Get Outside

It's currently winter in my part of the world (though you couldn't exactly tell by our temperatures lately). 
Colder weather typically sends people scurrying inside to cuddle under blankets and next to fireplaces. I'm all for warmth and cocoa, but sometimes, you need to brave mother nature and vacate the house.

There's something about fresh air that awakens the senses--especially cold air. In fact, early in my writing career, when I was typing a lot of my novels in the wintertime, I'd sit on my front porch and write. I'd bundle up in a coat, hat, gloves, fuzzy blanket, and stick an electric heater nearby.
It helped get me out of a writing "rut" while te fresh (and chilly) air sparked my imagination.
So are you finding it hard to pen the right words? Or maybe you're just having a hard time finding motivation to write? Well, get outside!
You don't need to be crazy like me, lugging your laptop out in 30 degree temperatures to type. Go for a walk, explore the world around you. Trust me, you'll be richer when you return home than if you'd just been snuggled under a blanket.

Writer's Block Cure-All

Do you guys remember a few posts ago wherein I discussed a certain problem I was having? (That particular post is here)
Well, I've found the cure to my atychiphobia, lazy, uninspired episode. And I'm going to share it with you. It's surprisingly easy and only involves three steps.
1. Get away from your writing. No, seriously. Don't even look at it. You know the adage "distance makes the heart grow fonder"? Well it's true. As far as your novels are concerned, anyway.
2. Take a trip to your library (or bookstore) and read something out of the status quo. In my case, it's classics (*cough*Classics Challenge*cough*). Reading Wuthering Heights got my mind off one of my greatest weaknesses: low writerly self-esteem. Unintentionally, with every YA book I pick up, I compare my skills, ideas, and characters to another writer's. Reading something out of my genre (and century!) let me really enjoy the story. And I got a break from questioning my writerly worth.

3. Reevaluate why you're writing. Without a clear goal, it's easy to get off track. I'm writing for two reasons: to glorify God and to share my stories with the world. One day I'd love for my novels to be cherished and reread over and over again. A girl can dream, right?
...And that's it! 
Three simple steps that involve nothing too drastic. Trust me, they make a world of difference. I'm 100% ready--okay, 98% ready--to jump into my stories and give them the effort and love they deserve.
How about you?

Sweat

You probably didn't notice, but I was MIA on Thursday (my usual blog post day). Why? I had a little accident with soap and my laptop keyboard.

                           

Major woops.

But I am now typing to you on a brand new laptop. I am also much poorer than I was a few days ago.

Moving on.

When was the last time you went for a run? Lifted some weights? Worked up a sweat?

                                         

(So many gifs of guys freaking out. You can probably tell what an impact my computer damage had on me...)

Not only is working out great for your body, it does wonders for the imagination. There's probably a big scientific study behind inspiration and exercise being linked. Something about endorphins and increased blood flow.

All I know is that is works.

And no, pinning exercises on pinterest doesn't count.

Okay, it's not like while I'm running I'm struck with brilliant book ideas or plot solutions. That happens after. Running wakes me up and somehow gives me the focus/creativity I need to write.

So have you been feeling stumped lately? Blocked? Take my advice. Lace up your tennis shoes and get outside. Run, walk, it doesn't matter.

Just get your blood flowing.