Beat Writers Block – Beat it with a STICK!

Beat Writers Block- Now!

Follow these simple steps to get through that wall of endless misery and doom.

1. Be Kind – be kind to yourself.
2. Small achievable goals.
3. A crappy first draft is great!
4. No editing
5. Free exercises for you – from me.

I’m going to explain this all some more, I promise.

This was originally going to be a VLOG – but after a few attempts at filming, well I decided that writing is more my thing that speaking.

Step One: So, lets get back to step one. Be kind. Did you hear that?  BE KIND TO YOURSELF!

I know what it feels to have writers block, or writers procrastination. You wake up, and you’re already carrying around that heavy weight in your chest. There’s already a little voice whispering ‘you didn’t write yesterday…’ or ‘you haven’t hit your word target,’ or even, ‘everything you write is absolute rubbish.’ You know what you have? Writer’s guilt.

Stop it. Stop that right now and take the pressure off of yourself. Especially at the moment when many people are in lockdown, this seems like an incredible opportunity to learn a new language, finish up old projects and pour time and investment into your dreams. For the people for whom this is a reality, that is amazing!

For me, I’m struggling between working from home and childcare. Despite barely leaving my house, I actually have less time and feel more pressured to be getting my WIP finished. More Writer’s Guilt added onto your usual pile.

Let it go. (There’s a whole song about this…)

Let it go, or you will wake up tomorrow and that nagging feeling will be back.

It’s hard to get into a positive headspace to write if you have to wade through the river of Writer’s Guilt first. We have to get out of this habit. So be kind. So what, you missed a deadline, a day, a week, a year… You won’t meet that 90k target in six months, blah, blah, blah… Let it go. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes if you like. Acknowledge it and let it go. I didn’t write yesterday or whatever. I WILL write today.

Step Two: Small achievable goals.

You WILL write today. Open up that WIP. Get to the last thing you did, the latest chapter and just write. Write 100 words. That’s it. Just 100 words. Have you done it? Here is the best part.  Save it. Close the computer. Walk away happy – you did it! Now the most important part – REWARD yourself. Go for a walk, have a soda, read a book watch your favourite TV show. Do something that gives you a mental woo and makes you feel good.

You know what you’re doing? You’re training your brain into a positive response when you do your writing. You’ll be amazed at how much easier and better you’ll feel tomorrow when you carve out just a few minutes to write again.

Tomorrow? Open up that WIP. Write 200 words. Save it. Put it away. REWARD!

The day after: Write 300 words, save it, put it away – REWARD!

Repeat until the process becomes easier and you’re able to write freely.

Now here is the final trick – Always end before you run out of steam for the day. If you’ve written 2000 words and you’re in the middle of a juicy scene, then stop before the scene ends and you’ll be excited to get back to it. Most of all, always give yourself that little reward for getting it done.

Step Three: A crappy first draft is great!

NO ONE HAS TO SEE IT.

When you’ve sat down to write your 100, 200, 300+ words and it’s hard, then just remember that it doesn’t matter what you put down on the page. It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter. It’ll be 100 more words than you had before and that it what matters. You can’t edit a blank page but once you’re WIP is done you can go back and completely rewrite it. Delete that stuff out if you need to. But maybe there will be something worth keeping?

Step Four: Don’t edit as you go.

This will be maximum leech for your momentum. If you realise a huge plot point then write it down. Adjust where your story is heading and write forward. Always write forward. Don’t go back and start tampering with threads and arcs until you’ve got that first draft down – otherwise you’re always going to be buried in the first part of the book.

You’ve got to keep moving forward. One step and one word at a time.

Step Five: Some exercises for you!

I thought I would share some writing exercises that can also help.

Free writing: First of all, free writing is brilliant. If you really, really do not to put the words into your WIP when you’re struggling, then just sit down with pen and paper. Set a timer for 10 minutes and just write. Write EVERYTHING that comes into your mind. Even if it’s just ‘I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m just going to write and blah, blah this is so ridiculous-’ you get the idea. Just write. Write for ten minutes and then set it aside. It’s a bit like a mental ‘unclogging.’

Microfiction: Now something I’m also really keen on is microfiction. Using 100 words or less to tell a story or construct something lyrical. There’s a whole bunch here on the blog if you want to read. Now I’m not going to tell you that it’s any good – I’m not sure that it is! But it entertains me, and the people who give me the prompts. Melodramatic Dinosaurs, Romantic Zombies, Tyrants and Penguins (romance was a big theme)…So that’s something.

I’m going to be running a #microfictionchallenge if you want to join in. Everyone is welcome! I’ll put up a prompt of a word, and a genre that the story is meant to resemble. You have 100 words or less to construct something around it. I would love to see some responses, or you can even set me a challenge.

My challenge to you, for today would be the word: Television in the genre of Action.

Now go write!

Better yet! Give me the 100 words you get done today! I expect it to be brilliantly random and make very little sense.

Micro-Fiction Challenges – Seven

The little blue train on a wooden track. It rattles across the suspension bridge and through the plastic mountain. No passengers at the station, no freight to collect. Dinosaurs line the junctions and a Mr. Robot guards the shed. Little blue train on an endless adventure. Open books for tunnels and a tin foil lake. Chickens the size of Horses, scattered in its wake.

Challenges

I  put out a call for people to challenge me and this is my sixth response. The prompt was Train & Travel. This was actually a lot harder than I thought it was going to be and it’s only 65 words long. However, I feel that if I kept adding then it would lost it’s form.

Join me in the challenge! post your micro-fiction of 100 words or less below. I challenge you to use the prompt of  Horse and the genre of Sci-Fi. Have fun! I would love to see some responses.

Previous Prompts

Dinosaurs & Melodrama

Penguins & Romance

Mitosis & Farce

Wine & Sci-Fi

Zombie & Romance

Horse & Adventure

Micro-Fiction Challenges – Six

We run together. Mountains, valleys, sand and fields. The ground rolls away behind us.

We walk together.  Cautious, we are braver together. Balanced together.

Your heart will always guide us safely home. My legs will always carry us.

I dream of lush green grass and wild flowers.; of sweet smelling hay and fresh cool water.

We rest together.

 

Challenges

I  put out a call for people to challenge me and this is my sixth response. The prompt was Horse & Adventure. This was actually a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. In the end, I think it came out as more a piece of poetry and it’s only 58 words long. However, I feel that if I kept adding then it would lost it’s form.

And yes, that’s me riding. It was a really special day.

Join me in the challenge! post your micro-fiction of 100 words or less below. I challenge you to use the prompt of  Pillow and the genre of Sci-Fi. Have fun! I would love to see some responses.

Previous Prompts

Dinosaurs & Melodrama

Penguins & Romance

Mitosis & Farce

Wine & Sci-Fi

Zombie & Romance

Micro-Fiction Challenges – Five

Grey lips parted to whisper amorous intent. Warm hands slid across mottled skin.

‘Darling…’

‘Yes, love?’

‘You’ve…you’ve come undone.’

There was a pause. A single heartbeat in the darkness.

‘I’m…I’m sorry, this has never-’

‘It’s really common. I’ll just – I’ll just sew you back together.’

‘Thank you.’ A sigh.

‘What’s the matter?’ Lips pressed to the neck.

‘There just isn’t much time.’

‘I know…I’ll get you back to the crypt before sunrise. I promise.’

 

Challenges

I  put out a call for people to challenge me and this is my fifth response. The prompt was Zombie & Romance. I was really excited to write this piece as I had a clear idea of where it was going, as soon as I saw the prompt. I just hope that I did it justice!

Join me in the challenge! post your micro-fiction of 100 words or less below. I challenge you to use the prompt of  Cat and the genre of Romance. Have fun! I would love to see some responses.

Previous Prompts

Dinosaurs & Melodrama

Penguins & Romance

Mitosis & Farce

Wine & Sci-Fi

Micro-Fiction Challenges – Four

They were Mars Red and perfectly spherical.

An impatient voice called from the parlor.

‘Nearly!’ she answered. Voice tinny and nervously pitched. Grapes rolled into the hopper.  Her fingers tapped with deft precision on the control panel. The fruit hissed through rapid fermentation. From red to the acidic blue of an ancient five pound note.

She balanced the glass carefully between her hands and set it down on the tablecloth.

From her high-backed armchair, her mistress extended an arm. With only the faintest hum of mechanical whirring the wine was lifted, tasted and set down with a buzz of satisfaction.

Challenges

I  put out a call for people to challenge me and this is my second response. The prompt was Wine & Sci-Fi. I was really excited to write this piece as I had a clear idea of where it was going, as soon as I saw the prompt. I just hope that I did it justice!

Join me in the challenge! post your micro-fiction of 100 words or less below. I challenge you to use the prompt of  Chair and the genre of Horror. Have fun! I would love to see some responses.

Previous Prompts

Dinosaurs & Melodrama

Penguins & Romance

Mitosis & Farce

Happy Writing,

Fibi xx

Micro-Fiction Challenges – Three

One.

Alone in a box. It sighs with happiness.

Another appears. They glare across the distance, in the darkness beneath the lid.

Two more stretch out, then four. This is getting ridiculous.

One chases them away, but there are more and more and more.

Eight in the darkness, sixteen, thirty-two. Fighting for space. Two tumble free and the box topples over. Funny little furry creatures scatter across a cold metal floor. Sixty-four little Tribbles, trilling with delight. There’s Tribbles in the Loading Dock. Tribbles across the Crew Decks. Pouring out the ventilation and spreading through the ship.

 

Challenges

I  put out a call for people to challenge me and this is my second response. The prompt was Mitosis & Farce. This was a tricky challenge to nail down, and I’ve been thinking about it since it appeared, knowing it was coming up! I’m happy with how it turned out in the end.

Join me in the challenge! post your micro-fiction of 100 words or less below. I challenge you to use the prompt of  Apples and the genre of Steam-Punk. Have fun! I would love to see some responses.

Previous Prompts

Dinosaurs & Melodrama

Penguins & Romance

 

 

Happy Writing,

Micro-Fiction Challenges – Two

He swam towards pillars of white and the arch that stretched above the midnight sea. He left a trail of luminescence in his wake. Waves lapped gently against the ice as he climbed. Was she here? Was she waiting? With cautious steps, and outspread wings he peered into the darkness. I’m here. His voice echoed over the shelf. I’m here! He hurried forward.

I’m here.

Challenges

I  put out a call for people to challenge me and this is my second response. The prompt was Penguins & Romance. Although it’s a short piece, I think I’ve just about pulled it off! Tomorrow is going to be a tricky one!

Join me in the challenge! post your micro-fiction of 100 words or less below. I challenge you to use the prompt of  Snow and the genre of Fantasy. Have fun! I would love to see some responses.

Previous Prompts

Dinosaurs & Melodrama

Happy Writing,

Fibi

 

Forging the Fire – Chapter One

Hi All,

This is a little bit of a tease of what I’m working on at the moment, the sequel to Burning Embers! Here is the opening of Chapter One… I really hope you like it.

Forging the Fire

The City was called Kalit, or the Diamond City in an older language. It hunkered down in a protective curve of the Spine Mountains and opened on one side to the Sea. The mountains rose in regular jagged peaks covered in a thick pine forest and deep snow.  Spring had only started to touch the world and would take longer so spread so far north. The evening sky was hooded with clouds.

Kalit had one entrance overland. Its walls, hewn from the mountain itself, glittered with traces of diamond dust. A promise of the wealth found within the mountain and a fortune from its mines. The single tall gate opened to the North, Arngeir and a solitary road that led through the Spine. Travelers were rare so early in the year but two guards stood beside the iron portcullis, stamping their feet and muttering curses. Once the last rays of sunshine slipped from the sky they could close the gate and return to the barracks and their dinner.

‘It’s bloody freezing,’ the elder blew into his gloved hands before clapping them together. His halberd staff gripped between armpit and body.

‘Do you think they’ll make it?’ The younger, who wore a red knit hat beneath his helmet had his eyes fixed on a pair of distant travelers.

‘I don’t care,’ the first kicked his foot against the dark stone walls. ‘Soon as that sun is gone, I’m shutting the gate.’

‘They’ll be trapped outside for the night,’ the youth protested, ‘I wouldn’t like to sleep outside in the snow.’

‘Then they’d better hurry up!’

They approached Kalit with all the weariness expected of those passing through the Spine in winter. It was a long and lonely pass. One of the riders, a girl, stared at the city as it came into view.

Feia could see the buildings sprawling against the edges of the snow covered range. In the fading light, lanterns were being lit and the glow of a thousand flames spread through the distant streets like stars appearing in a night sky.  She’d never seen so many people living together, so many houses or buildings or streets as they stretched out below in a warren.  She had expected to feel relief that their long journey was over, that she’d be able to sleep in a bed, that she’d feel warm for the first time in weeks. But as the dark stone walls rose from the mountains, all that she felt was unease; as though she was a mouse sneaking towards a sleeping cat.

‘They say you can buy anything in Kalit,’ Feia she kept her voice lowered as they approached the gate.

‘I’d love to meet these ‘they’. They know so much,’ Rhyode replied. He nudged his own mount forward to catch up with her, the black irises of his eyes fixed on the dark granite of Kalit’s defenses as they drew closer.

‘So it’s not true?’ She persisted, intent on drawing out an answer from her protector.  The man, Rhyode, let out a long suffering sigh. Although he looked less than a decade older than the teenaged-girl beside him, his gaze held a depth of knowledge beyond his apparent years. Something Feia had determined to take advantage of. She wanted to learn as much as possible about the man who had sworn to protect her; after all she’d sworn to travel with him to Lluridi, the world capital. A pact made on the promise that Rhyode would help save her family from invaders. Rhyode had upheld his promise so far and so a faint band of light encircled her wrist, a sign of vows that were unbreakable, except in death.  Something that many people would be glad to offer the pair of them. From Kalit they would take a ship to Lluridi, the fastest way to end their perilous journey. Until then, Feia wanted to know more about the man who had kissed her once. To understand how he saw the world. Perhaps then she could understand why he had kissed her, or why he wouldn’t do it again.

‘Are you listening?’

Rhyode was staring at her and she checked the hood of her cloak covered her hair. Hair the colour of fresh blood.

‘I’m listening,’ she lied, and wondered what she had missed.

‘Many things can be bought in Kalit, some things which should never be traded,’ Rhyode replied eventually.

‘Girls?’ Feia felt a familiar thread of tension pulling at the back of her neck and shoulders. Once, she had almost been sold.

Rhyode looked back at her, his taller horse had pulled ahead. The last light was fading quickly but they were just a few short strides from the gate itself.

‘All life,’ he replied. His voice was a low rumble as his horse started to climb the stone bridge towards the gates. They stretched high above, almost blocking out the sky beyond them.

An older guard glowered as they passed, stamping the end of his halberd against the frozen ground.

Rhyode reached out, touching his hand to her own and nudging his horse closer. His breath tickled the top of her ear as she forced herself to look ahead. Where she had expected busy city streets, Kalit almost seemed deserted. But light flickered against windows, and curtains moved. There were people in the city, she could feel them watching.

‘Keep your tongue and your opinions to yourself within these walls,’ Rhyode warned. ‘The Champions are powerful in Kalit.’

Feia had lost count of how many times he had issued the same warning. But never, had it caused the hair on the back of her neck to rise as it did. She swallowed her fear.

‘Champions, Nethari…’ She rolled her eyes, ‘and I almost forgot about all the people trying to kill me.’

Rhyode withdrew his hand and nudged his horse forward. Embry’s hooves seemed to rattle on the stone paved streets. ‘I mean it Feia.’

Her own pony was determined to keep up and Feia couldn’t blame her.

‘You can buy diamonds from Kalit,’ Rhyode continued to speak softly, ‘you can trade goods from all around Arenith. So long as the mines are open, Kalit will trade. But-’ he hesitated, ‘you can buy life or death. If we’re heard speaking ill of the city it’s likely we’ll end our days in the mines. You can never be sure who is listening.’

She wanted to point out that surely people could hear Rhyode whispering now, but Rhyode was powerful. His magic was rooted in darkness, as night descended no one would hear a thing he said, unless he wanted them too.  She held her questions and turned to watch the gateway as they left it behind. The impenetrable border of Kalit stretched higher than any castle walls she’d ever seen. She’d assumed they were to keep attackers out. The final sweep on sunlight vanished from the city and a call rose for the gates to close. The portcullis began its creaking descent behind them. The impassable wooden doors thunked shut behind her and the guards stretched to bring iron bars down. Not to keep people out she realized but to keep them in. Rhyode guided the horses forward, deeper into the city streets.

At first, the way was lit by lanterns hanging from the walls of shops on either side of road. Rhyode motioned to them, explaining that each lantern held quartz stones filled with magical energy. They were taken each day to the Temple of Saelil, the Spirit of Light, to be infused with power.  An enormous undertaking, but they provided a sure and steady glow and a safe place, well lit for the wealthier population of Kalit to wander in the night-time. But the main streets were a difficult place to travel quickly. Despite the late hour they bustled. People dressed in rich colours moved from vendor to vendor in groups. Their laughter rose into the night air, but the throng was difficult to pass. Rhyode soon led Feia to narrower streets, where the lighting dimmed and crowd thinned. The lanterns or quartz holders in the main street had been elaborate. Beautiful shapes made from precious metals, Feia had selected a particular favourite on the wall of the apothecary. Hanging from a hook, intricate vines of silver had fallen, and curved. Tiny metal leaves of Ivy, embellished with green glass, had then woven together to form a ball to hold the stones. In the side streets, the lanterns were made of wood. Passing, Feia could see cracks in the quartz stones. Soon, as Rhyode led the way through narrowing streets, lanterns vanished altogether. Dotted in the cracks of walls were stones the glinted with a sickly glow.

‘Why is it so much dimmer?’ She asked softly, ‘isn’t the magic as strong?’

‘Not in these stones, they’re filled with impurities and the temple will not infuse them.’

‘So who makes them? Do they still relight them each day?’

‘No,’ Rhyode replied, ‘they are created and then fade overtime. Apprentices with a talent for Saelil’s Spirit are paid to keep them burning; but it is a large city.’  Without warning he swung himself down from the saddle and stretched.  ‘Stay out of trouble.’

‘You say that like it’s easy.’

‘Just don’t set anything on fire. Don’t set the tavern on fire. Don’t set the stables on fire. Don’t set anything on fire.’

‘You say that like it’s easy,’ she grinned.

 

Burning Embers is available on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited!

The first chapter is also online just here.

 

 

 

Longbow Archery – Part One

Hi there,

I’ve started sharing some bits and pieces I know about shooting a Longbow onto Facebook and thought I would collate the information here in case anyone would like it!

Here is part one:

I thought I would add a few extra details for those using medieval archery in their stories – I use a longbow, and it is very very different to using a modern recurve.

Hopefully this will be useful to someone!

Gloves – Your medieval archers are going to wear gloves. Probably thick leather gloves, because otherwise they’re going to lose the skin on their fingers and at the top of their hand.  It’s really painful. Speaking from experience…it’s really painful to have the skin ripped off the top of your hand.

Why gloves?

Draw string – the string is tough, it has to be. If you’re drawing back the string with your two fingers (medieval remember – only those pesky Victorians started using three fingers) That’s a lot of rubbing between a string and the inside of your fingers. If you just take some twine and pull it hard against your fingers it might not hurt the first time but after thirty goes it’s going to rub away skin.

An alternative to a glove on your draw hand would be a little leather tab that can hook between your fingers. These are still used today for modern archery and very useful.

Why gloves?  Part two: Your medieval longbow doesn’t have an arrow rest on the staff (or stave). So you’ve nocked your arrow on the string. If you pinch the arrow to hold it in place, it’s going to swing all over the place and it won’t shoot anywhere you want it to go. So you have to rest it against something to keep it beside the staff. In longbow, this is your hand.

The way I get into position, is to hold the staff at arms length in front of me, with a straight arm. Then you lift your thumb against the staff so that the line between your thumb and first finger knuckle are as level as possible. This is where the arrow will rest. If your grip isn’t level, then you’re aim is going to be all over the place. But if you’re not wearing gloves, this is again where you’re going to lose skin. And you’ll lose it after the first shot. It stings and then you don’t want to do it again. Yes, it’s possible to build up callouses (the same for the draw string) but that’s really going to hurt, and leather gloves will save the day!

I’ll be honest, after a lot of shooting, it’s still going to hurt. The leather is going to heat up from the arrow running over the top of it and that’s really where you’re going to build some resilience and start working on some callouses.

Hope everyone is keeping safe and well. Happy writing.

Life Changing

Update

Well this is ridiculous, I was going to say happy {insert correct month here} to you guys, but I just got seriously confused about which month it is! This may say something about how tired I am! I’d like to say I’m Astonished but I’m not surprised.

As the title suggests there have been some life changing events as I’ve welcomed a baby into the world. It’s been a little busy, but the tiny beast is currently asleep so I’ve snuck away to take care of some typing!

I’m still working on the final three chapters of the Poisoned Well, and I’m so proud that this project is continuing, even if it is slowly! Line by line, paragraph by paragraph it will be finished!

Free Short Story

In the meantime a brand new release is available for download!

Hope is a second short-story from Arenith. It also takes place during the events of Burning Embers and has some characters you might recognize…

Burning Embers

I’ve also reached my second target of sales with Burning Embers! 50 copies sold! I know it’s a rather modest target, but I’m so excited to have so many people read my book. They seem to be enjoying it to! There are some new reviews popping up!

**** This story was gripping throughout, and you want to see Feia through her whole journey. Probably my favourite character was Vesta, Feia’s friend who winds up travelling with her. I couldn’t help but be swept up by her. There is a depth there that made me so vested in knowing more about her.

What I loved about this book was that it brought in so many strong women, but they were all strong in very different ways, and not all of them in a way that helped others. Feia herself developed far more strength as a result of being around these women, though she still found her own way of expressing and using it. – Pysgrad April 2018

*** I enjoyed Burning Embers. It certainly starts out with a bang… I wanted more. More of everything. But I think that will make me enjoy reading book 2 to satiate that craving. – March 2018

**** This was a really good book!! It was hard to put down! There is magic and a little romance and friendship all mixed in! – Dec 2018

Friends of Fibi

Finally, in my connection without writers and artists I’ve come across this author whose box-set is releasing this week!

The Isolde Saga

The Complete Story has just been released on amazon! A fresh box-set release this week it’s receiving excellent reviews and is a real gem of a find.

The Dead Walk. Magic Has Returned. The Netherworld Awaits.

Death plagues Isolde’s village and everyone thinks that the demon, Orlog, has returned from the northern wastes. Isolde knows it is true because she hears the demon’s voice whispering for her. But as the pox spreads, no one has time to listen to Isolde or her warnings.

The wanderer, Skaldi, hears Isolde though. He believes that she is telling the truth, because he knows that her future is tied up with the fate of the north lands. For Isolde is a netherwalker – one who can pass the veil of death unscathed, one who is a dancer between worlds! But Orlog knows the truth too and Isolde realizes that the demon never wanted her village… but only her soul!

While the land is torn apart by war, demons and the undead rise to rip apart the world. Isolde is forced onto an epic quest to end the evil that threatens her world. But it is not just her soul on the line, but the fate of all humanity.

The Isolde Saga is an epic fantasy series. If you like fast-paced adventure, heroic deeds against impossible odds, and magic darker than the abyss, then you will love this fantasy adventure.

Finally

I’ve updated my instagram and can now be found #bookstagram(ing) like a pro at greypixi.

I also just wanted to say a huge thank you for all of your support so far! Have a lovely May and happy reading.

Fibi xx