ARCHIVE FOR Craft Advice

Are you finding it hard to write? We live in deeply unsettling times, and it's easy to get distracted by all that's going on in the world. Here's a brief list of ideas to jumpstart your writing and help you get out of your own head for a moment:

1) Apply to a writing contest. Years and years ago, I won a local short story prize, and it gave me the confidence I needed to keep plugging away at my writing

During this time when our normal writing routines (alongside most other routines!) have been disrupted, we’re sharing short videos designed to help us all get unstuck, move forward, or find a new direction for our writing projects.

In Episode 6 of our "Write On Prompts" video series, GrubStreet Board Member Jennifer De Leon shares a prompt about how to find inspiration from other writers that she used to help write her novel Don't Ask Me Where I'm From. You can find out more about Don't Ask Me Where I'm From here. 

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I'm amazed by writers who stop reading in their genre while writing their own books. The majority of them seem to be worried about becoming overly influenced by the voice, themes and even plot of the book they're reading.

Personally, I can't imagine not reading fiction for the many years it takes me to complete a novel. And in terms of being influenced: I'm actively looking for inspiration and ideas. I want to be influenced.

During this time when our normal writing routines (alongside most other routines!) have been disrupted, we’re sharing short videos designed to help us all get unstuck, move forward, or find a new direction for our writing projects.

In Episode 5 of our "Write On Prompts" video series, GrubStreet Instructor Samantha Shanley shares a prompt designed to help you discover poignant, funny, or even gorgeous moments in your writing (especially when working on difficult material). 

Find more of these videos in the coming weeks on Instagram and inside our newsletters. Enjoy!  

(This video features the song ...

During this time when our normal writing routines (alongside most other routines!) have been disrupted, we’re sharing short videos designed to help us all get unstuck, move forward, or find a new direction for our writing projects.

In Episode 4 of our "Write On Prompts" video series, GrubStreet Instructor Shelby Kinney-Lang shares a prompt about how to write through anxiety that he recently used on a new essay. You can read his essay inspired by this prompt over at Green Mountain Review. 

Find more of these videos in the coming weeks on Instagram and inside our newsletters. Enjoy! 

(This video ...