Tag: Writer’s block

Author Interview

Author interview with poet Angela Chaidez Vincent

Mandy Webster

It takes a rich and diverse mind to excel at both math and writing poetry, and author Angela Chaidez Vincent has just that sort of mind. I was lucky enough to share a table with her at the Louisville Book Festival this year where I learned that she is also a really fun person to hang out with!

Arena Glow author Chaidez Vincent’s background is in mechanical engineering, mathematics, and instrumental music performance. Her work is infused with numerical winks and a collagist impulse that seeks to join vigorous dreaming with the subterranean and overlooked. She has an MFA in Poetry and keeps her tech side smiling by teaching precalculus and computer science. Angela resides in Fresno, California with her wife, Lisa.

Q: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

A: There was such relief (and a fair amount of amazement) in knowing that I can actually see a major literary undertaking through to completion! I feel much more confident in my ability to do it again. 

Continue reading “Author interview with poet Angela Chaidez Vincent” →
Author Interview

Author interview with Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

Mandy Webster

Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton is the author of the Mud Crab Kingdom series, which is set in a world where “being mud-skinned is worse than murder, and being “different” is worse than being mud-skinned.”

Hamilton’s works include three books in the Mud Crab Kingdom series: The Soft-Shelled Prince, My People or My Peace?, and Let It Be Known, I Exist and Black Brilliance, the unheard ancient Egyptian tale of the great musician and scientist, Aqil.

Continue reading “Author interview with Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton” →
Finish Writing Your Novel Now!, NaNoWriMo

How NaNoWriMo can increase motivation & momentum

Mandy Webster

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an annual creative writing challenge that takes place in November. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a 50,000-word novel draft in just 30 days, from November 1st to November 30th. Participating in this activity is a great way to build and maintain momentum. Plus, if you can write 50,000 words of your own novel draft in one month, you will be well on your way to finishing your novel in months rather than years.

NaNoWriMo is open to anyone who wants to participate, regardless of writing experience or genre preference. Participants can register on the NaNoWriMo website and connect with other writers in their local community or online for support and encouragement. The site also offers a word count tracker that helps you see how many words you need to write each day to stay on track.

Continue reading “How NaNoWriMo can increase motivation & momentum” →
Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Novel drafting rule #5: No research allowed

Mandy Webster

During the planning stage of the novel writing process, you probably did a lot of research into your topic while you generated ideas and plotted your story structure. But now that you’re in the drafting stage of the novel writing process, all that needs to stop.

While research was welcome during the planning stage of the writing process, it’s not a good idea to try to conduct research during the drafting stage. Image generated using artificial intelligence.

Stopping to do research during the drafting process of writing a novel can be a distraction and slow down your progress. Here are some reasons why you may want to avoid stopping to do research while drafting:

Continue reading “Novel drafting rule #5: No research allowed” →
Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

The importance of momentum in the novel drafting process

Mandy Webster

Momentum is crucial when writing a novel because it helps you to keep going and make progress. Writing a novel is a long and challenging process, and it can be easy to get discouraged or distracted along the way. Momentum helps you stay focused and motivated so you can keep making progress toward your goal of finishing the book. And that’s what this writing series is all about, isn’t it?

Momentum in the novel writing process is all about getting into that “flow state” where the words almost write themselves! Image generated using artificial intelligence.

When you have momentum, you are in the flow of writing, and the ideas and words tend to come more easily. You may find that you are able to write more quickly and efficiently when you have momentum, and that you are able to produce higher-quality writing as well. In addition, momentum can help you overcome the obstacles and challenges that inevitably arise during the writing process. For example, if you get stuck on a particular scene or chapter, having momentum can help you push through and keep writing, rather than giving up or getting discouraged.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Novel drafting rule #2: Write fast

Mandy Webster

Writing fast when creating the first draft of a novel can be beneficial for several reasons. First, writing quickly allows you to capture ideas as they flow, preventing them from slipping away. During the creative process, inspiration can strike unexpectedly, and writing fast enables you to record those ideas in the moment, preserving their freshness and vitality.

If you stop constantly during a race to check your hair and makeup, you’ll never finish the race! Don’t worry about your novel’s appearance while writing the first draft: just run toward the finish line as fast as you can! Image generated using artificial intelligence.

Writing quickly will also help you overcome writer’s block or the fear of a blank page. When you write rapidly, you minimize self-censorship and judgment, allowing your ideas to flow freely. This can help you bypass mental barriers and unleash your creativity.

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Memes, Novel Writing, Valley of the Bees

Is your novel stuck? How to write your way past the flashing cursor

Mandy Webster

One of the most important lessons I have learned about novel writing is that the worst thing you can do when you’re stuck is to sit and stare at a flashing cursor on a blank page. In my experience, when I have done this in the past, the longer I stared at that cursor, the more stuck I became. Instead, I have learned that the only way to get unstuck is to write through it.

writing meme

This may sound like a crazy idea.

“I’m stuck,” you’re thinking. “How do I write through it when I can’t think of anything to write?” Continue reading “Is your novel stuck? How to write your way past the flashing cursor” →

Journaling

Writer’s Journal | On fighting mice and terrorism

Mandy Webster

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Noon o’clock

I suppose if I’m going to do this, I should at least attempt to write something worthwhile rather than just rambling on about whatever random nonsense crosses my mind while I’m sitting here digesting my lunch and waiting for it to be time to go back to the office.


Embed from Getty Images

But what to write about? It is so hard to get back into the blogging habit once you have fallen out of it. Maybe I could blog about current events. Something controversial that will attract readers who will argue with each other in the comments section.

Let’s see. Continue reading “Writer’s Journal | On fighting mice and terrorism” →

Writers on Writing

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received?

Mandy Webster

Writer's Block 1
What’s the worst thing someone could say to you when you’re suffering from writer’s block? | Writer’s Block 1 (Photo credit: NathanGunter)

As writers, we know how rare it is for our friends and relatives to really “get” what we do and why we do it. We know they love us and want to support us, but sometimes they make thoughtless comments that make us want to wring their necks. I recently asked my online writer’s group what was the worst “advice” they have received from well-meaning friends and family members. Here are some of the responses I received:

Writer's Block

Try this new motivational strategy next time you’re stuck in an unproductive day from writing hell.

Mandy Webster

This is reading. Old school
This is reading. Old school

Want a rush? Try this little motivational strategy I just stumbled upon. I was having one of those really productive days where I had so much I wanted to do I ended up taking a nap instead. I needed to do a read-through of my current novel draft, but I was SO sick of looking at it on my computer screen. I considered printing it out, but my printer can’t handle such a large job. And I wasn’t in the mood for an expensive trip to the library printer. So yeah, I took a nap.

I woke up groggy and continued to accomplish nothing for the rest of the afternoon while I watched cruddy daytime television and the minutes crawling by on the wall clock. My kids were going to return from school soon. After 3:00, my chances of accomplishing anything for the day would drop to around 0%. Continue reading “Try this new motivational strategy next time you’re stuck in an unproductive day from writing hell.” →