How to get your brain "right," so you can write, a podcast on the psychology of writing; how to deal with fear, the internal editor, writer's block, life block, and everything else getting in the way of you writing.
The number one trait of writers who get published.
But how do you believe in them? I know the secret magic.
Why I think it's important to commit to an hour a day. Even if I'm not currently able to do that myself.
What helps you stay in the right head space for your writing and what--doesn't.
One of the most frequent problems I see in first chapters is flashbacks. Here's why I think you shouldn't do them there.
Sure, you can work on 10 things at once. Sure, that's not avoidance.
What Life Block is and why it's different from Writer's Block.
If you hate your book? Time to take some time off, if you possibly can.
Some extremely opinionated thoughts about how to decide what pov character/s to use and what tense is right.
I've lived at least 3 lives as a writer, and I describe my various schedules and goal-setting procedures in each of them, including in my life now where I have a full time 9-5 job to work around, as well as evening and weekend work as a writing mentor.
Why you should stop obsessing about the first page before you've done about 10 drafts. You're only going to know what the right first page is when all the other pieces are in place.
Some basics about the publishing world that I always get asked.
This little chat will make you EXCITED to work through the murky middle. It's all about the dark night of the soul and making things worse.
The 4 elements of a basic Book bible, and when you should start creating one.
When you write dialogue, you need multiple layers. Here are what those layers are.
After helping hundreds of writers with books, here are the top 4 ways I suggest to fix plot, character, and other issues.
Not Writing? Here are some solutions to the top three problems keeping you from your writing.
One of the biggest things new writers forget to do is add emotional reaction for their character each time something happens. Without this, the reader won't have their own emotional reaction.
Starting in media res does NOT mean with a battle scene. Some thoughts on why.
Fiction or non-fiction, you need to write in scene to make it feel real to the reader and to make them remember it.
How do you run a marathon? 100 steps at a time. How do you write a book? 100 words at a time. Small goals make your brain shut up about how impossible and scary it is.
Why aren't you writing the book you're meant to write? Here are 17 quick reasons I think you aren't getting to it.
You can't outsource your pattern for creativity. It only comes from within. How to learn to trust yourself? Practice failure.
Are you writing and stopping or never getting to the writing part?
This is just another form of procrastination, so you don't have to face the fear of failure.
You don't think you're procrastinating, but I guarantee you are.
Your brain thinks that writing a book exposes you to a catastrophic life or death (of the ego) event and it will do everything it can to protect you from the fear of failure by telling you not to write. If you quit first, you will never fail. Or so your brain thinks. Some tricks here to deal with this, because it's going to be a lifelong battle. For more about my mentorships, go here: www.metteiviementorships.com
Inspired by Alexander Chee's How to Write an Autobiographical Novel
You have time, my friend. You will finish your work.
One that uses writing skills or completely different skills?
Doubts as I commit more time and brain space to a job search.
TMI about my life and my creative path moving forward.
Here's why a first draft shouldn't be a worse version of a final draft.
Sometimes you have to let go all of the work you've put in on a project in order to reach for the even better version of it.
Only you can be a safe space to write the truest and most human truths in your life.
I'm trying to let go of writing tame books and throw myself into the wild storm of creativity.
Have you considered reading a book as a solution to your creative problems?
Why am I such a terrible writer and other thoughts on revision.
A reminder that I am living the dream of my 13-14 year old self.
A list of excuses your brain is surely giving you to keep you from writing.
I think I've finally figured out what I want to do, outside of my own writing.
Being a little-known author has advantages; one of them is not writing to my audience.
The hardest part of being a writer is arguably waking up every and having the confidence to go back to the work that isn't quite there yet. You have to believe in it, and yourself.
The temptation to give up because it is too hard is strong.
Learning to attune yourself to writer's block can be super helpful.
The fantasies about being your own boss are just that--fantasies. Another side of the difficulty of the creative life.
What is it I do when I sit down and type in the words?
You may achieve what you want as an artist, but is it enough?
How wanting my ego to be stroked via my creativity is getting in the way of the real work.
What counts as the work? Being human.
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