At Zebra Pen, we know the importance of powerful writing. Whether it's academic, at work, or for leisure, we know there unlimited ways to boost creativity and improve writing skills! We strive to provide writers of the world with the most effective and practical writing instruments to make your writing as great as it can possibly be, but we want to give you more than that!
For students, midterms and finals are right around the corner. Finding the time and motivation to write essays, research papers and more can be tough. For the leisure and professional writers, cooler temperatures provide the perfect environment for cozy, indoor writing. We came up with a few tips and tricks to keep you motivated and on your path to enlightened writing!
1. Plan Ahead
Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. If you're on a time crunch, give yourself enough time so that you aren't putting too much pressure on yourself at the last minute. It's better to finish early and have extra time for reviews and revisions than to get done late and miss out on correcting silly errors and mistakes! Students, this can be hard to do with all of your other classwork, but be sure to use a planner and come up with a game plan so you can start your papers in advance.
2. Test your topic: Stream of Consciousness
If you are unsure about what to write, or you're having difficulties getting started, you may want to use the stream of consciousness method. A stream of consciousness is when you write non-stop as the thoughts come to your brain. Write your thoughts non-stop for anywhere between 3 and 15 minutes to come up with an idea, or focus on your potential topic and write non-stop about all the possible approaches and points you could make on that topic. Some stream of consciousness activities are useful to catalyze the creative process. Sometimes, it results in a great idea!
3. Organize: Intro, Main Points, Conclusion
Before you start writing, it's helpful to know what you are going to write about, and how it will be organized. Set up an outline in a separate notebook to read off of as you write on your laptop or computer. Jot down some notes as to what you want to write in your intro, main points, and conclusion. You can be as detailed or broad as you would like with this tip; either way, it really helps the writing process and keeps you moving as you write!
4. Find the Right Instrument
The key to enlightened writing starts from the right pen. Having a writing instrument you enjoy using is more important than many writers realize! If you like a tough and stylish pen, check out our STEEL line of pens and mechanical pencils! Made with a stainless steel barrel, our Steel pens and pencils stand up to even the toughest assignments. If you like a smooth, gel writing experience, our SARASA pens may be the perfect pen for you! Our Sarasa pens come in a variety of colors, perfect for the visual learner. No matter what it is that you look for in a writing utensil, there is a Zebra Pen for everyone!
5. Good Writers are Also Good Readers
The more you read, the better you write. Whether you are writing essays, fiction, memoir, poetry, or anything else, reading examples before writing is a great way to get inspiration! For students, working together with a peer, reading each other's work and giving/getting feedback is another good idea before handing in a paper! Simply having another pair of eyes look over your work helps to catch little errors that you may have skimmed over. It also helps to read someone else's work to not only give feedback, but it may actually make you realize something about your own work as well.
6. The Best Writers Write From 10-12 and 3-5 Everyday
Times can vary greatly from person to person based on availability but for all of you leisure writers, writing during certain hours each day helps to build a good routine and gets you in the habit of writing to the best of your ability. Choose times that work for you! For example, if you are groggy in the morning, maybe select times after 11 a.m. or if you know you write best at night, choose some later hours! Whatever hours you choose, stick to them and write every single day.
7. Step Away
It's important to take breaks and step away from your work. If you plan ahead, you should have time to do this. Stepping away is helpful to fix writers block, get a fresh start on an old piece, or help decide when a piece is finished. When you step away from your work, do something you enjoy such as cooking, going for a drive, reading, or even brainstorming on paper again! Don't take too much time away if you're on a strict time schedule, but take enough time to get refocused and #FindZen.
8. Turn Down the Music and Talk
Many people come up with their best ideas while driving or doing something productive such as cleaning. Next time you step away from your work or if you're coming up with some good ideas while busy with something else, turn on a recorder on your phone or other device and allow yourself to talk out loud about your ideas. You won't forget all that great material you came up with and you'll be able to use it once you start writing again!
9. Read it Aloud
Words may sound differently on paper than they do out loud. When your paper or other work feels complete, read it out loud to yourself or a friend. This helps to catch any awkward phrasing and may help you figure out punctuation. It's amazing what you can see in your writing when you read it aloud.
10. Just Start
Many people get caught up in the idea and fear of writer's block. Perhaps the most important tip is this: just start. You can begin with a stream of consciousness, outline, or the piece itself. As long as you are writing, you are making strides toward an end result. Beginning is often the hardest part but without it, there would be no end. So just start!