Knock-Out Writer's Block: Listening To Your Inner Voice

Written by Celise Downs


When I was young, I used to talk to myself. Long, drawn out, one-sided conversations. I didn’t have an imaginary friend, I just talked to myself. My mother says that’s why I became a writer: because of my overactive imagination. I admit she may be right. Those conversations currently get me through my worst cases of writer’s block.

I have to laugh when I read articles on breaking through a writing slump. They always have tips like: go torepparttar mall and make up a story aboutrepparttar 128697 people you see there..or..write down a dream you hadrepparttar 128698 other night..or..think aboutrepparttar 128699 happiest moment in your childhood and write about it. You can even sign up and have a writing “prompt” emailed to you everyday. And I can’t help but think, Does this work for anyone? I mean, really? I’ve come to discover that I’m not likerepparttar 128700 average author. The normal methods of combating writer’s block do not apply to me. In writing mode, I can only concentrate on one novel at a time. I get distracted easily, so writing something onrepparttar 128701 fly only leads me down one path: The-Hey-I-Just-Came-Up-With-Another-Great-Idea-For-A-New-Book-So-I’m-Gonna-Drop-The-One-I’m-Currently-Angsting-Over-And-Start-A-New-Novel path. Believe me, it’s happened before. I was young (seventh grade to be exact), just starting out, and I didn’t know any better.

Can You Really Sell Your Writing Output On Radio?

Written by Jim Green


I had never givenrepparttar matter much thought inrepparttar 128695 past but after an experience I enjoyed lately, I am now rather ofrepparttar 128696 opinion that you can.

It happened this way…

Coinciding withrepparttar 128697 launch of my latest book ‘Your Retirement Masterplan’ (How To Books ISBN 1857039874) I participated in eleven 10/15 minute live interviews on local radio over a period of just five days.

These promotional interviews were arranged by my publisher’s media consultancy and I didn’t require to visit a single studio to take part; they were all conducted overrepparttar 128698 telephone, sitting at my desk at home.

Towardsrepparttar 128699 end ofrepparttar 128700 first interview I was conscious ofrepparttar 128701 fact that I had yet to plugrepparttar 128702 distribution channels for my book.

The presenter beat me to it: ‘In five seconds, where can listeners buy your book?’ Before I could reply he added, ‘Can they order it online?’

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘at Amazon.co.uk’

Inrepparttar 128703 ten subsequent interviews I made a point of ending my spiel withrepparttar 128704 publisher’s name together with availability at bookstores but I always finished with, ‘…and online at Amazon.co.uk.’

Now here’srepparttar 128705 interesting part: afterrepparttar 128706 first five sessions I checked outrepparttar 128707 Amazon.co.uk website to discover that this newly published title had jumped 35 places inrepparttar 128708 bestseller list for its genre; I checked again afterrepparttar 128709 final interview and it had jumped again but this time by 329 places. In effect, in just a few days it had leapt from position 558 to 194 out of 3123 competing titles.

More than mere coincidence methinks…because books don’t climbrepparttar 128710 bestseller lists on Amazon unless they are selling in quantity.

So what if you self-publish your output and you don’t have a publicist to arrange radio interviews? Does that mean you are excluded?

No way; I have self-published several books inrepparttar 128711 past and managed my own promotion.

Here is what you do…

1.Wherever you live inrepparttar 128712 world you’ll find thatrepparttar 128713 majority of local radio stations are banded together into a single group for cost-effectiveness;

2.Identifyrepparttar 128714 controlling group;

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
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