Don’t let anyone tell you writer’s block isn’t real. I’ve heard well-intentioned people say, “You don’t hear about electricians getting electrician’s block. They just get on with it!”

Yes, but writing is not the same as wiring a house. Writing involves solving creative problems rather than technical problems, and sometimes the answers to those problems escape us. (How will Reginald escape the clutches of the psychotic human hair-paintbrush maker who wants to keep him prisoner so she can harvest his hair forever? If my ghost can’t leave the house, how will she get the thread she needs to embroider GET OUT on the sofa cushions?) The same is true for painters, musicians, and even other professions such as doctors and lawyers. A doctor can be stumped by a patient’s symptoms, and despite consulting all his books and other medical professionals, be unable to provide an accurate diagnosis. Doctor’s block. They don’t call it that, of course, but it’s not all that different.

One of the key differences is, however, in how other professions deal with issues of not having the answers. They work on other things. A doctor has many patients; a painter has many paintings going at once, or perhaps also works in charcoal. In other words, they don’t let the lack of answers paralyse them – they turn to something else.

Writers, however, have a tendency to let obstacles stop them cold. They get stuck, and they continue to spin their wheels in an attempt to remove the obstruction. This is the worst thing a writer can do. If a solution does not present itself within a few minutes, don’t push. The following is a list of sure-fire ways of resolving the block with very little conscious effort.

  1. Leave it and move on to the next scene. If that’s not possible, write something completely different. That novel you’re working on doesn’t have to be the only project you have going. You can work on a short story, or perhaps start outlining or mind mapping the next big project.
  2. Be patient. It can take a few days or even weeks for a solution to present itself, but it usually does, often after a good night’s sleep. The subconscious does a lot of heavy-lifting that we’re not even aware of.
  3. If you can’t wait, have someone else take a look at your work. Writing groups abound online (especially on Facebook), and it’s pretty easy to find someone who’s willing to take a look and offer some advice.
  4. Hire a writing mentor. A professional mentor will not merely provide ideas for manoeuvring around the obstacle, but will help you generate solutions yourself.

If you have any tips on overcoming writer’s block related to plot difficulties and other obstacles, please leave a comment.

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It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about Halloween.

NaNoWriMo!

Whether you’re hoping finally to start that novel that’s been pestering you, rewrite a previous draft, or maybe write fifty 1,000-word short stories, NaNo is a great opportunity to get some serious word crafting done.

But what happens when NaNo is over? When the smoke from the keyboard settles? Is it time to start sending your novel off to agents? Perhaps immediately publish to Amazon and Kobo?

Or are you going to make sure your work is the best it can be before sending it out into the world?

To help with that, I have two amazing giveaways to tell you about.

My colleague, Mariëlle S. Smith, and I have teamed up to offer you the chance to win a full developmental edit and a copy-edit of your NaNoWriMo 2016 project. That’s two separate giveaways, two chances to win.

I’ll tell you about the giveaway I’m offering and provide a link to the second offer.

Is this giveaway for me?

Are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo 2016? If so, then yes.

What can I win?

A full copy-edit up to 50,000 words.

Copy-editing is what most people think of when they hear the word “editing”: fixing typos, spelling mistakes, grammar/usage problems, and punctuation errors. However, there’s much more to a good copy-edit than that. It’s also done to check contradictions (your character was a blonde in chapter one, but in chapter ten she’s a brunette), consistency, omissions, style, readability, flow, and needless repetition. Copy-editing is done before proofreading but after developmental/structural editing.

Great! So, if I win, can I go ahead and send you my project?

That depends on the progression of the work. How did you spend your time during NaNoWrioMo – did you write a first draft? If so, you need to revise, rewrite, and possibly have some developmental editing first. Copy-editing is done once your story is complete. If, however, you used NaNoWriMo to revise and rewrite AND you’re completely satisfied with what you’ve written, i.e., you’re not going to undergo any more rewriting, then yes, you can send your work in to be edited.

My work won’t be ready for copy-editing for a while. Can I still enter? Or, can I submit something else instead?

You have 6 months to take up the offer, and as long as you participated in NaNoWriMo in some way this year, you can submit anything you like provided it’s ready for a copy-edit.

This is a great offer, but what I really need after NaNoWriMo is a developmental edit.

Fortunately, I can help you with that too. Mariëlle S. Smith from mswordsmith.nl is giving away a free developmental edit up to 50,000 words for NaNo participants. Her giveaway ends the 30th of November 2016, midnight GMT, so be quick!

How do I enter the giveaway?

  1. Like my Facebook page.
  2. Comment on this post telling me about your plans for NaNoWriMo 2016.

(Note: if the comment box isn’t displayed below, click on the title of this post and when the page loads, scroll down to the bottom; the comment box should now be there. Weird, I know.)

What’s the deadline for signing up?

 You can sign up until the 30th of December 2016, midnight GMT.

When will I hear whether I’ve won?

The drawing will be held on the 31st of December, and the winner notified via Facebook immediately.

I didn’t make the 50k. Am I still eligible?

Of course! It isn’t about winning NaNo, it’s about writing. You have 6 months to take up the offer, which should hopefully give you time to finish.

What happens if I quit my project?

You can either submit something else you’ve written that’s ready for copy-editing or begin a new project. If you’re unable to take up the offer within the 6 months, please let me know so another winner can be selected.

What if my project exceeds 50k?

I’ll offer a 15% discount on anything exceeding 50k. You can find my rates here.

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A list of podcasts for writers organised by focus. If you know of any you’d like to see on the list, please leave a comment. (Note: my use of hyphens may appear inconsistent, but I have followed the conventions of the podcast creators.)

Craft & Editing

These podcasts focus primarily on the craft of writing and the editing process, but also touch on publishing concerns such as querying editors and agents.

My favourite podcast! Weekly, highly on-topic episodes of around 15 minutes. Hosted by traditionally published authors Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells, featuring occasional guests. From their website: ‘Our goal is to help our listeners become better writers.  Whether they write for fun or for profit, whether they’re new to the domain or old hands, we have something to offer. We love to write, and our listeners do, too.’

Hosted by author K.M. Weiland, this podcast is all about inspiring writers, craft issues such as character development, outlining, structuring, and editing your prose.

Join Shawn Coyne, author of Story Grid and Tim Grahl, ‘struggling writer, as they discuss the ins and outs of what makes a story great.’

In very short episodes, the guys from The Self-Publishing Podcast (see below) answer author questions and provide tips and insight for writers.

Covers writing and editing dialogue, developmental and structural editing, NaNoWriMo survival, line editing, pacing, character development, and much more.

Join Leslie Watts and Clark Chamberlain as they provide authors with the skills needed for self-editing. From their website: ‘Ahoy authors! Come aboard and get ready to find the treasure in your manuscript.’

Authors Zach Bohannon and J. Thorn bring you a podcast ‘discussing all things in the world of horror’.

Author J. Daniel Sawyer helps you take your writing from hobby to profession. Get your writing questions answered on this podcast.

Indie Publishing

Podcasts focusing mostly on indie (self-) publishing and marketing, but may also touch on craft.

Nearly 300 episodes covering ‘interviews, inspiration and information on writing and creativity, publishing options, book marketing and creative entrepreneurship’.

Consists of 3 podcasts: Ask ALLi with Orna Ross and Joanna Penn; ALLi Insights with Orna Ross and industry experts; and Indie Author Fringe.

Via much witty banter and plentiful swearing, full time indie authors Johnny B. Truant, David Wright, and Sean Platt talk about their publishing methods: what’s worked and what’s proved to be a cluster f*ck. They explore everything related to indie publishing and how to make money along the way. From their website: ‘This isn’t artsy talk — it’s “authorpreneurial” business strategy that turns self-publishing from sideline into a rewarding career.’ You’ll also learn more than you every wanted to know about ayahuasca.

Suitable for both new and seasoned indies, Mark Dawson and James Blatch ‘give you insights into what’s working and what isn’t in the fast changing indie world’ through interviews and practical tips and ideas.

Simon Whistler hosts these hour-long podcasts, interviewing successful self-published authors to find out how they made it in indie publishing so that others can learn how to do it, too.

This unique podcast brings you the latest news from the world of indie publishing, as well as selling and marketing techniques.

Join Jim Kukral as he interviews top indie authors and shows you ‘how to use your book as the most powerful business card you’ll ever have’.

Arguably the most user-friendly self-publishing platform, Kobo brings you a podcast focusing on the craft and business of writing, with tips and publishing insights.

From their website: ‘The Author Marketing Institute is a big believer in the power of podcasts to assist authors with inspiration and learning about how to sell and market their books.’

From their website: ‘Weekly interviews with authors, self publishers and others…’

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I have never been good at naming things. My late cat had no fewer than 10 names…(Mimi, Gary, Bingo, Smelly, Harry Larry, and Purry Murray to name a few). So when it came time to name my business, I despaired. A friend of mine recommended Spell Chick, and I loved that, but felt it was limiting. Another friend came up with Kind Critiques, but that had the same problem as Spell Chick. Many editors simply go with their name, but I wanted something a little more snappy and memorable.

So I stole one.

Around this same time, I was reading How to Succeed as a Freelancer in Publishing by Emma Murray and Charlie Wilson. I’d been reading a random chapter – I hadn’t started from the very beginning – where authors were discussing setting up a website for your business. One of the examples given was perfectlywrite.co.uk. I thought Perfectly Write was such a great name, and quickly went online to see who owned it. It turned out no one did. I purchased the domain and prepared to start setting up shop.

Then I started reading the book from the very beginning and realised that Charlie Wilson’s business was named Perfectly Write. Confused, I did some Googling, but searches pointed to a different site: http://www.thebookspecialist.com. I contacted Charlie, and she said that she was no longer trading under the name Perfectly Write and was happy for me to use it.

She did, however, offer a warning through her reason for giving up the name: it’s impossible to be perfect. No editor is perfect or can catch every error or offer the perfect advice every time.

This is very true, but Almost Perfectly Write just doesn’t have quite the same ring, and I know I’d never come up with anything half as good. It does, however, encourage me to be as perfect as I can be. Perhaps one day I’ll change my business name, but if the name of my new cat, Bingy-Bong is anything to go by, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

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