How To Overcome Writer’s Block

Hello readers and writerly friends!

If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post, we’re discussing writer’s block and all it encompasses, how to overcome it, and how to keep it from interfering with your creativity. There's thousands of other posts and articles out there that explain this topic, to be sure. But I am diving deep and explaining my own personal experience with writer’s block, how I overcame it, and how you can too. This post will deconstruct the nebulous concept of writer’s block and break it down into easily understandable symptoms and actionable and effective steps for curing these symptoms. This post is a longer one, so grab your coffee, tea, and your notepad and let’s get into it!

What Is Writer’s Block? 

Writer’s block is the kryptonite to a writer’s superpower—creativity. Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page, unable to write? Perhaps you feel paralyzed by fear or unable to begin the process. Perhaps you move your hands to the keyboard, or lift your pencil to the page time and time again, only to pull them away, thinking hmm, why won’t the words just flow? Writer’s block happens to nearly every writer; it’s inevitable. Writer’s block is the inability to freely dive into writing and the feeling that whatever words come from your fingertips aren’t worth writing in the first place or won’t be good enough.

What Does Writer’s Block Look Like?

It looks like a writer hunched over their keyboard or notebook with a furrow in their brow, a purse in their lips, and a blank page before them. It looks like a lack of motivation, inspiration, or consistency. It looks like notes and binders and word documents galore, but no completed book or short story to tie them all together. It looks like an untouched laptop or notepad gathering dust in the corner. Writer’s block presents itself differently for every writer, but the symptoms are often the same.  The bad news? You’ve diagnosed yourself with writer’s block. But the good news? It’s treatable and an obstacle you can definitely overcome. 

What causes writer’s block?

Writer’s block, while perhaps not a proper medical condition, is a creative hurdle that stops many writers in their tracks. It stems from inexperience, underdeveloped ideas, burnout, a lack of enthusiasm, motivation, or inspiration, fear of rejection or a feeling of inadequacy when it comes to a writer’s own abilities, and maintaining a lifestyle that does not support the habit of writing. Seasoned and aspiring writers alike can suffer from this roadblock in the creative process, but with time, practice, and perseverance, writers can push past this block and eventually leave it in the dust altogether. 

A woman working on a Macbook. Photo by Elisa Ventur.

Why Am I Experiencing Writer’s Block?

You may find the answer to this question below:

• Inexperience: Many novice writers do not know where to begin. They don’t know how to write a story, let alone develop and format a book. They don’t know the rules of writing and that inexperience can hold them back from unleashing their creative potential. If you want to be a writer, and a successful one at that, you must educate yourself on writing tools, best practices, and storytelling as an artform. This is the foundation of being an effective and knowledgeable writer. Read books about writing, take classes and attend workshops to build your skills with practice and feedback.  

• Underdeveloped ideas: Many writers find themselves unable to start writing because the ideas they want to write from are not fully developed. Brainstorming and research are crucial parts of the writing process. Writing from a vague idea is much, much harder than writing from a fully-realized idea. Depending on the genre you’re writing from, take all aspects of the story and cultivate them so they can grow from a budding seed of inspiration to a blossoming concept. For example, if you’re writing a fantasy story, write detailed descriptions of all the characters, settings, world cultures, religions, and histories, timelines, and events. These wordy descriptions will likely not make it into your draft, but they will serve as notes for you to expand and refine your ideas as you write. If you can see it so clearly in your mind’s eye, then you can write from it as if you were really looking at your main characters in their world, with your own two eyes. 

• Lack of enthusiasm: Some writers suffer from a lack of enthusiasm about what they’re writing. This can be a difficult hurdle to overcome especially if you write for work and don’t have much of a choice in the subject matter. For those who fall into this category, you have three choices: make some kind of personal connection to the subject matter, or find a new writing job, or write for pleasure instead. For those who have an idea they really like, but feel disconnected from it or as if they don’t know enough about the topic to write on it, go back to the Inexperience bullet point. Educate yourself on the topic thoroughly enough that you can confidently and accurately write about it without feeling like you’re writing in the dark.  

• Lack of motivation: Many writers feel a lack of motivation when it comes to writing. This symptom of writer’s block can be one of the hardest to push past. Writers who feel unmotivated should take a realistic look at their lives and consider why they may feel that lack of motivation. Do you feel like writing at all? Do you enjoy writing? Do you enjoy storytelling and developing ideas? Do you enjoy making connections with others and sharing experiences? Do you enjoy bringing an idea to life? If any of your answers to these questions were a no, why? Why do you dislike any of these steps?

  If you found yourself saying no, why are you writing —or not writing —in the first place? Why label yourself as a writer, if it's not something you actually want to do? Many writers never end up writing a book, but they don this title and put immense pressure on themselves to engage in an activity that truly doesn’t resonate with themselves. Dig deep and determine if you want to write, why you want to write, and why you are a writer. This why is your reason for doing what you do and it’s going to help you shift your mindset in a big way. If writing is your passion and purpose and being a writer is part of your identity, it will help excite and motivate you to practice writing, because it's what you do. Find your personal connection to writing and take it with you into every writing session. 

• Lack of inspiration: Many people who want to write a book feel as if they have nothing to write about. While a strong feeling, this idea couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every single person has a unique perspective and worldview. Every person has a unique experience. No two lives are identical and in turn, no two stories are the same. Your unique existence is valid and so is your story. If you feel like you don’t have a story or idea to write about, write from real life. Write from your experiences and memories. If you don’t want to write about your personal experiences, write fictional stories that you wish were true about your life. Go back to the Inexperience and Underdeveloped Ideas bullet points and follow those steps. Read other books from the genres you want to write from. Research topics, themes, and ideas, then develop them further into elements you can craft a story from. I like to think the writing process is like building sand castles on the beach —you have billions of grains of sand to work from, but for the castle to take shape, you must sculpt, carve, mold, chisel, and join those grains together. You must work those grains of sand until they form the shape you’re going for. 

Diagnosing & Treating Writer’s Block. Graphic by Payton Hayes.

• Fear of rejection: Many writers struggle with the fear of rejection whether they are aware of this or not. It comes from a combination of Inexperience, Underdeveloped Ideas, and a low self esteem as a writer. These writers may feel confidence in other areas of their lives —they may do well in school or their jobs, they may feel confidence in their physical appearances, they may be aware of other activities they excel at, but when it comes to writing, they don’t believe in themselves or their abilities. The key to overcoming this struggle is practice. Practice, practice, practice. For many writers, the process of writing is very personal and tied closely to their identity. For this reason, it can be difficult for writers to put themselves and their work out there. However, this can be one of the most freeing experiences and is vital to your growth as a writer. When I started seriously writing, I kept my fantasy stories close to my heart. I never let my friends or family read them because I didn’t want them to actually know what my writing was like, for better or worse. They knew I was a writer, but they didn’t know if I was a good or bad writer, and I clung to that uncertainty. I didn’t put my writing online or allow others to read it until much, much later, when I was in college and was somewhat forced to let others into my thoughts, emotions, and written words. From discussion posts in my online courses to writing workshops and critiques in my creative writing classes, to instructor feedback, I was required to put my writing out there, in some form or another.

  What I came to realize was that I should have done this much, much sooner. I would have never broken out of my shell as a writer and a person, had I not been vulnerable and put my work out into the world for others to see, read, like, dislike, criticize, judge, compliment, and tear apart. I was terrified that someone would read my stories and think wow, this is truly poor writing. The reality is that any artform is subjective. We hear this a lot when it comes to visual art, but the same is true for writing. Subjective means “based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions” and when it comes to writing, this means readers will bring their own unique perspectives, worldviews, emotions, experiences, and opinions into the work, whether they are aware of it or not. There is nothing writers can do to stop readers from doing this, and they shouldn’t try to. As a writer, you must allow this fact of life to free you from the confines of wanting to please everyone. Allow yourself to let go of the desire to control other people’s opinions and interpretations of your work. It’s an impossibly unrealistic, unattainable, and unhealthy expectation. Whenever I find myself worrying over how others will react to my writing, I try to remember two things: Buddhism and peaches.

  Let me explain.

  Look, I’m not a Buddhist and I’m not telling you to convert to Buddhism. However Buddhists do practice the art of surrender. This concept is based on letting go of what one cannot control. You cannot control how others react to your writing. You cannot make them like it. You cannot please every single person with your writing, so just let this go. One of my favorite quotes is from Dita Von Teese who said, “You can be the ripest, juiciest, peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” There will always be someone who doesn’t like peaches and there will always be someone who can find something they don’t like about your writing. Free yourself from the desire to be liked by everyone, by being okay with rejection. Embrace it. Allow yourself to be disliked, criticized, and unaccepted. Allow yourself to produce bad writing. Allow yourself to fail. By doing this, you remove the pressure to be perfect and allow yourself to be. You allow yourself to write, no matter what comes of it. You allow yourself to grow as a writer and a person. 

• Writing conducive lifestyle: Many writers have a hard time writing because they do not lead a life that aligns with being a writer. To be a writer, you must have time to dedicate to reading, researching, studying, writing, editing, and honing your skills. Being a writer in practice rather than name, is more than just writing. To be a writer, you must live a life that supports the regular practice of writing and all that process entails. Writing is not only an activity, it is a lifestyle and a long-term practice. It takes years of dedication, consistency, and practice to result in expert, well-honed writing skills. If you have children or a busy life, you may find it quite difficult to carve out time to write, but it is paramount to being a good writer, let alone finding success in writing. If you answered the questions in the Lack of motivation bullet point, then by now, you should know whether or not you really want to continue writing. If the answer is no, you should probably look into something else. However, if you do, then your next objective is to set aside time every day to improve your writing. Make this a realistic and attainable goal and track your progress as you go. Start out simple and ensure your path is the one of least resistance from both yourself and others in your life. 

How To Defeat Writer’s Block. Graphic by Payton Hayes.

How Do I Overcome Writer’s Block?

If you read through those lengthy bullet points, then by now, you know what must be done. You know what writer’s block is, what it looks like, how it affects writers, where it comes from. Now that you understand writer’s block, it is time to take action. I’ve listed several ways you can combat writer’s block. Practicing these steps will help you build the muscles you need to defeat writer's block whenever it rears its big ugly head. I have also designed a printable flier for you to put up in your writing area, so you can always have these tips equipped and at the ready when writer’s block strikes. 

• Writing everyday: If you are a writer, make writing a priority. The choice is up to you. If you’ve decided writing is your purpose, then make it a daily practice and make no exceptions. Tell yourself the affirmation: Writers write. I am a writer, and I am going to write. Set aside a specific time each day that you sit down and write. You will likely need more time to research, brainstorm, read, and do other writing-adjacent activities, but make sure you write every.single.day. Start with five, ten, fifteen, or thirty minutes at a time, depending on your experience and ability. If you haven’t written in months or years, set aside five minutes each day to write. Find some writing prompts or writing exercises and set a timer, then write until the timer beeps. Chances are you will feel compelled to continue writing past the time you set, but don’t force yourself to do so. If you want to spend five minutes each day working on the same writing project, you can do that too. Gradually increase your writing time as you strengthen those writing muscles and build the habit into your life. It takes twenty-one days to build a habit. That comes out to 1.75 hours across three weeks. When broken down into manageable chunks, a consistent, daily writing practice becomes more possible and over time, it becomes less like a manual task and more automatic. Five minutes every day. That’s all it takes!

• Writing workspace: To make your daily writing practice easier, design a workspace that makes you want to write. Invest in a comfortable desk chair or a standing desk if necessary. Turn on soft lighting and play some instrumental music to help relax your mind while you let the creative juices flow. Make sure you have snacks and a nice warm beverage on hand. You can train your brain to get into writing mode by doing the same thing at the same time every day and employing all five senses to reinforce the habit. For example, if you want to write for ten minutes every day, starting at 7:00 p.m., start by playing your favorite song or an instrumental track you enjoy to remind yourself that it's time to write. Bonus points if you set an alarm to go off at 7:00 p.m. with the song, so it's automated and not on you to remember. While the song is playing, make yourself a cup of tea, grab a fruit or bag of chips, and get your workstation and timer ready. When you’re ready to go, start writing, and don’t stop. Remember, you’re not writing the most amazing, perfect words ever put together on earth. Just write.

• Establish a rewards system that incentivizes you to write. We all enjoy different things—some of us enjoy shopping, others enjoy playing video games, and some enjoy eating delicious food. Without being counterproductive to your other goals or negatively impacting your health, come up with a rewards system that will help you reach your writing goals. If it’s your goal to write so many words each week, set a reward that will encourage and excite you to sit down to write and accomplish that goal. For example, I would like to buy a new book or two. I won’t get a new book until I finish reading one I already own, so I don’t have a bunch of unread books on my shelf. The same principle goes for writing. If you want to reach that weekly word count goal, write for the reward. You don’t have to write perfectly, just get those words onto the page. 

• Take care of yourself and your health: This advice is not just for writers, but because writing is so personal and tied to our mental and emotional health, self-care is an important step in creating a lifestyle that supports writing. Get plenty of quality sleep, practice good hygiene, maintain a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. For people with disabilities, mental illness, or neurodivergence, get any necessary assistance if you haven’t yet. 

Writers write. I am a writer, and I am going to write.

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Some Additional Tips For Combatting Writer’s Bock

• Try morning pages or a brain dump. Before you sit down to write or work on an ongoing project, try freeing your mind. The concept of “Morning Pages” comes from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, and can be an effective strategy for getting all the mental distractions out of your way before you actually start writing. Like the name suggests, brain dump pages or morning pages are simply a page or two of everything on your mind that you want to offload so you can think clearly. It can be total nonsense, a to-do list, a stream of consciousness, a series of mad ramblings —whatever it is, get it out of your head and onto the page so you can make room for the real writing. 

• Let yourself write garbage. If you’re struggling with perfectionism and overcoming your judgmental internal editor, let yourself be okay with writing garbage. Create a new draft and title it “trash draft” if you like. Then write with reckless abandon. You can write about whatever you like or you can work on a project you’ve been writing. Make your internal editor take a backseat to your internal writer and watch as the story takes shape on the page. No writer creates perfection in the first draft, so stop telling yourself the rough draft is bad. A garbage page is better than nothing. You can create treasures from a pile of trash, but you cannot edit a blank page.

• Get involved in a writing community. If external accountability is more effective for you, get connected with other writers. Network with writers, editors, publishers, and published authors for advice, craft tips, editorial news, and external motivation to keep writing. Sometimes, having a writing community can be more powerful for combating writer’s block that a routine or paycheck. Writing communities are a great way for writers to celebrate one another’s accomplishments and receive truly helpful feedback on writing. 

Writer’s Block As A Result of Burnout

If you’ve made it this far, then the next piece of advice will sound quite contradictory to everything said thus far. If you’re experiencing writer’s block as a symptom of burnout, take a break. Stop writing. I know, it sounds crazy! First, I’m telling you to write, then telling you not to write. Trust me. 

If you’ve done everything advised so far and nothing has worked, don’t force yourself to write when you just can’t. I’m not saying give up, but give yourself time and patience to recover from the burnout before jumping back into writing. When it is time to dive back in, do so slowly and with grace. Stick your toe in the water before diving in headfirst. If you’ve been stuck on a book for years and nothing you do can make you want to continue writing it, try writing something else. Take a break. When it’s time, you’ll come back to it. And if it’s time for you to pivot, don’t judge yourself for doing so. It may be time for a change. 

Thinking Realistically About Creativity

Creativity sometimes comes from a spark of inspiration, the elusive mystical muse that chooses to strike at random. But most often, creativity is a skill you practice regularly, and it’s not as glamorous as the media makes it seem. Writing is hard work and it requires a healthy lifestyle, commitment, vulnerability, and consistency rather than artistic brilliance. Either you’ve chosen to be a writer, or writing has chosen you. If this is indeed the path you wish to take, you must go all in. I’m not telling you it’s always easy, but it does get easier with time, practice, and perseverance. When I first started out, I went years between working on chapters of the same book. Now, I write multiple blog posts each week. I still struggle with feeling motivated or excited to write. Whenever I’m dragging myself to my writing desk rather than running, go through the steps to ensure I am doing everything in my power to get myself to write. It usually works, and then once in a while it doesn’t and I know it’s time for a break. Give yourself some grace as a writer and as a human. There's a million things out there that could affect you or get in the way of your writing practice. But if you’re dedicated, determined, and willing to put in the effort, you can be a writer, and your writing will improve with every session. 

You’re a writer. Writing is what you do. It’s in your bones. It is your purpose and your reason. Writing is your destiny. Now write.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. I hope it helped you to better understand yourself as a writer, the struggle of writer’s block, and how to overcome it and become a better writer. If you enjoyed this post or if it helped you in some way, please leave me a comment! I’d love to know your thoughts! If you’d like to read more writing advice from me, please check out the recent posts from my blog below!

Bibliography

1. Ventur, Elisa. (@elisa_ventur) “a business woman who is frustrated because she is working too much.“ Unsplash photo, May 12, 2021 (Thumbnail photo).

2. Hayes, Payton. “How To Overcome Writer’s Block.” Shayla Raquel’s Blog, February 7, 2023.

3. Hayes, Payton. “Diagnosing & Treating Writer’s Block.” Graphic created with Canva, February 7, 2023.

4. Hayes, Payton. “How To Defeat Writer’s Block.” Graphic created with Canva, February 7, 2023.

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*This article was originally posted in 2023 as an online exclusive for Shaylaraquel.com, but since the site is currently offline, I’ve reposted my article here so other writers can try the tips and tricks that worked for me. If Shaylaraquel.com goes live again, I will redirect traffic back to the original post.

Written by Payton Hayes. | Last Updated: March 17, 2025.

Info-Dumping in Science Fiction & Fantasy Novels by Breyonna Jordan

Hi readers and writerly friends!

If you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by, and if you’re a returning reader, it’s nice to see you again! For this post, Breyonna Jordan is taking over the blog to tell you all about info-dumping in science-fiction and fantasy novels! Leave her a comment and check out her website and other socials!

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Breyonna Jordan loves exploring new frontiers—underground cities, mythical kingdoms, and expansive space stations, to be exact. As a developmental editor, she relishes every opportunity to help world-builders improve their works and learn more about the wonderful world of writing. She enjoys novels that are fresh, far-reaching, and fun and she can’t wait to see your next book on her TBR list.

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Follow & Connect With Breyonna On These Platforms:

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Breyonna Jordan is a developmental editor who specializes in science-fiction and fantasy.

What is Info-Dumping? 

When writing sci-fi or fantasy, there’s a steep curve on how much the audience needs to know—a world of a curve in fact.

You may have pages and pages of elaborate world histories that readers must be filled in on—the current and past ruling monarchs, failed (or successful) uprisings, how natural resources became so scarce in this particular region, or why a military state exists in this country, but not in the surrounding lands. 

Alternatively, you may feel the need to include pages of small details concerning the settings and characters your readers are exploring. While it’s important to include specific details in your writing—the reader can’t possibly know that the night sky features four moons unless you convey these details—oftentimes, the excess exposition can be overwhelming to readers. 

This info-dumping can be a pervasive problem in fiction, maybe even the problem that stops you from finding an awesome agent or from obtaining a following on Amazon.

So, below I’ve offered some tips for spotting info-dumping, reasons for and the potential consequences of info-dumping, as well as several tips for avoiding the info-dump. 

How Do You Identify Info-Dumping In Your Manuscript?

A section of your work may contain info-dumping if you find: 

• you are skipping lines while reading (Brotzel 2020),

• the paragraphs are very long,

• there is little action and conflict occurring,

• your voice (and not your characters) has slipped in,

• that it looks like it was copied directly from your outline

To help you get a better idea of what excessive exposition can look like, here are two examples of info-dumping from the first chapter of a sci-fantasy manuscript I worked on: 

“Hawk was guarding the entrance to the cave while Beetle went for the treasure. These were not their real names of course but code-names given to them by their commander (now deceased) to hide their true identities from commoners who may begin asking questions. Very few people in the world knew their true names and survived to speak it. Hawk and Beetle knew each other’s true names but had sworn to secrecy. They were the youngest people on their team. Beetle was seventeen with silver hair and had a talent for tracking. Hawk was twenty-one with brown hair which he usually wore under a white bandana. He was well-mannered and apart from his occupation in burglary was an honest rule-follower. Beetle and Hawk had known each other since they were children and were as close as brothers.”

“It is one of the greatest treasures in the entire world of Forest #7. This was thought only to have existed in legend and theological transcripts. This Staff was powered by the Life Twig, a mystic and ancient amulet said to contain the soul of Wind Witch, a witch of light with limitless powers.”

Why Do Writers Info-Dump and What Impacts Does It Have On Their Manuscripts?

As a developmental editor who works primarily with sci-fi and fantasy writers, I’ve seen that info-dumping can be especially difficult for these authors to avoid because their stories often require a lot of background knowledge and world-building to make sense. 

In space operas, for example, there may be multiple species and planetary empires with complex histories to keep track of. In expansive epic fantasies, multiple POV characters may share the stage, each with their own unique backstory, tone, and voice.

Here are some other reasons why world-builders info-dump:

• they have too many characters, preventing them from successfully integrating various traits,

• they want to emphasize character backstories as a driver of motivation,

• their piece lacks conflict or plot, using exposition to fill up pages instead, 

• they are unsure of the readers ability to understand character goals, motivations, or actions without further explanation,

• they want to share information that they’ve researched (Brotzel 2020),

• they want readers to be able to visualize their worlds the way they see them

A Hobbit house with wood stacked out front. Photo by Jeff Finley.

Though these are important considerations, info-dumping often does more harm than good. Most readers don’t want to learn about characters and settings via pages of exposition and backstory. Likewise, lengthy descriptions:

• distract readers from story and theme, 

• encourage the use of irrelevant details,

• make your writing more confusing by hiding key details,

• decrease dramatic tension by boring the reader,

• slow the pacing and immediacy of writing,

• prevent you from learning to masterfully handle characterization and description 

Think back to the examples listed above. Can you see how info-dumping can slow the pace from a sprint to a crawl? Can you spot all the irrelevant details that detract from the reader's experience? Do you see the impact of info-dumping on the author’s ability to effectively characterize and immerse the reader in the scene?

Info-dumping is a significant issue in many manuscripts. Often, it’s what divides the first drafts from fifth drafts, a larger audience from a smaller one, a published piece from the slush pile. 

What Techniques Can Be Used to Mitigate Info-Dumping?

That said, below are three practical tips to help you avoid and resolve info-dumping in your science-fiction and fantasy works: 

1. Keep focus on the most important details. You can incorporate further information as the story develops. This will allow readers to remain engrossed in your world without overwhelming them. It will also help you maintain a robust setting in which there’s something new for readers to explore each time the character visits. 

2. Weave details between conflict, action, and dialogue (Miller 2014). This will allow the reader to absorb knowledge about your world without losing interest or becoming confused. An expansive galactic battle presents the perfect opportunity to deftly note the tensions between races via character dialogue and behavior. A sword fighting lesson can easily showcase new technology (Dune anyone?). A conversation about floral arrangements for a wedding can subtlysubtely convey exposition. Just make sure to keep the dialogue conversational and realistic. 

3. Allow the reader to be confused sometimes. Most sci-fi and fantasy readers expect to be a bit perplexed by new worlds in the earliest chapters. They understand that they don’t know anything, and thus expect not to learn everything at once. Try not to worry too much about scaring them off with new vocabulary and settings. They can pick up on context clues and make inferences as the story progresses. handle it. If you’re still concerned about the amount of invented terminology and definitions, consider adding a glossary to the back matter of the book instead. 

Of course, this all raises the question…

Is It Ever Okay to Info-Dump? 

You might think to yourself, “I want to stop info-dumping, but it’s so difficult to write my novel without having to backtrack constantly to introduce why this policy exists, or why this seemingly obvious solution won’t end the Faerie-Werewolf War.” 

If you’re a discovery writer, it might be downright impossible to keep track of all these details without directly conveying them in text which is why I encourage you to do exactly that. 

Dump all of your histories into the novel without restraint. Pause a climactic scene to spend pages exploring why starving miners can’t eat forest fruit or how this life-saving magical ritual was lost due to debauchery in the forbidden library halls. 

Write it all down…

Foggy woods illuminated by a soft, warm light. Photo by Johannes Plenio.

But be prepared to edit it down in the second, third, or even fourth drafts. 

Important information may belong in your manuscript, but info-dumps should be weeded out of your final draft as much as possible. 

Additionally, as I mention often, I am a firm disbeliever in the power and existence of writing rules. There are novels I love that use info-dumping liberally and even intentionally (re: Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy by Douglas Adams). Most classics use exposition heavily as well and they remain beloved by fans old and new. 

However, what works for one author may not work for everyone and modern trends in reader/ publisher-preference regard info-dumping as problematic. Heavy reliance on exposition is also connected to other developmental problems, such as low dramatic tension and poor characterization. 

If you are intentional about incorporating large swaths of exposition and it presents a meaningful contribution to your work, then info-dumping might be a risk worth taking. If the decision comes down to an inability to deal with description and backstory in other ways then consider reaching out to an editor or writing group instead. 

What are some techniques you’ve used to avoid info-dumping in your story? Let us know in the comments!

Bibliography

• Brotzel, Dan. “Get On With It! How To Avoid Info Dumps in Your Fiction.” Medium article, February 12, 2020.

• Finley, Jeff. “Hobbit House.” Unsplash photo, February 28, 2018.

• Gililand, Stein Egil. “Beautiful Green Northern Lights in the Sky.” Pexels photo, January 7, 2014 (Thumnail photo).

• Miller, Kevin.“How to Avoid the Dreaded Infodump.” Book Editing Associates article, April 14, 2014.

• Plenio, Johannes. “Forest Light.” Unsplash photo, February 13, 2018.

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Written by Guest Blogger, Breyonna Jordan. | Last Updated: March 14, 2025.

Experimentation Is Essential For Creators’ Growth (In Both Art and Writing)

Hi readers and writerly friends!

If you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by, and if you’re a returning reader, it’s nice to see you again! Experimenting as an artist, creator, or writer is a crucial step in your creative career. Practicing experimentation early and regularly throughout your artistic life keeps your work fresh, innovative, unique, and engaging for both you and your audience. Aspiring or amateur artists should not commit to any one specific style until they’ve had time to experiment with different styles, themes, and mediums. And once they’ve landed on a signature style they enjoy, it is wise to continue experimenting from time to time.

An experiment is a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact. In science, this is true, but it is also the case for art and for writing. When creating art, there are many aspects of the artistic process that can be changed or played with to provide different results.

Vandy, in his article 'Should Artists Experiment?', stated, 'In the world of art, often when we say experiment we think of a psychological process of working out what we like and don’t like about the act of making art and the final result' (Massey, 2020).

For example, in resin art, the artist can use alcohol ink, watercolor, acrylic, pigment, glitter, gouache, sharpies, beads, charms, cabochons, or just about any material between each layer of resin or submerged inside the resin. This example alone shows how much creative freedom we have with just one medium. Consider how you can experiment with different tools as a painter or sculptor. In what ways can you experiment with different colors, saturations, inversions, scales, and shading? In what ways can an artist explore the same subject across multiple mediums? How will an artist’s concept change from pen and paper to digital drawing on a tablet? The possibilities are truly endless and every artist’s experiments will naturally be unique.

I’ve been making art since 2010, and writing since well before then, and I still experiment with my work.Although I now have a style I tend to stick with, that wasn’t always the case, and for most of my artistic practice, my works looked as if each one came from a different artist—you’d never know my hands had created them just by looking at them.

Experimentation helps encourage creativity, freedom to try new things, and broadens your perspective as an artist and creator.

In her article, “Why Artists Must Experiment,” Kathleen Kralowec said “Recognizing an act as an experiment releases it from a lot of seriousness, a lot of demands of perfection. The outcome of experimentation is knowledge, and failure is just as valuable as success, because one has expanded one’s awareness of one’s own abilities, one’s deeper ideas, the potential of a media, a process, a genre, an art-form” (Kralowec 2019).

Art studio filled with canvases and murals done in many different styles. Photo by Matthieu Camoy.

Experimenting With Style

Before committing to a signature style or aesthetic, experiment with a wide array of different styles. Try experimenting with patterns, colors, shapes, themes, mediums and styles. No two artists' works are the same and even derivative works can be unique in their own way. Conduct style studies to practice techniques you admire or those outside your comfort zone. For example, try drawing the same sketch ten times, each time emulating a different artist's style to familiarize yourself with various techniques.

Below are a few examples of the Style Challenge artists have been partaking in across social media. The challenge is for an artist to draw something in their own style and then replicate it several more times in other popular animated art styles such as anime, Disney, cartoons, and comic books styles.

Never settle on a specific style; instead continue to always experiment, innovate, and evolve your art, whilst retaining an underlying current of your own style.

ART STYLE CHALLENGE

“draw different styles” by p0kky.

“Style Challenge” by emzdrawings.

“Hijabi” by XenoPurple_Art

“Art Style Challenge” by erinleedani.

“Art Style Challenge” by Yulaukira

“Style Challenge” by Mcseal.

Experimenting With Themes and Motifs

Art studio filled with colorful canvases depicting different styles and themes. Photo by Dom J.

Consider using different themes and subject matter in your work. If you typically write about nonfiction topics, consider writing a short story or poetry. If you usually paint realistic animals, try painting people or still-life paintings instead. If you usually draw geometric forms in your work, try experimenting with realism or surrealism instead. If you typically write comedy, consider painting something with a more political message behind it. If you typically draw geometric or abstract sketches, try drawing something inspired by another work you like such as a Swan Lake ballet performance or a video game character. Experiment with various themes and messages and see how art with similar concepts is translated across different mediums.

Experimenting With Techniques

A myriad of techniques can be used across many different art styles and mediums. Creatively mixing and matching techniques with different styles, mediums, and themes, can result in interesting, unique, and engaging art. It also strengthens your skills and creativity as an artist—having to try new things, troubleshoot, and make creative decisions to reach your desired outcome.

In her blog post, Rebecca of the Rebecca Art Tutor blog explains how she instructed students on a variety of techniques and required they use them to illustrate a textured object in a new and interesting way, leaving the creative decisions up to the students. She said, “We had learnt layering paint, dry-brush, different types of brush strokes, scratching into, lifting off, splatter, dots, impasto and more. We then did an exercise where we had to select a textured object (wood, fur, feathers etc.) and represent it with a painting technique….Although still slightly confused by the idea that …[the student] had the answer to ‘how to do fur’... [and] started representing fur with the fan brush in a very effective way…. I had taught the general techniques but allowed the learner to make the connection of how these techniques could be used.” (Rebecca 2022)

This is a fantastic example of how experimentation can result in effective use of techniques to produce interesting and unique outcomes.

Experimenting With Size and Scale

If you’re an artist who typically paints large-scale works such as signs, murals, and backdrops, consider downsizing to practice your hand at details. Both large and small scale art has it’s upsides; small scale art focuses more on details and large scale art focuses more on the big picture. Experiment with size and shape in your work and you’ll find you prefer one over the other and its freeing to focus on other aspects of an art piece from time to time.

Artist looking through her canvases depicting many different themes, styles, and subjects. Photo is a still from a video by Antoni Shkraba.

Experimenting With Different Mediums

If you’re a sketch artist, try working with watercolor, ink pens, markers, colored pencils, or crayons. If you’re a sculptor, try creating sculptures from mixed media such as plastic, wood, metal, paper, paper mache, yarn, or stone. If you’re a novel writer, try experimenting with poetry, nonfiction, or screenwriting. If you’re a digital artist, try your hand at video editing or animation. The examples are endless, but the advice is the same: experiment across different mediums to see what you enjoy using and to strengthen your skills as an artist.

Kralowec said that by experimenting, we can learn what kind of space we work best in, learn what kind of daily practice, pace, or goal-structure we thrive in, learn about the rules and how to effectively break them, and we can stumble on new genres, approaches or styles: the creation of something truly new.

In my sophomore year of college, I did an art capstone class, where the final project was to produce a large fine art piece that could be sold in a gallery. One crucial step of this project process was to produce a test piece prior to working with our fine art materials and larger-scale canvases. The pieces I submitted for the final grade were 2ft (L) x 2ft (W) (test piece) and 3 x 2ft (L) x 4ft (W) (final project triptych). I was working with ink and wood and it was essential that I do a test piece to ensure my materials worked well together. After all, the test piece came out better than the actual final project, in my personal opinion. But I learned a valuable lesson in art through that project; art has a mind of its own and all the planning in the world can still result in the unexpected. Experimentation frees us from the turmoil we feel when our creative visions do not turn out quite like we’d planned.

Experimentation and innovation in art is an important skill to build for any creator. Artists should not box themselves into any one style or medium and instead look for new ways to breathe life and intrigue into their work. They will become a stronger, more diverse, artist for it. Writers should do the same. Writers should challenge themselves by working across different storytelling mediums, genres, and styles whilst retaining their own unique voice between the lines.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post about experimentation in art. This advice can be applied to any creative skill and is encouraged for artists of all genres, mediums, and walks of life. If you already do experiment in your work, let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Comoy, Matthieu. “Art studio with wall graffiti.” Unsplash photo, July 26, 2017.

• Dom J “Horse and figure paintings.” Pexels photo, October 5, 2017.

• bodobe “Paint supplies” Pixabay photo, September 2, 2015 (Thumbnail).

• emzdrawings. “Style Challenge.” Deviantart post, Jul 24, 2019.

• erinleedani. “Art Style Challenge.” Instagram post, accessed November 7, 2022.

• Kralowec, Kathleen. “Why Artists Must Experiment” Medium article, June 12, 2019.

• Massey, Vandy. “Should Artists Experiment?” Vandy Massey Studio blog post, August 5, 2020.

• Mcseal. “Style Challenge.” Medibang.com, ArtStreet post, 2019.

• p0kky. “draw different styles.” Deviantart post, June 21, 2019.

• Rebecca “The Importance of Experimenting in Art” Rebecca Art Tutor blog post, accessed November 7, 2022.

• Shkraba, Antoni. “Woman looking at paintings.” Pexels photo, June 2, 2020.

• XenoPurple. “Hijabi.” Deviantart post, October 25, 2015.

• Yulaukira. “Art Style Challenge.” Medibang.com, ArtStreet post, 2021.

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• How To Write Poems With Artificial Intelligence (Using Google’s Verse by Verse)

• Writing Exercises from Jeff Tweedy's Book, How To Write One Song

• “Twenty Little Poetry Projects” Writing Exercise by Jim Simmerman

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Recent Blog Posts

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 14, 2025. 

8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves When Setting Goals and Resolutions For The New Year

Setting goals and resolutions is an important part of getting ready for the start of a new year and new decade and asking yourself a few critical questions can get the creative ball rolling. Consider these eight questions when outlining your goals for 2020 and think about what achievements and improvements you made in 2019 compared to 2018 and how you’ll bring that momentum forward into the new year.

What is your single biggest priority as a writer in 2020?

Do you want to finally publish your  novel? Are you still writing the story? Are you in the editing phase? Will you self-publish or traditionally publish the story? What part of the process are you currently in and what preparations need to be made to make this goal a possibility in 2020?

Photo by Vlada Karpovich.

As creative individuals, writers often juggle a million different passion projects at any given time, but to effectively execute any one task, we must focus out efforts on one project at a time. What project makes the most sense for you in 2020?

Take it from me —someone who has been officially diagnosed with adult ADHD—when I say I know how hard it is to focus your energy on one thing, but it’s equally as important as it is difficult. I don’t necessarily believe in the Jack of All Trades, Master of None sentiment, but I know if you have too many irons in the fire, you certainly will get burned one way or another.

The truth is that we just don’t have enough time and attention to do EVERYTHING. So, I challenge you to tackle the biggest, scariest project this year, and better yet, early in the year,  to get yourself up over that dreaded hurdle and keep the killer momentum going.

How many books do I want to release in 2020?

This question isn’t just for traditionally published authors with book deals and advances. You know what they say about dressing the part? It’s the same with writing—if you want to be a published author with all those shiny book deals and advances, you must start acting like one now, and moreover, writing like one. If you can write an entire book, move it through several stages of revisions and edits and produce a polished, final copy that’s a feat of strength on its own, especially if you can do it in one year. Additionally, it’s even more incredible if you can do that a few times each year, but that’s what it takes to become a traditionally published and professional writer—consistency, dedication, patience, and perseverance. So, whether public or private, how many books will you release this year? 

How much time will I devote to my writing each day, week, or month in 2020?

Part of being a dedicated and consistent writer is building time into your schedule for writing. This is the key to conquering writer’s block and harnessing your creativity and it’s crucial for any writer wanting to turn their passion into a full-time career. Consider when and for how long you will write every day. It might be a trial and error process but try a few different schedules and see what works for you. You might not be a “Wake up to write at 5 am” person like Amy Landino, but you might be able to squeeze in an hour every night before bed or something similar and less intense. Start with just 20 minutes a day and gradually increase the time so that you reach your desired time block for writing while building the daily writing habit without throwing your existing schedule into chaos.

How much money will I invest in my craft in 2020?

Consider what route you will take and start doing research. Maybe you are self-publishing—one avenue that isn’t cheap. You’ll have to pay for editing, layout and cover design, and marketing. Perhaps it’s time you got you’re a writing services listed on a proper website rather than you’re your LinkedIn profile? Hiring a developer, or at the very least, a designer who will put together your site using  a hosting platform such as Squarespace or Weebly, will set you back a few hundred, depending on the complexity of the site. Maybe you want to learn more about writing by taking a few master classes. Add up all the different ways you can invest in your brand as an author and budget for these expenses so your creative growth in 2020 isn’t gated by money or lack thereof.  

What are my weaknesses as a writer?

Photo by Vlada Karpovich.

We all have strengths and weaknesses and there are a few different methods of determining what your weaknesses as a writer are:

• Have your manuscript professionally critiqued/reviewed.

• Open up your manuscript to beta readers.

• Participate in a critique group for feedback on your writing.

• Have a friend who is well-versed in your genre read your manuscript

Post parts of your manuscript on free reading sites like Wattpad (I wouldn’t post the entire thing for free. Consider posting the first third of the story and adjust visibility as needed. Even though your writing is protected by US Copyright Law, it can be hard to know when someone breaks the law if they aren’t caught. This will better protect your writing against plagiarists.)

Once you’re aware of the trouble areas in your writing, you can work to improve them in 2020.  Writers can have several strengths and weaknesses. Maybe narrative is your forte but dialogue…not so much. Maybe you need to learn how to employ the senses and imagery to create a more immersive and engaging reading experience. Maybe you need to improve your openings or endings. There are plenty of writing exercises to help you build your skill and strengthen these weaknesses.

What are my weaknesses as a marketer?

Many writers cringe at the thought of marketing their writing but it’s not really as scary as it initially seems. It just takes a little doing to get familiar with how marketing works but once you get it, it can be fun. To determine how familiar, you are with marketing what strengths and weaknesses you have, you can do the following:

• Hire a marketing professional or schedule coaching call with one.

• Join author groups online and in person and see how the other members market their work.

• Read books and articles on marketing and follow tutorials on YouTube.

• Research how other authors in your genre have successfully marketed their own novels.

How can I get involved in my writing community?

Photo by Canva.

While marketing is an important aspect of successful businesses in 2020, it’s also important to take care of yourself, both in an out of your craft. I’m not going to get all self-care-lecture-y on you, but you should, for your own sanity, get involved in the writing community both online and locally. I know it’s sort of become a mood to lock yourself away with your coffee and keyboard (or typewriter) and write all day long, but it’s important to have a constructive crew of like-minded creatives to surround yourself with. Other writers can act as sounding boards, sources of inspiration, and often, they have plenty of useful advice and information to freely give. Not only that, but by having critique partners, you strengthen each other’s writing because every manuscript can benefit from a second set of eyes.

Some ways to get involved in the local writing community:

• Join a local writing group

• Joining or forming a local book club

• Attending local or regional writers’ conventions, conferences, retreats, or workshops

• During NaNoWriMo, check for local Come Write-Ins in your area

• Some ways to get involved in the online writing community:

• Join Facebook writer groups

• Join Betabooks.co to connect with beta readers and become a beta reader yourself

Engage with writers and readers in your genre on Twitter and Instagram by using relevant hashtags and commenting frequently on posts you truly love/connect with.

How can I grow my tribe in 2020?

This shouldn’t come as a surprise but like marketing, growing your community’s engagement is going to take some doing. Remember it isn’t and should never be just about the numbers. You want to make real connections with people and develop a group or true fans that will support you. This is your tribe and if cultivated carefully and correctly, they’ll stick around for a long time, through the thick and thin. They in turn will help grow the tribe and the wonderfully vicious cycle repeats.

So how do you grow the tribe? Some ways to inspire engagement on your platforms are:

• Engage with other users on social media, especially in your genre and medium.

• Provide quality, valuable content to readers via newsletter marketing Read my blog post on Newsletter Marketing That Doesn’t Suck here.

• Pay for targeted adds through Facebook and Google (these are proven to be effective due to their highly skilled algorithms)

And that’s it for my 8 questions that writers should ask themselves in 2020. Of course these are just a few guidelines for narrowing down your goals for 2020 and it’s just a starting area. If you’d like to see more questions like these, and if you enjoyed this list, let me know! What are your goals and/resolutions for 2020?

Further Reading

• Spring Cleaning for Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before 2020

• 5 Actionable New Year’s Resolutions For Writers In 2020

• 20 Bookish New Year’s Resolutions for 2020

—Payton

5 Actionable New Year's Resolutions For Writers

1.Share your writing with others more often.

Photo by Ivan Samkov.

It can be hard as a writer to be vulnerable and open to criticism, but it is crucial to our growth and improvement to feel comfortable putting our work out into the world, despite what others say. Always use your best judgment when dealing with criticism to determine if it was constructive or just negativity. But by opening up and letting the world into our stories, we grow and gradually become used to having other eyes on our work. Coming to terms with this is essential for aspiring writers desiring professional writing work.

2. Try a new writing style or medium for telling stories.

Do you usually write in a certain POV or tense? Do your stories typically take on a humorous or satirical tone? What voice do you normally write in? Is your target audience the same every time? Change it up by writing new stories in different ways.

Another way to freshen up the writing process is to work with different methods of storytelling. Of course, audio-visual mediums can be used for storytelling and often are, but I’m specifically referring to the written word—poems, plays, short stories, novelettes, novels, articles, blog posts, and reviews. Consider writing in a different medium to explore and learn new techniques, styles, and practices.

3. Watch, read, and write stories in genres you’re unfamiliar with.

This one likely requires some research but by branching out into a new genre, you learn all kinds of different storytelling techniques and styles that were gated by your own genre. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you open up your craft to new growth. Diving into new genres can seem unappealing at first, but you’ll find all kinds of hidden gems in other genres and the challenge will breed new creativity.

4. Make creativity part of your everyday routine.

I written extensively on consistency and building in time for writing but the gist is this: writing every day makes you a better writer because a) practice does make perfect and b) it acts like exposure therapy by bringing you face-to-face with the fear associated with the writing process (fears of inadequacy or imperfection) often enough that you get used to it and overcome this obstacle.

Photo by Ivan Samkov.

As someone who was incredibly busy and believed in the idea that creativity strikes only at certain time, I used to think this was impossible, but I can assure you it is achievable. Consider one of the previous options such as writing in a new medium. By writing new blog posts for this blog, all the time, I am exposing myself to the writing process and therefore making it increasingly easier to write in my passion projects.

 The blog takes off the looming pressure of trying to achieve constant perfection and allows me to just write freely. Then, when I sit down to write fantasy, it’s easier every day, and since I’m all warmed up from writing blog posts, I can produce better quality work.

5. Learn to enjoy the writing process and not just the end result.

How does that quote go? It’s all about the journey, not the destination? Writing is EXACTLY like that. Our novels and stories are for others to enjoy and the process itself is for us to enjoy. It’s the intimate, scared process of bleeding onto the page, of pouring out our souls, and manufacturing stardust into the written word, and therefore it should be enjoyed.

Writers should completely and fully feel the fear, pain, sadness, confusion, satisfaction, happiness, excitement, and fulfillment, as well as all the other emotions that come with writing. They should wholeheartedly appreciate and understand the process of taking a fleeting thought and sculpting it into a living, breathing idea that takes root in the mind of others. They should value and hold dear the writing process because it is as integral to their being as air to the human lungs.

Photo by Ivan Samkov.

It’s never about the destination, the end product—because it’s not meant for us—it’s meant for our readers. It is however, about the process, the journey, the steps we take to get there and everything we experience along the way—the learning, the reckoning, the weaving of words to form a story. Most writers have a love hate relationship with the writing process and this is as it should be. However, we should also recognize the value and the wild, seemingly untamable beauty in the process.

Alright, let’s liven things up a bit, shall we? Sorry to get all mushy about writing on you there for a second. It’s something I hold dear to my heart so any chance I get, I am going to take the time to discuss the writing process.

That’s it for my 5 Actionable Writing New Year’s Resolutions for 2020! I really love all of these goals because they’re practical, actionable, and sustainable. I know those seem like buzzwords people just toss around, but I do really think these writing resolutions are ones that we all can stick to year-round!

What do you think of my writing resolutions? Do they overlap with your own writing resolutions? What would you add to this list? Comment below and let me know what you think!

Further Reading

• Spring Cleaning for Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before 2020

• 8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves In 2020

• 20 Bookish New Year’s Resolutions for 2020

—Payton

Spring Cleaning For Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before The New Year! (2019)

Spring cleaning isn’t always fun but it’s something we have to do if we want to start the year off on the right foot. This is also true for our digital lives and as writers we have a lot of important files to keep track of so maintenance and organization are imperative. I’ve prepared a list of 10 things you can do to spring clean as a writer! This list includes everything from organization to automation to social media and more!

Clean up your digital work space

Of course, you want to make sure your physical desk is tidy and neat before you get to writing—I mean, outer order is inner calm, am I right? (Gretchen Rubin fans, comment below!) But you also want to make sure your digital work space is organized as well to avoid loss and distractions.

Four things you can do to tidy up your digital work space are:

• Sorting through old files, organizing the documents to be kept, and emptying the recycle bin

• Using apps like Folder Colorizer to help better sort files and make certain folders easily recognizable

• Defragmenting your hard drive and updating your computer (only defrag if you have a Hard Disk Drive since Solid State Drives automatically do this progress regularly)

• Uninstalling old and unused/unnecessary programs

Back up all the important things

There’s nothing worse than spending weeks, months, or years on a project and losing it to bad back-up practices—trust me, I know—I lost 37 chapters of an early edition of my novel to file corruption. It’s discouraging, painful, and easily avoidable. Use the cloud or get an external hard drive to store important files so loss doesn’t set you back in your writing.

Update all your passwords and keep your accounts secure!

Pink rubber-gloved hand holding a red and yellow cleaning spray bottle against an aqua background. Photo by Jeshoots.com.

This is often given and often overlooked advice but it’s important to maintain at least the bare minimum when it comes to passwords and account security. As an author with a brand to protect, you should regularly be updating passwords, so malicious users don’t get access to your accounts and content. Also, make sure your passwords aren’t the same across multiple platforms! Most security breaches that make it past bank-level encryption usually happen because members use the same passwords for several accounts and spyware on the other sites gain access to sensitive information when they log in. Don’t be this person. Keep passwords separate and secure.

Update your social media and website!

This includes about sections and bios, photos, job history, and any other content that might have changed and should be updated. Surely a few things have changed since the beginning of 2019, so make sure you’re starting the New Year with up-to-date socials. Have made any accomplishments? What projects are you working on that you can share? Include fun little snippets of your life in your about and bio sections. Also, ensure your profile pictures are current. If you haven’t had a professional head shot taken in a while, consider hiring a photographer to get new photos for your social media.

Update pinned posts on Twitter and Facebook

Another part of updating your socials is ensuring your pinned posts/tweets are up-to-date as well. Check any Facebook groups that you manage, your Facebook author/business page, your Twitter profile, and anything else that allows you to pin content. When was the last time you pinned that post? Whoa—my pinned tweet was from 2017! There’s nothing  that screams inactivity like an out-of-date pinned tweet or Facebook post! Keep pinned content updated just like you would your profile picture or bio!

Unsubscribe from others’ emails.

It’s 2020 and there is no reason you should be stuck on someone’s email newsletter list if you don’t genuinely enjoy the content, you’re having delivered to you email inbox. Unsubscribe from all the stores you don’t want to get promotional emails from and all the people you don’t even know. Look at your email inbox with your editorial glasses on and unsubscribe from any emails that don’t offer you any value as a writer. If you signed up for a newsletter once and all that influencer is doing is sending you emails about products, then unsubscribe!

Pro Tip: If the unsubscribe button is not located on the email or you have to take a long, convoluted path to unsubscribing from the newsletter, then mark the email as spam. Influencers or brands that don’t have the decency to comply with the CAN-SPAM act don’t even deserve your email on their list to begin with. Unsubscribe, sister.

Update your own emails!

Update all of your automated emails from newsletter confirmations to deliverables and any other kind of emails so that your automated emails are up-to-date. Make sure your email signatures are updated and displaying accurate contact information and socials.

Aqua and yellow notebooks with green pen. Photo by Chimene Gaspar.

Check your newsletter open rates to see exactly how many of your subscribers actually open your emails.  How are people responding to your emails?  Do subscribers like the freebies and other content you’ve given them? Do they download said content?

Consider updating the media in your emails so that graphics, photos, illustrations, fonts, and other decorative elements are not only new and refreshing but they are consistent and uniform with other social media.

Pro Tip: Canva is an excellent tool for crafting high-quality vector graphics that can be used in a wide array of projects. I use Canva for thumbnails in my YouTube videos, blog post thumbnails, and site buttons! Click here to check out Canva.

Update your website’s contact form and email links!

You can save so much time by making your contact form work for you! Avoid tons of unnecessary emails by requiring answers to detailed, specific questions. This allows you to gain as much information about the person trying to contact you, all in the first email. It will give you a better understanding of his/her needs and how to address the situation.

Here are a few fields to include in your contact form to help you get the most information in one go:

• Ask specific questions about the project in question (if applicable)

• Offer options for the reason they chose to reach out

• Get a referral name—who sent them your way? How did they find you?

• Get their website URL

• Depending on your work—either writing or editing or something else, you might want to have different options for different guests who might reach out. You can include a check box for guest bloggers, literary agents, or fans, or you can set up links to separate forms for these different types of visitors.

Check out my contact form here to get an idea of what else you can include!

Keep track of your stats and watch the numbers grow!

From your email newsletter stats to Facebook groups to Twitter to your website, you should know your stats. Create a spreadsheet or write them down and keep track of them each month. Don’t take the numbers personally, they’re just a metric. Increases and decreases in subscribers or followers tell you all kinds of useful information—what’s working and what’s not, where you should back off, and where your content is thriving. Use these numbers to help you grow as a content creator. When the numbers start going up, you’ll find it’s quite fun keeping track of the steady increase!

Here’s where I keep track of my stats:

• Facebook Business Page

• Twitter

• LinkedIn Analytics

• Instagram

• MailChimp subscribers

• MailChimp campaign open rate

• Squarespace Analytics

• YouTube Analytics

Go over your goals for 2020 and make sure they’re specific, realistic, actionable, and sustainable. What did you do right in 2019? What big and small wins did you have in your creative field? What strengths and weaknesses do you have as a content creator and what did you learn from them? How can you improve in 2020?

Plan your attack for 2020

Have a serious conversation with yourself about what you’ve accomplished in 2019 and how you can use that momentum to do even more in 2020. Come up with an action plan based on your goals and needs. Take into account all of the resources you’re going to need to execute your action plan such as finances, education, support, time, preparation. Consider what you want your year to look like as a whole, from month to month, and over a week’s time and what you will need to make that vision a reality.

Spring cleaning is equally important digitally as it is physically and mentally. As a writer you should start the year off the right way by making sure your workspaces are organized, all of your online social media platforms, emails are up-to-date, all important content is backed up in the cloud or on an external device, your workstation is updated and passwords are changed regularly. These things will prepare you for 2020 and all the awesomeness the new decade has to offer your creative career.

That’s it for the 8 things all writers need to do before 2020 hits! What did you think about my Spring Cleaning for Writers list? Is there anything you’d add? Do you already practice these items? I’d love to hear your thoughts

Further Reading

• Read my 5 Actionable New Year’s Resolutions For Writers In 2020 blog post here.

• Read my 8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves in 2020 blog post here.

• Read my 20 Bookish New Year’s Resolutions for 2020 blog Post here.

—Payton

Writing Every Day: What Writing As A Journalist Taught Me About Deadlines & Discipline

A photo of the newsroom, FA 115, Rose State College, 2018. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Hello readers and writerly friends!

If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post, I’ll be outlining how working as a journalist taught me that being successful a successful writer means maintaining a daily writing practice. Just like with playing sports or being an opera singer, writers have to put in the practice to perfect their craft. Basketball players practice shooting hoops and dribbling so they can control the ball when its game time. Opera singers practice their scales and warm up their vocal chords to keep their voices clear and strong for performances. Writers must write every day to work out their writing muscles and keep the creativity flowing. In this post, I will go into detail about how working as a journalist got me into the practice of daily writing and what it taught me about deadlines and discipline.

After working as both a social media coordinator and a features writer at a local newspaper, I learned the writing process isn’t as complex as some make it out to be. This job taught me that I don’t have to wait for the right moment for creativity to strike or for the creative muse to grace me with its presence. For years, I believed I could only write during ungodly late hours of the night, when I was in the writing mood, or when I was in the right headspace to do my best work. The truth is that I was a) just procrastinating writing and postponing the growth of my craft and b) was never going to create my best works on the first draft anyways.

The latter has to be one of the hardest concepts to grasp as a writer and I’ve made multiple blog posts addressing it because was probably the biggest hurdle for me to overcome as a creative mind. I don’t doubt that thousands of other writers out there, struggle with this same problem—that writer’s block will pass and when it does you will do your best writing. The thing is—perfection is overrated. Even established, best-selling authors can expect poor quality writing in their rough draft. Its just a fact of the craft that a writer cannot create a perfect draft in the same breath as their first draft. You can read more about this topic in my blog post about blank pages versus bad pages here.

Not only have I learned that I shouldn’t set such high expectations for first drafts and that I should just write instead of waiting for the right moment, but I have also learned that with enough diligence and patience, I can harness and master creativity in an everyday routine. Working at the newspaper required me to adhere to strict deadlines and write on a routine to ensure each step of the publishing process was completed in a timely manner so that the paper made it to the press on time. This was a demanding job, but it taught me a lot about the writing process, even if it was journalism. Journalistic writing often requires you to write way a head of schedule so multiple edits can be made, and fact checking can be done before print. Demystifying the creative process has helped me to overcome writer’s block and the fear that comes with writing. It is certainly possible to commit to creative deadlines and longer projects.

Being a successful, professional writer means you can and must write consistently. Publishers and agents are looking for writers who write because it’s what they do and not how they feel. If all the great American writers stopped writing when they felt writer’s block begin to set in, the list of the Top 100 Books Everyone Should Read would be much shorter than a hundred books.

Another thing is, that if you write every day, you will become a better writer. The more you write and edit your work, the more familiar you become with the writing process. This not only removes the fear that comes with writing, but it is exactly as they say—practice makes perfect. By consistently practicing writing, you are effectively honing your skill and making yourself a better writer.

Over the years, I've learned that writer's block takes two forms; it appears as the lack of motivation to write or the lack of inspiration. While these two forms sound incredibly similar, there's an important distinction—motivation is the reason someone feels compelled to do something while inspiration is the sudden, brilliant creative idea that person feel compelled to create or bring to life.

Lack of motivation typically comes from burnout, wavering between the writer and editor mindset, feelings of inadequacy, and procrastination. Lack of inspiration comes from stagnancy, lack of stimulation, and lack of challenge. The key difference between the two is this: a writer cannot be inspired and unmotivated simultaneously, because inspiration acts as an entity of motivation. When a writer feels inspired, they may push through these negative feelings in order to achieve their goal and see their creation to the end. A lack of feeling inspired might stem from an environment that isn't conducive to growth, lack of stimulation, and lack of challenge.

I was inspired to write the blog post because of the sheer number of comments I get from writers who claim they can only write when they feel inspired or in the right frame of mind, when that is simply not true. What any prolific writer will tell you is that they’ve achieved success because of consistency, patience and dedication. If you truly love your craft and the art of storytelling, you owe it to yourself and your writing to honor these values.

Bibliography

• Hayes, Payton. “A photo of the newsroom, FA 115, Rose State College.” March 26, 2018.

• Hayes, Payton. “Study Tips To Slay Finals, My Article From The 15th Street News, April Issue.” April 10, 2017 (Thumbnail photo).

Related Topics

• 5 Healthy Habits For Every Writer

• 5 Reasons Why Most Writers Quit

• When Writing Becomes Difficult 

• How To Overcome Writer’s Block

• Know The Rules So Well That You Can Break The Rules Effectively

• Blank Pages Versus Bad Pages: Overcoming Writer’s Block When The Editor Brain Is At War With The Writer Brain

• 7 Amateur Writer Worries That Keep You From Taking The Plunge (And Ultimately Don't Matter)

• 8 Reasons Why Having Writing Community Matters

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Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 17, 2025

Blank Pages Versus Bad Pages: Overcoming Writer’s Block When The Editor Brain Is At War With The Writer Brain

Hello readers and writerly friends!

If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this post, we’ll be discussing how writing and editing at the same time can become a writing roadblock. Obviously, the “writer brain” and the “editor brain” aren’t official psychological terms but that’s how I personally like to think of it when I catch myself actively editing and rewriting lines I’ve just drafted. You can also think of it this way: when you’re writing, you’re wearing you writer hat; when you’re editing, you’re wearing your editor hat. You can’t wear both at the same time, though. Well, I suppose you technically can wear two hats at once, but neither will be effective and you’re going to look and feel quite silly doing so. Instead, simply don the writer hat and hang up the editor hat until its time to move on to the editing stage.

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” —Jodi Picoult

One thing writers will tell you is that writer’s block is alive and well in most of us, but the reality is that those who claim to experience writer’s block haven’t build up to proverbial muscle memory of writing without editing and it is easier to repeatedly fall victim to bad habits than to take time out to build new ones. Everything comes down to this: writer’s block is defeated by writing. Simple as that. So, why am I telling you all of this? Because once you realize that bad pages are better than blank pages, it will get exponentially easier for you to write despite writer’s block, and eventually it won’t be an issue for you anymore.

What Is Writer’s Block?

Writer’s block, as per Merriam Webster, is the problem of not being able to think of something to write about or not being able to finish writing a story, poem, etc. However, in recent years, the noun has become synonymous with the problem of not being motivated to write, or not being in the right head-space to do your best writing. Subsequently, this has been the definition of writer’s block I’ve come to know well, as it was the version that plagued me.

Blonde woman in a grey sweater, looking at blank pages in an unlined notebook. Photo by John Schnobrich.

Rough Drafts

See, here’s the issue with writers that cling to that second definition—everyone’s rough draft is supposed to be ROUGH. There’s a reason that’s why we call them rough drafts. Even New York Times’ bestselling authors and prolific writers create rough drafts. It is foolish to think that your best writing would come from your very first, second or even third drafts. This is why writing is a process and not temporary—it takes time, and usually several iterations to get to the best, most polished version of the work.

Writing and Editing

The reason so many writers struggle with cracking out that crusty rough draft and that’s because they have a hard time separating their writer and editor brains. These two modes of thinking are exactly as they sound—the writer brain is the creative one credited with using the creative process and is the one usually struck by the muse and the editor brain is the corrective one that is often employed during the editing and polishing process. The thing is—these two thought processes can’t coexist. This is why it is important to separate the two when you sit down to write, because it is nearly impossible to be creative when you’re using your editor brain, and it is likewise nearly impossible to effectively edit with your writer brain, since the two are diametrically opposed.

Blank Pages Or Bad Pages—Which Is Worse?

Blank pages are meant for the writer brain and bad pages are meant for the editor brain, specifically in that order. You must write first, then edit later if you want to effectively move through the writing process and better your craft. If you’re only ever stuck on blank pages because the editor brain won’t get out of the way, you won’t grow as a writer and the stories inside you will suffer because of it. However, if you can learn to write despite the writers block, by separating the two modes of thinking, you will find it increasingly easier to pick up the pencil (or keyboard) each time, and your rough drafts will get better over time.

And that’s it for my hot take on Blank vs. Bad pages and how the wearing both the writer hat and editor hat simultaneously can cause writer’s block! What do you think? Have you ever had writer’s block? Do you agree with this argument? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Picoult, Jodi. “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” Goodreads Quotes, accessed September 12, 2019.

• Schnobrich, John (johnishappysometimes). “Woman wearing sweater opening blank book.” Unsplash photo, January 11, 2018 (Thumbnail photo).

Related Topics

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• 5 Reasons Why Most Writers Quit

• When Writing Becomes Difficult 

• How To Overcome Writer’s Block

• Know The Rules So Well That You Can Break The Rules Effectively

• Writing Every Day: What Writing As A Journalist Taught Me About Deadlines & Discipline

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Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 17, 2025

Oversaturation In A World of Overconsumption (There's No Such Thing)

Laptop displaying site analytics. Photo by
Carlos Muza.

Hello readers and writerly friends!

If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post we’re discussing oversaturation in the digital era, especially as it relates to content creation and social media. If you’re a writer, artist, entrepreneur, or content creator, you may have heard someone utter this quote before, or maybe you’ve even said it yourself: “The market is over-saturated.”

This statement has been discussed widely in many entrepreneur circles and how its a major roadblock in many people’s road to success. However, its just not true. Yes, the idea of over-saturation is a roadblock, but over-saturation doesn’t really exist, especially not in the digital era where over-consumption of media is a prominent part of society.

One great example of this is easily found in your own YouTube subscriptions. Most, if not, all of us have been in the scenario where we’re left waiting for our favorite YouTube creator to come out with a new video. If they stick to a regular posting schedule, then we know when to expect to see their videos out, but it doesn’t mean that in the meantime, we’re not eager for those notifications. This is also true for other social media platforms, primarily Twitter and Instagram.

Here’s the tea. There’s no such thing as over-saturation in a world where viewers and subscribers are consuming content faster than it is being created. Creators often describe the process for videos, podcasts and even blog posts such as this and the behind-the-scenes work that goes into crafting content that will only be viewed for a few short moments. It’s hard to think about pouring all of that time and energy into a project that might not even capture someone’s attention for more than a few seconds.

This isn’t entirely a bad thing, though. While it can be a challenge to create compelling content that will engage an audience in a world filled with hand-held distractions, it can also be an advantage. In this digital age, people are consuming content faster than ever. It only takes a few minutes to watch a YouTube video and even less time to read a new Twitter post, which means that consumers are devouring content so rapidly, that the demand for new content is at an all time high. If you’re going to start your YouTube channel or your motivational podcast, there’s no better time than now, to do it. Social media markets may seem over-saturated due to the vast amount of creators posting on platforms, but this industry is still in its infancy. Over-Saturation doesn’t exist.

Gary Vee even supported this argument on Matt D’Avella’s podcast, saying, “…fragmentation of attention across all of these mediums has created a scenario where you can't have overexposure." Gary Vee on content over-exposure in Matt D’Avella’s Ground Up Show, episode 101. Click here to hear the full episode.

Let me know what you thought about this hot take on oversaturation! Do you think it exists? Why? Have you ever experienced the dread that comes with oversaturation? Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography

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Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 18, 2025

Freelancing Basics

Hello readers and writerly friends!

If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post we’re discussing what it takes to get started as a freelance editor in the publishing industry. Freelance editing can be just as rewarding and fulfilling as editing for a traditional publisher, but likewise, it can be just as difficult getting started. I’ve put together a few lists to help you get started with your freelance editing business. If you’re not into freelance editing, that’s okay! Many of these tips can be applied to freelancers in other industries!

Getting Started As A Freelance Editor

• Apply to internships while still in school and even after, to build your real-world experience in the industry, as well as your experience working with industry-standard programs and editing techniques.

• Take masterclasses specializing in the different degrees of manuscript editing, grammar, and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS.)

• Aim for editing certifications to show your education and qualifications.

• Join editorial associations to build connections with other editors in these networks and build your repertoire of resources in the editing industry.

• Read all the books you can—on industry, writing, style and everything in between. Seriously. (And novels in your specific genre too, of course!) I have an ever-growing list of my favorite craft books. These are so helpful, not only for becoming more familiar with the editorial industry, but they will help you read and think more critically as an editor as well. Click here to view the list.

Notebook next to black eyeglasses and a cup of pens. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

Finding Work As A Freelance Editor

• Collaborate with other editors online and in-person to gain new perspectives, techniques and successful practices of others.

• Connect with literary agents and other editors for their “reject” clients to build experience and make connections with artists who are just getting started. (reject clients may include clients the other editors and agents simply didn’t vibe with our didn’t have time to take on the projects of and does not necessarily;y refer to clients that are incompetent or lacking.)

• Offer services both online and in your community to increase your experience.

• Apply to any business or person with an online presence. Writing online copy is just as important as manuscript editing, especially in the digital age.

• Specialize. Don’t try to do everything when you’re just starting out. Try a couple of different types of editing to see what you like and stick with that for a while. You’ll hone your skills and be more experienced in that niche.

Brown suede couch draped in leopard print throw blankets. Photo by Erik Mclean

Working From Home As A Freelancer

• Time batch similar tasks. Freelance Editor, Mollie Turbeville, from Molliereads on YouTube, and bestselling author, award-winning speaker and entrepreneur, Amy Landino are both uber-successful boss ladies, living their best lives and managing their time with time-batching. The key to this is to schedule similar events and tasks on the same days, to eliminate wasted time. One way they use this practice is on days when they film for their channels, they will film several videos in one day while their “film-ready” or they’ll schedule several meetups in one day at the same coffee shop to cut down on time spent getting ready and travelling.

• Keep looking for work. While your schedule may dance between being busy and slow work days, it’s important to keep multiple projects lined up. In this industry, its best to prepare for situations out of our control, such as when a writer backs out of a project.

• Plan realistic hours for your work. It’s important to keep busy, but it is likewise important to create a meaningful and sustainable schedule for yourself. As an editor, burnout comes more often and destructive than for other occupations. Similarly, it is important to remember that when it is time to work, you must be responsible for yourself and your time. Editors cannot wait for motivation or creativity to strike because most projects are time-sensitive. Set realistic hours and stick to your schedule.

• Create a workspace conducive to successful business practice. Environment is everything for freelance editors. For the same reason it is important that students don’t sleep where the study or study where they sleep, freelancers need a workspace that can be differentiated from their home environment. In the student example, it’s easy to see where the mental lines become blurred if one studies in their bed. This has been proven to decrease study effectiveness and degrade students ability to stay on task and alert in an area they associate with sleep. Similar to this example, freelances must be able to separate work life and home life to avoid burnout and to avoid blurring the lines between work and play. This may mean implementing a physical distinction, such as a divider or even setting up a home office separate from sources of entertainment. This distinction should make it so that when you’re in your workspace, you aren’t distracted or tempted to procrastinate and when you’re in your home, you don’t feel the pressure of work when it’s time to wind down.

Bibliography

• Sikkema, Kelly (@kellysikkema). “White printer paper on brown wooden table.” Unsplash, September 1, 2020 (Thumbnail photo).

• Hazelwood, Suzy (@suzyhazelwood). “Close-up photography of notebook near pens.” Pexels photo, June 6, 2018.

• Mclean, Erik (@introspectivedsgn). “Deer painting over brown fabric sofa with reading torchiere on corner.” Unsplash photo, March 28, 2019.

Related Topics

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Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 17, 2025