I'm afraid today's generation has little awareness of literary art. Once something becomes a motion picture they realize the story came from somewhere else and will look it up. Hooray!
I would re-write my first three books, the Abaddon trilogy. They are darker than I write now and I would like to correct that...except that is too much trouble!
I did, and for the most part I followed that inclination—just not the way I would have imagined it. It wasn't until years had passed that I gave up the other endeavors and took up fiction writing.
Yes, I have incorporated my real life experiences into my novels. It gives my stories more depth and color and gives me the opportunity to educate the reader.
Oddly, I have yet to experience "writers block." I typically have one or more books in my head and know the only way to get to them is by finishing the one I am writing. If there is anything I could offer it would be to go to another part of your story, one you feel good about, and write that. You can always come back to the troublesome part and you will probably find there is not block after all.
I have to admit, doing an outline. I have a broad story line in mind but find I need to write down a description of scenes. This gets me started and I don't stick with my original thoughts on scenes and chapters, but the outline notes do give me a focus. I usually discard the outline after writing around 20,000 words because by then I am well on the way in my story.
“Who the heck is Hannah? I want to know more about Hannah!â€
This impassioned comment from the host of a dinner party honoring the release of my sixth novel penetrated my soul. I had been struggling about how to leave the protagonist I had nurtured through six novels, but was unsure which direction to go. This challenge was the push I needed. Could I write a thriller from a woman’s perspective? How would she interact in a male-dominated world? How would she respond to the countless dangerous situations she would inevitably face? Could I do it?
I was ready for the challenge and wrote Target London.
Becoming a blockbuster best-selling novelist. To paraphrase Al Zuckerman (founder of Writers House), "If you are going to write, why not be a blockbuster?"
Writing can be emotionally draining, but it shouldn't be stressful. When you are struggling through an especially difficult section, just remember why you are writing. Is it for yourself, or are you trying to write something that you believe will be commercially successful? The answer should be for yourself. If you are true to yourself and your story the commercial success will follow.
Story, always story. Without a good story there is really noting to write about. After that it is paying attention to the POV and keeping as far away fro passive voice as you can.
