Ask the Author: Keith Blakemore-Noble
Answered Questions (3)
Keith Blakemore-Noble
To any aspiring writer, whether it is in the realm of fact or fiction, I would say simply "Go for it!".
Don't fret about getting it perfect first time - nobody has succeeded there.
The important thing is to get it written. You can always polish, edit, refine and tweak once you've done it, but just get it written.
Remember that some will love what you write some will hate it, most won't have any opinion. But the only one ultimately who matters is you - if you don't like it, there's no point; if you love it, there's no stopping you.
Don't fret about getting it perfect first time - nobody has succeeded there.
The important thing is to get it written. You can always polish, edit, refine and tweak once you've done it, but just get it written.
Remember that some will love what you write some will hate it, most won't have any opinion. But the only one ultimately who matters is you - if you don't like it, there's no point; if you love it, there's no stopping you.
Keith Blakemore-Noble
For me, the best way to deal with writer's block is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
"OK smartalec, how to you prevent writer's block then?"
Great question, I'm glad you asked it!
When I am writing, be it a book, a chapter or a blog post, I use a process before I even start writing, which enables me to very quickly create the structure of the piece, get the flow right, and have in place every aspect which will be covered.
With that in place, I find writer's block never becomes an issue, because I've got the structure in place from the outset, which means that as a result the piece almost writes itself - every segment is clearly signposted and it's obvious to me what needs to go in there, so it's never (so far at least!) been a case of getting stuck on what to write. It's more frequently the opposite, namely cutting it down to a manageable size for the reader ;-)
So yeah, it's all down to preparation, for me.
OK, so far all my projects have been non-fiction, but I am confident that I can use the same process to create a structure for a work of fiction; that, coupled with having a clear and detailed knowledge of each character, their flaws, attributes, beliefs and behaviours, and again it ends up writing itself.
Its a case of "Here's a situation, let's throw in the characters, and see what they do" - if you know them well enough before you write, and you should, then you can create the action based upon knowing how they will react.
"OK smartalec, how to you prevent writer's block then?"
Great question, I'm glad you asked it!
When I am writing, be it a book, a chapter or a blog post, I use a process before I even start writing, which enables me to very quickly create the structure of the piece, get the flow right, and have in place every aspect which will be covered.
With that in place, I find writer's block never becomes an issue, because I've got the structure in place from the outset, which means that as a result the piece almost writes itself - every segment is clearly signposted and it's obvious to me what needs to go in there, so it's never (so far at least!) been a case of getting stuck on what to write. It's more frequently the opposite, namely cutting it down to a manageable size for the reader ;-)
So yeah, it's all down to preparation, for me.
OK, so far all my projects have been non-fiction, but I am confident that I can use the same process to create a structure for a work of fiction; that, coupled with having a clear and detailed knowledge of each character, their flaws, attributes, beliefs and behaviours, and again it ends up writing itself.
Its a case of "Here's a situation, let's throw in the characters, and see what they do" - if you know them well enough before you write, and you should, then you can create the action based upon knowing how they will react.
Keith Blakemore-Noble
I am currently compiling the third Winning in Life and Work book (Success Secrets), contributing to a collaborative book with some amazing Malaysian entrepreneurs, co-writing an invaluable sales handbook with a fantastic expert in sales, and finally creating my first solo book “Reclaim Your Confidence”, all due to be published at various dates by the end of 2017. Phew, that’s a lot of writing!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more