Aspiring Author

I'm not sure if many people here on the prairie know this about me, but someday I plan on becoming a published author. I say that I plan on becoming, not that I want to become, because it's something that I've wanted for a while now, so I will make it happen!

I think that one of my biggest issues with my writing is that I know what I want to write, but it can be so difficult for me to organize my thoughts and actually get them down on paper. I also have a lot of different ideas for books, so I could be working on one, and then I'll just start thinking about another one of my ideas. I am wondering if anyone has any tips on what I could try that might help me concentrate better while I'm working on my writing?

I might share some of my ideas for my books sometime (there are a lot of them in my head or in my different notebooks). Usually I am a bit shy with sharing my ideas, but I try to be open to suggestions on how I can improve my writing! I do a lot of my writing in notebooks, and usually after a chapter or most of a chapter is finished I'll type it up. To me, you can never have too many notebooks to write in.   

When I'm writing. I carry a notebook with me. My problem is that an idea will pop into my head anywhere, because I constantly think of the story I'm working on. I find it helpful to do an outline first.
I also find it helpful to set a time limit on actual writing. If I set aside two hours, I write for two hours and that's it.

Good Luck!

I like the idea of setting a time limit for writing. A lot of times I'll work on writing at night before I go to bed, and since I don't have a set time where I go to bed or go to sleep, I just think "oh, I have all the time I want to write." But maybe if I knew that I only had a certain amount of time to work, I would be able to concentrate better, because I wouldn't have as much time for my thoughts to wander as well!
Thanks for the suggestions, Dave!

I do some writing, and I've found that I get my best ideas while engaged some physical activity - walking, riding my bike, even doing yardwork. As for writing itself, I think the best exercise is... writing.    Even if your concentration wanders (not always a bad thing!), or if you're not sure where your story is going, try to write anyway. You never know when some good words might tumble out, or when you might get one of those "aha!" moments where an idea comes clear.

Rob wrote:

I do some writing, and I've found that I get my best ideas while engaged some physical activity - walking, riding my bike, even doing yardwork.  As for writing itself, I think the best exercise is... writing.    Even if your concentration wanders (not always a bad thing!), or if you're not sure where your story is going, try to write anyway.  You never know when some good words might tumble out, or when you might get one of those "aha!" moments where an idea comes clear.

Good ideas! This guy has written some epics!

 

Good luck!!!  

Rob wrote:

I do some writing, and I've found that I get my best ideas while engaged some physical activity - walking, riding my bike, even doing yardwork.  As for writing itself, I think the best exercise is... writing.    Even if your concentration wanders (not always a bad thing!), or if you're not sure where your story is going, try to write anyway.  You never know when some good words might tumble out, or when you might get one of those "aha!" moments where an idea comes clear.

You are right, Rob. Other people have told me, just write! It doesn't matter what you put down, as long as you write it. I think for me, an issue with that is that I'm so critical of my own writing. From pinterest, I found character worksheets, where you can write down just about everything about a character on them- full name, birthday, hobbies, flaws, etc. I've started to fill one out to see it it helps me get ideas down any better.   

That's a good idea.

I used to panic when I sat down to write and nothing came.  "Oh, no, I've lost it!"  But if you can do it, it's a part of you, just like breathing, and it's not going to just go away.  But yeah... just write is good advice.  Even if nothing usable comes of it, you're still honing your craft.

Rob wrote:

That's a good idea.

I used to panic when I sat down to write and nothing came.  "Oh, no, I've lost it!"  But if you can do it, it's a part of you, just like breathing, and it's not going to just go away.  But yeah... just write is good advice.  Even if nothing usable comes of it, you're still honing your craft.

I'm sure glad you didn't panic with that little thing you did back in '39!

Shush, you! I don't want the IRS to know I'm still getting royalties!   

Sim sala bim, oh great sage from the land of sagebrush.

i am going to write to something. i'm gonna start when i am going to bed. i think i have a note book here somewhere. but what to write that is the clue. :) wish me luck.

I know, if you look on youtube three is Burgess Taylor she is a notebook writer and has ner own writing room.