If you want to become an Author all you have to do is one, little thing: write.

Easier said than done, right? So, let’s see what I do to try to keep my creative muse alive even in those days I’m not really in the mood to write (or in those days everything I write feels like shit for what it’s worth).

First: Get an Idea

Write down whatever idea you have for a new story. I use Google Keep on my smartphone to write those when I’m on the go, but you can use whatever application that allows you to write short texts and bullet lists.

This mass of tenths of ideas is a “puddle” from which you can draw whenever necessary. It’s inspiring and also reassuring, because it means that – in the worst possible case – you still have something left to write.

Moreover, some tales needs their time into the puddle to grow and become something that’s worth writing. It’s very rare for an idea to blossoms in a full-fledged draft already in the beginning.

Write a Draft!

Now that you have an idea: write it down in details!

Write a sketch of the full story; create characters’ drafts; add needed details and connections; add links between events and be sure there will be an answer to each key questions, for each event:

• “why is this happening and why couldn’t this happen in another way?”
• “is it logical, for this character to act like that?”
• “is the conflict internal or external?”
• “does it make overall sense?”
• “would you read it?”
• …and so on…

Then, once the draft is ready, read it and read it again. If it seems to make sense and to be engaging enough, split the draft into tentative chapters and scenes. Write a summary for each scene, theen export/print the summaries, read everything and correct whatever doesn’t sound good in the story.

Write the Story!

Now your story is ready: you just need to write it.

This is probably the phase where your creativity can roam around freely the most. Enjoy it! Play with the characters, play with the words.

Then once you finish it, re-read it and check anything that sounds fishy (Did you just write “he slid his hands under her skirt”? You wrote two scenes before that she was wearing throusers…)

Helpful Tools?

Lot of helpful toold out there, for us writers and authors.

You are stuck without ideas? No, there is tool for a full-fledged idea out there, unfortunately, but the various online plot-generators can give you some help in starting up your imagination, maybe. Try one.

You look for a tool do write? yWriter6 is a free and very, very good tool to create even the most complex of stories and series. It allows you to manage chapters, scenes, summaries, locations, characters, timelines, items and much more.

I assure: once you start using it, you’ll not write with Word anymore. The only problem with yWriter6 is that there is no mobile version. It means you’ll have to stick to different applications if you want to write on the go with a tablet (but really, is it even possible to seriously write without a keyboard?).

Enough for today. But I’ll soon be back with other useful tips!