Laura Ayo
Last week, my writing group finally got to read and critique a scene in my work-in-progress that introduces the antagonist to the readers. I say “finally” because I’ve been struggling to write this scene for quite some time. No matter what approach I tried, I just couldn’t seem to pull it together. So, I made it my goal at the start of 2017 to figure out why this scene wasn’t working. Continue reading
You’re awake. Instead of writing the Great American Novel—or even a mediocre one—you’re reading our blog. Okay, then. We offer a topic; you respond. Let your fellow writers inspire you, and return to that manuscript refreshed.
Have you ever had writer’s block? How did you get through it?
Posted in Administrator, Insomniacs Anonymous
Tagged discussion question, writer's block
Naomi Hawkins-Rowe
Ok! Raise your hand if you’ve never felt a moment of self-doubt while you were writing. It is just as I expected … all hands down. Well, except for maybe a smug few in the back, but just you wait; self-doubt will rear its head sometime down the line. And I say this because I’ve never meet a serious writer, published or not, who has not confessed to feeling unsure about what they are writing, whether they’ve chosen a sane path, or whether they have the talent, endurance, or courage to finish the story they’ve started. Continue reading
Posted in Naomi's Posts
Tagged author motivation, inspiration, setting goals, writer's block, writer's life, writing, writing routines, writing tips
Megan Norris Jones
There’s a reason you can’t write that scene. You know, the one that keeps winking maliciously on a blank screen with its little cursor whenever you open your manuscript. The one that makes cleaning the house sound appealing. That one.
It might be laziness or a penchant for superfluous online research that gets in your way. It might be because your kid keeps interrupting or because you can’t force yourself out of bed early enough to write it before the rest of the day begins. These are the usual culprits. Look for them first. But the reason for your stalled-out scene might be something else, something totally unrelated to your everyday life and directly rooted in your writing. Continue reading
Posted in Megan's Posts
Tagged structure, writer's block, writer's life, writing, writing life, writing routines, writing tips
Naomi Hawkins-Rowe
It’s been awhile since I opened my manuscript, or my notes for that matter. Between stresses at work, having a sick family and being sick myself, I’m beyond unmotivated. We all hit that wall as writers, so I know my situation is not unique.
Finding the desire to get back into it after a lengthy hiatus can be difficult. You lose the momentum you’ve built uncovering and discovering the secrets of the world your creating, the voice(s) of your Continue reading
Posted in Naomi's Posts
Tagged author motivation, characters, learning, writer's block, writing, writing life