I've always been somebody who's suffered from writer's block. This I think just stems from fear, which is one of the reasons I write like I do. I'm past the fear of critique of others, though this was a huge problem for many years.
I once asked a much less experienced, yet older colleague how they seemed to pump out so much published product. She said there was one secret that never failed her. "The first step," her eyes gleamed "...is to open the notebook, go to the file, open the file."
I thought at first she was taking the piss, until I tried it. It worked. It keeps working.
Another prolific writer, under whose counsel I had the chance to train for a year or two, once shared his secret:
"Whatever you do each day, write something related to what you're working on for at least half an hour and take it from there. This will keep you focussed and in the right mindset. Even if it's only tidying up what you wrote the day before."
I remember when we reached the final home straight of our recent, published book, which had been a three-year project (one of the reasons I now write e-books for Kindle).
Klash and I were preparing the final manuscript and we had this odd conversation one Saturday morning just before the final, final, FINAL deadline the next day.
"So, everything's there," I confirmed. "Chapters 1 to 14," sigh of relief. "Well done, Klash, congratulations old friend."
There was a silent pause on the other end of the phone. "So," Klash asked slowly, "you've got chapter 1 finished then?"
"No. I thought you had."
"Nope."
"Oh fuck."
"Yep."
That was the day I opened my notebook, opened a new file and began the fervent typing of a stream of consciousness for the next 10 hours which finally resulted in 7,500 words which now constitute chapter one of arguably (and there doesn't seem to be much argument) the greatest Events Management book ever produced.
Now it appears incumbent on me to draw together this collection of experiences which I've toiled over for the last ten minutes to bring you for your edification, dear readers, to the inevitable, Hollywood ending.
Follow your dreams in whatever you do, my fellow writers. Be true to your heart because you can never truly be true to anything else. If your audience loves what you publish, then it's an added bonus to you. If they don't, then fuck 'em.
But write we must, and write we shall, even though through so doing we may be damned.
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Perhaps start by writing a comment below, telling us about your various writing experiences? I look forward to reading those. Charles.
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2 comments:
Very good Charles! I love the concept of just opening the file. Sometimes that is all I do before I have to check twitter again. Then I have to shut twitter off or I'll have to check it the whole time I'm writing (extrovert much? Ah yea).
I've found myself challenging friends in a word count contest. That holds me accountable to someone. Let me say that all but one of those days I WON! I guess I'm competitive. Hey, whatever works, right? Enjoy your blog Charles, keep writing 1000 a day!
Hi Karen - it's always good to hear from you. I find writing can be a solitary task - which is one side of the reason I like it - just me and my various characters - on the other hand, I need other writers about me also to give me their thoughts on what makes them successful. I think the biggest measure of success of what we do is getting those words on the paper.
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