How to Start Writing Again

How long has it been since you last worked on that novel of yours? Weeks? Months? Years? Here’s a few ideas to get you back into your craft. 

Change Your Writing Space

Altering your writing environment can make it feel like you’re beginning something new and exciting, rather than returning to something hard and frustrating. Whether it’s buying a new aromatic candle or changing the time of day for your writing sessions, try making some small adjustments to your settings before getting back to work.

Lower Your Goals

As writers, we place a lot of expectations on ourselves. Perhaps these expectations come from our desire to succeed or to prove ourselves to critics and doubters. While it is good to be motivated, too much expectation on ourselves can cause us to become overwhelmed and freeze creatively. To avoid this kind of creative anxiety, try setting small, reachable goals for your daily writing sessions in order to build your confidence and develop consistent writing habits. Just remember to raise those goals as you get back into the swing of things!

Work on Another Project

If you were working on a specific story when you last stopped working, consider starting over from another direction by writing on a different project. Most writers have more than one idea for a story, so even if you don’t have another project in the works, start one. This allows you to get back into the routine of writing while continuing to take a break from the story that may have been frustrating you. Better to attack it again when you have some momentum built up and are flush with success from working on your ‘backup project.’

Do Writing Prep Instead of Writing

There are plenty of other productive activities that you can do as a writer without actually writing. Creating backstory, outlining, world building, and doing research are all great ways to put in hours of labor while allowing your creative batteries to recharge.

Get Inspired

There are plenty of ways to get pumped up to start writing again. Try going to a place that inspires you and jot down any ideas that come while you’re there. You can also attend writing conferences, retreats, and workshops on the craft of writing as a way to surround yourself with other writers and feel a communal enthusiasm for writing. You may even consider talking with a writing coach to improve your routine and learn more ways to get you back on track.



What has helped you get back into the writing spirit? Leave a comment below, and be sure to share this list with all your writing friends.

Game Developers Mixing DLC with Storytelling

A good friend loaned me his copy of Asura's Wrath last weekend after I’d told him I was looking for something different to play. Well, I certainly got what I asked for. Rapid-fire combat, epic cut-scenes, and a story straight from the over-the-top world of Japanese anime all added up to a few exciting days of gameplay. While I usually wouldn't have been interested in what eventually turned-out to be a massive quick-time-event disguised as a game, Asura's Wrath seemed to find that little part of me that had devoured games like Dragon’s Lair I & II and Space Ace as a kid. And then came the ending.

At first, I was fairly content with the story’s conclusion. Despite a few unresolved subplots, the main plotline had been straightforward enough that I didn't need much in the way of closure. On top of that, once I’d beaten the game I received a little message saying that If I scored an “S” rank on five or more of the episodes, I’d be treated to a special, secret ending. I normally don’t bother replaying levels just to improve my score, but I liked the plot enough to spend the extra couple of hours that it took to get the necessary rating and unlock the ending.

And what did I get? An exact duplicate of the original ending’s episode, with the only difference coming after all the actual gameplay was over as one of the minor characters took off his mask in true Scooby-Doo fashion to reveal that he had been the main villain all along. Gasp. Still, I’d played plenty of other games with a hidden final boss, so I was still fairly content until the scene ended and instead of a boss fight, I was given a single screen with perhaps the most detested message for any fan of a game, movie, tv show, or book… “to be continued.”

Even then, my own wrath was somewhat contained. While I didn't see much potential for an entire sequel based on the game’s flimsy cliffhanger, I still went online to see if the second game in the series had been released yet. Imagine my surprise and anger when I found out that the game’s real ending along with the final four episodes were DLC costing $6.99. Not only that, but the trailer for the DLC made it look like the developers had simply cut the game off at that point with the intention of stringing the player along and then pumping them for extra money just when the player would be most desperate to find out what really happens.

This was the point that I finally lost my temper. I find this sort of bait-and-switch game design to be both cheap and manipulative, and I am frankly surprised that gamers put up with it. Could you imagine a movie studio trying to do the same thing, releasing a movie in theaters and then ending the film with a message that the audience must buy the Blu-ray (or whatever) to see how the story ends? What if a writer published a novel with the ending sold separately in the Kindle store? We’d be furious. There’d be a public outcry. But as gamers, we've been trained to expect the best parts of many games to come separately, and we dutifully fork over additional cash for additional characters, weapons, levels, and yes, sometimes even integral plot elements.

Of course, I realize that DLC and bonus content has its place in the gaming world. But this sort of content should be like concession food at the movie theater. Unnecessary? Perhaps. Overpriced? Definitely. But many devotees willingly pay for those hot-dogs and popcorn because it’s part of the experience. It’s the same reason why I’ll often wait when buying games until all the DLC and expansions have been bundled together. But these extras and add-ons should not be an integral part of the central storyline. A game’s plot should be able to stand on its own. A strong story with interesting characters doesn't need to deceive the audience into wanting more.

I’m not going to bother looking up the “real” ending on Wikipedia or YouTube. I’d rather stick with my original ending, unresolved as it may be. I still enjoyed the story, and if the developers ever release a real sequel, I may play it. In the meantime, I think I’ll go back to playing some of my old favorites. Games with stories and content that invited me to come back again, not blackmailed me into it.

A Look at The Beast Hunter’s Loopi

Early concept art by Laura Schopfer

This week I thought I’d give some background on another one of the prominent groups from The Beast Hunter, the ape-like Loopi and their mystical Sky Talkers.

Their Appearance

I based the face and basic body structure of the Loopi on gibbons, which are small, monkey-like apes native to the subtropical rainforests of southern Asia. I’ve always loved the graceful lines of their fur and the elegance with which they move through the tree tops. Their fur-framed faces are especially evocative for me, as their petite features seem so well-suited for subtle expressions and emotions.

I decided early-on that I wanted the Loopi to be sophisticated and complex, which is why I chose the gibbon over something which might suggest brutish strength like a gorilla or orangutan. I also wanted to make it clear that the Loopi wore clothing, despite being covered in fur.

Their Names

I’m often asked how I come up with character names for my stories, which seems to be a real challenge for some fantasy and sci-fi writers. I usually begin my process by picking a first letter that feels like it works well for the character. Harsh sounds for strong characters, soft sounds for gentle characters, etc. I then fill out the rest of the name with syllables that sound similar to the other names that I’ve created for the story, just to keep creative continuity. I’m also careful not to have similar names for characters that are going to have interactions with each other. That means avoiding having multiple characters with names that start with the same letter, as well as trying to avoid ending too many names with the same syllable.

The most important thing to remember about character names is that they are meant to be seen first, spoken later. This means that the names you use must be visually distinctive, with letter combinations that are both visually appealing and easily distinguished from other names in your story. It’s for this reason that the names of the Loopi are some of my favorites. I love the way their three-part names look and sound, like a cascade of soft syllables reminiscent of a short chant. If you’re familiar with meditation, try using any of the Loopi names as a breathing mantra, and you’ll get an idea of why I love these names so much.

The Sky Talkers

There were a couple of things I really wanted to do when I created the Sky Talkers. For one thing, I didn’t want to make their powers too specific or even clearly definable. I felt that over-explaining what they could do and why they could do it would take away from the mystery and mystique of characters like Grel’zi’tael and Bor’ve’tai. I prefer it when the reader has to study the character and guess how much of what they did was through their supernatural powers and how much was simply from their own inner strength. I also didn’t want to make the Sky Talkers over-powered. The various types of ‘magic’ in The Beast Hunter are all intended to be subtle, mysterious processes, rather than hurling fireballs at monsters or summoning up a tornado.



Thanks to Aaron Volner for suggesting this week’s subject. Check out other bonus content by clicking the Bonus Content label in the right-hand sidebar, or go to the Lindsay’s Books tab at the top of this blog if you’d like to purchase either a digital or paperback copy of The Beast Hunter.

April 3, 2015 Workshop and Appearance Update

It’s been a little while since I last gave an update on my various activities and appearances, and since 2015 is already shaping up to be an exciting, busy year for me, I thought I’d take the opportunity this week to share a little of what’s in store for me in the coming months.

Next month, I’ll be starting May off by attending and presenting at the Writers on the Beach retreat on beautiful Marrowstone Island near Port Townsend. I’m especially excited to listen to Gordon Frye, a fellow presenter and historical adviser who’s always a lot of fun and very informative. Later in the month, I’ll be joining seven other fantasy and sci-fi authors for an all-day book signing event at Forever Knight Games in Olympia. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by to chat, joke, ask questions, and hopefully find a new read for the spring! Finally, I’ll be finishing out the month by attending and presenting at the Brass Screw Confederacy, a steampunk festival in Port Townsend. I may even dress up for the occasion!

After the busy month of May, my various events will start to spread out a little. In June, I’ll be part of another multi-author book signing event, this time in Renton at the AFK Elixirs & Eatery, a local hangout for gamers, geeks, and internet socialites. In July, I’ll be returning to the PNWA Summer Conference to give a workshop on the subgenres of fantasy and science fiction. And finally, in September, I’ll be teaching at a new conference for me, the Southwest Washington Writers Conference. There are also a couple of additional events that have yet to be schedule or confirmed, but I’ll be sure to keep everyone up to date on where I’ll be and what I’ll be talking about.

I hope to see many familiar and friendly faces this year. Be sure to follow this blog and check on my Workshops and Appearances page regularly to keep up to date on all my various writing events.