The “lost author” isn’t a writer who is stranded in a cave on the far side of a large lake. It’s a person who has given so much of themselves to their writing that they find themselves isolated from normal life.

It’s difficult when you give so many hours to writing about people, especially those who don’t even exist. You’re so busy creating worlds for other people to immerse themselves in that you end up neglecting the world you’re stuck in. For many, this leads to a lack of imagination and a higher rate of abandoning work or giving up writing altogether.

Most writers become lost at some point on their journey, usually many times. That’s why we’re sharing some unconventional tips to help overwhelmed authors get back to creating grand and exciting worlds with dynamic characters.

Read More

Some authors argue that reading isn’t a necessity for writers and can even hinder your ability to create unique stories but many more agree that reading helps you to become a better writer. We believe in the latter.

This isn’t the time to partake in dry, boring books such as you might find in the syllabus of your history class. In all honesty, it doesn’t matter what you read as long as you are enjoying it. Whether it’s fantasy, nonfiction, romance, or science fiction, it’s important to read something that you are interested in. You won’t gain insights about writing if you’re forcing yourself through something unenjoyable.

It isn’t necessary to go overboard with your reading. You don’t even have to finish an entire book. The goal is to get your creative juices flowing again. If you have the capability, you can continue your writing while working through whatever book you’ve chosen.

Here are some great resources if you’re having writer’s block:

4 The Words

Turn writing into a habit by writing to defeat monsters. The more you write, the more you’ll gain. Complete quests to earn items and level up your character, all while completing your writing goals.

Fighter’s Block

Overcome writer’s block by continuing to write while fighting monsters, battling your way to your word count goal. Stop writing and your health drops to zero.

Stop Observing, Start Doing

This is the biggest tip for writers who can’t seem to put words on paper lately.

Observing people is fine but if you’re overwhelmed with your writing, perhaps it’s time that you get out in the real world and start participating. A great start is to just get out of the house. Go to the cafe, go see a movie, meet up with some friends – anything to get you into a new situation.

If you find things that you enjoy doing that are outside of writing, you might come across new ideas that help you extinguish your writer’s block. By knowing what you enjoy, you’ll be able to build a community around your interests. You can even try new activities that might make you new friends. After all, you never know where you might find your next ingenious concept.

Don’t Stop Writing

You won’t achieve your goal of finishing your book if you stop writing. Short breaks aren’t a bad thing but don’t give up altogether. Pick up your writing as soon as you can, even if you have to start a new project.

If you find yourself feeling stuck, stick to writing based on things that you like. Think back to genres and tropes that you enjoy and create a plot around that. It may even be worth writing flash fiction to strengthen your writing.

Your StudioLink author page is a great place to post your short work to add to your portfolio so that agents and publishers can see what you’re capable of.

You can also submit your unfinished work chapter-by-chapter to Third Wheel Publishing’s digital magazine, Scrive.

Being a lost author may be overwhelming but it doesn’t mean that you should give up on finishing your book.If you’re ready to publish your book, Third Wheel Publishing is looking to take on new authors. You don’t need an agent, a large audience, or a backlog of previously published work.