Category: Motivation and the Writing Life

Working My Way Toward  the Novel

Motivation and the Writing Life

by Patricia Abbott , @PattinaseabbottConcrete Angel

I wrote approximately 100 stories and a handful of poems before it seemed time to try my hand at a novel. And it turned out to be so terribly hard that I wrote another 25 stories while I dithered about just how to do it. How do you write an novel? I read books, articles, blogs, listened to podcasts, trying to find my way inside this world.

I listened to people in my writing groups and in classes when they told me how this or that story was ripe for development into a novel.

Yes, I said, but truthfully I never really saw the potential novel in most of those stories. They seemed complete, finished. I had said all I wanted to say in about 5000 words. By then, I’d exhausted the subject and was bored with the characters. Ready to move on. Those characters just had this one thing to do and they did it with only a few other people looking on. Those stories all took place over a short period of time–or at least the best ones did.Continue reading

In a Rush to Publish?  Better Ways to Shave Off Time

Business of Writing, Motivation and the Writing Life

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigIMG_3766

There has been a good deal written about the need for self-publishing authors not to be in a rush to publish.  And yet, there has been a good deal written about the need for self-publishing authors to        quickly produce for financial success.

These bits of advice aren’t really as contradictory as they seem.  The time to move things along, I believe, is when we’re writing.  The time to be thoughtful and unhurried is during the packaging process…the editing and cover design.  The finishing touches need time.

What can we do to make our writing go faster?  Here are some things that have helped me:

On a daily basis:

Know what you’re going to write that day (at least the plot points).Continue reading

Owning Up to Our Writing…Locally

Business of Writing, Motivation and the Writing Life

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigIMG_0581

There’s an old Bugs Bunny cartoon called Hare Brush where a psychiatrist brainwashes Bugs to make him believe he’s Elmer Fudd.  The line he brainwashes Bugs with is: I’m Elmer Fudd, millionaire.  I own a mansion and a yacht.

This isn’t the line I’ve brainwashed myself to know by heart.  Mine goes: I’m a writer.  I write murder mysteries.  Yes, I do write under my own name and also as Riley Adams.

Repetition makes it easy.  It’s practically muscle memory at this point.  I don’t even have to think about it.Continue reading

Adjusting to Expectations After Publishing Your First Novel

Motivation and the Writing Life

by Bryon Quertermous, @bryonqMurder Boy

I’d always hoped that I would have my second book written before my first book was published and before the reception (good or bad) of the first book was known. Alas, I was not able to pull that off and I’m only about halfway through writing the sequel. In addition to writing under a deadline for the first time and the general issues that come with writing about the same characters again and keeping them fresh, the thing I’ve struggled with most is how much to stretch myself as a writer.

I’ve been very lucky to have a great reception for my first novel. It’s received great reviews,  seems to be selling well, and the notes I get from readers are mostly positive. So it would seem to make sense that if I’m writing another book I’d want to do whatever I did the first time that got me this great reception, right? Well, sort of. I certainly want to keep readers happy, but I’ve had horrible luck any time I’ve ignored my instincts and tried to write toward what I thought readers expected. But I’ve also seen friends publish well-received novels and then get slammed when their next book goes in a different direction. I sure don’t want to torpedo my career before it’s even begun.Continue reading

How to Avoid Staring at a Blank Screen

Motivation and the Writing Life

by Mickie Kennedy, 

We’ve all been there. You have to write SOMETHING, but there is literally nothing going on or your brain. You’re tired, feeling fried, and that blank screen is just staring you down. For those of us writing blog posts or marketing material for a recently published book, it can be particularly hard to be creative when you feel that there’s no real news to share.

Stop stressing! This post will go over some tried and true strategies to relieve writer’s block, and provide some prompts when you think your content well has run dry.

Typewriter

If You’re Simply Blocked…

WIRMI Technique – Sometimes writer’s block rears its ugly head because you aren’t quite sure about your topic yet. Now is the time to finish the phrase “What I Really Mean Is…” (i.e. WIRMI.) Once you’ve answered this question, your content should flow much more readily.Continue reading

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