A Warning for Writers

I’m kicking off the new year with a warning for writers. Why a warning? Because of a problem I’ve encountered. This problem can sneak up on you, and you discover you have it before you realize it. Or it may hit you like a runaway train. What’s the problem? The fun goes out of your writing.

Instead of looking forward to it, sitting down at your computer or notebook feels like a chore. So this month my theme for JPC Allen Writes is fun–how to have fun with your writing no matter what you write.

Where Did All the Fun Go?

I think a writer can lose their enjoyment in their craft for a number of reasons. For me, it’s been the pressure of being an author. I love having my novels published, but I can let the demands of meeting deadlines and marketing siphon off all the fun I have getting to know my characters and crafting a complicated mystery.

Maybe you’re not published yet. You have a finished manuscript, or you’re working on one, and you’re researching how to get published. Investigating various agents and what they want, querying them, building a platform, and studying craft and marketing resources can make you forget why you wrote the novel in the first place.

Or it could be a tough time in your life. Personal traumas don’t allow you to enjoy this art like you use to.

Or your inspiration has dried up. Anything you write seems dull, unoriginal, or pointless and you don’t know how to get the creative spark to reignite.

Let’s Inspire Each Other!

So this month, I’ll have posts offering suggestions on how to have fun with writing fiction, things I enjoy about writing my cozy mystery series. I’ll also offer fun writing prompts for my Monday Sparks.

I’d love to hear from you. Has there been a time when writing wasn’t fun? Why? What did you do to regain your delight in this art? If you haven’t figured that out yet, please join me on Mondays and Thursdays, and we’ll work to find you a solution.

But don’t forget …

Have Fun!

For some fun writing prompts, click here.