Tag Archives: writers problems

Microfiction: how my tiny writing got me back on track

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Susannah J. Bell

I seem to have lost the knack of writing microfiction. It was never something I thought about. Much. Or ever, to be honest. But then the pandemic hit and the first lockdown came along and throttled all my writing efforts … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022: A Fresh Start, On Writing | Tagged imagination, lockdown, microfiction, pandemic, tiny writing, writers block, writers problems, writing | Leave a comment

The story that refused to write

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Susannah J. Bell

I’ve been battling with a short story for what feels like a thousand years. It’s actually been less than three months which is probably not THAT long given that it has quite a high word count but it’s going so … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022: A Fresh Start, On Writing | Tagged Experienced, shattered, The Exodus Sequence, The Nightmarist, The Nightmarist and Other Stories, Wired, writer, writer's block, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing, writing community, writing process | 1 Comment

Mass Observation Day

Posted on May 16, 2021 by Susannah J. Bell

Mass Observation Day occurred on the 12th of May. I heard about it on the radio the day before so thought it would be interesting to take part. However, once I’d written up something on the day in question, I … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Life in Bloomsbury, On Writing | Tagged 12th May, a day in the life, am writing, diary, diary event, diary of a bloomsbury writer, mass observation day, novel writing, On Writing, Pre-writing, selling writing, writer, writer's diary, writer's resolution, writers, writers community, writers experience, writers life, writers problems, writing, writing a diary, writing career, writing community, writing from alter-space, writing life, writing notes, writing problems, writing process | Leave a comment

How to ruin your chances with an agent

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Susannah J. Bell

Who is the first agent you approach? The best one, of course, whoever you think that may be. In my mind, it’s the Curtis Brown agency. So when the time came for me to start trotting my new novel around … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Published | Tagged agent, agents, am writing, amwriting, diary of a bloomsbury writer, finding an agent, getting published, literary agents, novel writing, On Writing, selling writing, successful writing, writer, writers, writers community, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing, writing career, writing community, writing fantasy, writing from alter-space, writing life, writing problems, writing process, writing tips | Leave a comment

Finished that big novel at last!

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Susannah J. Bell

It’s taken me eight years to get to the end of my Big Novel but it’s done! At last! Bring on the champagne! I really finished it over a week ago, wrapping up the last of the Killer Edit, and … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged am writing, big novel, editing, end, final draft, finished, giant novel, last draft, long novel, my finished novel, my prizewinning novel, novel, novel writing, On Writing, Pre-writing, That Difficult Novel, writer, writer's tip, writers, writers community, writers experience, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing, writing career, writing community, writing fantasy, writing life, writing problems, writing process, writing tips | Leave a comment

A writer’s new year’s resolution

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Susannah J. Bell

My new year’s resolution for 2021 is to be a writer. Now hang on a sec – aren’t I already a writer? Am I not self-published? Have I not been writing for years and years and years? Am I not … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged 2021, am writing, diary of a bloomsbury writer, how to be a writer, new year, new year's resolution, writer, writer's resolution, writers, writers community, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing, writing community, writing from alter-space, writing notes, writing process, writing tips | Leave a comment

This year has been less of a wash-up than I thought

Posted on December 5, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

Today I begin the brand new edit of a gigantic novel I have edited several times. I’ve written about this novel here many, many times. In another blog, I might even go and have a look at all those old … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged am writing, amwriting, my prizewinning novel, novel writing, On Writing, successful writing, the killer edit, tips for writers, writer, writers, writers community, writers experience, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writers unite, writers' life, writing, writing career, writing community, writing fantasy, writing from alter-space, writing life, writing notes, writing problems, writing process, writing tips | Leave a comment

Microfiction

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

My writing isn’t going well. If I had to blame anything, then I’m going to have to say it was the pandemic. I did try. I started an Exodus Sequence story quite early in lockdown but it was a mess … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged back to work, coronavirus, creative process, depression, drabble, Exodus Sequence, flash fiction, imagination, microfiction, pandemic, short writing, The Exodus Sequence, time to write, writer, writers, writers block, writers community, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing | Leave a comment

Hunting down that elusive ending to your story

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

If you can’t find an ending to your WIP, there is only ever one reason for it: something hasn’t worked earlier on. I’ve reached the end of novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of different ways: I knew … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged am editing, editing, editing by hand, editing on screen, end of story, finding the end, the end, the ending, writers block, writers community, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing, writing community, writing notes, writing problems, writing process, writing tips | Leave a comment

“To write is to rewrite”

Posted on March 18, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

“To write is to rewrite. One writes for oneself, and one rewrites for others.” This quote comes from a character in Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s novel “The Labyrinth of the Spirits”. The character is a writer, advising another, much younger writer. … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged big red edit, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, editing, rewrite, WIP, writers community, writers life, writers problems, writers tips, writing, writing community, writing tips, Zafon | Leave a comment