Stuck? Discouraged? Archives

Writing Conflict in Stories When You Hate Conflict

October 13, 2017
Student Contributor
Push Your Imagination, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tools
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By Courtney Kleefeld, Student Contributor Conflict, specifically with other people, can cause a sensitive person like me a lot of stress. So why should I write something I don’t even like reading about in fiction?

Out of the Creative Wilderness

August 3, 2017
Student Contributor
Parenting a Young Writer, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life
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By Teresa Rudd, Parent Contributor I guess you could say that I wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of creative writing for forty years before encountering for the first time the One Year Adventure Novel curriculum.

The Summer Workshop: Take Off Your Mask

By Eve Fitzsimmons, Student Contributor Once upon a time, there was a girl. This girl was quiet, shy, super introverted, and really liked corners. Drawing attention to herself was off limits. She prayed that people would just smile and keep walking.

Give Your Fear of Writing the Uppercut

July 13, 2017
Student Contributor
Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tools
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By Lydia Davis, Student Contributor The act of creation attracts a surprising variety of fears. Part of this is because creativity refuses to be predictable. No matter how thoroughly you plot a novel, there’s inevitably some aspect that catches you off guard. Writing can be unknowable and unexpected. Sometimes, that’s what makes it exciting . . . but not all the time.

Using Routine to Combat Writing Anxiety

May 4, 2017
Staff Writer
Self-editing Tips, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tools
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By Gabrielle Schwabauer, Staff Writer I’ve taught my mind to expect writing, to think of it as a daily responsibility like making supper or taking a shower. I’ve taught my anxious brain that I can produce words on command, and that if it’s a difficult and frustrating process, that’s okay.