One of the toughest things writers face (especially when starting out) is the need to stay motivated to write and keep writing.
So You Want to Write for a Living
Many people think that it is awesome to write for a living. I won’t say it’s a bad way to live, but making a career in writing takes time and effort. And making money at it also takes time and effort.
There is an awful lot of advice out there (you know, “out there” 🙂 ) about what it takes to make a living as a writer. For my own part, luck has played a huge role in my own writing journey. However, you know what they say about making your own luck. The answer is, “Yes, you can!”
Four Tips on How to Get Unstuck
Any professional writer, particularly when writing fiction in prose or screenplays, will tell you that it is not always easy to create good stories. I think this is especially true if you don’t have an outline, but then I’m not a “pantser” by nature. However, even with an outline, it’s easy to write your character into a situation in which you have no idea where to go next.
How to Write Mystery Fiction
My journey as a mystery fiction writer began with an adult education course. That’s where I learned storytelling basics and met people who would end up forming my first writers group.
While I was in the process of writing my first novel, I happened to find a book called How to Write Killer Fiction by Carolyn Wheat. This spelled out the characteristics of a mystery story versus a suspense or thriller story.