Even if you lean toward being a pantser rather than a planner, or are a hybrid of the two, getting yourself even a little organized makes a huge difference for the productivity of your writing. I've learned this over years of first turning my writing hobby into something more serious while balancing work commitments and …
Once upon a time, the only thing a writer needed to take care of was the writing itself. In modern times, with the rise of social media and self-publishing, a writer needs to do more. I and the other talented wordsmiths in my #6amAusWriters Twitter group refer to this as "authoring." Sometimes when we check in …
While busy, modern-day lives mean there will always be occasions when you can't write when you want to, there is also a time in a writer's life when you want to write, but you just can't. Not because you couldn't sit down at your desk. Not because you didn't have the whole house to yourself. …
Continue reading 4 Reasons Why You Can’t Write And What To Do About It
Almost every step of the writing process has elements that can mess with your head. There are the characters that won't stop talking when you're writing. The endless editing that has you correcting words in your sleep. Writing queries or a one-page synopsis (one page!) and dealing with generic rejections that give no clue about …
Continue reading How To Keep Yourself Sane When Self-Publishing
Writing a book takes time. Even if you're a fast drafter and can put something together in a matter of weeks instead of months or years, working through the multiple drafts it takes to reach the final draft is still tough. You're so exhausted at the end, that the thought of starting again at a blank …
Writing is one of those activities where, no matter if you do it full time or crammed into lunch breaks, there's a never-ending to-do list attached. You've got to fill in plot holes, plan character arcs, script whole conversations, research how to poison people without drawing the attention of authorities, and then find the time …
Continue reading A Non-Overwhelming Writing Routine To Gain Control Of Your Endless To-Do List
As the year comes to a close and December flies by faster than Santa’s sleigh, most of us do one of two things; rush to cram in everything before taking a break, or, do nothing because it’s easier to relax into a candy cane coma than finish plotting chapter twelve. There’s nothing wrong with slowing …
Writers are fascinating creatures. We’re most comfortable talking to imaginary people, traveling to imaginary lands, and creating stories out of nothing more than words. What we also love is to avoid doing those things at all costs. You love writing and want nothing more to spend your waking hours putting pen to paper? Sure! Right …
As mentioned in last week’s blog post, I’ve spent most of this year in editing hell, working through an MS that has been through re-writes, new beta readers, and a total show, don’t tell overhaul. As my edits for that MS wound down, I returned to the next MS in the series (book two), which …
