Writer’s block

Digital Gifts for Writers under $10.00

Are you a last minute shopper? Do you not like waiting for things to arrive on your doorstep? Who doesn’t like instant gratification every once in a while?

Most of us have writers in their lives, heck, I am one. I know it’s hard to shop for us, because most of the time we’re hidden away in our caves. However, I’m here to assist you in getting a quick and dirty gift for your writer-loves.

Please, be aware that your writer (or you) must have access to a Kindle or E-Book reader app to take advantage of these gifts. Once you get to the buy page, look underneath the “One Click” button and you will see “Buy for Others” . Clicking this button will allow you to purchase these digital books for others.

Disclaimer: Please note, this post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission when you purchase through these links.

Happy shopping!

First up: The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

I absolutely love this book. The entire book is a reference list as to how to describe emotions and how certain emotional issues your characters may have are expressed in their actions. Just reading the book can spark ideas that you probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

Click below to gift writer-love this gem of a reference book.

Next up is 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love….and who doesn’t want that? This is a little book I discovered when I was looking for a way write faster. If you have ideas on where you think your story may go, but when you sit down at the keyboard or with your journal, you feel stagnated, try this book. In addition, any writer will appreciate some tips and tricks on how to write faster, and at 2.99, it’s an inexpensive gift that keeps on giving.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Doesn’t really matter, does it, as long as you’re getting those words down on paper. The key to writing and keeping on writing is to understand and internalize the essence of story structure and world-building. This book: Plot Gardening: Write Faster, Write Smarter by Chris Fox can give you the tools to kick your writing up a level. Click below to purchase:

Any romance writers in your life? Do you want to become a romance writer? Not only should you be reading in your genre, but picking up Gwen Hayes’ Romancing the Beat, will definitely help you get those romance beats just right. She even dissects one of her own stories as an example, and the eighties song references add some fun to the book.

Click below to purchase/gift:

At 99 cents (at the time of this blog post, please check prices before you click), Libbie Hawker’s “Take Off Your Pants” is both a fun and informative read. Learn how to create a character arc, plot, theme, antagonists and allies for your book, no matter the genre.

There you go! Don’t worry if you’ve waited until the last minute. These digital gifts are high in content and information. I’m sure your writer-love (or you) will use these book way beyond the holidays.

Until next time,

Dahlia

Move like Jagger? How about Write like Peyton?

Those who follow my blog regularly will know that I’m a big football person. I play fantasy football (and get cursed out by guys who don’t know that I’m a gal, or know and don’t care) and I watch the games on television and online. I’ve been known to watch three games at once, following the scores and the sacks and the bad calls by the replacement refs.

Last year, football was boring. Why? No Peyton Manning calling plays at the line.

Say what you will about Peyton, from his commercial hustle to his pouts and tantrums during the game, (search on YouTube for Peyton Manning/Jeff Saturday and you’ll see him cursing out the former Colts’ center to the point where one of the O-line dudes told him to ‘go sit down’) but he knows what he wants from the game and goes after it. Mind you, football is not a one-man show, as much as we would like to think it is. If he throws the ball and no one catches it (I’m looking at you Eric Decker and Jacob Tamme), then he really has no recourse. Peyton is a perfectionist and you can see it on his face every time something goes wrong.

On the other hand, writing IS a one man show. No matter how you slice it, at the core of the craft, it’s you, your pencils and notebook, or you and the computer screen.

It’s. Just. You.

There’s no Eric Decker to blame if you don’t make your word count. Didn’t finish the story before the deadline and want to blame someone? Look in the mirror. Don’t garner excuses for your lack of performance on the playing field of being an author. Catch the balls. Run your routes correctly.

How do you do that?

Be determined. Get off of Facebook. Get off of Wikipedia. Yes, we know you need to “research” but don’t let that cut into your writing time. Set writing goals and MEET THEM. If Manning can come back from four neck surgeries and throw that ball across the field at thirty-six years old, you can get down a couple of words a day in your notebook or in that Word file.

Peyton was so bad off that he couldn’t lift a tray of drinks at a Colts charity function last year. Imagine how that affected him, a four time MVP. And how much balls did it take to get on the field for the first time and take a hit after spine fusion surgery. Certainly, all the best doctors said he would no problem, every thing is fine, but when it’s YOU out there getting hit…all the yakking of all the very best doctors in the world wouldn’t keep me from having some trepidations about getting sacked by a London Fletcher, Brian Urlacher or Ndomukong Suh. That would be enough to keep me on the bench.

Love writing like Peyton Manning loves football. He’s certainly can’t still be playing for the money!

Writer’s Block – Defeated!

As a writer, I’m sure that you’ve heard other writer’s complain about “writer’s block”. You’ve hit that brick wall before. I’m sure you’ve read numerous articles on how to cure writer’s block. And yet, the “muse is silent” or “can’t seem to put ‘pen to paper’”.

Guess what? There’s no such thing as writer’s block, or at least the “writer’s block” that so many writers imagine.

Writer’s block doesn’t swoop down (or up) and sit in your mind and keep you from letting the words flow. It’s not a dam, clogging the words that you so desperately want to get on paper. It’s not a malevolent external force over which you have no control.

Writer’s block is like the Force: It’s in you.

Writer’s block is fear. Fear of judgment by others about the crazy story with too much sex you just wrote. Fear of ridicule about that ridiculous storyline about the talking garbage can that saved children from drowning. Fear of failure: this great story that you just outlined? You won’t finish. Fear of ‘not being good enough’ and/or envy: you see everywhere that writers are finishing their fifth, fifteenth, thirtieth book and you’re still chugging along on your second. Or you’re unpublished and have a stack of “no thanks” rejections to prove it.

It’s in you. Your fears, your shortcomings, your trepidation of….whatever. It’s a mind block.

And guess what? It could also be a physical manifestation of issues.

Brain feel fogged? A while ago I wrote a post on Herbs for Clarity that helped me break through a brain block that I suffered through a while ago. Since then, I’ve paid close attention to my body. Remember that old adage, “Garbage in, garbage out”. Yeah. It’s totally true.

Whenever I feel “writer’s blockish” I immediately get up from the computer and run down my three point checklist, kind of like the twenty nine points of inspection they claim to give you “for free” when you buy new tires. (I don’t believe they check all that, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, shall we?)

1. Am I dehydrated?

According to some sources, this past July was the hottest July on record here in the Northeast. Keeping hydrated is important at any time of the year, but easy to forget. Feeling fogged? Have a glass of water. Then, drink another. The brain is 70% water (http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html) . Keep it juiced, folks.

2. Am I eating too much junk food?

Sitting and snacking at the computer while you furiously pound out your next masterpiece is something that too many of us do. It’s easy, it’s quick and it keeps us from wandering away in the middle of a scene. I’m sure if you could get over the embarrassment of wearing an adult diaper, someone would do that too. Anything to keep from getting up.

You’ve heard this before, I know, I know, but in order to keep your body (which by the way includes your brain) in top working condition, you’ve got to feed it the food it needs, which doesn’t include copious amounts of cheese curls and chocolate. Ditto for the take-out fast food that you’re eating because ‘you just don’t have the time to cook’. (This goes for you dolls AND guys out there, because I don’t discriminate when it comes to cooking.)

Feed your body the vegetables, meat, dairy, vitamins, whatever, that it needs. If that means grilled tofu and Brussels sprouts, or a thick steak, potatoes and spinach, so be it. Just make sure you eat right. Keep the chocolate, candy, chips and soda to a minimum.

3. Am I spending too much time on social media?
Let’s face it, if you are in certain communities, everyone is promoting something. It’s the nature of the beast. Too much of that flow on Twitter, Facebook, wherever, can be detrimental to your sense of well-being. Look! So and so is promoting their twentieth book! Jack be nimble has made over 30 trillion sales TODAY of his new book! Amy is going to let you in on HER secret to selling 7 gazillion books in just one month!

Move away, back off. THEY are not YOU. YOU are not THEM. This is a good time to exercise a little tunnel vision, especially when you’re in a low spot in your own creativity. Go you own pace. Stay in your own lane. Stop watching other people. DO what you DO and be happy with that.

Spending too much time on social media means that you’re spending time away from your work in progress, or from doing something that is healthy for you like exercising or pondering nature. Keep it to a minimum.

Best way to beat writer’s block? Keep it from happening. Keep yourself healthy and wise, and do what works for you.