One of the most challenging aspects to writing a novel is finding the time and then productively using that time once you have it. As someone who has a ‘real’ job, many hobbies, and prone to periods of procrastination I have worked on several tricks and techniques to get my creative moments in.
Plan some time to sit down in your favorite spot and start with a simple task. Just getting a few sentences down or editing a page will often be enough to get your creative juices flowing and end up becoming an inspired session. Setting yourself an easily achievable objective will allow you to feel productive while driving towards your ultimate goal.
Reading what you penned the day before can also work and is important for creating consistency in your work. This was a trick Ernest Hemingway religiously used.
Sometimes if I am having trouble finding inspiration I will go for a walk or read a few pages from one of my favorite authors. Often an idea will pop into my mind, sometimes seeming from thin air or from a simple turn of phrase that I have read.
Another habit I use effectively is to take my pen and paper wherever I go. Often at work I will have a great idea and during my coffee break or lunch I can get it down on paper and bang out a page or two.
Good luck writing peeps!
G
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