Ask the Author: Tracy Tennant

“I look forward to answering your questions about my book, writing, or self-publishing!” Tracy Tennant

Answered Questions (4)

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Tracy Tennant I would travel to Narnia and be a courtier at Cair Paravel. Read about Narnia in C.S. Lewis' fantasy series Chronicles of Narnia.
Tracy Tennant There are too many best things about being a writer! The thing I like best is that I can express myself creatively while touching people's lives.
Tracy Tennant Sometimes I like to skim over headlines of my favorite blogs and magazines, watch a few videos on the subject I’m writing about, take a reading break with a good book, or even going to a movie. These things tend to trigger my imagination and get my creative juices flowing.

Most of the time, I find inspiration from everyday events, situations, or the people around me. For example, I was out mowing the lawn when it struck me that I pushed the lawn mower back and forth as if I were using a vacuum cleaner. I started thinking of analogies and came up with the idea for an article on pragmatism.

Inspiration (for writing) doesn't usually come from discovering new ideas; it comes from looking at common things with uncommon perspectives.
Tracy Tennant Get inspired! Writer’s block is not uncommon. It would be nice to pump out ideas and content on demand, but the fact is, as writers, we’re subject to the same challenges as anyone else. We get distracted, hungry, cranky, tired, and often have too much on our minds (or nothing on our minds; hence writer’s block).

Things to remember:

A tired mind is an uninspired mind. Get enough rest.

Empty stomach? Empty head. Start the morning with a nutritious breakfast. Skip the donuts.

Reduce distractions. Turn off the TV, the cell phone, and social media. Set aside a block of time for writing and treat it as if it was a highly paid job.

Don’t demand perfection from your rough draft. Turn off spell-check and banish your inner grammar-griffins to a later time. The most important thing you can do is to get your thoughts down on paper (or computer). Don’t stop to make corrections until you’re finished with the initial outline, article, blog-post, or chapter. Let it sit for a day (or an hour coffee break) and then work on polishing it up.

Writer’s block is often a result of not having a plan. What is your topic? Your purpose? Who is your audience? A solid (or even semi-solid) plan is a great foundation for inspiration and overcoming lassitude.

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