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Michael Zelig

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May 2018

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Michael Zelig Oh, Lord! I do get the worst cases of it. I actually went through a period of maybe ten years or so where I wasn't writing prose! I did write an occas…moreOh, Lord! I do get the worst cases of it. I actually went through a period of maybe ten years or so where I wasn't writing prose! I did write an occasional poem, but that was about it. However, ideas for the first book started percolating in my brain again, especially with the growth of the Evangelistic movement in American politics. I started working on the book again, with months of writer's block. Also being a bit of a perfectionist in my writing, I would re-edit and re-write the same chapter over and over again before letting myself work on the next.
I finally gave myself a deadline to finish writing the book, which I happily beat by a month. I found the trick was to have the deadline and to proceed with each chapter almost as a brain dump--not to worry about the editing and re-writes until the book itself was done in the first draft.
This helped my ability and my block tremendously. One other thing (which may be obvious to others): if you get stuck on the current part, just start writing a different scene or chapter and let your brain work out the issue subconsciously. Also, sometimes, just allowing myself to break off, and work on something else (a poem, my website, and blog) clears the block out.(less)

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What are you currently working on?

Michael Zelig I'm working on a second novel which, like "I'm God and You're Not', was started many years ago and set aside due to life's obligations and changes. It…moreI'm working on a second novel which, like "I'm God and You're Not', was started many years ago and set aside due to life's obligations and changes. It's also a work of social satire, but instead of being focused on religion, this is more focused on capitalism and greed. I don't want to say much about it here, but here's a tease: what would happen if alchemy, especially the ability to transform lead into gold, and the other possiblities of the "Philosopher's Stone" were true? (less)

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