Ask the Author: Michael E Thom
Answered Questions (2)
Michael E Thom
Don't give up. Write a lot and expect to fail a few times and always ask for honest crits from friends. Write short stories until you understand the fundamentals of good storytelling. Write in the way that feels most comfortable and works best for you. I'm a discovery writer or pantser as some call it. Many writing coaches will tell you this creates several rewrites, but that's not been the case for me. the merits of outlining are not invalid, though. It all depends on your personality and what gets those words down effectively. Some are a hybrid of the two methods. Bottom line is the more you write and get feedback, the better you will become as with anything. If you love it enough to accept failing several times over to get where you want to be, then you're probably going to succeed.
Michael E Thom
I don't get writer's block. I never understood this term and why it's only attached to writers. Writing to me is a craft. If you don't know what comes next that's because you've skipped a step in the writing process. You can't always pass an exam you didn't study for. A crucial part of writing is thinking about what should happen next for a good while away from your keyboard. Go for a walk, go do something that frees your mind to mull over your story in your head. I do this often as I'm lying down to go to sleep so that I'm prepared for the next days writing session. Works every time. Breaks for thinking about the story are one of the most important parts of the craft.
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