A Goodreads user
asked
Riley Lashea:
Hello! I was wondering--how did you get into writing, and what advise do you have for those of us who are struggling to write? I am an author myself, but I seem to have major writer's block. What do you do to get through something like that? Thank you for your time. Have a great day! :D
Riley Lashea
Hi, K.
Thanks for being my first question :)
To be quite honest, I’ve been doing it for so long, I can’t remember what got me into writing exactly. I remember writing short stories and poems and working on plays and a school magazine in elementary school, and I’ve been scratching into notebooks on my own for as long as I can remember.
As for writer’s block, I don’t suffer from it often, but I definitely suffer it when it happens. I think a lot of people don’t realize how cerebral writing really is, how much brain power it takes. I really think your brain can just get tapped out. I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day of writing I often have a raging headache I’m convinced comes from thinking too hard for too long.
I get over writer’s block by doing the same things I do in an effort to prevent it from happening in the first place. I like puzzles, so I do crosswords or Sudoku or KenKen when I get a little burned out. Sometimes I play guitar or work in Photoshop. When I know I need to put in some long writing days (when I’m coming up on a release date or deadline), I generally stop every two to three hours and play ten minutes or so of a video game. Mrs. Pacman, Mario Kart and Legend of Zelda are my faves. I find things that force my mind to work differently are the most effective remedies for getting back in the zone.
I also avoid social networks like the plague when writing, because I’m easily bothered by depressing news and I never know what I might see. I guess that’s my only real advice. If it’s possible for you, get up and write before you do anything else. Try to avoid news and other people’s drama as much as possible. Get to your story first. Catch up with real life later.
Thanks for being my first question :)
To be quite honest, I’ve been doing it for so long, I can’t remember what got me into writing exactly. I remember writing short stories and poems and working on plays and a school magazine in elementary school, and I’ve been scratching into notebooks on my own for as long as I can remember.
As for writer’s block, I don’t suffer from it often, but I definitely suffer it when it happens. I think a lot of people don’t realize how cerebral writing really is, how much brain power it takes. I really think your brain can just get tapped out. I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day of writing I often have a raging headache I’m convinced comes from thinking too hard for too long.
I get over writer’s block by doing the same things I do in an effort to prevent it from happening in the first place. I like puzzles, so I do crosswords or Sudoku or KenKen when I get a little burned out. Sometimes I play guitar or work in Photoshop. When I know I need to put in some long writing days (when I’m coming up on a release date or deadline), I generally stop every two to three hours and play ten minutes or so of a video game. Mrs. Pacman, Mario Kart and Legend of Zelda are my faves. I find things that force my mind to work differently are the most effective remedies for getting back in the zone.
I also avoid social networks like the plague when writing, because I’m easily bothered by depressing news and I never know what I might see. I guess that’s my only real advice. If it’s possible for you, get up and write before you do anything else. Try to avoid news and other people’s drama as much as possible. Get to your story first. Catch up with real life later.
More Answered Questions
Danni Mladenovic
asked
Riley Lashea:
Hi! I wanted to thank you for writing such lovely novels. I read Behind the green curtain and Club Storyville and they are very, very good! I was especially thrilled when I read Club Storyville, few months after Behind the green curtain, and find it completely different style-wise, but equally captivating. I want to ask you if you've ever thought about creating a May-December couple in your novels?
Kristen Jamison
asked
Riley Lashea:
Hey Riley - read the first week in your new series 21 Weeks. Really liked it, of course! Just hoping Beck has a girlfriend? I'll read it regardless, but it would be nice. Honestly, I would read anything you write - grocery lists, weekend to-do lists, random scribbling and doodles :) Jamie
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