The editors on the Writer’s Digest staff are often asked what their favorite habits are for overcoming writer’s block and finding inspiration. Following are the ones they’ve found to be the most effective: “When I have trouble focusing, I listen to white noise — like the whir of a fan. It helps me calm myself and step away from “busy work,” be that cleaning the house or talking on Twitter. White noise settles me, and I can get more good writing done when I’m settled.” Chuck Sambuchino, Editor   Tweet This   “When I’m stuck, I always read over what I wrote the day before. It jogs my memory...

If you’re searching for a way to classify your identity as a writer, look no further than this great quote from George R.R. Martin: “I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners. The architects plan everything ahead of time, like an architect building a house. They know how many rooms are going to be in the house, what kind of roof they’re going to have, where the wires are going to run, what kind of plumbing there’s going to be. They have the whole thing designed and blueprinted out before they even nail the first board up. The gardeners dig a hole, drop in a seed and water it. They kind of...

In the writing world, there’s little room for fear. The moment you decide you want to be a writer, the time has come to put all self-doubt aside and simply go for it. It takes confidence, persistence and action to reach any writing goal — from finishing a draft of a manuscript to promoting your published work. “I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won’t be good at it.”  ― Anne Lamott Most writers — no matter how talented — go through phases of writing work they’re not happy with, getting rejections, and struggling to find people who are interested in their work. It’s...