Author: Tom

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Life Happens. It’s not always “writer’s block.”

Writing and Life: Why They’re Inseparable for Authors

We can’t talk about being an author without talking about life.

You’re not a writer just between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., hammering out words before the kids wake up. Or between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., stealing time after your partner goes to bed.

You’re a writer 24/7.

Every moment of every day, you’re soaking in experiences, emotions, and observations, all of which might eventually fuel your stories. Writing doesn’t live in a box—it’s interwoven with life itself.

At FictionMentor.com, this philosophy has been a cornerstone since day one. Sure, there’s no shortage of books and courses out there focused on the craft of writing. Many are excellent, and I recommend them often. But here’s the problem: when we hyper-focus on craft, we risk divorcing writing from two essential aspects of the journey:

  1. The business of being an author.
  2. The life that fuels creativity.

This separation does a disservice to us as creators. Life is messy, chaotic, and unpredictable. And it’s that very chaos that fuels creativity. Trying to isolate your writing from the rest of your life—to protect it or keep it “pure”—is not only unrealistic, it’s counterproductive.

Writer’s Block vs. Life

I’ve often said that writer’s block is a myth. It’s our job to keep writing, to push through, to figure it out. But there’s an important distinction to make:

  • Writer’s block is when you’re stuck on what happens next in your story.
  • “I can’t do this right now” is when life gets in the way—temporarily or permanently.

These are two very different things.

I’ve seen this play out in my own life and in the lives of my author friends. One friend, who achieved incredible success with multiple bestselling books, hit a point where he just stopped writing.

Not because he didn’t have ideas. Not because he didn’t have the skill. But because he was done.

Writing wasn’t serving him anymore, and he stepped away. On one hand, it’s heartbreaking. On the other, if he’s happier and healthier now, then that’s good.

Another friend has been wrestling with a book in a genre that isn’t “hot” in the current market. She’s deeply frustrated with the process and the industry. Some days, she’s at peace with taking a step back. Other days, she’s overwhelmed by a sense of loss.

This isn’t writer’s block. This is life.

Writing and Life Balance for Authors

Accidents happen. Illnesses happen. Relationships shift. Jobs change. Life throws curveballs all the time. And sometimes, it makes writing feel impossible. When that happens, it’s okay to take a break.

If you find yourself questioning not just your writing but your worth as a human being because of setbacks, please step back. Seek help if you need it. Reassess. Take time to heal. Nothing is worth sacrificing your mental health or your safety—not even your art.

(“Tortured artist” is another bullshit myth that needs killing.)

The stories you want to tell are important, but you are more important. We need your voice, but we also need you to be healthy enough to share it.

The Stress of Passion

I spent 22 years in theater, 16 of those running my own companies. It was stressful—juggling rehearsals, budgets, ticket sales, marketing, and actor drama. We weren’t often getting paid, and we poured our own money into productions, praying each show would fund the next one.

Me, in “An Impending Rupture of the Belly” with Stray Cat Theatre in Phoenix.

But here’s the thing: I loved it.

That stress, while intense, was good stress. It was the kind of challenge you take on willingly because you love what you do.

Writing is the same. It can be stressful—agonizing over the craft, worrying about industry trends, or questioning your skill level—but most of the time, that stress is what fuels your passion.

But sometimes, that stress crosses a line into being unhealthy. When that happens, you need to recognize it and step back. Nothing—not deadlines, not the dream of publishing, not your own expectations—is worth your health.

Keep Writing… When You’re Ready

If you’re frustrated with a plot hole or stuck on a character arc, that’s the kind of “writer’s block” you can push through with time, effort, and maybe some brainstorming with fellow writers. That’s part of the process.

But if you’re feeling crushed by the weight of life, the industry, or your own expectations, take a break. Regroup. Come back when you’re ready.

We need your stories. But more importantly, we need you. Healthy, whole, and ready to share your unique voice with the world.

Remember: you’re not just a writer during your designated writing hours. You’re a writer all the time, living a life rich with experiences that fuel your creativity. So live your life. Let it be messy and beautiful and chaotic. And when you’re ready, bring it back to the page.

Let’s keep the conversation going. What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to balancing writing and life? Drop a comment or connect with me on social media—I’d love to hear from you.

Categories
Craft

One Quick Tip to Improve Your Dialogue

A QUICK TIP ON IMPROVING YOUR DIALOGUE

 

Whenever there is an entrance or an exit (from a scene in your story, no matter the format)…

 

Relationships change.

 

In theater, we call this a French scene. It’s not necessarily marked off in a script, but directors or actors might recognize it because every time there’s an entrance or exit, relationships change.

 

When relationships change, so does the dialogue.

 

Imagine two teenage girls in one of their bedrooms, talking about Chunk Squarejaw, the hot new high school quarterback. Without giving you any more details, can you hear them? Can you hear how they sound? Can you hear the words they might use? Can you envision how they’re relating to each other in that scenario?

 

Now, Dad walks in and says, “Did you finish your homework yet?”

 

The exact tone doesn’t matter for now; just that Dad walks in. Can you hear the slight difference in how the two girls relate now? Notice the change in word choices and the way they talk to Dad and the way Dad talks to them because a new person has entered the scene.

 

If this were a script or a novel, we might label the two girls’ interaction as “French Scene Number One.” When Dad enters, it becomes “Scene Two.” You wouldn’t delineate this in your manuscript; it’s just a way to think about your dialogue.

 

Scene Two involves a discussion with Dad. When Dad exits and closes the door, “Scene Three” begins, and the language changes again.

 

Every time someone enters or exits a scene, the language and relationships shift. This understanding can help you craft more dynamic and realistic dialogue.

If this was helpful, you’ll love my book HOW TO WRITE AWESOME DIALOGUE! FOR FICTION, FILM & THEATRE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZWMW5W

 

 

Categories
Craft

When Anthony Hopkins Asked For Advice

Imagine Sir Anthony Hopkins, most known for his role as Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs.

Now, Sir Anthony Hopkins was  once just Tony Hopkins, starting like all of us. He was 17 or 18, doing shows wherever he could. In one play, he worked with Sir Laurence Olivier, considered the greatest classical actor of his generation. Hopkins, playing a minor role, mustered the courage to ask Olivier for advice on his performance.

Imagine Sir Laurence at his makeup table. Hopkins asks for advice, and Sir Laurence turns and says:

“When you speak, you are the star.”

Then continues with his makeup. This is a real anecdote told by Anthony Hopkins. And the advice is crucial.

When you speak, you are the star. On stage with 30 people, if you deliver a line, the audience focuses on you. In that moment, you are the star. This applies to your prose dialogue.

In a story or script, when a character speaks, they become the star. For example, if you’re reading a novel and a cab driver says, “Follow that car? You bet!” you don’t skip reading that line. The cabbie is the star in that moment.

If you’re going to have a character speak, then what they say needs to reveal character or move the story forward.

Consider a scene in an IHOP. Two characters are conversing, and the server comes over and says, “Can I get you some more coffee?” Does that move the story forward or reveal character? Probably not. However, if the server says, “You look like you could use some more coffee,” it reveals a bit more.

Even better, if she says, “You look like you could use something stronger than coffee,” it reveals something about the characters in the scene.

The key word to remember is “deliberate.” Make deliberate choices when your characters speak. Ensure their dialogue either moves the story forward or reveals character. This approach will enrich your writing and engage your readers.

I hope you found this helpful! If you’d like to take a deeper dive into writing awesome dialogue, take a look at my book on the topic!

Categories
Craft

Improve Your Sensory Description to Bring Readers Back For More

Here’s an exercise I highly recommend doing outside, but you can do it wherever you are.

It’s a simple exercise about being present in a place, centering yourself, and using your entire body to take note of the world around you. Use your eyes, ears, nose, and fingertips to observe everything. What does the place smell like? What does it feel like? What are the textures? Be specific in your descriptions.

Just make a list. You don’t need to write lush, vivid sentences right now—just be as specific as possible. If you hear birds singing, try to identify what kind of birds they are. If you notice flowers, determine their type. If you smell an herbal scent, figure out if it’s lavender, oregano, or something else.

The goal is to dig deep into specifics.

Just this morning on my walk, I brushed a hand over a short pine tree and came up with the following sentences on the fly, which might open a novel someday:

Despite their name, pine needles are actually soft, almost silky, to the touch when caressed the right way. Rub them the wrong way, and they’ll stick you. My mom was the same way.

Will it win a literary award? No, but it’s a vivid image, ain’t it?

For example, one of my students went out to her front porch and sat on the “red brick step” off her porch. Just those three words already create a vivid image.

Then she noticed she couldn’t sit there long without a pillow for her back, which tells us a lot about her if she were a character. Imagine opening your story with such a specific detail: “Frances sat on the red brick front porch steps, thinking she would need a pillow before too long.” This one sentence reveals much about the character.

Another student mentioned going out to her back porch and watching a neighbor hosing down beach furniture. While not highly specific, this detail suggests proximity to a beach. Instead of saying, “Frances lived on the beach,” you can show it through specific observations.

In crafting your story, choose which details to keep and which to trim. You might start with specific details and then refine them in revision. For instance, instead of saying someone walked a dog, specify the breed, color, and characteristics. A detail like “a white hypoallergenic Labradoodle” tells us much more than just “a dog.”

Allow your sensory memory to influence your writing. One student described a ceiling fan’s pull chain tapping against the base, a sound many of us recognize: tick tick tick tick tick. Such sensory details can draw readers deeper into the story. Consider what memories those sensory details evoke—whether they bring warm, fuzzy feelings or negative associations. Does that ticking sound take you back to grandma’s kitchen baking cookies? Or does it take you back to terrible room in a terrible house where terrible things happened?

There’s no right or wrong response, only that you banking that sensory memory for later use in a story.

One student mentioned jasmine bushes around her house. A lovely detail, but it wasn’t the plants themselves that stood out to me as she talked about this exercise. What captivated me was when she said her husband planted them after their trip to India. This detail reveals so much about their relationship and evokes a powerful memory. A simple line of description like that in a story would give the reader instant insight into the character of the husband.

When crafting your scenes, decide what emotions you want to evoke and use sensory details to achieve that.

So: go outside (if it’s safe for you to do so) and immerse yourself in your surroundings. If you can’t go outside, use your immediate environment to practice sensory observation. The more you practice, the richer and more vivid your descriptions will become, resonating deeply with your readers.

I hope this helps!

If this article was helpful, I know you’ll find my book on improving your dialogue a HUGE benefit! Pick it up Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZWMW5W

Or other retailers here:

https://books2read.com/u/bWZY2z