I've only written 10,000 words so far in my upcoming science fiction book, but here's what I've learned so far to help me overcome writer's block, or more commonly known as, procrastination.
Last year, I had an idea for a short story about a man who would become the last human on Earth after discovering an alien spaceship and losing his parents,. After months, I decided to make this into a full-blown series, and instead decided to write about our solar system just waking up from a bubble of time in which 5,000 years passed inside, but no time passed outside. Humanity would be going to war with large alien cats and jackals, and I was inspired by some of my favorite science fiction authors, as well as Egyptian mythology.
At first, I was worried. For months. I thought people would send me lots of hate mail if I finished, and I didn't want to have too much attention, as I'm a very private person. For now, I've decided to use a pseudonym. So from January to March, my 5,000 words just sat in my document, untouched. I thought of ideas, I watched videos and read blogs on writing, but I didn't actually write.
But eventually I started to pick up steam. I felt the need to get my story out there. My general rule of thumb is that if I'm bored writing a scene, then readers will be bored reading it. So I try to "show rather than tell". Well, if you "show" not only will you be more invested in your writing, your readers will also be more interested in what you have to say. You won't become bored or give up.
Yeah, people said if you're stuck, just write. I kind of did that, but later discovered plot holes, so yeah, DO write, but also plan what you're going to write. I'm a pantser and I don't like writing according to an outline, but I need to get those crazy ideas in control so I can present it in a clear and orderly manner.
Get inspired. Take a look at animate or inanimate objects around you, and be creative. Write your book and add things that you haven't heard before. Go where no human has gone before, and don't just be the next follower. Come up with your own ideas. Who wants to read 10,000 more books on Vulcans (basically space elves) or fantasy elves? I'm not saying you can't write those, but be creative and make your own spin on it.
