Thus, I came up with a revival scheme. Here is my no-longer-very-secret master plan on recovering from Camp NaNoWriMo.
1. Experiment With Different Plot Bunnies
Easiest way to find new inspiration - so long as you're willing to start a new first draft, or take the one you're working on in a completely new direction! You guys have no idea how many adorable (and rabid) plot bunnies I found during April, and they refused to stop coming when May showed up. I'm insatiably excited to get started on one of them, it's going to be amazing.
2. Take A Break
I hate taking my own advice, apparently. But I do try to take a break now and then - because otherwise I'll get a little too burned out, and my words will be a pile of trash. Which definitely wouldn't be fun to edit. So take a break, people. It'll help. Unless you're on a tight schedule of course (*cough* like me *cough*) - in which case, I guess you'll just have to try to some of my other solutions, huh? ;)
3. Make A (not very) Set-In-Stone Writing Plan
I think my writing schedule has been one of the only things keep me going during this year. I have every month planned out - and it's pretty easy to get myself writing when I look at the chart and realize I'm going to get very very behind if I don't keep going. And I've stayed fairly on-schedule for this whole year, so I don't intend to stop now!
4. Create Desktop Background Images
I made a collage of images for Killing Snow and set it as my computer's desktop background - and now I'm reminded to write when I turn my computer on, instead of procrastinating on the internet #lazywriter. Seriously, it works so well! Especially since the collage not only forces me to go and click on my Killing Snow document instead of the internet icon, but because it's also a great source of inspiration. I've literally just sat in front of my laptop staring at it multiple times xD.
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| images not mine |
5. When In Doubt, READ A BOOK
Books are wonderful (and undoubtedly inspiration-filled) little creatures - and reading a really good one is a great way to bring the words back. The authors of these books were (and still are!) all writers like us, for crying out loud! It always inspires me to read their words - how cool is it to take a peek in another person's imagination? (... it's also vaguely creepy, if you think about it too hard...) And learning from my favorite authors through their works of art is awesome. And it certainly doesn't hurt to imagine my own book sitting up their on my bookshelf. Dreaming never killed anyone xD.
SO. There's my advice for recovering from post-NaNoWriMo burnout. Here's hoping all the words will start coming your way!
~ Savannah Grace
What do you do when you get burned out? Have any of these tips worked for you?
OK SO FIRST I MUSTMUST ASK....wuuuuut is this new plot bunny you are petting right now and can I meet it and know it's name and age and where its grandma lives?! Seriously, Savvy...SPILL ALL. :p
ReplyDeleteAnd PLEASE don't get burnt out...if you need a re-energizer sort of thing, guess what? I LIVE WITH YOU. xD Call me if you need any extra motivation! <3
-Ariel
Well, it's a very shy little bunny, so if I tell you anything about it, it shall feel very very betrayed. And then it will run away, and that won't be fun for anyone. So NOPE xD.
DeleteI know, right? Maybe you'll get to see some more snippets sometime soon ;).
*gasp* WUUUT not even just a little bit of info about this bunny? *I* feel very very betrayed. *pouts*
DeleteUM YUP THAT'D PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA BUT PREFERABLE ONCE YOU'RE HEALTHY. Get well soon, girl, and I know you probably won't be reading this comment for a little while, so THAT'S kinda awkward... xD
-Ariel
I totally agree with you on all of this. I struggle with forcing myself to a schedule. So that is a minor problem :p But I've been working on that, and hopefully I can get some stuff done this year (like finish my dystopia finally :))
ReplyDeleteAnd I can't wait to read Killing Snow. Finish it! Please!
Schedules (that I set for myself, at least) definitely have to be pretty flexible for me to follow them. And I really hope that you're able to finish Watched this year! It sounds like it's going to be SO COOL. (and I'll finish if you'll finish, haha xD)
DeleteOh wow, I really really like these suggestions.....especially the one about the background image!!! I know that if I do that, I would be sooooo motivated to write!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com
I'm glad you like them, Catherine! Thanks for reading ;)
DeleteOn our family's family computer I have the old cover of my book as the desktop wallpaper. So now when my siblings come to the computer they see a girl picking flowers in the woods. xD
ReplyDeleteThanks for these awesome tips, Savannah!! I can't wait to try some more of them out!!
- Lilly Shyree (alillyingodsgarden.blogspot.com)
Ooh, that's cool! I should set the mock cover for Killing Snow as my desktop wallpaper at some point ...
DeleteYour welcome, Lily! I hope they help you, too ;).
Oh my word, these are great tips! :D I can't wait to try them. That is so cool that you have a collage of your book as your background! I should try and do that (I haven't done much with collages yet :P) because I think that would really help. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips, Savannah, they're really helpful! :)
I'm glad that you liked them, Karyssa! Collages are so much fun to play with (and they're great story inspiration) - you should definitely try making some!
DeleteThanks for reading, Karyssa ;).
Oh my goodness, right now I am SO BEHIND on my writing schedule. Or maybe i just placed really unrealistic expectations. XD
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of setting something that screams "WRITE RIGHT NOW." as soon as I open my laptop. I should do that. :)
*sends lots and lots of motivation your way* YOU CAN CATCH UP, I KNOW YOU CAN xD. (*whispers* and, ah ... I'm also one to set unrealistic expectations. So I totally relate, haha)
DeleteI MUST MAKE A BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR MY NOVEL. THANK YOU FOR THIS IDEA. *hugs* That is seriously so epic and now I just need to find time to do it xD
ReplyDeleteTake a break? .... What's that? XP I just started rewriting my novel so #oops. But maybe ;)
audrey caylin
YAY, YOU'RE WELCOME! (and you should totally post the image if you make one, I'd LOVE to see it. Knowing some about your story, it'd be EPIC)
DeleteI have no idea - I think it's in a language foreign to writers xD.
These are some great tips! I'm actually going to do Junowrimo this year, so this will be good for after, when I'm trying to catch up and such. :)
ReplyDeleteReading a book seems to solve all problems, doesn't it?
Ooh, you're doing JuNoWriMo? That's cool! I might, but I haven't really thought about it much *shrugs*. Do let me know how it goes!
DeleteAwesome tips! Sticking to a writing schedule this year has really helped me. I'm slightly behind (ahhhhh), but I WILL GET BACK ON TRACK IF IT KILLS ME. Oooh, I love the tip about making a desktop screen! I get lots of writing done whenever I do it, but it's so hard to motivate myself to open Docs instead of Tumblr or Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteEllie | On the Other Side of Reality
"I WILL GET BACK ON TRACK IF IT KILLS ME." Spoken like a true writer :D. And I am ashamed to admit how many times I go straight to reading blogs instead of working on my story. But writers are also professional procrastinators, so ... xD. Thanks for reading, Ellie!
DeleteYou give good advice, fren *nods* Taking a break is good! And even just a day long break can be super refreshing (and very doable if you're on a deadline). And my writing schedule is so chaotic and weird cause I made a bunch of plan changes and now I'm just slightly confused with myself XP But schedules do help! *nods in agreement to all the points*
ReplyDeleteAnd you always post comments that make me smile, fren *nods*. And OH MY do schedules have a way of getting madly confusing. I'm trying to figure out how to juggle the schedules of multiple writing projects this year, and I think my brain broke xD.
DeleteI NEEDED THIS. Also aesthetics are totally necessary BUT what if you leave tabs/browsers open??? Like me??? I leave like 10 tabs open. XD YAS reading a book is great motivation! Often times I end up getting TOO inspired by them... but they still help! :P And omgggg I made a writing schedule thing (for every day of the month) and it helped! Until I forgot about it. XD I looooove making writing plans for the rest of the year though! *opens new document*
ReplyDeleteMay @ Forever and Everly
*shivers because I can't leave a bunch of tabs/browsers up without driving myself nuts* xD. BOOKS ARE AMAZING (obviously - we wouldn't be writers if we didn't think books are worth their weight in gold). And did you seriously make a schedule for everyday of the month? Because that is EPIC. I would totally do it if I didn't think I'd forget it, too xD. Thanks for reading, May!
DeleteOoh, I love this! I've seriously been in a writing slump since Camp ended (#couchpotato), but I SHALL FORCE MYSELF TO WRITE. And the desktop background thingy is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sarah! And I would seem I'm not the only one that's been fighting for words this month - I've only written 9k during May so far xD. I hope the words come back to you! Thanks for reading ;).
DeleteI like the idea of putting something that screams "WRITE NOW" at me every time I open the computer. One time, I got annoyed at myself for goofing around on the internet when I was supposed to be doing something else. So I vented my thoughts into a document, and THEN I decided to turn that venting into a drill sergeant document that I always have up every time I open my computer. It actually reads like a drill sergeant, and it's pretty fun. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I LOVE your drill sergeant document idea! Literally, reading your comment made me grin :D. I normally end up throwing "drill sergeant-esque" comments at myself in the margins of whatever novel I'm currently editing, venting about HOW DUMB some of the plots holes and things are xD. And yes, it'd definitely fun. Thanks for commenting, Gracelyn!
DeleteTHAT COLLAGE THOUGH. #icanteven #ceruleanismyhero
ReplyDelete#unashamedunofficialfangirlclub
DeleteDecipher. xD
-Ariel
There's a Cerulean fangirl club??? I NEED IN!!!
Delete*hugs you all* :D
DeleteI'm sorry Camp wore you out, and I hope your words keep coming. <3<3<3
ReplyDeleteDo you find reading inspirational? I often get plot bunnies after watching movies, but not so much books. I guess I just get too distracted fangirling over the book to think about my story! =)
They're slowly starting to come back - but then I got sick and they all left, so we'll see if I can corral them again once I'm healthy xD.
DeleteI got an epic plot bunny when I first watched The Hobbit, so I totally relate! It's so fun to find a new story idea in an unexpected place :D.
These are great ideas, Savannah! Thank you for sharing, and I hope you get those words back and finish your novel. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachelle! I'm glad you enjoyed reading this ;).
Delete/Yes/. Take a break (come away with us for the summer... ahem, sorry) seems to work 99.9% of the time. You come back refreshed and quite often with more ideas and everything. Of course, there's the .1% where you can't. get. back. into it. But yeah. :D
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a collage! I normally use sticky notes, but that sound a whole lot more permanent and less likely to unstick.
Ugh, I HATE it when I take off writing, and then come back to find that my brain has forgotten how writing WORKS xD. But GRACIOUS would it be nice to take a great big writing hiatus during summer break! Other than I'd come back to see that's I'm WAY behind, according to my schedule ;P. Thanks for reading, Brianna!
Delete