How Markets Can Prompt You to Write: Part Two

By Shirl D

When you try to get writing…

Does this tend to happen?

Whenever you sit down – or stand up – to write, something inside you says:

1: “that’s rubbish, no one will read this”
2: “I wonder if I could change to another topic…”
3: “maybe I am not meant to write today – or ever!”
4: “perhaps I should stop for coffee…”
5: “what’s on the TV / shall I finish that book / phone my mate”
6: “I will leave this to another day”

What is going on…

Your Inner Critic has been given permission – by you – to destroy your writing day. It (neither he nor a she, in my opinion) won’t let you feel good about what you are doing.

Your mind wanders to other ideas for using your time, aka procrastination.

If you let your Inner Critic get to you, writing will not be enjoyable, you will achieve nothing, you will not become a Later Writer.

Time to freewrite, or write freely

Ignore that INNER CRITIC,

stop looking for distractions,

just write.

What about?

It is liberating to just write about whatever comes into your head or through your pen but if this fails you can:

choose a Topic or Theme or Story Title – anything to get you started on the journey – fiction, non-fiction – whatever suits you best
take your notebook to the place or space where you feel most comfortable
if that is your bed, fine – just don’t go to sleep – sit up, lean your notebook on your sloped knees (a perfect desk that costs nothing),
set your stopwatch to 20 minutes and write freely
don’t overthink… just write freely!

Afterwards…

Ask yourself:

what did I enjoy about writing freely?
what felt wrong to me?

Now, please place your notebook in a safe place and do not reread your piece for several days – weeks if you can manage it.

I regularly find pieces I’ve written a while ago – sometimes years ago – and find myself surprised, even overwhelmed, that the writing is my own.

A sample of freewriting from my own writing notebook. Never throw anything away. — A sample of freewriting found in my notebook

What next?

Open How Markets Can Prompt You to Write: Part One – this should open in a new window so you can refer to it easily
Choose one of the 9 potential markets you created by following the exercise
choose one potential market
either use your piece of free writing to write for this market

decide on the topic you want for that market
freewriting is the first of many ways to get your piece started

As the posts on LATER WRITER build, 
a resource for those who want 
to LEARN, to PRACTISE, to WRITE, 
will develop.
Be led into WRITING 
at a LATER stage in your life.

Later Writers have years of material hidden away in the marvellous store cupboard that calls itself a brain. It’s my belief, that the heart also writes along with us when we tell the Inner Critic to go away, when we concentrate on just writing.

PROCRASTINATION is the thief of PUBLICATION, and POTENTIAL READERS.

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About the author

Shirl D

As a retired teacher, I am now a writer later in life, hoping to reach others with the same passion for stories and non-fiction, short or long. I've completed my novel (currently unrepresented). Later Writers can really enjoy themselves - join in and follow the fun. Pick up ideas and think through your own writing plans.