Alex C. Vick's Blog, page 544

Defining Writer's Block

Today’s blog post is a few more musings about the writing process with specific reference to the dreaded writer’s block.
First of all, does it even exist?
If you hadn’t already guessed, the jury is still out! When I researched writer’s block, I discovered a lot of information. It’s a widely recognized term, but there’s no conclusive definition of exactly what it means.In my opinion, (YMMV), writer’s block is more than I can’t write because it’s always possible to write something. However, you can also feel unable to write, for a variety of reasons. It’s a personal thing, which seems to be where the grey area arises. Is it possible to overcome it using willpower alone? And if it is, does that mean it’s not authentic?
The case for:“I tell my students there is such a thing as ‘writer’s block,’ and they should respect it. You shouldn’t write through it. It’s blocked because it ought to be blocked, because you haven’t got it right now.”—Toni Morrison
The case against:“Writer’s block is a phony, made up, BS excuse for not doing your work.”—Jerry Seinfeld
I found more quotes discounting writer’s block than acknowledging it. However, given the many websites out there offering solutions, I would also say it’s a real problem for a lot of writers. It’s happened to me in the past, and I’m sure it will happen again.
What causes writer’s block?
Every writer has a different experience, so I can only explain this from my perspective. Here are my top five triggers:
1.      I’m a pantser. I’ve tried to be a plotter. I suck at it. I suck less at being a pantser, but I wish I could plot. At some point during each book, the lack of plot will intimidate me so much that I stop writing. Or else I write very slowly, doubting every sentence.2.      The halfway point of each book is often a pivotal moment. It feels like I’ve written too much to start again, but also… what if it’s terrible?3.      If the upcoming chapter is vital to the story, I’m often scared I won’t do it justice, so I put off writing it.4.      Sometimes I edit the most recent chapter, and I discover I hate nearly every word in it. I should rewrite it, but I know it’s going to be tough. And it feels wrong to write the next chapter before I fix the previous one. So I end up not writing.5.      The temptation to procrastinate! This includes internet research, creating aesthetics, Twitter, adding to my TBR list, making a fuss of my cat, and staring out of the window. My desk looks over a small area of ancient woodland, which is beautiful but distracting.
I feel like I have to mention that some people say writer’s block doesn’t exist because there’s no “teacher’s block,” or “plumber’s block,” or whatever. And yes, when I arrive at my day job every weekday morning, I never sit at my desk unable to work. (Perhaps that means I’m better at my day job than I am at writing!). I think it comes down to the unpredictability of it. When I’m writing, nothing works the same way twice, and I don’t have the same confidence in my abilities.
Is there a sure fire way to overcome it?
Well, if I knew the answer to this one, I suspect I’d have written a lot more books by now 

Defining Writer's Block

Today’s blog post is a few more musings about the writing process with specific reference to the dreaded writer’s block.
First of all, does it even exist?
If you hadn’t already guessed, the jury is still out! When I researched writer’s block, I discovered a lot of information. It’s a widely recognized term, but there’s no conclusive definition of exactly what it means.In my opinion, (YMMV), writer’s block is more than I can’t write because it’s always possible to write something. However, you can also feel unable to write, for a variety of reasons. It’s a personal thing, which seems to be where the grey area arises. Is it possible to overcome it using willpower alone? And if it is, does that mean it’s not authentic?
The case for:“I tell my students there is such a thing as ‘writer’s block,’ and they should respect it. You shouldn’t write through it. It’s blocked because it ought to be blocked, because you haven’t got it right now.”—Toni Morrison
The case against:“Writer’s block is a phony, made up, BS excuse for not doing your work.”—Jerry Seinfeld
I found more quotes discounting writer’s block than acknowledging it. However, given the many websites out there offering solutions, I would also say it’s a real problem for a lot of writers. It’s happened to me in the past, and I’m sure it will happen again.
What causes writer’s block?
Every writer has a different experience, so I can only explain this from my perspective. Here are my top five triggers:
1.      I’m a pantser. I’ve tried to be a plotter. I suck at it. I suck less at being a pantser, but I wish I could plot. At some point during each book, the lack of plot will intimidate me so much that I stop writing. Or else I write very slowly, doubting every sentence.2.      The halfway point of each book is often a pivotal moment. It feels like I’ve written too much to start again, but also… what if it’s terrible?3.      If the upcoming chapter is vital to the story, I’m often scared I won’t do it justice, so I put off writing it.4.      Sometimes I edit the most recent chapter, and I discover I hate nearly every word in it. I should rewrite it, but I know it’s going to be tough. And it feels wrong to write the next chapter before I fix the previous one. So I end up not writing.5.      The temptation to procrastinate! This includes internet research, creating aesthetics, Twitter, adding to my TBR list, making a fuss of my cat, and staring out of the window. My desk looks over a small area of ancient woodland, which is beautiful but distracting.
I feel like I have to mention that some people say writer’s block doesn’t exist because there’s no “teacher’s block,” or “plumber’s block,” or whatever. And yes, when I arrive at my day job every weekday morning, I never sit at my desk unable to work. (Perhaps that means I’m better at my day job than I am at writing!). I think it comes down to the unpredictability of it. When I’m writing, nothing works the same way twice, and I don’t have the same confidence in my abilities.
Is there a sure fire way to overcome it?
Well, if I knew the answer to this one, I suspect I’d have written a lot more books by now 

Defining Writer's Block

Today’s blog post is a few more musings about the writing process with specific reference to the dreaded writer’s block.
First of all, does it even exist?
If you hadn’t already guessed, the jury is still out! When I researched writer’s block, I discovered a lot of information. It’s a widely recognized term, but there’s no conclusive definition of exactly what it means.In my opinion, (YMMV), writer’s block is more than I can’t write because it’s always possible to write something. However, you can also feel unable to write, for a variety of reasons. It’s a personal thing, which seems to be where the grey area arises. Is it possible to overcome it using willpower alone? And if it is, does that mean it’s not authentic?
The case for:“I tell my students there is such a thing as ‘writer’s block,’ and they should respect it. You shouldn’t write through it. It’s blocked because it ought to be blocked, because you haven’t got it right now.”—Toni Morrison
The case against:“Writer’s block is a phony, made up, BS excuse for not doing your work.”—Jerry Seinfeld
I found more quotes discounting writer’s block than acknowledging it. However, given the many websites out there offering solutions, I would also say it’s a real problem for a lot of writers. It’s happened to me in the past, and I’m sure it will happen again.
What causes writer’s block?
Every writer has a different experience, so I can only explain this from my perspective. Here are my top five triggers:
1.      I’m a pantser. I’ve tried to be a plotter. I suck at it. I suck less at being a pantser, but I wish I could plot. At some point during each book, the lack of plot will intimidate me so much that I stop writing. Or else I write very slowly, doubting every sentence.2.      The halfway point of each book is often a pivotal moment. It feels like I’ve written too much to start again, but also… what if it’s terrible?3.      If the upcoming chapter is vital to the story, I’m often scared I won’t do it justice, so I put off writing it.4.      Sometimes I edit the most recent chapter, and I discover I hate nearly every word in it. I should rewrite it, but I know it’s going to be tough. And it feels wrong to write the next chapter before I fix the previous one. So I end up not writing.5.      The temptation to procrastinate! This includes internet research, creating aesthetics, Twitter, adding to my TBR list, making a fuss of my cat, and staring out of the window. My desk looks over a small area of ancient woodland, which is beautiful but distracting.
I feel like I have to mention that some people say writer’s block doesn’t exist because there’s no “teacher’s block,” or “plumber’s block,” or whatever. And yes, when I arrive at my day job every weekday morning, I never sit at my desk unable to work. (Perhaps that means I’m better at my day job than I am at writing!). I think it comes down to the unpredictability of it. When I’m writing, nothing works the same way twice, and I don’t have the same confidence in my abilities.
Is there a sure fire way to overcome it?
Well, if I knew the answer to this one, I suspect I’d have written a lot more books by now 

Defining Writer's Block

Today’s blog post is a few more musings about the writing process with specific reference to the dreaded writer’s block.
First of all, does it even exist?
If you hadn’t already guessed, the jury is still out! When I researched writer’s block, I discovered a lot of information. It’s a widely recognized term, but there’s no conclusive definition of exactly what it means.In my opinion, (YMMV), writer’s block is more than I can’t write because it’s always possible to write something. However, you can also feel unable to write, for a variety of reasons. It’s a personal thing, which seems to be where the grey area arises. Is it possible to overcome it using willpower alone? And if it is, does that mean it’s not authentic?
The case for:“I tell my students there is such a thing as ‘writer’s block,’ and they should respect it. You shouldn’t write through it. It’s blocked because it ought to be blocked, because you haven’t got it right now.”—Toni Morrison
The case against:“Writer’s block is a phony, made up, BS excuse for not doing your work.”—Jerry Seinfeld
I found more quotes discounting writer’s block than acknowledging it. However, given the many websites out there offering solutions, I would also say it’s a real problem for a lot of writers. It’s happened to me in the past, and I’m sure it will happen again.
What causes writer’s block?
Every writer has a different experience, so I can only explain this from my perspective. Here are my top five triggers:
1.      I’m a pantser. I’ve tried to be a plotter. I suck at it. I suck less at being a pantser, but I wish I could plot. At some point during each book, the lack of plot will intimidate me so much that I stop writing. Or else I write very slowly, doubting every sentence.2.      The halfway point of each book is often a pivotal moment. It feels like I’ve written too much to start again, but also… what if it’s terrible?3.      If the upcoming chapter is vital to the story, I’m often scared I won’t do it justice, so I put off writing it.4.      Sometimes I edit the most recent chapter, and I discover I hate nearly every word in it. I should rewrite it, but I know it’s going to be tough. And it feels wrong to write the next chapter before I fix the previous one. So I end up not writing.5.      The temptation to procrastinate! This includes internet research, creating aesthetics, Twitter, adding to my TBR list, making a fuss of my cat, and staring out of the window. My desk looks over a small area of ancient woodland, which is beautiful but distracting.
I feel like I have to mention that some people say writer’s block doesn’t exist because there’s no “teacher’s block,” or “plumber’s block,” or whatever. And yes, when I arrive at my day job every weekday morning, I never sit at my desk unable to work. (Perhaps that means I’m better at my day job than I am at writing!). I think it comes down to the unpredictability of it. When I’m writing, nothing works the same way twice, and I don’t have the same confidence in my abilities.
Is there a sure fire way to overcome it?
Well, if I knew the answer to this one, I suspect I’d have written a lot more books by now 

New Book, New Series, Second Chapter

Today's blog post is another update on my next book, part of the newly named Light Mage Series, which is turning out to be a lot of fun to write ☺. It's for a slightly older audience than the Legacy of Androva, but there are some common elements—magic (obviously!), a bit of romance (this time it's m/m), and plenty of life-threatening obstacles. The magic works very differently though, and its backstory is more complicated. I've been world-building in my head whenever I get the chance, which is great because it makes the long commute to my day job seem shorter! This is the second chapter. The first chapter is in the bog post directly before this one.

Thank you for visiting my blog today, and I hope you're having a great summer so far! In the UK, our weather continues to be surprisingly hot and sunny, so I'm enjoying it while it lasts 

New Book, New Series, First Chapter

Today's post is a chapter sample from my work-in-progress, to be released later in 2018 

Stealing Magic - Deleted Scene

A few people have asked me how Jax managed to convince Darius to make that first forbidden trip to Terra in daylight, right at the beginning of the first book. I thought it would be fun to write a new scene as a way of explaining and today's blog post is the result 

A Point of View on POV

POV has been on my mind a lot this year. I switched back to third person for the seventh (and final) book in the Legacy of Androva series, after having written books five and six in first person. And now, for my new work-in-progress, I'm back to first person again. I thought I’d write a blog post about my experiences with POV in the hopes it would reassure me that first person is right for this new book.
The first four books in the Legacy of Androva series are written in third person, although I do tend to shadow one character at a time in a chapter or scene and describe their thoughts and perspective in more detail. Whenever the main characters are in a scene together, I have to guard against head-hopping, but the third person POV still gives me a lot of freedom in terms of revealing personality traits, backstory, and plot developments.

Books five and six, Cal’s story and Galen’s story, are written in first person, which was a change and a challenge I really enjoyed. I got to know both characters so well. In both cases, the difficult part wasn’t just how to reveal story elements where my main character was absent, but also the fact that secondary characters can only be seen through that main character’s eyes. (However, it was fun being able to show what Cal and Galen thought about Jax and Shannon!).

Here are a couple of extracts showing the same scene in third person (close on Jax and Shannon in Seeking Magic) and first person (Galen in Surviving Magic). There is a whole lot more to Galen’s story than I was able to show in Seeking Magic, but I thought it still made sense to keep the short crossover. He doesn’t like Jax and Shannon very much in this scene, but he changes his mind later on!




Having looked at the two points of view side by side, I can see there are advantages to both. And I stay so close to the thoughts of my main characters even in third person that perhaps I won’t find the new book as much of a mental shift as I feared. Looks like today’s blog post might have been very helpful

Aesthetic for new book

Today's blog post is less about words and more about images 

Aesthetic for new book

Today's blog post is less about words and more about images