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Phil Cain

Goodreads Author

Born

Manchester, The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.philcain.com

Twitter

philcaincom

Genre

Nonfiction, Science, Self Help

Influences

George Orwell, Bill Bryson, Patrick O'Brian, J.L. Carr, Elmore Leonard ...more

Member Since

July 2016

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Author, blogger, freelancer. His eclectic output on everything from international politics to dormouse hunting has featured in media including the BBC, CBC, Economist, Telegraph, Observer, POLITICO and Al Jazeera, and far-flung titles, like the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and ニューズウィーク (Japanese Newsweek).

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Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Phil Cain I am not sure if writer's block is quite the same affliction for non-fiction as it is for fiction. But, still, I do occasionally find it hard to get g…moreI am not sure if writer's block is quite the same affliction for non-fiction as it is for fiction. But, still, I do occasionally find it hard to get going. I persist for a while, but try not to worry about it too much, and turn to something else. Things always take a certain amount of time to figure out and it doesn't necessarily happen on cue. Thankfully, most projects tend to develop in several areas at the same time, so there's always something else to do. There's research to be read or an old lead to chase. I also find that getting away from the desk is often the most productive thing I can do. Walking in the woods, swimming, something visual, music, anything non-verbal or non-analytical helps. And, of course, meeting people helps too. Writing is a solitary business and you can get stale. Your brain needs rest and it also works on problems in the background, so there's no need to worry about sitting in front of a keyboard. Sometimes it has helped to step away from a larger projects, like my book, for weeks or months at a time. To keep things fresh from day to day I generally try to make my days a mix of rest and concentrated work, and to keep them fairly short. It doesn't usually help to push beyond a certain point. If you push too hard you risk losing enthusiasm, which won't help at all. It is better to feel like you still have a bit left at the end of the day, perhaps even feeling a little unsatisfied. The key to success probably lies in trying again tomorrow.(less)

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What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Phil Cain There are two quite different sides to writing non-fiction, both of which I enjoy. There's an inward side, the research, thinking and writing, activit…moreThere are two quite different sides to writing non-fiction, both of which I enjoy. There's an inward side, the research, thinking and writing, activities which allows me to indulge my curiosity and imagination. This is a buzz by itself, but keeping my readers in mind guides and motivates me. And then there's the second, outward part, publishing and having others read your work. This too can be enjoyable. It is, of course, very nice to hear positive feedback, particularly if someone feels they benefited. But criticism is welcome too. There is always room to improve. The limitlessness of the challenge is, perhaps, the third and best thing about being a writer.(less)

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Combine Editions
Phil Cain’s books

Average rating: 4.5 · 14 ratings · 2 reviews · 7 distinct works

	Alcohol Companion: The alcohol user-manual really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Alcohol Companion: common sense supplement it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Alcohol for Nerds it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	EAT DRINK & GET FIT it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Electronic Safety Nets, Technology Systems to Safeguard Children: E Government Bulletin Special Report 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Taberu Nomu Soshite Kitaeru by Phil Cain (Goodreads Author), Akasaka Taisuke (Translator) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	E-Government Outlook 2003-04: Key Steps to Successful Services by Phil Cain (Goodreads Author), Mike Cross, Dan Jellinek 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Phil Cain's Blog

Bear with me

A fictional contemporary fairy tale written in response to the prompt “bear with me”, very loosely based on a true story, which is, of course, a spoiler. Once upon a time, there was a man called Ken. Ken lived in a kingdom called America. He lived in a place in America called California. It was […]

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Published on January 16, 2026 02:36

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Phil is Currently Reading

Phil Cain is currently reading

Alcohol Companion: common sense supplement

by Phil Cain (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

read in July 2016

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Jul 29, 2016 08:25AM

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Phil Cain wrote a new blog post No pressure “I can barely see where I’m going,” Clive shouted, as they pushed on into the downpour, sodden to the skin. Water bubbled from the laces of their clip Read more of this blog post »
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