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~

Writing Descriptions

The dialogue always comes early.

For me, that is.

I always hear the conversations my characters have in my head first and foremost. Writing the in-between--what's happening outside the conversation--has always been a bit harder.

So if you're anything like me and aren't always sure what to include between the conversations in your fiction, here are a few options:

What the character is doing.

Conversations rarely exist in a vacuum. We're most likely conversing while performing other tasks (washing the dishes, walking to work, re-stocking that shelf, etc.), so consider where your characters are and the activity they're engaged in while talking. Give us hints at how the activity is progressing. 

What the character is thinking/feeling. 

We rarely say what we mean. What does your character think about what's being relayed? This is a great place to add some conflict. For instance, maybe your main character agrees to meet with someone at another time, pretending she's okay with this, when she's actually suppressing her disappointment. Give us those inner thoughts. Show us the contrast between her expectations versus reality, or what she's predicting will happen.

What people are doing around them.

What does your character notice about the activities taking place around them? What (or who) is grabbing at their attention? Don't toss random associations into your descriptions--if a character sees something worth mentioning, it should mean something. Still, this is a great way to fill the space between your spoken words.

Backstory.

Is there an important piece of backstory that can be imparted during this conversation? Is there something about the past the character remembers, or a revelation she's having? Since backstory shouldn't be info-dumped into a single location, use conversations as a natural way to intersperse past (relevant) events into the present story.

Location.

Similar to noting what the character sees happening around her, what does the space look like? Are they in a garden or walking along a city street? Working in a kitchen at the back of a restaurant? What are the sights, sounds, and smells associated with this place? Toss in a few specific details to ground your reader within the setting as you move the conversation along.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Again, it's worth noting that every description included in a passage should be pertinent or important in some way. 

Also, keep in mind that balance is needed when interspersing these details, especially when they occur in the middle of a conversation. The reader needs enough information to gain a solid image of the time and place, but not so much that it takes over what's being said by the characters.

The perfect melding of description and dialogue, of course, will come with time and practice, so Get Writing. :D 

And always. . . . 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Five Rules . . . from Alice Hoffman

 The Five Most Important Rules When Writing a Novel:

Write the book you want to read, not the book you think they want you to publish.

Don’t edit yourself until it’s time to edit.

If you stop writing after you are rejected, you will never get published.

If you keep writing after you are rejected, you never know what will happen.

Write with your whole heart.

Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels

~Alice Hoffman~

What Should I Write About?

An idea that excites you. 

Let's be real: you'll be reading this book a lot. And I mean . . . A LOT. If it's going to bore you, it's going to bore your reader. And since you're going to be investing the next three, six, nine, and/or twelve months of your life on this one story, it should be a good one. 

Something that piques your curiosity.

What's a topic you're interested in learning more about? And this doesn't only apply to non-fiction writers. Fiction writers: what setting and emotions do you want to dive into? What ideas and themes do you want to explore?

Stories are everywhere. Ideas are all around us. The more you take in (via books, the news cycle, movies, music, etc.) the more you'll have to draw upon when it comes time to sit in the chair and get to work. 

Life is too short to waste time on ideas you're only marginally interested in exploring. 

Keep it curious, and keep it exciting.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~ 

Your Gift To Readers

Why should I write a book?

No. The question is: why shouldn't you write a book?

Books are amazing contributions. They're a way to inspire or help other people. They teach us empathy. They transport us to other worlds.

They are a gift to those who read them.

But I'm scared. Writing a book is hard.

Yeah, writing is hard. Writing a book that resonates is even harder. But the perfect moment to sit down and do the job? That will never come. There will never be a time when fear isn't present. Our job is to act in spite of our fears--to show up and do the hard work anyway. 

Besides, it's not really about us. If we, as creators, see ourselves as a conduit of something that already demands to be birthed, well, that takes away at least some of the pressure. 

This thing--this book--it wants to be written. 

It wants you to write it.

Why?

Because it's your idea. It came to you. It chose you.

Because maybe someone out there needs your stories or the information you want to impart or your encouraging words.

Seems pretty rude to withhold that from the world, don't you think?

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~