Ask the Author: Beth Alvarez
Answered Questions (4)
Beth Alvarez
Sit down and write it. Don't wait for inspiration; it won't come. Don't wait for skill; you can fix it later. Stop saying you don't have time--tell yourself "it's not a priority" instead and see how that feels. If you can't devote five minutes here and there to pursuing your dreams, you're probably not a writer.
Beth Alvarez
It just popped into my head as I was in that hazy point right between awake and asleep. I jumped up and wrote it down and excitedly told my husband about the great idea I'd just had. He laughed at me. I wrote it anyway.
Beth Alvarez
Music, video games, and reading other books. Video games are especially good for triggering new ideas.
Beth Alvarez
Writer's block really only happens when you're bored. If you're excited about what you're working on and eager to get to the parts you've been daydreaming of, you wan't have trouble writing at all. If you're bored, though, the well dries up--and if you're bored, your readers will be bored. If you just can't slog through a scene, there's something wrong with it. I back up and restart, reevaluating what needs to happen where I am. Sometimes, I end up realizing the part I'm at isn't even necessary! As soon as I eliminate the boredom, the writer's block vanishes.
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