and a bit more methodical which allows you to think about what you’re writing. There’s no delete key on paper, so you’ll find your writing becomes more thoughtful and less rushed.
Get out of the house
This works nicely with the previous tip. You can make writing fun by getting out in nature and taking in your surroundings. It worked for Walt Whitman, didn’t it? Writing away from your desk also puts you in a different frame of mind. If you’re used to cranking out articles in front of your computer, taking your bound journal to the park is a completely different experience, and definitely a lot more fun.
Turn off your inner critic
You can enjoy the writing process more by turning off your inner critic, and this applies whether you’re doing work for others or just fun stuff for yourself. Writing blocks develop when you worry too much about the finished product instead of just focusing on getting your words on the page. Putting your left brain on a shelf while you write and just letting the words flow out is a great way to break through writer’s block. Even if you don’t have writer’s block, doing some free form writing will help you fall back in love with writing.
Great advice on the write by hand. I often do this and find it to be an enjoyable break from the computer.
Same here with the writing by hand. It allows me to be away from my PC, takes away other distractions (email, Internet) and I find I can write more freely without being concerned by word count, corrections, etc.
Deb and Jodee – How do you choose your guest writers?
I was suffering from a severe case of I don’t want to write today. So I stepped away from the laptop sat down on the couch and put pen to paper. In ten minutes I had two rough drafts out of five done. I prefer to write by hand but for deadlines have to do alot of straight to computer writing. But I realized if I was spending an hour staring at my keyboard I really wasn’t saving any time.
I love the other suggestiosn for getting out of a writing rut. Thanks!
I can’t write by hand. I think my hands have forgotten what to do with a pen or pencil. No joke. I can’t read a single think I write anymore.
My hand cramps up too. Good think I can still type or I’d be out of a job.
Hmm. Good think? Maybe I can’t type anymore either. *leaves the room to go cry*
This is my first post on this blog, although I have been an RSS reader for yonks, so congrats to Deb and Jodee – great work!
First of all, what a great post this was and I really enjoyed the read. I totally agree that when writing for profit instead of pleasure, can really take away the sense of enjoyment and pleasure. I often sit at my PC nearly wanting to cry knowing I have a few articles that need finishing by a certain deadline!
Also, @ Kathleen, I suffer exactly the same thing and was beginning to wonder whether I had a problem or something
I find that my hand cramps a little too, but I think it’s because we use different muscles when we type. So the more you write with pen and paper, the less your hand will cramp.
Courtney, thank you for this. I guess at one time or another we feel like the passion for writing has left us when we are faced with deadlines. You have given some great suggestions for helping us to find that appreciation of writing again, so we can get back to some of our writing work.
I do enjoy using pen and paper just because my eyes, more than my hands, need a break from staring at a monitor.
@ Fiona: I agree; I can’t get anything done with this darn email and internet stuff around!
@ Happy to Write: You can send your guest blog to Deb at deborahng@gmail.com and she will look after posting it for you.
Definitely some tips I should consider to help get my creativity back. Although that last one isn’t so easy for me…that guy just won’t shut up in my head.
Great ideas, Courtney! I love pen and paper. Although I normally type everything, there’s still nothing quite like a notebook and pen. A gentle breeze and a little sunshine never hurt either! I love the creative part… write a poem, limerick, create a haiku… So true! If we just let our creativity spill onto the page freely – like it should – then we can more easily get back to writing the ‘other stuff’.
Great job!
Thanks guys! I’m glad you enjoyed the post..and I agree with the hand cramping part! It has taken me some time to be able to write with pen and paper again. It’s amazing how much my handwriting has changed in the last several years because of all the typing I do.
Let’s get creative again, gang!
These are great tips. Recently I’ve begun using pen and paper to jot down ideas and post excerpts while I wait in my car for my children at the end of their school day. It has been a welcome change and very relaxing. Turning off my inner critic has been a bit more challenging but I’m still working on it.
I agree. I tend to write much more fluently without the computer in front of me. I tend to write my stories faster if I write it by hand than by computer. I try to stick to this method until my carpal tunnel syndrome kicks in.
Thanks, Jodee!
I love to write by hand whenever I have writer’s block or sometimes just for a change of pace. Excellent suggestion, Kathleen. For me, getting away from a computer is good because I get very distracted by IMs and reading blogs and checking forums…
Whenever I start a new novel or project, I treat myself to a purty new journal – always fun (which has left me with about a million unfinished journals).
Gah! I meant Courtney, not Kathleen :-/
Where’d I get Kathleen?? Sorry about that!
lol That’s ok.:) I agree hat getting away from the computer is a great way to avoid distractions. I am constantly checking my email.
No prob Andrea.
E-mail can be such a distraction! I once calculated that I was spending an hour and a half per day on it!! Now I try to answer it just twice a day, at the beginning and at the end of the day. I’ll still check in a few times per day, but I try to limit my responding to just twice a day. It’s so hard…but it has really helped me save some time.