I just put up a review of Janet Evanovich’s writing book, How I Write (written with Ina Yalof), it can be found here ready to please you.

“I’m way to busy to write right now. I’ll do some more writing next week.”

Yeah, right…

I’ve said that to myself many times, and every time I’ve utterly failed to write anything in the alloted time. The strange thing about being busy is that it follows you around like a hungry hyena. If you’re busy today, chances are you’ll be busy tomorrow too. Busy people fill their days off with things to do too. My girlfriend is the master of this. Her weekend to do list looks like the first chapter of my novel.

The only time I have ever gotten anything done at all is when I have sat down, said to myself  “now is the hour” and gotten down to putting words on paper. You can find the time, no-one works twenty four hours a day (except Janet Evanovich, she’s a writing machine).

Don’t get me wrong, you need down time too. Without charging your batteries every now and again you can’t expect to write anything (unless again, you’re Janet Evanovich) and some days you really will be fighting for every second, but if Chuck Palahniuk can write Fight Club in five minute chunks of his work-breaks, you can get the words down too.

Just a short update today as I need to get back to following my own advice. I’ve finished another article on beating writer’s block, just waiting on permission to tell you guys about a great trick I learned.

Okay, so the title sounds dirty but I got your attention. I wanted to give a mention to an excellent writing blog I found today while ostensibly doing ‘research’ (reading twitter) by the name of Writer’s Remorse. Chock full of interesting articles and useful links, I fully recommend it.

I got 1800 words out tonight. Not as many as last night, but more usable I think.

Thought for the day: Cheese. So Awesome. Procrastination, not so much.

I posted up the first free chapter yesterday and no sooner had I posted it up than I realised how to make it better. I am very aware I suffer from the endlessly re-written first chapter syndrome, but I’m going to go ahead and change it anyway.

I got some amazingly positive feedback today and I’m still feeling really good about it, so I’m riding the motivation wave all the way through to getting chapter two prepared for posting.

Actually all around life is good today, all I need now is a big sandwich and it will be complete.

Andrew

“So why Adverserial, don’t you know you’ve mis-spelled it?”

This is becoming a common question (at least from the people in the same room as I am). Given that my blog is only an hour old I thought I’d better answer it. Adverserial represents both the relationship I have with writing (adversarial) and the way I want to self publish my first novel (in serial installments hosted on this site).

I didn’t say it would be a good reason…

I also borrowed the name I had for a friend and I’s comic, and indeed soon you shall see a webcomic based on our best friend/worst enemy kind of friendship.

I’m just sorting out the first chapter of The Shadow Library as a PDF for you all now. In the mean time I thought I’d put a up a link for another enormously helpful blog for other wannabe writers; Writing Excuses . These guys are so good at giving advice it’s worth listening in even if you’re not writing at the moment.

Thanks for stopping by.

Andrew

Welcome to Andrew Jack’s Writing Blog. I started this page because, like 82% of the human race I feel like I want to write a book. Not just any book though, no gardening books for me. I want to be a fiction writer.

When I’ve told people this generally get encouraging nods, polite questions and then, when I’ve been forced to admit I’m unpublished, the knowing smile that says “you’ll never make it”.  I’m sure most people don’t realize they’re giving me the “smile”.

If I thought they did I’d be writing this from a prison cell.

I set up AndrewJackWriting.com for several reasons. First of all I wanted to share my experiences with other wannabe writers, and in doing so provide myself with another anti-procrastination device. I also want to publish my first novel, The Shadow Library, in serial installments and this seemed like the right way to do it.

Finally, Mur Laferty of I Should Be Writing is an inspiring person. I got so much out of her blog that I couldn’t really help but start my own.

Thanks Mur.