Writer’s Block

Sep 27, 2012 by

Writer’s Block

The problem with trying to write about writer’s block is that to write about writer’s block you can’t have writer’s block and it’s very difficult to write about a block you are currently experiencing. Follow that? Then the rest of this will be very easy to understand. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be an author to experience writer’s block. Anyone who writes at all can be hit with it – from the pen-pal to the executive editor. It’s better described as “blank page syndrome”. You might, in fact, have a topic already in mind when you sit down to write, pen in hand (or fingers on keys) but nothing comes. You stare at the white space in front of you and fifteen minutes later wonder how it could be possibly...

read more

Writing To Write

Sep 25, 2012 by

Writing To Write

No form of writing is pointless. Or, put less passively: writing is always worth it. I was recently asked if there was “even any point in continuing this mess” by a prospective client – she’d written something she had no desire to see published in print and really just wanted to share with the world online. She wanted to offer it up for free, but was willing to spend some money to help improve her skill. Yes, there is a point. Take fanfiction writers, as our first example. It may seem pointless, and some authors are deeply and darkly against their characters being used by anyone else, but in fact, there are quite a few reasons to write fanfiction–I’ll go into my personal artistic views of the medium at a later date. For now,...

read more

When NOT to Write a Book

Jul 16, 2012 by

When NOT to Write a Book

Ahah, got your attention, eh? Yes, I am actually going to tell you when it is a severe waste of time and money to write a book. It’s actually very simple, so this will be a short post. You should not write a book when you have nothing to say. That’s it. You’d think it’d be common sense, but alas, it is not. Far too many people come to me with the thought that they “should” write a book, and need to write a book, when in fact, they have very little to share. This is not to say they have uninteresting lives, or aren’t knowledgeable, or in some cases actually quite brilliant in their respective fields, but without something new, different and interesting to say, you do not have a...

read more

When to write a book, pt. 4 – Establish Authority, pt. 2: With Students...

Apr 20, 2012 by

When to write a book, pt. 4 – Establish Authority, pt. 2: With Students

The idea of a college professor needing to publish is old and established, and yet shockingly most do not. This is a serious mistake, considering the advent of such sites as rateyourprofessor.com and other such resources – students don’t choose classes or professors on word of mouth anymore. Before taking any class, 87% of all students do some preliminary reaserch online. It’s no longer impressive if you’ve published a book. Instead, it is now simply a mark against you if you have NOT. On the other hand, the idea of a high school or grade school teacher having published is not so established. It is, however, an excellent way to establish authority. Your student’s parents are much more likely to give your advice credence if you can send a copy of your book home...

read more

When to write a book, pt. 3 – Establish Authority...

Apr 13, 2012 by

When to write a book, pt. 3 – Establish Authority

If you own a small business (lumber, bookstore, mattress store, catering, flower arrangements, etc.) it’s hard to explain to a prospective customer or client why they should choose your services out of the literal millions available to them in today’s world. “I’m the best” or “I’m a man of my word” might have swayed a few customers twenty years ago, helping you build a loyal client base, but no longer. With the internet at the core of our society now, it’s well known that customer reviews can be faked, that bad reviews can be removed, and anyone can claim to be the ‘premier’ or ‘#1’ in anything, based on a sampling of even just two or three opinions. Five star ratings mean very little when the only review is your favorite aunt, who just...

read more

When to write a book, pt 2 – Speaker’s Circuit...

Apr 6, 2012 by

When to write a book, pt 2 – Speaker’s Circuit

This may seem obvious, but if you do any amount of public speaking, you really should have a book. Even if your public speaking is simply part of your capacity in your normal corporate job, a book is an incredibly useful tool. If you’re called upon to speak in front of your own company regularly, the best way to make sure what you say is taken seriously is to have a book to stand behind – everyone knows you were told to say what you’re saying, but if you can point out the book you’ve written on what it is you do, and explain how you believe strongly in what you’re saying, it will have more clout, be more effective, and get more accomplished overall. This will sit incredibly well with your higher-ups, as...

read more