Writer's Block and Why It Doesn't Exist

For those of you who don't know, I teach at the local university on occasion. I work, not surprisingly, in the English department. Specifically, I teach creative writing. While I'm not actually teaching a class this semester, I was asked to come in for a few days and talk to students at various phases in their education. One thing that always strikes me is how often students (and even seasoned writers) complain of the infamous writer's block.

Let me make one thing clear: I don't believe in writer's block. I simply cannot believe that anyone who calls themselves a writer (or who claims to want to be a writer) might sit down all ready to write and find themselves with nothing to say. How can that possibly be? Surely there are thoughts kicking around in your mind somewhere. Even if they have nothing to do with your current project. I've come to believe that writer's block has become the excuse a writer gives for pure laziness. This is not said with the intent of being malicious. We're all entitled to be lazy once in a while. I know I like having a lazy day here and there. But you'll never catch me trying to tell you that I'm doing anything other than being lazy.

But some people do really believe in writer's block. I know this because I argue with students about it all the time. And if you truly believe in writer's block, and believe that you're suffering from it, you might be having a tough time putting words on paper (or on the computer screen). If this describes you, there are some tried and true methods that can help you get in the habit of writing, which is the only thing that can really overcome writer's block.

1. Place butt in chair. No, I'm not kidding. Glue yourself to your chair and get something done. Reading is not writing. Researching is not writing. Thinking is not writing. Getting a snack is certainly not writing. Sit down and do it.
2. Why do you think I have a blog? Because I have nothing better to do? No. I have a blog (ten of them, actually), so I always have something to write. Nothing kills the desire to write like not writing, so I blog when I'm in the middle of research just to keep those creative juices flowing. So start a blog about anything you like and post no less than once a week. Even if no one reads it, you'll exercise those creative muscles. My blogs follow my passions, so use yours and have fun.
3. Write 500 words a day, no matter what. No excuses. Think 500 sounds like a lot? I write 5000+. You shouldn't compare yourself to me or anyone else, but you need to write if you ever want to be able to say you're a writer. I write my 5000 words even if they're horrible. That's the magic of editing.
4. Read. That's right. Pick up a book by an author you admire and read it. Let the flow of words inspire you. That doesn't mean taking their ideas, but inspiration can come from the way others use words, so read a good book.
5. Have more than one project on the go at any one time. I write adult fiction, children's fiction, and non-fiction, and I have at least one project in each category. Everyone once in a while, a project does need to sit, but if you just stop writing, it'll be harder to start again. So move your efforts over to something else for a few days.
6. Have a schedule. And now I hear the groans. But writers find time to write. If you can't find time to write, you're not a writer. You're just someone is playing around with the idea of being a writer, which is not at all the same thing. We all have distractions. I know I do. Kids, television, movies, kids, books I haven't read, kids, papers to mark, kids ... and did I mention the kids? But I've developed a very strict schedule for myself, and I follow it like clockwork. It's all well and good to say you're too creative for a schedule, but you'll never get anything done if you don't carve out the time. Make a writing date with yourself and stick to it.

Find a way to break the cycle and get writing. If you can do that, you are well on your way to writing a novel, or whatever your writing goal happens to be. Just don't fall into the trap of writing nothing, or nothing is all you'll ever write.

Choosing a Point of View When Writing a Novel

Well, I'm at the beginning of a new project, this one a rather lengthy novel that will likely be split into two or even three different books. Before I really delve into the books, I need to answer a few questions. The first is always what the story will be about. This one was easy. I already had the idea or I wouldn't have sat down to write the book

So I've got my story. After spending most of the week fleshing out the plot, I run into my next crucial question. Point of view (also called narrative perspective) is nearly as important as the plot. There are many choices, all of them with their pros and cons. Generally, when writing the types of novels I work on, there are three choices: first person, third person limited, and third person omniscient.

First person, which uses the pronoun I, is great for getting into a character's head. You can reveal all thoughts and feeling your lead character is having and you get to know everything that character knows. The main character is not a mystery. This is great, and would be great, except for the obvious drawbacks, the first of which is limiting the point of view. As a reader, you only get to know what the main character knows. There is no way of introducing any other information (unless I make use of the idea of the Interlude, but these always annoy me).

The other problem is one of suspense. If I'm using first person, then the reader can guess, probably accurately, that the main character is sitting by the fire telling the story after the fact. The main character survived everything that happens. I don't usually like to kill off my main characters, but I do it occasionally and I like to have the option.

Third person limited is not all that far removed from first person. Third person uses the pronoun he or she, but the point of view is still limited (for the most part) to the main character. This imposes some distance between the main character and the reader, and as an author, I don't have to reveal everything the main character knows. This allows for more mystery and some suspense. But I still have a hard time killing off the main character, since we've been mostly in his (or her) head the entire time. Also, this point of view can become boring for some readers, which is the kiss of death for any author.

Then we come to third person omniscient. A good point of view, as far as it goes. I can dip into anyone's thoughts at any time and I only reveal what I want, and only when I want to. I can kill any character and keep the integrity of the story. The problem? This point of view can seem cold and distant, which it is to a certain extent. It also leaves me open to being accused of head hopping, which is leaping from one point of view to another and confusing the reader while doing so. It can be done, but it takes a little more care and patience to do it well.

My choice, as always, must be dictated by the story itself. Looking carefully at my plot, it became clear to me that I only rarely drift away from my main character. With a little careful rewriting I can eliminate these scenes and drift closer to first person point of view. But I don't want to get that close. A little mystery is good for this particular story, since I don't want to reveal the end too quickly. Third person limited, then. But I like the intimacy of first person, so I think I'll do a prologue and an epilogue in first person. The best of both worlds.

When you are searching for a point of view, disregard what's popular and what you might be used to. This decision should be driven entirely by the story, and not by what is currently popular.

Want more information about narrative perspective? They this little video for starters.

Self-Publishing With CreateSpace

I'm going to start this post by saying I don't use CreateSpace. I don't use any self-publishing company as I'm still traditionally published. This isn't to say I won't eventually turn to self-publishing in the future, but I haven't done it yet.

However, I've been getting a lot of e-mails about self-publishing. I suppose it's something many people do, so I've decided to post about it just this once. And while I haven't personally used CreateSpace, I have interviewed 23 people who did. Not all the experiences have been great, but that's the way it is with any service.

Make no mistake, CreateSpace (and any self-publishing company) is selling a service. They're going to print you up a book (and possibly make it available from Amazon and other online booksellers), but you'll have to pay for the privilege. CreateSpace is a print-on-demand (POD) service, so no copies of your book are printed until ordered, either by you or another party.

You'll either love or hate CreateSpace and it's certainly not for everyone. In theory, you can publish your book completely free of charge, but this is a little misleading. You need to preview your book, so you'll have to order your own copy (called a proof copy). Then you must review it carefully. It's important to realize there are no editors, so what you submit is what you get. If your book is riddled with errors when you upload it to CreateSpace, you'll get a proof copy riddled with errors.

You'll also have to format your book for paperback, and this is no small task. It can be done with Microsoft Word or other programs such as Scrivener, but let's not pretend. It's a pain in the butt. Most of the people I interviewed had published multiple books with CreateSpace. Their advice? Once you've got your template perfected, use it for all future books. It will save you time and frustration. Make sure you can save your formatted novel as a PDF. Some POD printers will allow you to upload other file types, but stick with PDF. At least things won't move around when the file is uploaded, which can sometimes happen.

After you've received your book, decided you're not going to bother with the 14 typos you found when reviewing your copy, and approved it, you're still not quite done. Here's where the free thing comes up again. To really get the most out of CreateSpace, you have to shell out a little money for distribution. However, a little research reveals that this is standard among POD printers, including Lulu.

One thing I haven't mentioned yet is the extra services CreateSpace (and most POD companies) offers. You'll see offers for editing and design services, but steer clear of these. Of the 23 authors I spoke to, only 6 of them had used these services, and not one of them was happy with it. In the words of one author, "I could have designed that myself. And the editing wasn't any better than my wife could have done. And she's free!"

All in all, CreateSpace is a good deal for the money, but don't expect bestselling status. Self-publishing may be shaking off its stigma, but it still faces problems traditionally published authors don't have to worry about. The editing, format, and design of your books has to be done yourself. You have to do all the marketing. And distribution will be a problem. Look at your local bookstore and see how many self-published books are there. Not many. But if you're okay with all of this, perhaps you'll be satisfied with CreateSpace.

How did the authors I interviewed rate the service? 1 of the 23 gave it five stars. 15 gave it four stars. 1 gave it three stars. 1 gave it two stars. 5 gave it one star. Of those who didn't like the service at all, most said it was due to quality issues, so there are some bumps in the road when using this service.

Poems: The Voice

I'm a poet at heart, though I make my living writing books. Some of the poems I write are funny, others are tragic, but they all come from the heart. So here's one of my favourite poems, this one about a dark time in my life.

Listen, can you hear it?
Or is it only in my dreams?
I close my mind to shut it out,
Yet still somehow it seems,
There is a dark wind calling,
Singing wild and free,
Caressing all my skin,
Crying out to me.
“Come,” it sings so gently,
“Leave all your cares behind.
Follow with each step I take,
And true peace you will find.”

I doubt and still I follow,
Knowing not where this road leads,
Yet praying it holds the answer,
To all my darkest needs.
And there at last he’s waiting,
His eyes older than my years.
They touch my own so tenderly,
And banish all my fears.
I know I have the choice then,
And yet how can I dare,
To move into the darkness,
And seek an end right there?