 November 1st marked the beginning of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The goal: to write 50,000 words of a novel during the thirty days of November. While this may sound like a daunting task, the organization that founded the challenge all the way back in 1999 doesn’t expect--or even want--you to do it alone. A cornerstone of their philosophy is the power of community. Now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they offer tools, goals, networking, mentoring, and more to encourage writers of all stages to, well, write! If you’re one of the brave souls who has decided to take on this challenge (or anyone working on a piece of writing), then you are probably well acquainted with the dreaded “Blank Page Syndrome”. October may have prepared you to be scared of ghosts and ghouls, but no one told you that the most frightening thing you would have to deal with would be a black cursor flashing judgingly on a blank word document. ‘I think writer’s block is when you say to yourself, “I could write something, but it wouldn’t be good enough.” There’s no such thing as a complete inability to write a sentence.’ -Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert Writer’s block is something every writer has faced. Not even the greats can outrun that looming phantom. The good news? There are plenty of tips available to help you to conquer your fear and get down to writing. Today, we will share 10 ways to face the blank page with confidence. 1. Try Drawing Sure, not everyone is an artist, but just about anyone can pull out a stick figure or two. If you are struggling to put your scene into words, try drawing it out instead. It can be quick sketches or even simple swaths of color defining the moods and emotions you want to convey. A book is made of words, but words are not what you see when you read. Instead you see sinister characters inching closer to the protagonist, fields bathed in morning light, and flowers sparkling with the evening dew. If you aren’t sure how to build your world with words just yet, create it visually first.  2. Use Comic Sans This next tip certainly falls into the “strange but true” category. Despite its seeming absurdity, countless writers swear by the technique of switching their font over to comic sans. There is no exact scientific explanation for this phenomenon, though multiple theories have been offered up. One blogger suggests that the font’s purposefully distinct letters make reading and re-reading smoother and more entertaining. She also shares that the letter shapes help to melt words together so that she is able to view her lines as one cohesive whole rather than individual sentences that need picked apart. Another writer chalks the productivity increase up to the disarming quality of the childlike font. How can you be judgemental of something that looks like it was written by a 2nd grader? Whether there is a science to it or the placebo effect, there are enough positive testimonials to warrant a try! 3. Start with something easy They say the best way to get over writer’s block is to just write--easier said than done. If you’re feeling lost or intimidated by where to begin, write something you know you can write with ease. Put a twist on an old fairy tale or rewrite a scene from your favorite sitcom from the perspective of one of the characters. Get your creative juices flowing and show your inner critic that you CAN write and you’ll likely find yourself revving to begin your new piece.  4. Stop when you are going good This next tip applies more to general writer’s block than to beginning a piece of writing, but it was such great advice, we knew it had to make the list. It comes from one of America’s greatest writers, Ernest Hemingway. In a 1935 article in Esquire ( "Monologue to the Maestro: A High Seas Letter") Hemingway offered this advice to a young writer: "The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never be stuck. That is the most valuable thing I can tell you so try to remember it." Most of the time, getting started is the most difficult part of writing. By stopping while you are still in the middle of something you are excited about, you will always begin your next writing session with enthusiasm. 5. Interview Your Characters They say to write what you know, but it is unlikely that Tolkein knew too many Hobbits and Elves personally (though we could be wrong). So how do you get to know people and worlds that don’t exist? The same way you get to know people in real life--talk to them. If you aren’t sure how to begin your story, try writing an interview with your characters instead. Ask them about their likes and dislikes. Ask them about their childhood and goals for the future. What do they think about another character?  The better you understand your characters, the easier it will be to know how they will react to the conflicts you place in front of them, or to create conflicts you would like them see react to. 6. Outline It This is an oldie-but-goodie. Looking at a blank page can be intimidating for two reasons: (1) you have no idea where you’re going, or (2) you have too many ideas and don’t know where to begin. Creating an outline give you anchors to work towards and provides direction as you write. Some writers don’t like outlines, fearing that they stifle creativity, but the reality is this is only as true as you make it. Who says once something is in the outline it’s there forever? There is nothing wrong with changing plot points as you go. An outline simply offers a suggestion so that you don’t have to start from zero.  Everyone outlines differently, so try a few methods and see what works for you. Maybe you begin by deciding the 6 major plot points, taking you from the beginning of the story all the way to the end. Or, maybe you prefer to map out your main character’s arc and fill in the action to support that change. There is no right or wrong way. The most important thing is to get something down on the paper. If you hate it, at least you know what not to write! 7. Write Nonsense Our next tip was sourced from lifehack.org. One primary cause of blank page syndrome is the dreaded inner critic. Each time you make a running start at a sentence, that critic yanks you back, telling you that you’re no good. A simple way to push past this is to write something meaningless. “The cat walked up the tree and sent down an apple. The girl plucked it out of the basket and jumped for joy.” Meaningless. But, words on a page. Sometimes, you just need to get your body into the writing groove. After 5 minutes or so, write down one line that relates to your piece. Throw in another and another. Once you put start putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys), you'll find it much easier to get down to your real piece. 8. Re-Read a Piece You’re Proud Of It’s easy to think of yourself as a talentless hack when you’re staring at a blank word document. The next time you feel unworthy to be sitting in front of a keyboard, take a moment to read something you’ve written that you are proud of. Not only will this help put you in a writing mindset, it will remind you that you have written well in the past and can do it again.  9. Write in White This is a fun trick from Ink Copywriters. Tired of hearing your inner critic? Don’t give her anything to critique! By writing in white, you give yourself license to not only write without overthinking wording, but you avoid stopping to correct every spelling and grammatical error the spell-check points out to you. 10. Don’t Be Afraid to Skip While Maria Von Trapp said that the beginning is a very good place to start, this isn’t always the best path to take. If you are having trouble setting up the beginning of your story, don’t be afraid to jump to another part that you feel more confident about and begin from there. Writing is writing and you can always go back and fill in the blanks later. *** We hope you found these tips helpful--or at least a good distraction from that blank page you’ve been staring at! If you plan to participate in NaNoWriMo, let us know in the comments below so we can cheer you on!
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  “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” ― Abraham Lincoln I was reminded of this quote by our 16th President as I attempted to complete the poetry challenge set forth in last week’s blog. Trying to gain some inspiration, I read several poems written in the same forwards-backwards style of the challenge and I was struck with just how much a simple change of perspective can alter our outlook and attitude entirely.
Instead of viewing the world in black and white, we must allow ourselves to see in radiant Technicolor. Some might view such thinking as little more than a way to let bad behavior go unpunished; however, I would disagree. Taking the time to see things from someone else’s perspective is, instead, a way to let good behavior find its way out. It is a way to cut bad behavior off at its source. Looking for the positive doesn’t dismiss the negative; it simply doesn’t allow it to take control. We can’t make every person and every bad situation better, but we can choose not to despair. This challenge was a stretch for me, but I’m so glad to have taken it on. Not only did it stretch and sharpen my skills as a writer, it reminded me to slow down, step back, and look for a new perspective. I hope it has done the same for you! So, without further ado, here is my forwards-backwards poem:
*** Let us know what you thought of the poem in the comments below. If any of you have taken up the challenge, please feel free to share your work, as well! _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 This is A. Blob is a masterfully illustrated picture book suitable for children ages 4-8. This first installment in a series follows the antics of A. Blob, a slimy, purple, blob-like creature who wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that there might be more to A. Blob than meets the eye. Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another. The book demonstrates that a bully can come in any shape, size, or color and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help.
  November is National Novel Writing Month. In addition to celebrating writers, National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo as it is referred to by some), extends a challenge to writers of all ages and experience levels to write a 50,000 word novel by 11:59pm on November 30. Throughout the event's 17 years of existence, participants have ranged from elementary students all the way up to seasoned authors such as Sara Gruen, author of Water For Elephants, and Rainbow Rowell, author of FanGirl. In fact, several New York Times Best Sellers began as projects for National Novel Writing Month.
In addition to bringing awareness to the art of novel writing, NaNoWriMo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers several programs to encourage and aid both budding and experienced writers. Prep resources, writing locations, and writing parties are all built into the month’s celebrations. The organization even has a virtual writing retreat that provides community and resources to participants. You can read more on the National Novel Writing Month website. In the spirit of National Novel Writing Month, I thought it would be fun to take on and extend a challenge to all of you! A writing friend shared this challenge and I would now like to extend it to you: Write a short story or poem that can be read both forwards and backwards. Think it’s impossible?? Here is an example of just such a poem that was found written in a London bar: Today was the absolute worst day ever And don't try to convince me that There's something good in every day Because, when you take a closer look, This world is a pretty evil place. Even if Some goodness does shine through once in a while Satisfaction and happiness don't last. And it's not true that It's all in the mind and heart Because True happiness can be attained Only if one's surroundings are good It's not true that good exists I'm sure you can agree that The reality Creates My attitude It's all beyond my control And you'll never in a million years hear me say Today was a very good day Are you up for the challenge? I will be posting our attempt on next week’s blog. If you would like your story or poem featured, leave it in the comments below or email us at info@laughingleopardpress.com and you may see it on the Laughing Leopard Blog next week! Happy writing!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________  This is A. Blob is a masterfully illustrated picture book suitable for children ages 4-8. Written by Lori Kefalos, author of several award-nominated animated shorts, This is A. Blob is the first of a series following this bully. This first installment follows the antics of A. Blob, a slimy, purple, blob-like creature who wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that there might be more to A. Blob than meets the eye. Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another. The book demonstrates that a bully can come in any shape, size, or color and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help.
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About Laughing Leopard PressHello! We are Laughing Leopard Press, an independent book publisher from Akron, Ohio. At Laughing Leopard Press, we’re interested in publishing works that contribute to our understanding of this wonderful world. Through this blog, we hope to add to that understanding with commentary on life, literature, and a few things in between. We hope you enjoy the blog and take some time to talk with us in the comments or on our social media sites. Happy reading! 
This is A. Blob by L. A Kefalos. $14.95
$1.00 is donated to charity for each book sold on this site--half to St. Jude's and the other half to PetFix Northeast Ohio. Archives
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