Meghan Rogers

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6 Awesome Tips to Declutter Your Writing Brain

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As writers, we juggle A LOT in our heads when we’re writing a story: characters, plot, dialogue, and the writing itself.

An entire world lives inside you!

That can be a lot to carry around. Your brain is your biggest creative tool, so it’s important to take care of it!

If you write too much for too long, you can risk burning yourself out. (As you may have guessed, I’m speaking from experience.) Giving your brain a break and a chance to refresh itself is important at every stage of the writing process.

6 Awesome Tips to Declutter Your Writing Brain

Here are six tips to decompress and declutter your writing brain.

1) Take time off

This may seem counter-productive if the reason you’re writing so much is to meet a deadline (self-imposed or otherwise), but it also may be exactly what you need.

When I work on a project for too long I get less productive as I go. It becomes harder to focus on my work and solve problems. It also takes me longer to accomplish tasks.

While it may be hard to walk away, especially if I’m on a deadline that isn’t self-imposed, it’s always worth it. When I come back to my project after a break, my brain is sharper, I write quicker, and my overall production drastically increases.

If you are on a deadline and find yourself in a situation where you really can’t afford to lose a whole day to give your writing brain a break, try to steal 24 consecutive hours. So on Day 1, decide that you’ll go hard until 3 PM. Then, give yourself off until 3 PM the following day, at which point you can pick your story back up again.

This way, you still get a ‘day’ off without losing an entire workday, if that makes sense.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media - in photo: writing tip: When I work on a long project for too long I get less productive as I go. Taking time off actually improves my book.

2) Move more

Exercise is, of course, great for you physically, but it can also do wonders for your creative brain.

Personally, I’ve found walking and/or running or other cardio is great because there’s very little you have to focus on. This gives your mind the freedom to wander and think about whatever it wants. When you write, you spend a lot of time forcing your brain in a direction, so unforced time can be a great way to refresh.

On the other hand, doing a very specific workout routine can be equally as helpful. By giving your brain a specific task to focus on, which practically guarantees time away from your story.

Yoga is my personal favorite, but any video or guided routine can have this effect. (FYI, my favorite yoga resource is Bad Yogi, if you’re into that kind of thing.)

3) Veg out

Take an entire day and do nothing. Seriously. Don’t leave the house. Don’t talk to another person. The only reason to get off the couch for anything other than food (which should definitely be mac and cheese 😜). Watch your favorite movie/TV show, read a book, do whatever you have to do to fully recharge. I shoot for at least one of these days per month if I can. When I get back to work the following day, I’m sharp and refreshed.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media - in photo: woman sitting

4) Take in other creative content

Personally speaking, taking in other people’s creative work can go a long way in decluttering my brain. This can mean watching TV, reading a book, or falling down a YouTube hole.

I think experience stories that are not mine and may not even be in my medium helps me to come out of my own head a little bit. And sometimes, once I can relax enough to get caught up in someone else’s story, I’ve found it can also inspire my own.

Another tip: Sometimes I find that since I work with words all day, reading a book for enjoyment is just asking too much of my brain. I can’t always focus on the story, the page, or the words. (Maybe this is you too?)

Instead, I’ve started listening to audiobooks. It’s been a great way to get through my reading list when I’m too tired to read to myself.

Unfortunately, audiobooks can be expensive. However, most libraries have them available either physically or for digital download.

5) Create relaxing spaces

Creating a relaxing environment has really helped my entire process. When I’m fried from a day of writing, the last thing I want is to be in a room with harsh lights, loud sounds, or anywhere near a pile of ‘stuff’ I have to do.

I’m easily overstimulated to begin with. After an intense writing day, it’s even worse.  What bothers you when you’re fried may be different. Whatever it is, take the time to figure out what you’re sensitive to and find a way to counteract it so your brain can recharge.  (If harsh lights are also an issue for you, my resources page as some of my favorite low-lighting alternatives).

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media - in photo: Writing Tip: If you are consistently tired, your brain isn't as sharp as it could be. This is a massive disadvantage to you and your writing.

6) Sleep

As far as I’m concerned, all-nighters are never worth it. Sure, sometimes you may need to work late to ride a creative wave, but I don’t believe it’s a good idea to push yourself so hard that you compromise your health on a regular basis.

If you are consistently tired, then your brain isn’t as sharp as it could be. This is a massive disadvantage to you and your story.

That’s it for this one! I hope this helps you keep your writing brain in good condition!

Now it’s your turn: How do you declutter your writing brain? I’m always looking for new techniques so please let me know in the comments! You can also let me know what you’d like to see covered more in the future. 

4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media

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A couple of weeks ago, I did a post on Why Writers Should Spend Time Offline. That post spoke more generally to the importance of unplugging, but this post focuses more on day-to-day writing/social media balance.

There’s also a little bit of a story behind my motivation for both of these posts.

Regardless of where you are in your writing journey, there’s a lot of emphasis on building an author platform these days. You may have even heard that it’s never too soon to start.

That’s something I would agree with. Followers will absolutely help you out when it comes to selling or promoting a book, so the sooner you start building your account, the better off you are.

But, if you’re not careful, it can be really easy to let that social media eat up a lot of your writing time and energy. This is something I know all too well.

A few months ago, I realized I was spending way too much time online. Checking my phone and social media accounts had become a compulsion. I also found it was getting in the way of my writing and my life.

I knew I needed to do something to right the ship. It turned out that when I focused solely on managing my time on social media, my overall internet time cut down across the board. I didn’t want to ditch social media entirely–there’s a lot I like about it–but I did want it to take less time and be less of a distraction.

4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media

If you find yourself spending more time on social media than you’d like, here are four tips that really helped me cut back without disappearing entirely.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media - in photo: woman using her phone and laptop

1) Only check in at specific times each day

This was one of my first techniques. I had gotten into the habit of jumping online and scrolling anytime I had a free minute. Then I’d inevitably find myself following a thread of posts, doing more research on something I’ve read, or contemplating a response to a mention.

I also found myself scrolling mindlessly and taking “quick breaks” from writing or work just to see what was happening.

One of the first things I did was limit the time I went on social media. I picked three times a day–once in the morning, afternoon, and night to check-in online. Each check-in was no longer than fifteen minutes long.

2) Limit the devices you’re logged into

Of course, limiting your social media check-ins is a good plan, but it can take some serious self-control. After all, you’re breaking a habit here.

I caught myself mindlessly opening socials on my browser on several occasions. What helped was to limit the places I was logged into.

I work on my computer a lot, so being logged into the social media on there made it way too easy to get distracted and sucked back in. So for me, my phone made the most sense. Now when I use social media, it’s almost exclusively from my phone.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media - in photo: writing tip: You can build an online platform without letting social media take over your life or eat up your writing time.

And if you’re thinking, “Well, that sounds great, but what’s to keep me from constantly checking my phone?” Here’s tip 2a).

Before I started cutting back, I checked social media on my phone so much that I often burned through my battery by the end of each day–sometimes sooner. Perhaps you’ve been there?

To keep my phone time and social media time-limited, I found it really helpful to play a game with myself to see how long I could make my battery last. For whatever reason, that really helped me stay off my phone and cut down on social media time in the process.

I went from charging my phone at least once a day to only every three days.

3) Only log on when you’re posting something

After a few weeks, I had gotten pretty good at my three times a day check-ins and I was ready to take it to the next level. I decided I would definitely check-in once a day to see what’s going on (like I said, I do like social media), but aside from that, I only log on when I have something to post.

This was when the habit really broke for me. Now from time to time, I actually forget my once a day check-in.

4) Make your posts purposeful

When it came to posting, I found I spent way too much time thinking of and writing posts. I posted more frequently then than I do now, but I was also sporadic. Some weeks I’d post three times a day and then nothing for a stretch.

Once I decided I wanted my accounts to have more of a theme (which is writing), it got a lot easier to post on a fairly regular schedule. That’s not to say that I don’t share other stuff. I do–but I try to focus my regular content on my theme.

This has given me a focus and has made it easier to come up with posts.

I also try to plan and write a lot of these theme posts ahead of time, which means I don’t have to constantly remember to write and post.

Also, I don’t post nearly as much as I did in the past, but I’m much more consistent, which has helped be maintain a good balance.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Tips to Balance Writing and Social Media - in photo: writing tip: One trick to manage social media usage: only log in when you have something to post.

I hope this gives you a good idea of how you can balance writing and social media!

Now it’s your turn: Have you had trouble balancing social media and writing? What’s something that’s helped you? What’s something you’ve struggled with? Let me know in the comments and follow me on Instagram.

Scrivener Review: 6 Reasons Why I Love This Software

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About ten years ago, I first learned about a writing software called Scrivener.

I was on the fence about purchasing it, but after some research, I decided to take the plunge. It’s a decision I have yet to regret. In fact, this software quickly became one of my most essential writing tools.

I’ll probably do a full review of Scrivener down the line, but since it’s pretty clear that this is a product I recommend, I thought it might be more helpful to give you a product overview that highlights my favorite features. If you’re on the fence like I was, or just curious about the program, this is a post for you! I included some screenshots–click on the images to enlarge.

(Side note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using the product links on this page, I may get a small commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps keep this blog running. Thank you!)

The Binder

Before I found Scrivener I’d written books in both Word and Final Draft. Two of the biggest inconveniences of both of those products was: 1) the need to scroll in order to get from one section of the book to another and 2) the need to copy and paste every time I wanted to restructure my book. Scrivener’s binder feature fixes both of those problems.

The binder is located on the left side of the screen. For each chapter of your book, you create a folder in the binder. Then within each chapter folder, you add your scenes. If you want to jump from the beginning of the book to the end, all you have to do is click on the scene.

And if you want to move a scene or chapter from one part of the book to another, you simply drag and drop. (I can’t tell you how much time this saved me when I had to restructure and reorder my last book.)

Additionally, you can store all of your drafts in their own separate file folder right inside the binder. This means you don’t have to juggle multiple versions and files on your computer. Everything is in one place!

The Word Counter

You may have seen this word counter floating around social media. This was a selling point for me. It makes it so easy to track your writing and monitor your progress.

It manages both your daily session and your overall progress simultaneously, so you always know if you’re on target to meet your goals. You can keep it docked on your screen or check in from time to time.

Auto-Save

This was another massive selling point. I’ve been burned by a crashing Word document too many times for this not to be an essential feature.

One of the biggest reasons I used the scriptwriting software Final Draft was because it could be set to auto-save every five minutes. Scrivener takes this to the next level.

I currently have the software to auto-save when it detects two seconds of inactivity. Even if the program crashes on me, (which it never has) the most I’m likely to lose is a paragraph.

If you’ve ever lost hours of work because you got too wrapped up in your story to hit save, I think you’ll agree that this feature alone makes the product worth it.

File Converter

Scrivener makes it easy to convert your Scrivener document to almost any file format. This includes word processors like Microsoft Word and Open Office and e-reader files like Kindle and iBooks.

This means you can easily share your documents with people who don’t use Scrivener. And while I’ve never tried to self-publish, this feature seems like it would be ridiculously helpful with that if it’s something you’re interested in.

Screen Space

One thing I underestimated when I first started using this program is how it uses screen space. The set up is designed to help you be the most effective writer you can be.

The binder is always docked on the left-hand side, the editor (typing area) takes up the center, and the right has a couple different notes sections that you can use as needed.

This set up makes it easy to double check a fact that you dropped in three chapters ago or jot down a quick note about your scene/chapter without losing your momentum. You can also completely customize what goes in your sidebars and how much or how little of the sidebar/binder you see.

Project Versatility

This software is designed for writers and novelists specifically, but it’s also prepared to handle project by screenwriters, poets, lyricists, and students who just want a quality word processor. Basically, it’s the only writing software you’ll ever need.

Also Worth Noting

There are a host of pre-writing features that I don’t use (I’m more of a pen and paper brainstormer).

But if you’re a digital brainstormer, Scrivener has you covered there too! The program has a digital corkboard you can use to brainstorm and arrange your scenes, then easily access that info while you write. There are also areas to keep information on your characters, locations, and research.

If you want to give Scrivener a try, it’s available for Mac, Windows, and iOS. There’s also student discounts for the Mac and Windows Versions.

If you want to learn more about any of these features, I would suggest hopping over to YouTube and searching for Scrivener demos to see the program in action.

I hope this gives you a good idea why I love Scrivener!

Now it’s your turn: If you’ve used Scrivener before, what’s your favorite thing about it? If there’s anything you didn’t like, tell me that too. If you’ve never tried it, what questions do you have? Let me know in the comments!

6 Awesome Writing Tips for Finishing Your First Draft

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Every part of the writing process has its own challenges, but when it comes to a first draft, finishing is often the biggest challenge.

The first draft is the worst your book will ever be. Sometimes it can be difficult to push through terrible writing and plot problems to make it to the end.

However, I’ve found that with the right approach, you can push through and maybe even have some fun!

6 Awesome Writing Tips for Finishing Your First Draft

Here are six tips to help you push on and finish your first draft as painlessly as possible.

(Side note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using the product links on this page, I may get a small commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps keep this blog running. Thank you!)

Take time to figure out how you draft best

I strongly believe that one of the keys to a happy writing life is figuring out your writing process. One step to cracking that code is uncovering out how you draft.

There tends to be two main approaches to drafting: planning and pantsing (as in, you fly by the seat of your pants). If you’ve only ever done one of these before, I encourage you to try the other.

I think sometimes it can be really easy to get stuck in the approach you first learned or first tried. And while yes, that may very well be the approach that works best for you, I think it’s important to try both so you know for sure.

The first time I drafted a book I planned. I did this in part because I’d heard that’s what my favorite author did and in part because it just seemed like a good idea. It worked for me and finished the draft like that. I also wrote my second book the same way.

Meghan Rogers shares 6 Awesome Writing Tips for Finishing Your First Draft - in photo: person typing on a laptop

When I got to grad school, one of my first classes involved drafting a book in a semester. We used NaNoWriMo creator Chris Baty’s No Plot? No Problem! as our guide.

Baty challenges writers not to plan their books before coming in. I had never written that way, but I gave it a try. Halfway through the semester I broke down and started planning because not planning made the process painful for me.

But I’m glad I tried it. I learned I am most definitely a planner and knowing that shaped not only my drafting but also my revision and editing process.

So, give both approaches a shot. If you hate it and it’s painful, then, by all means, switch back. But it’s worth at least trying the opposite approach so you can know for sure what’s best for you.

Turn off your inner editor

This is another concept preached by No Plot? Not Problem. It can be the hardest to get past, but I found it to be crucial.

For me, part of this was also accepting that there would be problems I could not fix and questions I didn’t know the answers to. Once I did, it completely opened up my drafting.

If I couldn’t fix these problems or answer these questions, it meant I didn’t have to try. That freed up brainpower to focus on what I did know, and the questions I couldn’t answer gave me a roadmap for revision.I found I was able to draft much more quickly this way, and I’ve come to genuinely enjoy the process.

If it helps, try thinking of your first draft as an extended brainstorm instead of a “draft”. The point isn’t to write well. It’s to discover the story.

You don’t need to answer questions or fix problems. You need to learn what the questions and problems are. The flaws need to exist in their entirety so you can fully understand them.

In fact, your story needs you to write a bad first draft so you can learn what your story needs to be a killer polished draft down the line. So if you think about it, trying to write a “good” first draft is actually a disservice to your story.

Why would you want to hurt your story like that? 😉

Meghan Rogers shares 6 Awesome Writing Tips for Finishing Your First Draft - in photo: Writing Tip: Set manageable goals. One reason writers get discouraged is that they set their writing goals too high.

Set manageable goals

I think one reason writers end up getting discouraged is that they set their writing goals too high.

This usually comes in the form of a high page count, high word count, or planning an unrealistic amount of writing time. If you continually fail to meet your goals, it can be easy to feel like you’re “bad” at this and give up.

In actuality, you may have just set bad goals.

Instead, take a look at the amount of time you can feasibly dedicate to writing, and consider how much writing you can reasonably accomplish in that time.

It’s okay if that number is small and it takes you a long time to finish a draft. The key is to set daily goals you can actually meet and keep show up until you reach “The End”.

If you’d like to know more about this, I did a whole post on How to Set Manageable Writing Goals.

Show up on a regular basis and protect your writing time

Consistency is key. Maybe you can’t write every day. Or maybe you can. It’s up to you to decide how much time you can realistically dedicate to writing, but make sure you can put that time in consistently.

The person who writes 500 words on a regular basis will finish their draft–regardless of how long it takes. The person who writes 5,000 words from time-to-time/whenever they can fit it in, most likely will not.

Set time aside for your story. Even if it’s only 15 minutes every other day.

Now, once you set that time aside, protect it.

People will ask to do things or go places with them. They will ask you for favors. Learning to say “no” is important.

It might be easy to think of your writing time as “free time,” but it’s not. It’s time for your story, which is something you care about. Don’t undervalue yourself or your story by saying yes to others just because their needs seem more legitimate.

If you don’t consider your story legitimate enough to prioritize, who else will? You can’t finish your draft if you don’t give yourself the time to get it done.

Meghan Rogers shares 6 Awesome Writing Tips for Finishing Your First Draft - in photo: person typing on a laptop with a glass of coffe and sunglasses on the table.

Only share with understanding and supportive people

I know there are a lot of writer’s out there who don’t share their work with anyone until it is absolutely polished and perfect.

Personally, I find sharing as I move through the entire process to be invaluable. But I don’t think that means you should share with just anyone.

The quickest way to kill your aspirations is to talk about your project with people who either don’t get it or don’t believe in you.

Any idea in the drafting stage is still new and undeveloped. If you share it with the wrong person and they poke holes and point out problems, it can be hard to push on.

When an idea is this new, you don’t need to hear what’s wrong with it. You need to hear about its potential. Only discuss your story with those who can see what your story could be.

Don’t use being “too busy” as an excuse not to write

If you’re constantly looking for a large stretch of time to sit down and really dig into your draft, you may never make it to the end.

Even if you come up with that time, you might also find that it’s easy to either procrastinate or overthink under those circumstances. Instead, write when you’re busy and try to use it to your advantage.

This is another point Baty argues. He says that you will write faster and have an easier time turning off your inner editor if you write when you’re short on time.

I have found this to be absolutely true. When I have a busier day, it means my writing time is limited. That also means that I have a very small window to be productive. I don’t have a minute of that window to waste if I have any hope of reaching my goals.

Because of that, I don’t have time to overthink or second guess. I just have to GO. Typically, I plan two to three hours a day to write. But when I have to, I can do the same work in an hour and ten minutes. Sometimes even faster.

When it comes to drafting, productivity and output are more important than quality. Working when you’re limited on time forces you to focus on that.

Meghan Rogers shares a writing tip: When it comes to drafting productivity and output are more important than quality.

Recommended Reading:

I’ve mentioned No Plot? No Problem by Chris Baty a few times in this post. If you’re struggling with drafting, I highly recommend giving this book a read. Thanks to this book, I totally changed how I approached my drafts and it made the process so much more fun.

I hope you’ve found something in here that helps you finish your first draft!

Now it’s your turn: What tricks have helped you draft? What’s been a drafting struggle? Let me know in the comments!

4 Great Reasons Writers Should Spend Time Offline

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The internet has seriously changed the writing game and most of it is for the better.

I can’t even imagine trying to write a book without Google (actually, I can and researching would be painful). It’s also been an awesome way connect with other writers (like all of you!).

But I think we all know it has it’s downsides too. Unplugging and making a point to spend time offline and away from your phone isn’t a new idea. In fact, this article from Good Housekeeping talks about the positive effects time offline can have on your health, relationships, and creativity!

4 Great Reasons Writers Should Spend Time Offline

Let’s take a look at four reasons time offline it’s particularly important for writers.

1) Too much input interferes with output

A friend said this to me once and she’s right. All that input from social media/news/everything else makes it harder to figure out what YOU think about an experience, situation, or the world in general.

This means it’s hard to generate creative output that’s uniquely your own.

Two massive elements to writing are your voice and your perspective. That’s the basis of every art form. The world keeps changing and you keep growing. Which means how you think about the world is going to consistently evolve.

It’s hard to constantly develop and write your own thoughts if you spend most of your time taking in other people’s ideas.

When you spend time offline, you’re giving yourself the time and space to develop your own thinking.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Reasons Writers Should Spend Time Offline - in photo: Writing Tip: Too much input interferes with output. Take time to unplug and go offline

2) Get away from distraction/time suck

Let’s face it. The internet can be a wealth of information. It can also be a massive distraction.

You jump online to look up that ONE thing and four hours later you’ve watched more pointless YouTube videos than you care to admit and spent too long scrolling social media. (Obviously, I speak from experience.)

Sometimes mindless internet browsing can lead you to some cool places, but if you’re losing writing time, it’s a problem.

Maybe you can’t log off for too long (for one reason or another), but if you find that you’re losing a ridiculous amount of production time to the internet, a weekend offline can really help.

Focus solely on your project, read a book, or do any other offline activity. Checking our phones and the internet has become a default setting for a lot of us.

When you spend time offline and away from technology, it can go a long way in breaking that habit, which can make it easier to keep from getting distracted.

3) Refuel your creativity

If you’re not online, there are so many other things you could be doing to refuel your creativity.

Read, catch a movie or TV show (without checking your phone or paying attention to two screens at once), spend time outside, visit with family/friends, or do whatever offline activity that helps stimulate your creativity.

Really take in those experiences. These are the things we write about. And if you find yourself early to an event, don’t pull out your phone to kill time. Look around and make it a point to notice something.

Think about what makes the fighting siblings in the corner so relatable or why the “lonely” person at the table by herself looks anything but lonely.

When you unplug like this, you start to pay more attention to the world and to your own thoughts. All of that can be a serious boost to your creativity.

Meghan Rogers shares 4 Great Reasons Writers Should Spend Time Offline - in photo: Writing Tip: If you're not online, thre are so many other things you could be doing to refuel your creativity

4) Get away from demands

It’s hard to focus on your work when people keep asking you for things–even if those ‘things’ are just a response.

In the real world, we can close a door to keep these requests out. But the internet and technology have made us all more accessible.

In most cases, this is good. It’s nice that we don’t have to wait a week for a letter to reach its destination, be read, and receive a response. But the downside is, there is always a door open for people to reach us.

If you keep checking your phone or the internet and seeing texts/emails/social media post that requires an answer or attention, it makes it really difficult to get some work done.

In the past, I would constantly find myself putting my work aside to tend to these messages. Unplugging, silencing my phone, and walking away from online messages for a period of time (sometimes just a few hours, sometimes for an entire weekend) has been really great for my productivity and general sanity. I completely recommend it.

Final thoughts

I’ve found it really helpful to take regular breaks from social media–even if I don’t break from the world entirely I like to shoot for at least one day a week, and a few times a year I’ll take more extended breaks as needed.

When I come back from my breaks I notice I’m more balanced and more focused on my work.

If you give it a try, let me know if you notice any difference!

I hope this inspires you to try to spend time offline!

Now it’s your turn: Do you unplug? If you do, what’s your strategy? If you don’t, what’s makes it hard for you to do? Let me know in the comments! You can also let me know what you’d like to see covered more in the future.

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Brainstorming a Novel: 5 Basic Writing Tips

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Brainstorming a novel may not be for everyone, but it’s a part of the writing process that I love and swear by.

In fact, playing around with an idea before I start writing is one of my favorite things to do. Nothing is wrong with my idea while I’m brainstorming; it’s shiny and new and I’m just having fun with it.

But I think the prospect of brainstorming a novel can be a little daunting if you’ve never attempted it before–at least it was for me.

So if you’re new to brainstorming, or just looking to try a new approach, I put together a few of my top tips for basic brainstorming to give you a place to start.

Brainstorming a Novel: 5 Basic Writing Tips

Break your brainstorming down into steps or stages

The more bite-sized the better. Take it one character at a time, one setting at a time, one plot point at a time.

I think brainstorming gets big and overwhelming if you focus on all the parts of your book you have to consider. Which is exactly why you should never do that.

Put your focus on one aspect of your book at a time and trust that if you keep that up, your book will come together.

Brainstorming a Novel: 5 Basic Writing Tips by Meghan Rogers - in photo: person brainstorming

Start with three characters and a goal

If you’re not sure where to begin when you’re brainstorming a novel, this is a good place.

I recommend three characters because it creates interesting dynamics and plenty of opportunities for tension. Figure out how your characters are connected, how they conflict with each other, and how they will help or hinder each other.

Then figure out what their goal is. Are they working together to achieve the same goal? Or against each other to achieve that goal before one of the other characters? You can even branch out and give them each a different goal, the play with how their goals conflict.

Using these elements as a baseline can kickstart your story. It’ll help you establish your character dynamics and the purpose of your plot before you start writing.

Figure out your ending as early as possible

In my experience, it’s a lot easier to plan and/or write a book if you know what you’re building towards. If you can figure out your end point, then you essentially know your story’s purpose.

It gives you and your story a direction, which is ridiculously helpful if you’re planning your book. It’s also a huge help to know where you’re going when it comes time to write.

You can take this a step farther and uncover a character end point and a plot end point.

Your plot end point tells you where the story will end, while your character end point tells you how you want your character to have grown and changed by the end of the book.

Brainstorming a Novel: 5 Basic Writing Tips by Meghan Rogers - in photo: Writing Tip: Beak your brainstorming down into steps or stages. The more bite-sized the better

Pick a few rough plot points

Once you have your end point, pick out a few key plot points you’ll need to hit to get yourself and your characters to that climactic moment.

Just like your end point gives your entire book direction, your plot points can serve as stepping stones and provide you with some short-term checkpoints to keep on track.

You can plot these points out a few different ways. I tend to start at the beginning of the book and add a few points along the way that build to my climactic moment.

Another option is to start at the climax and work backward. So, if you know what your climax is, what has to happen right before that point? And what about the point before that? Play around with it to see what’s best for you.

I tend to plan four plot points before I hit the climax, but that’s what works for me. You may want more, or less, or none at all.

You can also plot your character’s growth arc in a similar fashion, if you want to!

Free write, free write, free write

Seriously, if you do nothing else, I’d encourage you to give this a try–even if you’re not that into brainstorming.

It doesn’t have to be long or detailed. It can jump around or move sequentially. I’ve found that free writing tends to open windows into my story that I would not have otherwise considered.

It gives me the freedom to think about my story in a way that isn’t at all structured or final and helps me develop my half-formed thoughts and ideas.

I would especially recommend freewriting if you think you’re not much of brainstormer, but kind of want to give it a try. It’ll allow you to give brainstorming a shot, but if free writing turns into drafting you’ll be able to drop your words right into your project.

The Writing Cooperative talks about the benefits of freewriting here, including that it drives inspiration.

Naturally, this is great for the brainstorming phase!

A photo of a hand holding a pen on top of a notebook

I hope this post you with brainstorming a novel!

These are the basic components, but your brainstorming can be as light or as detailed as you find helpful. You can use these tips as the starting point, or it can serve as your entire brainstorm. For more brainstorming posts, be sure to hit the tag below!

Now it’s your turn: Have you tried brainstorming a novel before? If you have, what approach do you take? If you haven’t, what do you like about diving into drafting?