10 Common Challenges Many New Novelists Face

by Suzanne Lieurance

New novelists often encounter a range of challenges as they begin writing their book. 

Here are 10 of the most common problems you may face if you’re a new novelist, PLUS what to do about each one:

Challenge #1. Writer's Block. 

 

This is perhaps one of the most notorious obstacles. 

 

It's when a writer finds themselves unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown.

 

Try these strategies if you experience writer’s block:

 

°        Take breaks and engage in activities that inspire creativity, such as reading, going for walks or listening to music.

 

°        Try freewriting or brainstorming to generate new ideas without judgment.

 

 °       Set realistic writing goals and deadlines to maintain momentum.

 

Challenge #2. Lack of Direction.

 

Many new novelists struggle with not having a clear outline or plan for their story, leading to confusion and a lack of coherence in the plot.

 

If you lack direction in your novel, try these actions:

 

°        Create a detailed outline or story structure before diving into writing.

 

°        Develop character profiles and plot summaries to guide your writing process.

 

 °       Consider using writing prompts or exercises to explore different narrative   

          possibilities.

 

Challenge #3. Character Development.

 

Creating compelling and believable characters can be difficult. 

 

Writers may find it challenging to flesh out characters with depth, motivations, and unique personalities.

 

To develop your characters, try these strategies:

 

°        Conduct character interviews to delve into their backgrounds, motivations, and goals.

 

°        Allow characters to evolve naturally as you write, paying attention to how they respond to events and challenges.

   

°        Give characters distinct voices, mannerisms, and flaws to make them memorable and relatable.

 

Challenge #4. Plot Holes and Inconsistencies.

 

Keeping track of plot details, timelines, and ensuring consistency throughout the narrative can be challenging for new writers.

 

Try these methods for avoiding plot holes and inconsistencies:

 

°        Keep a story bible or timeline to track important plot details, character arcs, and world-building elements.

 

°        Conduct regular revisions and edits to address inconsistencies and tighten the narrative.

 

°        Seek feedback from beta readers or critique partners to identify areas where the plot may be unclear or inconsistent.

 

Challenge #5. Overwriting or Underwriting. 

 

Finding the right balance between providing enough detail to engage readers without overwhelming them or leaving the story underdeveloped can be tricky.

 

To avoid overwriting or underwriting:

 

°        Practice self-editing techniques to identify areas where you can trim unnecessary details or expand on important scenes.

 

°        Strive for balance by focusing on essential descriptions and dialogue that move the story forward.

   

°        Experiment with different writing styles and techniques to find your unique voice and rhythm.

 

Challenge #6. Fear of Criticism or Failure. 

 

New writers may struggle with self-doubt and fear of judgment from others, which can hinder their creativity and confidence in their work.

 

When you fear criticism or failure:

 

°        Remind yourself that all writers face rejection and criticism, and it's a natural part of the creative process.

 

°        Surround yourself with supportive peers or mentors who can provide constructive feedback and encouragement.

 

°        Focus on improving your craft and telling the story you want to tell, rather than worrying about others' opinions.

 

Challenge #7. Procrastination. 

 

It's easy to put off writing tasks, especially when faced with challenges or uncertainties. 

 

Overcoming procrastination is a common hurdle for many writers.

 

When you notice you are starting to procrastinate:

 

°        Break down writing tasks into smaller, manageable steps to make them less daunting.

 

°        Establish a consistent writing routine and set aside dedicated time for your creative work.

 

°        Use productivity tools or techniques, such as the Pomodoro Technique, to stay focused and motivated.

 

Challenge #8. Revision and Editing Difficulties. 

 

Knowing how to revise and edit effectively is a skill that takes time to develop. 

 

New writers may struggle with self-editing or knowing when to seek external feedback.

 

Try these revising and editing strategies:

 

°        Take a break between writing and revising to gain fresh perspective on your work.

   

°        Utilize self-editing checklists or techniques, such as reading your work aloud or changing the font, to catch errors and improve clarity.

   

°        Consider hiring a professional editor for a comprehensive critique and feedback.

 

Challenge #9. Finding Time to Write.

 

Balancing writing with other responsibilities and commitments can be tough. 

 

Many new writers struggle to carve out dedicated time for their craft with their busy schedules.

 

These tips should help when you’re having trouble finding time to write:

 

°        Prioritize writing by scheduling it into your daily or weekly routine.

  

°        Identify and eliminate time-wasting activities or distractions that prevent you from writing.

   

°        Set specific goals and deadlines to hold yourself accountable and track your progress.

 

Challenge #10. Finishing the Manuscript. 

 

Starting a novel is one thing, but completing it is another challenge altogether. 

 

Many new writers struggle to see their projects through to the end.

 

Try these tips to make sure you complete your novel:

 

°        Break the writing process into smaller milestones and celebrate each accomplishment.

 

°        Stay motivated by focusing on the sense of achievement and satisfaction you'll feel upon completing your manuscript.

 

°        Consider participating in writing challenges or accountability groups to stay on track and connect with other writers who share similar goals.

 

Navigating these challenges often requires perseverance, patience, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. 

 

Joining writing groups, seeking feedback from peers or mentors, and studying the craft of writing can all help you overcome these obstacles and grow as a novelist.

And, for more writing tips and helpful resources, be sure to get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge and join our Law of Attraction for Writers Facebook group. 

Suzanne Lieurance is an award-winning author, with over 40 published books, and a Law of Attraction coach for writers at writebythesea.com.

Overcoming Writing Distractions

I recently went to a class conducted by writers Amy K. Nichols and Joe Nassise. They talked about writing in the age of distraction (squirrel writing, they called it). It was very helpful, so I'm going to pass on some of the ideas I found most useful.

-Know your triggers. Write down all the things that distract you from writing and be ruthlessly honest as you do it. Internet surfing, e-mail, games, videos, etc tend to be big culprits, especially since you can do them on the same device you're supposed to be writing on. Even legitimate research can be a distraction, especially if you interupt the creativity of your first draft to go down that particular rabbit hole. Being aware of your worst distractions can help you avoid them (more on that below).

On the other side of the coin, know what triggers your creativity and productive writing. Sometimes wearing some item of clothing (a magic writing hat, etc), playing certain music, putting on headphones, or writing at a certain time will get you quickly in the zone. Take advantage of these triggers.

-Get into habits and do things religiously. Set aside certain writing times and treat it like a job. Ask yourself, "Would I get fired right now?" If the answer is yes, get off Facebook or whatever and get back to your job of writing.

-When writing at home, put a sign on the door (doorknob hangers work well) so that family members know you're working and know not to distract you.

-Try a brain focus app, like Brain FM. It sees what focusses you and then plays sounds that help.

-Use the Pomidoro technique (see my last post). This consists of 25-minute working sprints followed by short breaks (5-10 minutes). During your breaks it might work to reward yourself with one of those distractions you wrote down earlier.

-Give yourself deadlines, but make them reasonable and connect with other people who will keep you accountable to those deadlines. After all, if someone expects a certain number of pages from you by Monday, you're more likely to get it done.

-Resist "shiny thing syndrome" where you get excited by shiny new projects and start so many things but never finish. If this starts happening, pick one and finish it.

-Use apps that turn off the internet or black out the rest of your screen except your writing page for a certain amount of time. There are many apps and browser add-ons like this.

-Try something like Write-o-Meter, which tracks word count and keeps a log of productivity over time. It may help also you find when your most productive hours are.

-Take care of yourself mentally and physically, and don't compare yourself to others. Be kind to you.

-Give yourself permission to "be a writer." It will legitimize your work and make your work time seem more valuable.

Thanks, Amy and Joe, for all this valuable advice!

Melinda Brasher's most recent sale is a twist on Rumpelstiltskin, appearing in Timeless Tales. You can also find her fiction in Nous, Electric Spec, Intergalactic Medicine Show, and others. If you're dreaming about traveling to Alaska, check out her guide book, Cruising Alaska on a Budget; a Cruise and Port Guide. Visit her online at http://www.melindabrasher.com

A Blank Canvas - Your Characters

The last couple of months have been spent packing and moving from our 'retirement home' in Phoenix to our new 'retirement home' in Minnesota. I'm well aware that's not usually the direction one goes to retire. My parents had left me a home and my husband and I decided that for the next however many years we have, we are going to spend them in the Midwest enjoying a slower pace. 

Moving into one's family home is a bit of a challenge. I remember well how my mother had arranged furniture and art. Each day more memories crop up and distract me. But each day, too, I'm working on creating a new and different home, one that reflects the people my husband and I are. Part of the decisions we've already made are to paint, carpet and change all the window coverings. Think blank canvas. 

A blank canvas allows you to find your own place in the world. 

A blank canvas encourages exploration. 

A blank canvas drives one to a new level of creativity. 

And a blank canvas might be the best place to begin when writing your newest character(s). Part of the enjoyment of writing fiction is the unknowingness of the process. You begin with a character or a scene, or maybe only a setting. Somewhere down the road you may know where you want to eventually end - the statement you wish to make with your story. But everything in between is yours and your characters to create. Allowing your mind to be open to your character's possible reactions and thoughts is one great way to keep your readers engaged. Readers like surprises - and if you are like me - you do as well. Creating characters that, well, act out of character is fun. And just like the blank canvas above, it will drive you to a greater level of creativity, it will push you to explore your options and finally, it will help you to create characters that will find their own place in the world of literature. 

________________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, House of Glass, Book 2 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

Strategic Creative Writing Tips

 

by Deborah Lyn Stanley

Consistent writing hones our skills and expands our experience—the key to writing success.

Creative writing is beneficial to all writers.
•    Enhances imagination and creativity
•    Shapes thoughts to logically create the plot
•    Growth of confidence
•    Clarity and skillful communication
•    Creates a change of pace and stimulates fresh ideas

The best suggestion is using creative exercises to foster imaginative stories & ideas that relate to people.
•    Include dialogue between characters to express relationships.
•    Give attention to Point of View.
•    Similes build images by comparisons.
•    Use a short narrative anecdote to develop your characters.
•    Ask yourself “What If” questions.
Just get into the flow and write! Later—review, revise, and polish.

Story starters can help us get going. Check the internet for: 1) Creative Writing Now/story ideas and 2) Writing Forward  https://www.writingforward.com/writing-prompts .

Read well to write well. Sample a new author’s work, go beyond blogs and social media to classical literature—there’s a wealth of written works to learn from and enjoy. Some things that standout to me include: plot and story structure, the flow of narrative and dialogue, and character development.

Our discussion of Commonplace Books (post #1 & #2) could be very useful.
In the first post, I mentioned—the essential commonplace book (or journal notebook) is your personal place for useful and informative content.  Post #2: https://www.writersonthemove.com/search?q=Commonplace+books  

It’s your idea book—uniquely yours, a central storehouse of knowledge. It is a helpful resource to gather your notes of wisdom, impressive sayings, and practical applications. As you read, capture an idea by making notes, scribbles, or comments. Let your commonplace book become your treasure store of ideas and wisdom. Organize it as you wish: diagonal snippets, vertical standout points, doodles and diagrams.

Nurture creativity. Devote time to this grand adventure. Here are a few ways to foster creative writing skills:
1.    Spark it with art projects or art field trips,
2.    Schedule writing appointments with yourself,
3.    Use writing text prompts or magazine images,
4.    Listen to music, write the story that comes to mind

Understand & Strengthen Your Personal Creative Process

Helpful Books & Links:
What is Creative Writing?
https://www.writersonthemove.com/2021/07/what-is-creative-writing.html  

Ready, Set, Write: a Guide to Creative Writing by Melissa Donovan

Writing the Wave by Elizabeth Ayres

Telling True Stories: Nonfiction Writer’s Guide–Multiple Contributors, Edited by M.Kramer & W.Call
Telling-True-Stories-Nonfiction-Foundation
 

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her My Writer’s Life website at: https://deborahlynwriter.com/   

Visit her caregiver’s website: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/
"Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love"

 

 

 

Share on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/
And more via the icon bar below:

 

Writing Through 2020, Or Not with Carolyn Howard-Johnson

 

In light of the unprecedented and scary year we've had, we thought it'd be a good idea to share our 2020 in regard to how the year affected our writing and our lives. 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson will kick off the posts.

-----

Here’s to 2021!

Covid and 2020 provided me with more adventure than might be expected. We planned part of a ‘Round the World Bucket trip on the Pacific Princess—the part of the world we had never been to, the east part of the Africa continent. Just before we left we learned of a new dreaded disease out there, but considered how well the world had kept everything from ebola to SARS relatively isolated in the last few years and that it might be our last chance to see this rather isolated part of the world. At least it feels isolated from where we live on the coast of California. Many would consider this a mistake. It wasn’t.

By the time the world was shutting down we had already boarded our small ship of 700 passengers, most of whom had been on the ship for a good, long time (Consider it sufficient for to be considered a quarantine.) Everyone was still healthy. No one had been exposed to what we were calling “The Corona Virus” at the time. We visited Melbourne and Perth, both places in Australia we hadn’t visited before. That’s when we learned that stops in other faraway places like Bali, Thailand, and Shanghai had closed their ports. Ports continued to be closed to us as Covid grew and our ship substituted several ports on the West shore of Australia we had never been to and probably would never have thought of going to. 

It was very difficult for the Captain and cruise line administrators. Information changed day to day. Decisions were made and remade. Plan and then change plans. It finally looked as if we would be able to go to Sri Lanka, but they closed that port to passengers, too. We docked, took pictures of the skyline while the ship loaded food and other supplies and then we left, waving goodbye to a few port workers on shore. 

Columbo, Sri Lanka

We still wished, hoped for Africa which we knew had not reported an outbreak yet. But one by one our ports were cancelled. Seychelles. Reunion Islands. We floated on the Indian Ocean for about two weeks, a ghost ship with nowhere to go. A ghost ship with great food, good entertainment from flexible entertainers who had been aboard since Sydney, a lovely balcony and, yes, our computers where we could (yay!) write!

Eventually the ship’s captain announced that Princess’ CEO would address us via video in our cabins. Our ship would return to Australia and we would be evacuated to our homes—wherever that might be—at the cruise line’s expense. Why Australia when no place else in the entire world would welcome our wandering ship? I reasoned that it was because we were still Covid free and therefore no risk. But no, it was because by that time we had floated ourselves back to waters under their jurisdiction. It was as if we belonged to Australia, no matter how dangerous we might be—all of us with our Perriers, our margaritas, our champagne toasts...and plenty of time to, yes! Write!

That was just the beginning of our adventure. We still had to get back to Los Angeles and that wasn’t nearly as much fun. Not as relaxing. Much more scary. But I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything other than my impossible dream, that the world had never had to suffer this pandemic. I mean, I have an exciting story to tell my grandchildren and my online friends. I have been mostly completely isolated since then (voluntarily), learning to survive by relying on deliveries and Zoom.
 
So, Karen asked for a tip: How about an idea to ponder instead. Writers have the best of two worlds. The one we live in and the one in our heads. The one in our heads can keep us company regardless of our circumstances. I have heard of prisoners who write books without computers, pens, or paper. I once visited a cramped, attic-like room in Florence where Michelangelo once hid from a Pope who wanted to take him into custody. The walls were white and covered with frescoed drawings in black and white that were easily identifiable as his but rarely known outside of Florence. Michelangelo would have had a view from a rooftop window located under the eaves to inspire him, the city of Florence with Tuscany beyond. Creativity is a blessing. It may not be a uniquely human blessing (depending on our definition of creativity), but we humans can turn to writing in good times and bad. Memoir and journaling (and making other art) are healers and joy-makers; they are the stuff of life itself. 

Carolyn Crafting

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is an award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction, a former publicist for a New York PR firm and was an instructor for the renowned UCLA Extension Writers' Program for nearly a decade. She is an editor with years of publishing and editing experience including national magazines, newspapers, and her own poetry and fiction. Her multi award-winning The Frugal Book Promoter is in its third edition from Modern History Press
 
Learn more about the author and her career-boosting books at https://HowToDoItFrugally.com

 

 

Randomness to Spark Creativity

A while back I was playing with an online story idea generator. It puts random things together and gets ideas like this:

What if Marco Polo fought Lewis Carroll?
What if Columbus had access to robotics?
What if Montezuma was indirectly responsible for the Klondike Gold Rush?
What if the destruction of the Hindenburg involved witch-hunters?

So I had to laugh when I got to this one:
What if the fall of Mankind from the Garden of Eden involved forbidden knowledge?

It reminded me of the theory that a room full of monkeys tapping at keyboards for an infinite time period will eventually type Hamlet.

As a writer, I'm full of ideas, but sometimes none of them are the right idea for the moment, or they're just not gelling.  When I need inspiration, sometimes the randomness of these generators will spark an idea that my imagination then builds a fire with.  

You'll find all sorts of generators online: completely random but sometimes intriguing nonsense like above, customizable back-cover blurbs created from information you input, alien world generators, etc.  Obviously, your own imagination should do most of this for you, but taking a few minutes to laugh at the randomness will prime your creative pump if you find you're stuck in a rut.

Here's Seventh Sanctum's What-if-inator, where I got the above what ifs.

Melinda Brasher currently teaches English as a second language in the beautiful Czech Republic.  She loves the sound of glaciers calving and the smell of old books.  Her travel articles and short fiction appear in Go Nomad, International Living, Electric Spec, Intergalactic Medicine Show, and others.  For an e-book collection of some of her favorite published pieces, check out Leaving Home.  For something a little more medieval, read her YA fantasy novel, Far-Knowing. Visit her online at http://www.melindabrasher.com.

August Blogging Prompts

It's approaching the end of summer. It's hot and sticky. There are things to do, but chances are you don't want to do much of anything. Instead of letting the heat get the better of you, beat the heat! Pour a cold drink, sit by the fan or air conditioner, and write some cool blog posts,

Here are some ideas of what to blog about in August.

Bad Poetry: August 18 is Bad Poetry Day. The idea is to get bad poetry out of your system, so you can write better. There's value in writing poorly (in any genre), whether it's to get bad ideas out of your head to make room for the good ones or to just write bad material on purpose, just because you can, and to have fun in the process

Plus:

August Holidays: August is Family Fun Month, Romance Awareness Month and National Picnic Month. August 13 is Left Hander's Day, August 15 is Relaxation Day, August 16 is National Tell a Joke Day, August 25 is Kiss and Make Up Day, and August 27 is Just Because Day.

August Food Holidays: There are lots of food holidays in August. August is National Brownies At Brunch Month, National Peach Month, and National Sandwich Month. August 20 is Lemonade Day, August 24 is National Waffle Day, and August 30 is National Toasted Marshmallow Day (campfire stories, anyone?). August: 31 is Eat Outside Day, International Bacon Day, and National Trail Mix Day.

Bonus: Fiction writers, you've taken characters out on day trips over the summer months. Time to send them on vacation. No, I'm not talking about taking a break from your writing (although you can do that too). Send them out of town (or even on a staycation). They can have some fun, of course, but something always goes awry on vacay. Throw some challenges at your characters during their "time off" and see how they handle it.

Take you characters out of their normal routine, it will get you out of your routine, as well, and maybe even help you expand your creativity. Have fun!

***

Debra Eckerling is the author of Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages. She's a writer, editor and project manager/goal coach, as well as founder of Guided Goals and Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. She is an editor at Social Media Examiner. Debra is also a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting and social media.

Trusting Your Own Instincts: Rules Vs. Passion

Trusting Your Own Instincts: Reaching for Your Star

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the
multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers

Advice divvied out to authors by fellow authors often makes me uncomfortable It is, after all advice. Really. Advice almost never applies to all authors, all genres. Even what we think of as “zero-tolerance” disciplines like punctuation and grammar “rules” offer style choices and exceptions. I don’t blame the authors. Many are operating on what they learned decades ago. The things is, the publishing industry is always morphing and that’s especially so in the age of the internet.  And language itself?  It’s a living entity. Shakespeare himself probably knew that the rules for sonnets he followed (or made) would one day be different. He also may not have realized that one day they would be considered sacrosanct.

For instance, nonfiction authors—well respected nonfiction authors—suggest that authors research the need for a topic among their presumed audience, that they check out competitive titles, agents who are looking for a specific topic, and on and on.  Some of it is pretty good advice. What it overlooks is passion. And the joy that passion brings to what we do.

I feel lucky that I hadn’t read this advice when I started my HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers. So here’s my story. I hope it gives a few authors the confidence to follow their dreams. I start this story backwards because the original going-against-advice started back in early 2004 and you, dear reader-author, may not put much stock in anything based on ancient history.  

So, this is 2021.  My series for writers has been prospering since 2004. I started thinking my books had outgrown their own britches—or I had outgrown mine. So, there was a nice person I had worked with way back then partnering with a writer-oriented organization. I had been vaguely aware he was publishing and because Dr. Bob Rich and Diana Raab, two of my online friends, had published with him. One morning when I felt overworked and underappreciated, I picked up the phone and called Victor Volkman, publisher of Modern History Press. No research. No book proposal. Yes, I knew doing it went against all publishing tradition, all common sense. I really expected a no after I gasped, “Do you remember me? We worked together on a podcast some time ago.”

“Yes, he said. And he kept saying “yes.”

The upshot was that he published a full book under his Modern History Press imprint and a slender booklet (a kind of nonfiction chapbook) in less than six months. So, he deserves credit for following…well, his instincts if not his passion. He went by the seat of his pants, here, too.  Two books, both with a September first release date? Really? And both books had been published before. Well, that was gutsy. No matter what you’ve heard about the possibilities of getting a traditional publisher for a self-published book, it is rare. That path is loaded with all kinds of dangers and I am the first one to warn a client of what she might be up against if that is her hope (all the while urging her to follow her star if the book is already published or there are other well-meaning no-nos pointing in the direction of her book, style, or whatever.).

Returning to the early days of The Frugal Book Promoter, I came to realize I had just mirrored an earlier foolish move I made when I first started writing again. It was early-internet days. E-books were just beginning. And the craziest stuff –some of it outrageously unethical—was going around the net in what we called Yahoo writers’ groups and other places. I felt I should be letting people know, maybe teaching, but knew that I didn’t have the graduate degrees necessary. But a friend at a party told me that the world-renowned UCLA Extension Writers’ Program valued practical experience above graduate degrees so…well, I just pitched them a new course based on avoiding the potholes I had just experienced publishing my first fiction effort. Again, no hesitation. “Yes.” And I had a class to teach that fall with no book or e-books written specifically for authors available to use as a text!

That series of books now includes six of them and hundreds of how-to articles. The joy flows. One of the most joyful aspected is helping new writers avoid the same potholes I fell into and maybe rope in successes they would never have had if they hadn’t ignored the rule-makers, the nay-sayers. We have instincts and passions that can work for us. We can be cautious about using them, but we should never ignore them.

Publishing is in big part about trusting our instincts. Publishing is intense. That means writers must learn to take care of themselves. That includes learning more so we become more confident in our own choices, can take better care of our own needs.

Because of my desire to help other authors avoid the pitfalls I had experienced with my novel, I dropped my fiction to write that text. I used a new concept—a chatty text. And I am still chatting through my nonfiction books (gasp!)—and finding some time for fiction and poetry, too. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love more than just one thing in their lives. That’s why we have hobbies—and some of us have one or more children.

And it happened because I didn’t let advice—and fear—deter me. It happened because I did what people should always do when they start something new, I asked for a whole lot of help from my friends. The publishing industry is very traditional but there are a lot of plucky souls in it. Most the authors I know are risk-takers. The authors who aren’t in that category still have manuscripts stowed at the bottom of drawers or the bowels of their computers.

Suggestion for Friends and Writers

Gifts for Writers
Everyone is a writer these days. The ones who aren’t may find my advice to write about what is bothering them helpful for their stress level. Maybe my multi award-winning The Frugal Editor  will help give them the confidence to actually send what they write to the power brokers of the world! Especially when they find that a whole lot of the rules that stifle our creativity aren’t rules at all, that we get to make style choices. Emphasis on the word choices.

The Great First Impression Book Proposal is one of the books my published by my new publisher, this one its second edition.  And now it’s an audiobook, too. I’m including it because it makes the point that sometimes doing something the easy way is the best way. (The subtitle suggests you can learn all you need to know on the topic in thirty minutes or less using this booklet.) A new book on how to make Twitter work for authors is in the planning stages. Watch for it on The Frugal Book Promoter page at Modern History Press or follow me on my Amazon author page at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile page for automatic notifications of new books in the series.

 

Gift for Readers
I’m including my newest nonfiction book of poetry because I am making a point that we needn’t give up one passion to pursue another. Imperfect Echoes won a Writer’s Digest honorable mention award. Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief of Wisconsin Bookwatch says, “[Carolyn Howard-Johnson is] an exceptionally skilled wordsmith, her poetry will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections . . .” Find Imperfect Echoes . And, yes, some of the poems in it are a bit risky.

Cover art by Richard Conway Jackson who is serving twenty-five years to life in a California State prison for receiving stolen property.

 

 

Freewriting Frees You From Your Inner Editor

How do you get rid of that inner editor—the devilish one that sits on one shoulder, whispering,

“That’s not very good. What makes you think you can write? You can even spell!” Or “Doesn’t that need a comma there?” Or “Is that the right word? I don’t think so.”

Freewriting or flow of consciousness is a great exercise to shake off that devilish inner editor and get yourself back into a fun, playful sense of creativity. I think Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind) was one of the first who promoted this form of writing.

The rule for doing this is there are no rules. Choose a topic. Set a timer for ten minutes and put pen to paper. Do not stop for any reason. Don’t worry about commas and spelling and grammar. Don’t think about what you’re writing, just write whatever comes to mind, even if it’s “I can’t think of anything to write. This is a stupid exercise.” Something will come to mind. Go from there, see where it takes you. You may end up on a topic far from the one you started with.

But what do I write about? Anything you want. Something you see out your window, something that’s bothering you, a resignation letter to your boss, a mini-murder mystery in which you kill off your boss. When I teach beginning writing classes, I ask my students to make a list of 5-10 things they’d like to write about. Then each picks one and we do the 10-minute exercise.

Take something from your Work In Progress. Have your character talk to you or write you a letter. Write a page describing your setting. Pick a feeling and write everything you associate with that feeling: what’s your physical reaction? What smell does it evoke? What color do you associate with this feeling? Any tastes come to mind? Music? What memories?

You might end up with pages of drivel, but you might also find a diamond in the rough, something that could help with your WIP or be the beginning of a whole new novel.

Try it. You might enjoy it!

---------------------

A native Montanan, Heidi M. Thomas now lives in North-central Arizona where she blogs, teaches

writing, and edits. Her first novel, Cowgirl Dreams, is based on her grandmother, and the sequel, Follow the Dream, won the national WILLA Award. The next book in the series, Dare to Dream, and a non-fiction book Cowgirl Up! A History of Rodeo Women, have just been released. Heidi has a degree in journalism and a certificate in fiction writing.