A Dash of Words with Loleta Abi Romance Author

The Writer’s Wheel 10/27/19: Defeating Our Five Old Enemies

Loleta Abi

Of course, I’m speaking of a writer’s enemies or plagues if you will.

1. Time

No shocker here. Time defeats us at our every move. Until, we fight back. Most of the time, this means learning to schedule and buckle down and work despite life going on around us. I get it: I want to watch the final season of Supernatural too but writing has to come first. Then I treat myself to a show. I don’t binge watch either. Who really has time for that? It’s a show or two and back to work.

Learn to plan your day. Do lists if necessary. Scratch of item after item till you accomplish what you can that day. Prioritize writing or it’s not going to get done. Somedays, hectic things happen. Water tank rusts the bottom out of it. The roof leaks. Yard work needs done. It never ends. The best you can do is allow yourself a breather. You may not get it all done in a day but do what you can.

• Procrastination

Another no-brainer. We get so preoccupied with daily chores or what’s going to happen next in our story, we let writing become harder than it has to be. Start slow. Start small. Remember, tomorrow is always waiting for what doesn’t get done today. Take it day by day and make the most of it. Maybe you only have ten minutes left in your day. Begin there. Jot down notes. Start a scene. Chop away at the white space day after day till the pages add up. You can do this!

• Fear

It stops us cold. It keeps us from getting anything down on the page and it’ll eat at you day after day until you beat it. Again, start slow and do something small. Read back over your notes. Try a sentence or two. Sometimes just beginning will get us back on track. To be honest, that blank page can be a killer. It really can. Will you look like a fool? Does your audience even care about your story? Can you top the book you’ve done before? Push through and keep faith in yourself.

• Doubters

Happens every time. Someone asks what you do; and you say you’re a writer. You cringe at that snicker. Again, push past that. Sometimes I don’t even share with people I meet that I’m a writer. No, really? Sometimes it’s a favorite thing they say. Or, what have you published? A short story is small beans. Especially not in a “Major” magazine. These doubters can even be your family and friends. They mean well. Maybe if you wrote like so-and-so you’d be as famous as them yesterday. It doesn’t work like that. You can’t be the next Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and J.K. Rowling. Because they’re them and you’re you. Don’t try to imitate someone else, unless you’re a newbie just learning the ropes and then don’t submit that.

• The Competition

There is no competition other than ourselves. I know a lot of writers are worried that someone will beat them to publishing something similar in theme. It happens. Yes. But they won’t write the same story that you did; and that story could take off as well, maybe surpass the original, who knows? We should support each other out there, not tear each other down. There’s enough of that in the real world. Hang tough. Hold on. Remember to breathe. It’ll get you through.

Have a great week, take care, and God bless!