#writertips

10 months down and one month to go.

Episode 05 of Calling Out the Shadows: A Clarity Over Comfort Podcast. The other day Amazon showed up with the first paperback proof of the book. Ten months in. One month and a day to go.

There are many people right now that talk about using the abuse of AI. And then there are others out there saying, no, I do not use it that way. Well, how? Prove it.

One of the things I wanted to do, and did from the first day, was track my writing time. I can show on a calendar the last 10 months. 999 hours and 9 minutes. Not a vanity number. The audiobook took 51 hours to record a 14-hour audiobook. Not in the greatest of health. But it was all me.

Consider marking that journey and laying out that journey.

Available on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

They won’t tell you why they stopped. They won’t explain what felt off. They’ll just close the book.

That’s where I come in.

I read like your future audience noticing weak openings, confusing scenes, slow pacing, and characters that don’t feel real yet… then I show you exactly how it affects the reading experience.

No sugarcoating. No discouraging either. Just clarity.

Writing a book is exciting… but let’s be honest. It can also feel messy, frustrating, and lonely.

Some days the words flow. Other days you stare at the same paragraph for an hour.

If that’s you, don’t worry. Most writers go through this.

Here are a few simple strategies many writers use to stay focused:

1. Write First, Fix Later

One big mistake new writers make is trying to perfect every sentence while drafting.

Don’t.

Get the story out first. Editing comes later.

2. Set Small Writing Goals

Instead of saying “I must finish my novel today," try this:

• 300–500 words a day • One scene per writing session • One chapter per week

Small progress builds real momentum.

3. Read Stories in Your Genre

If you write fantasy, read fantasy. If you write romance, read romance.

It helps you see pacing, dialogue flow, and how other authors build tension.

4. Get a Fresh Reader’s Perspective

When you read your own story many times, your brain fills in the gaps automatically.

That’s where a beta reader helps.

A beta reader can tell you:

• if a scene feels confusing • if the pacing feels slow • if a character’s actions make sense • where the story really shines

💬 Final Thought for Writers

Every great story starts messy.

The important thing is to keep writing and keep improving.

And if you ever want honest reader feedback on your story, chapters, or full manuscript, I offer beta reading for writers who want to strengthen their work before publishing.

Writer’s block feels like standing at the edge of a vast ocean with no way to cross. You stare at the page, you prod at it, and it just stares back, blank and unyielding. The temptation is to call yourself broken, to assume you’ve “lost it” or that the words have abandoned you. But here’s the truth that I have learned over decades of writing. Writer’s block isn’t failure. It’s part of the process. It’s your creative mind processing, rewiring, and demanding silence so it can do the work behind the curtain. Think of it as winter. The trees look dead, but they’re storing energy, preparing for spring.

Instead of panicking, lean into the block. Don’t treat it like an enemy. Treat it like weather. Weather shifts. Some days are storm, some days are drought, and some days you get rain that waters the seeds you forgot you planted.

In the meantime, you don’t need to stop being a writer just because you aren’t producing sentences. Reading, daydreaming, scribbling down nonsense, people-watching, and even playing games feeds the compost heap of creativity. When the words return, they’ll draw nourishment from everything you’ve let yourself absorb.

Stop measuring your worth in word counts. The internet makes it easy to believe that “real writers” churn out 2k a day without blinking, but that’s fiction in itself. Writing is art, not factory work. A paragraph born from three weeks of quiet reflection can be more powerful than a novel rushed out in three months. Your brain is still working. Your subconscious is still writing. Just because you can’t hear the keys clacking doesn’t mean the story isn’t growing.