What Should I Write About? Part Deux

A few weeks ago I wrote a post called "What Should I Write About?" 

In it, I argued that a writer should focus on an idea that excites them and/or something that piques their curiosity. 

This week, I'll be more specific, so. . . .

What Should I Write About?

Well, look around you. 

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels

What's in the news? What are the hot topics? 

What headlines are grasping people's attention? 

What books are people reading? 

What movies and shows are they watching? 

What do they seem to want more of? 

What stories or storylines could use reinventing? 

Is there a new spin you can put on an old tale? 

Every new story told is informed by the stories that came before it. One story inspires the next and the next. . . .

There is nothing new under the sun--there is only our unique voice and style, and the choices that will make the story exclusively ours.

So take a familiar topic (that interests you and/or piques your curiosity) and manipulate it, telling the story as only you can.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Hot New Release!

So this little labor of (nonfiction) love is live today!

And don't let the title fool you. This book isn’t just about writer’s block. It’s a love letter to writers at all stages—equal parts inspiration and application—a reminder that our writing (and what we have to say) matters.

It's a nice, two-hour read, and my hope is that you feel inspired and ready to tackle this creative life by the time you've reached the end. 

(But yes, there are plenty of tips on how to tap into that well of creativity and keep it flowing.)

Here are the buy links:

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

iTunes

Kobo

Google Play

Feel free to share these on social media and/or with a writer in your life who could use some encouragement. 💖

And always. . . .

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Coming Soon!

Be Inspired. Be Bold. Break Through.

What do Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Virginia Woolf, and F. Scott Fitzgerald have in common?

Writer’s Block. 

Yes, in addition to being bestselling and/or celebrated authors, each of these writers admitted to suffering from writer’s block at some point in their literary careers.

In fact, writers of every caliber have faced a creative block at intervals throughout their journeys, but when it happens to us—when a project stalls, when the right words refuse to manifest, when the page remains empty—the doubt creeps in.

What is happening? 

becomes 

What am I even doing? 

becomes 

Why am I even bothering? 

There is, however, a way out. 

The Ambitious Writer’s Guide to Overcoming Creative Blocks and Building a Writing Routine that Works not only breaks down the components of a creative block—what it is and isn’t, how it affects us, and how we can move past it—but also offers insights into the creative process, inspiration for writers at any stage, and tips for kick-starting a stalled writing practice.

So if you’ve hit that proverbial wall in your current project, if the new project doesn’t want to transfer from your head to the page, or even if you want to safeguard yourself so the creative blocks are fewer and farther between, then this book was written with you in mind.

First Impressions

What "first impression vibes" does your main character impart?

Do we like them immediately, or do we dislike them?

In real life, we tend to like those who are most like us. Perhaps we are close to the same age, share the same style or interests, or are living similar moments in our lives. We gravitate away from those we don't immediately understand--perhaps someone from a different culture or socioeconomic status, or someone much older or younger than us.

We will most certainly dislike someone who is acting in a way we don't consider normal ("normal" as it reflects our own values or belief systems, of course).

Many of our interpretations of a person are enacted on a subconscious level--at the time, we don't even realize we're judging or making assessments, sizing the other person up, if you will.

The same applies to fictional characters. 

We are going to most relate to and enjoy reading about someone who is like us.

But. . . . 

It's also likely we will become bored with them, and this is why our characters should be unique--just representative enough of the demographic to relate to the intended audience, but different enough to pique and maintain the reader's interest.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Readers are not going to identify with every character acting between the covers of every book, and this is why, as writers, it's up to us to create enough sympathy surrounding a character that readers can't help but connect to them in some real way. 

The writing advice for how to do this varies: some say give the character a dog--something to love dearly--or a tragic backstory, or a noble cause.

But whether they are good or bad, likeable or unlikeable, the reader *will* develop an opinion at that first meeting, and it's up to the writer to use the tools at their disposal to overcome (or build on) that first impression to whatever degree is necessary to keep the reader turning pages.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~