Blog

Writing Wisdom # 3

11/8/2022

I often scan facebook writing groups and I see new writers talk about writers block...how they can't seem to figure out the next scene or event that will take place. 

In my humble opinion there are reasons for that.

A. You lack knowledge of what you are writing about. You have a great idea, but you are writing in a vacuum; you have an idea...but no connection to a stream of consciousness. 

B. Your background is limited. You have not run into situations that produce real life events or have not run into wonderfully different people. 

1# Reality check.

Most readers want to be entertained and not abused by sadistic bloody encounters, or terrible memories of your childhood where readers are left weeping and hating the mean world we live in. They want to escape our crazy up-side-down world and be entertained. 

C. When I told my father I wanted to be a writer he smiled, took the cigar out of his mouth and said, "Son, write what you know about and passionate about and make the rest of the shit up!" 

History is replete with stories of love, passion, betrayal, faithfulness unto death, love of god, hatred...do some research and come up with just one small idea and make it grow.

#2 reality check.

The writer doesn't need a college degree or a degree in creative writing, but the writer must be a curious  and passionate person. Without these two friends you are doomed. You don't need raw talent or a 150 degree IQ. Writing can be developed through hard, hard work and dedication to your craft.

D. I recommend the following before you start writing the Great American Novel.

1. Read and study books on writing

2. Go to a writers conference or two

3. Read many books in you genre to get a feel how to write in thet genre.

4. Write, write, write, and write more. Learn how to put words into cohesive sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into scenes, and scenes into chapters.