Monday, July 9, 2018

7 Things Writers Can't Help Doing

Writers have unique minds. Our thought process isn't always normal, but it's perfect for creating wonderful stories. Characters speak to us, scenes come alive for us, and our imaginations take us (and readers) to extraordinary places...

Here are just a few things Writers Can't Help...

  1. Imagining backstories of random strangers
  2. Thinking, "This would make a great twist" when something goes wrong
  3. Staring off into space because you're replaying a scene and thought of a better ending then laughing out loud from it
  4. Writing down a dream idea in the middle of the night and having no idea what it means in the morning
  5. Coming up with several different ways to kill someone and get away with it
  6. Acting out scenes and dialog
  7. Giving characters flaws of friends
Funny, right? But on a more serious note: the worst thing writers can't help doing is doubting ourselves. I've been doubting myself lately after a few bad experiences have piled up, and sometimes, it's hard to find the courage to keep going with it. But the stories still persist. And having you guys to talk to, I can fill my cup back up and write on.

Thanks!

What about you? Anything you can't help doing?

And now for the SHOUT OUT of the Week:


Christine is a wonderful friend, full of good advice and encouragement, and she writes some awesome speculative fiction. I'm so lucky to have her as one of my critique partners! If you haven't tried her 13th Floor series or the Totem series, or Of Blood and Sorrow with sequel coming soon, you haven't experienced some super-super-natural worlds. I highly recommend all of Christine's works. She's fabulous writer who brings paranormal, folklore, and legends to life with superb dramatic, romantic twists!

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. Married to her best friend and fellow geek, her family lives in Indiana with a son who is too smart for his parents' own good and loves to pretend he has a portal gun. Christine has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. She loves going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel.

Visit her: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

And the winners of my Beastly Fun Summer Giveaway are below - Thanks for playing!
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10 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Fill your cup and write on!
Excellent featured author - Christine rocks.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Keep going, Tara - don't give up!

Yeh for Christine!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'm always writing down dreams but usually in the morning so I can remember. (And almost every single one of my stories began with a dream.)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Great list. Writers seem to always have something going on in their heads not related to what they're currently doing.
And Christine is awesome.

Heather R. Holden said...

So sorry to hear you've been experiencing so much doubt lately. (I know that feeling all too well.) Good luck persevering!

And very cool to see Christine featured here. She's awesome, for sure!

Anonymous said...

At my brother's funeral last month, I kept thinking "This will be useful to know for a story" Part of that was probably to help me cope with the loss.

H. R. Sinclair said...

I'm right there with you on the doubt. :( I hope it goes away soon for ya.

I love the other writerly things; they are so true!

Rhonda Albom said...

My daughter is born to be a writer. (She is in University now). I read her your list and she says it completely describes her.

M.J. Fifield said...

I'm constantly doing 3, 4, and 6. And doubt...yeah, I do that a lot, too.

And hooray for Christine—she's amazing! (As are you, Tara!)

Mark Murata said...

The science fiction/fantasy writer Poul Anderson told his wife that even if he were lying on the couch, he would be thinking of writing. His wife said, "All right, but if you start to snore . . ."

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