Writing tip #9: Join writing sprints
You're invited to come write with us! Also, what kind of writing/creative support are you looking for right now?
Join us tonight for a writing sprint at 8pm EST on the Substack chat!
Dear readers,
I’d love to ask: what would help you the most right now when it comes to supporting your writing dreams and goals?
I created a poll below to see if any of these ideas interest you, but please do share any other suggestions in the comment below so that I can consider them.
Writing sprints: We meet online, countdown to the writing sprint start time, and then we all start writing from our respective homes/places of choice for a set amount of time (usually 10, 20 or 30 minutes). The benefit is that you commit to a writing time and know that the writing community is writing at the same time!
Workbook: Would you like a guided, online workbook that talks you through a certain aspect of the writing or storytelling process?
Details of a writer’s life: I’m a freelance writer and editor and I also work on my novels and poems. Would you like to hear more about a typical writing routine, or learn about some writing tips?
Story structure workshop: I recently finished writing a YA novella you can read for free online along with tips regarding the storytelling technique and structure I created before writing the story. Would you be interested in experiencing this information packaged as part of an online workshop?
Note: Some of these options may be paid opportunities, and others will be in the form of free writing support, as I’d like to ensure all subscribers have access to support!
At one point, I needed to rejig my writing routine so that I was writing more regularly, and I was so happy when I figured that out. I created this newsletter hoping to help you on your writing journey too!
I look forward to reviewing the feedback and thank you for your input!
~ Marisa
In this newsletter…
The Heart of Storytelling: Join us online today or soon for supportive, fun writing sprints!
The Writing Life: Updates on In Your Dreams, celebrating the love of writing and writing more, and finishing my YA novella (free online)
Writers’ Corner: 3 newsletters that caught my attention and may be of interest to you too
The Heart of Storytelling
This is where I’ll share writing, editing and publishing tips, based on my experience.
Writing tip #9: Join writing sprints
Picture this. You want to work on your story, poem or WIP. You want to dedicate some time to just writing.
So you commit to a time. You get to your computer. You open up the file. And someone is cheering you on.
Okay, you don’t see or hear them cheering you on, but you know they’re there, online in the chat with you, also at their computer/device working on their writing, too.
The entire time that you’re at your device writing, you know that a fellow writer out there somewhere is working on their writing at the same time too. You’re not alone. You have support. And suddenly, maybe, likely, you feel more accountable and excited. You wanted to do some writing and you did.
This is an example of my experience with writing sprints. I first heard of the concept in 2018 when I participated in National Novel Writing Month. It felt so nice to come to my computer, check in with my writing group online, wait for the writing countdown, and then tune into my story world, knowing as I entered the writing session that other writers were at their desks, committing to their writing craft at the same time too.
Does this sound like something that interests you?
If it does, or if you’d like to try it out, you are more than welcome to join a writing sprint with your fellow writers. All Doing the Write Thing subscribers can access the Substack chat feature. This is where we can meet to initiate or join writing sprints.
That’s right—initiate or join! You’re welcome to pop into the chat to invite others to join you when you’re about to write, or to join a scheduled writing sprint. Here are a few upcoming sessions:
Wednesday, February 7 at 8pm EST
Thursday, February 8 at 8pm EST
Monday, February 12 at 12pm EST
The point of these writing sprints is to help you on your writing journey by helping us commit to a time and place for writing. Hope to see you there!
The Writing Life
In January, I worked on In Your Dreams about…one to two times per week.
That is not enough to get it out the door soon!
I respect and embrace that I was prioritizing what needed to be prioritized in the moment; for example, if I felt really tired, I respected my body’s message and pivoted to relaxing (I finished reading Suzanne Collins’ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and loved it! Now I’m reading another great book by Matt Haig entitled How to Stop Time). I also caught up on a webinar that explores the topic of hybrid vs. self-publishing, which includes information that’s completely relevant to preparing In Your Dreams for publication.
At the same time, I know that the bottom line for In Your Dreams is it’s got to be worked on more than twice a month in order to reach readers soon.
So, I told myself, February is one of my favourite months of the year—it’s also a month that includes Valentine’s Day, which is all about love—and I’m also going to make February about WRITING! The love of writing, the joy of writing, and the excitement to get closer to finishing editing In Your Dreams so that it’s ready to reach readers this year!!
My YA novella is complete!
Remember that long list of stories and writing projects I’d like to share this year?
While movement on IYD was slow in January, I do celebrate that I worked on it on my phone in short early morning snippets; I was happy to see myself making that time for it.
And I finished writing The Other Side of the Ocean! All 12 chapters are now available for free online. You’re welcome to read the story or learn more about the storytelling technique and structure behind the story in these Behind the Scenes posts.
I hope you enjoy reading it and that you find these posts about storytelling technique helpful too.
Writers’ Corner
This is where we’ll gather around the virtual cozy fireplace to talk about writing and participate in fun writing exercises and contests!
There are so many amazing newsletters out there to help support writers! Here are some topics I imagine may be useful to you too:
How to withhold information without frustrating the reader by Erin Bowman
Everything I’m writing is a mess by Meaghan McIsaac
Thank you all SO much for your support! It truly means so much that you’re subscribing and hopefully making progress on and enjoying your writing journey. I hope Doing the Write Thing is helping you enjoy writing or another creative project that brings you joy and that calls from your heart.
Wishing you great writing you enjoy!