writing habits

Bitch-space: 30 Jan 24

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Bitch-space. What’s up for bitch-space today? I’m not sure. Don’t really have any questions/thoughts I want to work through re writing… Except as I was writing that, the white-board on my office door came to mind, with the little note “Novella challenge?”. It’s circled, so it’s important. There’s nothing wrong with it sticking out, but … Read more

Bitch-space: 29 Jan 2024

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Welcome back to bitch-space. I’m almost done with the Collected Edition and isn’t that a relief. A few details to mop up with the book, the website to polish off, a bunch of videos to record… lets not think about it. The book is just about done, I’ll be able to send it to the … Read more

Bitch-space: 25 Jan 2024

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Bitch-space, shit is happening in bitch-space. I don’t know what shit, but it’s happening. This is the second time I started this tonight. But then a friend called and I got to gas-bagging. So, here I am, doing this an hour after I’d planned. Seems to the thing for today, plans not going to plan. … Read more

Bitch-space: 24 Jan 2024

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Mornings. I am not a morning person. I can get up early enough but that does not mean I am functional. Does not mean that I write better (or worse, for that matter) it just means… what does it mean? Means that my preferred time for writing is in the afternoon. I don’t like rushed … Read more

Bitch-space: 22 Jan 2024

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Here is me, once again writing complete and utter tosh (is that how you spell “tosh”? Is tosh actually even a word and if so, does it mean what I think it means? For some reason I want to make it French, “touche”, except that’s “touché”. Ugh. Anyways…) for no other reason than I can, … Read more

Killing the Inner Bitch

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A little note before I start: this is the first instalment in Bitch-space, where I ramble on some about some of the shit holding me back from writing the way I want to. For the whys and wheres and hows, read on. Bitch-space: 20 Jan 2023 Why do I have a great big blank in … Read more

Advice for writers staring out

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I recently received an email from a writer who’s just starting out, and they wanted to know if I could give them any advice. It’s the first time anyone has asked me for writing advice, and I was very flattered.

Since my first full-length work isn’t quite finished, I wasn’t sure how much advice I could offer. Then I thought back on what I’ve found the most difficult thing about writing and what’s helped me.

In my experience, writing a novel is hard. It’s hard, not because of the technical aspects of it, but because of all of the self-doubts that crop up along the way. You’ll probably find yourself thinking things like ‘I’m a cruddy writer’, ’this book is stupid’ and ‘I’m never, ever going to finish’, the sorts of things that totally discouraging you from writing. That’s why you need to be persistent, to keep writing despite the self-doubts, and stubborn, for when persistence fails you. 

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Battling personal demons with a notebook

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My notebook, where I excise my personal demons, turned to the page that reads 'trust your gut'.
The battleground, where I wage war against my personal demons.
Determining your writing process isn’t just about brainstorming and planning, it’s also about conquering the personal demons that are holding you back.

For me, writing has been as much about personal growth as it has been about learning the correct use of the semi-colon. It’s hard and scary, but in the long run, it’s more than worth it.

More than with your writing process, you need to find your own way to deal with the things that hold you back. Here’s how I’m dealing with one of mine.

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Exploring the writing process

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Books on writing processes, including First Draft in 30 Days and What Would Your Charater Do?
Just some of the writing books in my reading pile.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent time trying to figure out the how to write a book. Not just the putting pen to paper bit, but the step-by-step process of planing, outlining and drafting. You’ve probably read books with titles like First Draft in 30 Days and No Plot? No Problem!. You might even have flirted with beat sheets, the Snowflake method, phase drafting and a hundred and one other techniques that promise to make your writing life easier.

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Writing and the magic bullet

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A spread from my writing journal
A spread from my writing journal

 

When I started writing for more than just the amusement it provides, I scoured the internet for tips and tricks from established writers, unconsciously searching for a magic bullet (pill, sock, cat or milkshake) to write my book for me. Unfortunately there isn’t one, and what’s more writing a novel (which is a gzillion times longer than a tweet) requires discipline, planning and months, if not years or decades, of your life. Plus you don’t get paid for it.

But while I didn’t find the magic bullet (pill, sock, cat or milkshake) I did find some good advice ((My favourite is in Jennifer Cruise’s post Hello, I’m Your New PRO Columnist: Reflections on the Columns I’m Not Going To Be Writing where she tells readers to forget what everyone else is doing and “go write your good book”. Sound advice. What are you waiting for?)), some of which has informed the way I write now.

After more than two years of trail, error and some fruitless Googling, here’s what works for me and a few tips that might work for you.

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