Ask the Author: David Joel Stevenson
Answered Questions (3)
David Joel Stevenson
Hey Charity - yup, I remember you! Thanks so much for the reviews! :) Hope the rest of EvilleCon was as awesome for you as it was for me!
David Joel Stevenson
Write.
That's pretty much it.
There are aspiring writers, and then then are writers who aspire to some sort of level of success (being published/famous/etc). If you are an aspiring writer, then just write - short stories, poetry, novels, blogs - whatever you feel like writing. Don't wait on finding an audience or for someone to hand you a check and a contract.
Unfortunately, I have no advice for writers who aspire to be successful - that, I'm still working on myself.
That's pretty much it.
There are aspiring writers, and then then are writers who aspire to some sort of level of success (being published/famous/etc). If you are an aspiring writer, then just write - short stories, poetry, novels, blogs - whatever you feel like writing. Don't wait on finding an audience or for someone to hand you a check and a contract.
Unfortunately, I have no advice for writers who aspire to be successful - that, I'm still working on myself.
David Joel Stevenson
That's a trick question, because there are multiple types of "writer's block."
One type is sitting at a keyboard or hovering over pen and paper and nothing comes out. In that case, if you've been scratching your head for a long time, it's probably best to do something else; go outside, read a book, grab coffee with a friend. Note: trying to write for "a long time" is not 15 minutes.
Another type is saying you have writer's block, but never actually sitting down to write. Songwriter Darrell Scott once told me that there's no such thing as writer's block, rather there's only distraction. The problem with most of us is that we don't sit long enough without looking at our phones or turning on the TV.
Go camping for a week with an empty notebook and a couple of your favorite books. Keep paper by your bed and write the first think you think in the morning. Inspiration is everywhere.
Don't worry about being brilliant. Just write. If you write 100 things, 99 might be terrible, but I'll bet at least one will be beautiful.
One type is sitting at a keyboard or hovering over pen and paper and nothing comes out. In that case, if you've been scratching your head for a long time, it's probably best to do something else; go outside, read a book, grab coffee with a friend. Note: trying to write for "a long time" is not 15 minutes.
Another type is saying you have writer's block, but never actually sitting down to write. Songwriter Darrell Scott once told me that there's no such thing as writer's block, rather there's only distraction. The problem with most of us is that we don't sit long enough without looking at our phones or turning on the TV.
Go camping for a week with an empty notebook and a couple of your favorite books. Keep paper by your bed and write the first think you think in the morning. Inspiration is everywhere.
Don't worry about being brilliant. Just write. If you write 100 things, 99 might be terrible, but I'll bet at least one will be beautiful.
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