How I Start Writing Again (thoughts + instructional guide)

I read somewhere, the best books come out of writers who needed a solution to something. They can't find it anywhere and hence go on a journey to look for the answers themselves and write it all in a book they wish was written.

I stopped writing and publishing my thoughts.

Like the black cat,  a body which have not written will continue not writing.

Unless acted upon by a force.

Exerts force until my face goes red.

So this is a post for myself.

How To Start Writing Again Instructional Guide

This set of instructions are for writers 

• who fell off writing and don't know how to begin
• who want to write but don't know how to do it consistently
• who love writing but haven't done it in a long time

Step 1: Find a time you feel like writing

I know people will say if you only write when you feel like it, you'll never get to writing. 

I'm not them. Hear me out on this one. 

There will come a time when you want to write again. Sounds silly but this is for writers who love to write. 

Write when the urge is so strong you have to write. 

Step 2: Pick a medium

For me, I'm used to turning on my laptop and going on blogger. The familiarity of the draft page and easy navigation around blogger makes it easy for me to come back here to start writing. 

Find something that is easy for you. It could be on a notebook, your notepad app on your phone, an A4 paper, your foolscape paper or like me on blogger. 

Pick the medium you often use to write on. 

Step 3: Pre-write

The thoughts start flowing when I'm in the shower. See #3 in The Real Guide on How to Write 

When I open up a new post to pen my thoughts, my thoughts flow too. It's a habit I created while writing more than 200 posts (some unpublished).

Step 3a: fbr

Some of us will feel anxious when we have nothing to write about. 

It's okay. (:

Use fbr coined by Safi Bahcall. 

fbr: fast, bad and wrong. 

The r is intentionally spelled wrongly. fbr means to type everything that comes to your mind even if you spell the words wrongly. Don't hit backspace. Just keep going. 

When you write this way, you take the pressure of yourself. 

Leave the editing for later.

Step 3b: Write

Write until all your thoughts are on the page. 

Stop and ask yourself if you've any more. It's fine if that's all you have for the day. 

Step 4: Leaving a Gap

Leave what you've written and go do something else. 

I used to scroll on twitter and engage with my messages before coming back. This time, I feel like searching up YouTube for a nice video to wind down for the night.

This is the video I watched and I recommend you watch too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1Y0svHNb3U

Step 5: Editing

When you've put some distance between you and your work, you'll see it with brand new eyes. 

Don't feel like it right now? Do it tomorrow. 

The longer you leave between your writing and editing, the better. 

PS - I'm editing this now on a Monday morning after 2 full days of letting in sit in my drafts. 

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If you've enjoyed what you've read, leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

Have an awesome week ahead! 

Sending love, 

Bree