This year my writing reached a momentary halt. In August 23rd 2014, I started writing at a rate of 500 a day. I have followed this ambition for quite some time. My hope was that pouring out words each day would be a clever way to author a book or two. I did hit a wall of bricks. This happened after 1400 days and 1.500.000 words. I created a habit of writing and an urge to do it every day. But I am in severe doubt when it comes to the content and style of my writing. This doubt has been growing ever since.
I did hit the wall a year ago, early 2019. We soon enter 2020. I have attended several writing courses. They all describe what a book should look like when ready for publishing and marketing. That is too far away for me. I am at the other end. How do I get from scene A to scene B and onwards? How do I handle my attitude versus old habits as to what I write about? How do I handle my habit of analyzing whatever problem I or my character encounter? Wouldn’t it be far better to face that problem and work me through it?
The other day I spoke to a fellow at the gym. His profession was as a journalist. He stared me in the eyes and told me to read. He spoke to me in such a way that his statement affected me. Several times, my fiancé has told me the same. I needed this foreigner to get this statement into my head and hand.
2019-12-29
Prosperous writing in 2020 to all of you
Göran Stille 
Goran….
Insightful thoughts.
Just curious~~have you ever taken a Jeff Brown course? He has one called “Writing From the Soul” which is different from the typical courses of “how to…..”
I took it over a year ago and I’m still learning from it. I found it helpful personally as well as academically. I learned more about myself which in turn guided me in some areas of writing I have considered.
His wife is offering a course in poetry with the same kinds of focus beginning in January. I signed up.
Hope all is well in your corner of the world! I’ve missed you, good to see you.
I haven’t been following 500 Words.
Enjoy your day!
Terri
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Hi Goran: Your mysterious other is absolutely right, you must read and read and read. and then comes the hard work. Half of it, you’ve already gotten, establish a writing habit. and once you have that down, comes the hardest part; Telling the story. to do that, you need to face that wall, and. get over it. roll up your sleeves and imagine that you are hearing the story. How do you want to hear it? That’s the hard part, telling in a way that you would want it told to you. Just do it. Dr. Bob p.s. I took a class from The Writing Academy which was great on how to structure your story.
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Oh wow, this is helpful! “roll up your sleeves and imagine that you are hearing the story. How do you want to hear it? That’s the hard part, telling in a way that you would want it told to you.” Love it! Nice one Dr. B
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I also agree, Göran, about the reading thing. We can take a bunch of courses, OR we simply can read the products of people who have achieved what we want to achieve, then mimick that (in say, structure or what have you). I think the latter is more effective. Plus a few words from friends who’ve written books, as in the case of Dr. B above.
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