Author: Nicole Simms

Hi folks, I’m back again ready for another battle with Mr Self Doubt. Unbelievably even after all these weeks he is still here, but on a plus side he’s far away throwing insults at me rather than sitting on my back. Waffle over it’s time to get onto this weeks hot topic. Well today, I’m going to discuss a little issue I am dealing with; you guessed it right it’s that submission phobia.

Even after all those encouraging words, you say to yourself. You allow yourself to be called a writer; you keep writing after rejection, you’ve finally completed a story. Even after all that when it comes to submitting that story that you have polished to death the fear begins to creep. Your finger hovers over that enter button, you question whether you’ve read the submission guidelines enough (surely 10 times isn’t enough), you question your story, you think of rejection. I’ve experienced it and I’m sure a lot of you have, this feeling can slow down how many stories you submit, and even in some cases it can stop you submitting. “I just need one more edit.” or “It’s too late now I’ll send it somewhere else.” But you never do it just sits on the pile left unread. That poor story.

So today, I’ve decided to come back fighting. You want to be a writer, and you want your stories read, a fan base even? Well you’re never going to get that unless you push fear aside and keep on that submission roll. To help you on your way I’ve come up with a list to help you keep your stories out there and hopefully published.

1. Limit the times you read the submission guidelines: I don’t know about you but the more times I read them the worse I feel. Twice will be enough to make sure that you’re submitting the way that has been asked.
2. Set yourself a submission goal: It can be quite easy to not submit when you don’t have any deadlines, so either find a short story submission call and work to that deadline (make sure you do submit), or give yourself a deadline. Some submit a story once a week and others submit once a month.
3. Submit and forget: Don’t let your submission play on your mind, as soon as you have submitted start working on getting another project submission ready. Sitting thinking about a story submission can hold you up, especially when you have to wait months for a response, so don’t waste your time thinking just get on with the writing.
4. Stop hiding behind editing: I’ve often found myself editing a story more than it needs to be. I think I’m searching for perfection, which isn’t helpful because nothing in life is perfect. I read a novel once that had a spelling mistake. Did it spoil the novel for me? No, I enjoyed it all the same. A reader/editor will forgive the odd mistake if the story and characters are strong. So if you’re on draft number 10 then it’s best if you just submit that story already. 
5. Don’t keep submitting the same rejected story: I have said before that you should allow your story to be rejected a certain amount of times before you rewrite it, but I’ve found that focusing on keep submitting the same rejected story gets in your way of submitting a story that’s probably better than the one you keep trying to submit. So do submit a story if it is rejected put it aside and submit another story then go back to that rejected one.

I’m afraid these points will not help you beat that submission phobia, but it will help you churn out those stories, which in a way I suppose is beating it, but you will still feel that same fear. As we all know our stories are precious to us, and having someone say no we don’t like it is a feeling that we tend to want to avoid, but while a no maybe on the cards you must remember there’s a chance that someone will say yes.

So keep writing, and most importantly keep submitting.

Hi folks, I’m back again, and this week I am going to expand on a topic that I briefly mentioned in my New Year New Challenges post. For those who haven’t read it, I mentioned how with a new year upon us it was time to give ourselves some challenges, that will help push us further along this writer’s journey. I listed 10 challenges that you could try, and hopefully they have been of some use to you. It’s while doing that list I’ve come up with this new blog post, so today I will be discussing how do you know when it’s time to take that next step, to move on from doing the short stories and commit to a longer project.

Why do I feel the need to mention this again? Well because taking the next step is scary, and for all those who are fighting Mr Self Doubt you know that this could result in you hiding yourself in your imaginary cupboard. You will come up with many excuses why you couldn’t possibly try a longer piece of work, see below for examples.

1. I’m too busy and just don’t have the time
2. I think I was only meant to do short stories
3. Rejection will hurt a lot more if I’ve spent months on a project
4. I don’t know, I don’t think I can commit to such a project
5. I’m not ready

The list goes on, but none of these excuses or any of the ones you’ve come up with are true, you are just allowing Mr Self Doubt to gnaw away at you. You’re not alone in this, I have messed about when it comes to writing my first novel. I’ve been “planning” it since August/September last year and truth is I could have finished writing it in the same time I’ve been “planning” it. What has delayed this process is of course my self-doubt, I know the story, I know the main characters, but I convince myself I need to plan more. Now while there’s more I need to look into I doubt very much that I needed as much time as I have allowed myself. So, how do I plan to overcome this? Well I have given myself a deadline. I have allowed myself to plan until 31^st January 2014, and then on the 1^st February 2014 I will start writing regardless of whether I feel I have planned enough or not. This deadline is important it tells you to stop talking about doing it and do it. It’s terrifying I can already hear myself say, “But Nicole, what if you haven’t finished planning?” However, the answer to that is simple the planning stage doesn’t stop when you start writing, as you write your ideas and plans will change and even after you’ve completed your first draft there are still things that will be changed and revised once you start that editing process, so don’t worry about it and start writing.

I will keep you posted on how I’m doing regarding this novel, I’m planning to try the 50,000 word a month challenge, again it’s all about deadlines and challenges because it’s so much easier to put off writing and listen to Mr Self Doubt.

Some people don’t necessarily need to plan a novel and can just write it, but as I’ve said before I’m a planner, I can write a short story with no real plans, but a novel with 3 plots and loads of characters does need a plan. So for those other planners out there, if you feel that you are using planning as an excuse to not start writing then be firm and give yourself that deadline. If you don’t need to plan and keep on putting off starting to write then again give yourself that deadline, and regardless whether you feel ready or not just do what the experts say and ‘just write’, you’ll be amazed what finally comes out.

For those who don’t feel confident enough to jump from short stories to a novel there are many other things you can do to build yourself up to that level.

1. Short story collection: This will help to open your mind to creating a book, but rather than a book based on one story you can do a book made up of many short stories, all with the same theme or topic. I have toyed with this idea, but for me I think I will consider this once I’ve written that novel.
2. Novelette: It’s a step up from the short story, and the word count ranges from 7500 to 17000 words. This will allow you to build up to a longer project rather than going from the average 5000 word short story to an 80,000 plus novel.
3. Novella: this is the one just below a novel; apparently, the max word count is 40,000 words. With the novella, you can also add a sub plot so you kind of get the same experience of writing a novel but on a smaller scale.

Now while building up to a novel can help, it can also be an excuse to not try a novel. So yes, if a novel petrifies you then do consider something smaller, but do make sure that you are moving forward and approaching that novel rather than blocking yourself from it.

You’ll ask yourself often enough if it’s time to take the next step, and you’ll sit around waiting until you “feel” ready enough. By doing this you won’t get anywhere fast and that novel idea will always be just that, an idea. So my suggestion to you is that if the idea of a novel (or a longer project) has entered your mind and you even have a story idea then you are indeed ready to start something longer. So stop thinking about it and do it that’s what I plan on doing. Sometimes the softly approach doesn’t work, you need to just jump off that cliff and dive right into it, and shove all fear and doubt aside because writing the novel is only your first challenge.

So there you have it folks, whether you decide to go straight for that novel or build up to it the important thing is that you do take that step forward. This is a journey of discovery and you will often find yourself trying things that are scary but in the end, it will all be worth it if you are prepared to fight for it.

“Am I a real writer?”

I asked this question on a short story forum once. I briefly explained that I had been writing for under a year (was true at the time), and I had just received my first story acceptance, but still didn’t feel like a ‘real’ writer. I wanted to know if there were others out there, who also had that burning self-doubt. Well I have to admit I didn’t expect the response I received.

“Being published doesn’t mean you’re a real writer. There’s many who never get published or want to be published…”

Hmm, that didn’t really answer my question. If I had asked, “Are you a real writer if you get published?” I would have expected that answer. What I wanted to know was that if it was normal to feel like a fraud. I wanted to know how long does it take for you to look at yourself in the mirror and say with confidence. “I am a writer.” Using the fact that I had been published was just an example to show that even after that I still didn’t feel like a writer, I wasn’t bragging, I had way too much self-doubt to be bragging about anything. So I was left with no answer and a fear of forums lol.

It wasn’t until I read an interview of a woman who had just had her first novel published that I finally understand why I felt the way I did, and it was something normal and very common among writers. It has a fancy name Impostor Syndrome it’s called, I like to call it Mr Self Doubt’s whispers, but it’s all the same thing.

So what’s the point of all this waffle, well like I said before this feeling is very common among writers, you often sit and ask yourself, am I a real writer, if so why don’t I feel like one? So today, I aim to help you with that question, and believe it or not it’s a very simple answer.

I’ve read often that if you write you’re a writer, but I’ve never believed that myself. In my eyes anyone can write, that doesn’t mean that you’re any good at it and not ‘playing’ writer. This answer however is enough for some who simply see it as; I’m doing it so I am. For me, and probably many others, the answer needs to be deeper. What really makes you a writer?

After a long search, I feel that I have found the answer. It is simple but just that little deeper. If you need to write, if it’s something you can’t stop doing, if passion burns within you, and if you can’t see yourself doing anything else then this is the RIGHT path for you, and you can feel free to truly believe that you ARE a WRITER. With that in mind you should embrace this journey hang your achievements high because it’s not luck that has helped you achieve what you have it’s hard work and determination. I’ve only recently understood this and I’ve been writing nearly two years now.

Some of you may still not believe that you are a real writer even after what I’ve said, sometimes it takes you experiencing that same I can’t do without writing moment to really understand. But I can assure you that if you are still writing, and submitting and picking yourself up off the floor and continuing the race then folks you are doing it, you are a writer, feel proud, feel great, then get them stories written.

I found another article that discussed when you could call yourself a writer, this issue even dealt with calling yourself a writer in public. The article listed two ways to deal with this issue.

• Tell yourself you are a writer in the mirror every day
• Come up with a good answer for when people ask you questions about your writing. What do you write? Where have you been published? As it says in the article, confidence in your answer is key, even if you don’t have much to say.

That’s all I have for you this week just a little confidence boost session, but it’s important because without that self-belief then who else is going to believe in you. Now let’s all go write something because guess what, we are writers.

Happy New Year everyone, I hope you are all prepared and excited for what 2014 has in store for us. With 2013 now out of the way there’s no more time to look back, it’s now time to look forward to what lies ahead of us, and hopefully what happens is that we get closer to reaching our goal.

This year I have big plans I was planning to finally write my first novel, however it turns out I might be crazy enough to try to do two. I just had this idea pop into my head the character stood there waving at me, I think a fight will break out between these characters soon enough, whoever wins will get their story written first lol. It’s a huge challenge going from short stories to a novel, it’s not only a bigger commitment but it feels like a bigger risk, but this is a challenge that needs to be faced, if you ever want to be a novelist that is.

So what do I have for you this week, well with new challenges in mind I thought it would be a good idea to encourage you all to challenge yourself this year. So to help you with this I have come up with a list of possible writing (writing related) challenges you can set yourself.

1. Complete that novel that you have planned or half finished, it won’t be read if it’s stuck in your head or your desk draw.
2. Do a short story collection, there’s probably many short stories that you can group together and try sell them as a package, you never know it might get published, and you might start building up a much needed fan base.
3. Not ready for a novel try a novelette or a novella, novella is shorter than a novel, novelette is shorter than a novella but longer than a short story. This article explains the differences in an easy way.
4. Set yourself a monthly short story submission target. If you’re like me, you have a huge pile that needs submitting.
5. Improve your current skills by doing a course. There’s no shame in needing extra knowledge this journey is an ongoing learning process after all. I have done many free courses that I have found on the web, this website has the most free courses, and has helped me a lot.
6. Build a social media presence, this will help you to interact with any fans you might have or even other writers.
7. Create a website or blog, having a website helps you to reach out to more readers, and it is there for any editor who wants to see what you have done before.
8. Write your first short story or try a flash fiction, whether you are new to writing or have written novels and never thought of trying anything smaller, short stories will help to tighten up your writing. Flash fiction will really help you to cut out the waffle, a full story in fewer than 1000 words sometimes fewer than 500 is a real challenge. I have toyed with the idea of trying to write a drabble (exactly 100 words), it’s something I might do if I feel brave enough.
9. Set yourself a reading challenge, every writer knows that to write you must also read. So why not set yourself a monthly reading challenge. You don’t have to limit yourself to novels or spend lots of money, there’s many ways to read stories for free, you have many short story websites and you have of course the library.
10. To carry on fighting for this dream, this will possibly be your biggest challenge and the most important. You want to make it as a writer then you have to fight for it folks.

As you can see, I haven’t mentioned destroying Mr Self Doubt and that’s because you can’t. Doubt is something that will always be there it’s part of life and not just a writer’s life. What you can do is promise yourself that you will not let him stop you from doing what you want to do. He can’t die but you can set him alight and kick the crap out of him.

So there you have it folks 10 challenges for 2014, hopefully there’s one that you would like to try or maybe it’s given you some ideas of others either way this year is about going forward, and forward we shall go.

Hi all, I hope you’ve had a lovely Christmas and looking forward to a great New Year. Well 2013 wow what a year, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s had many unexpected things happen this year, some good, some bad and some amazing. I have to say that the biggest highlight of my writing journey was having my story printed in a book, and every time I feel self doubt creeping it’s there to remind me that yes you will have knock backs but if you persevere  you can reach this dream.

So with the year drawing to a close it’s time for some reflection. To step back and look at what you have achieved this year. Whether you’ve been published, wrote your first short story, completed a novel, submitted your work regardless of the fear of rejection, you have achieved and should be proud of yourself. This isn’t an easy journey, and it can often feel lonely, but it’s such an exciting adventure, creating characters, coming up with story ideas, just the creative joy makes it all worth it. Now with the internet, writing doesn’t have to be a solo adventure, guest blogging here helps me to not only deal with my own demons but makes me realise that I’m not alone in this.

Talking of these blog posts that I’m doing for The Horror Tree there have been a lot that I/we have learned in regards to dealing with that pesky Mr Self Doubt. So today, I will be listing what has been learnt so far, and not just from doing these blog posts but also from this writing journey.

1. For success to come you must have perseverance and determination.
2. Rejection hurts but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re rubbish.
3. The only way to improve is to keep on writing.
4. If you can dream it, you can do it.
5. There’s no reason why you can’t follow your dreams.
6. Chasing your writing dream can be a juggling act but careful planning can help.
7. One day you’ll reach that crossroads and have to decide whether you take that risk.
8. Sometimes a story just won’t work, but it’s not the end of the world, you will have more.
9. You have to believe in yourself.
10. Trying to copy the style of another is pointless you can only write the way YOU write, be YOURSELF.
11. Things you don’t know now you will be able to learn if you are willing to learn it.
12. Don’t expect overnight success, this journey is a long road.
13. You don’t have to be alone on this writing journey.
14. Sometimes you’ll amaze yourself.
15. An acceptance makes all the rejections worth it.

There’s possibly loads more that has been discovered this year. This year I’ve not only learnt a lot about writing but I’ve also learnt a lot about myself as a writer. I’ve discovered the themes that often creep up, the style I write in, and that even with the rejections I just can’t give up on this dream. I’m sure you have all discovered a lot about yourself too. I’m looking forward to the New Year there are many plans that I have, I’ve taken some risks to enable me to move forward on this journey, so hopefully those risks pay off.

So folks I hope you’re all ready for the 2014 battle, keep those shields up and keep charging, and hopefully we will all take another step closer to our dream.

I’m back again here to share those challenges that us writers face, and how we can hopefully defeat them. So what have I got for you today? Well I’m talking about another tough subject it’s something that makes you anxious to check your emails, it haunts your dreams, it drives you crazy. You’ve guessed it; it’s waiting for that story response. I did a crazy thing some weeks ago where I just submitted those stories (I’m normally a cautious one or two at a time kind of person), but I was like I’m just going to submit them. So I did I felt proud, I was great, and then the days morphed into weeks, which turned into months, and there was still no final decision.

Every day I checked my email hoping and praying to get a response but nothing. “Omg I just want a response,” I said, as I pulled my hair from frustration. However, since then I have got some responses yes I waited ages to get a ‘NO’ all that waiting to get a rejection. Others would ask why we would continually put ourselves through this, but we writers know that any rejection is nothing compared to that acceptance, and that’s what keeps us going. I still currently have stories I’m waiting on, however one editor got back to me in 3 days now that’s what I’m talking about of course it was another no, and the blow to the gut still hurt but it’s better to quickly get those things out the way because waiting is so much worse (I also don’t like super quick rejections lol). No response at all is even worse I got a story that I submitted last year and never got a response (hmm maybe I should have chased that up).

This frustrating process has however got me thinking there just has to be a better way to deal with the waiting game, so I like always came up with 5 ideas. I’m yet to try all of them yet, but I need something before I end up bald, so here you have it my 5 ideas to deal with that waiting game.

1. Distractions: I’ve found when I’m busy doing other stuff I have no time to worry about things, so I’m thinking that you can do the same after you’ve submitted a story. Sometimes it helps to do something totally different from writing, and if you’re lucky you might even get new story ideas. But rather than sit staring at your email, go paint a picture, bake a cake, plan world domination anything that will help to distract the mind.
2. Move onto other stories: Once you have finished and submitted a story don’t waste any time thinking about it instead move onto another one because if you’re like me you’ve probably got loads of stories that need writing, editing and submitting. This links with point one because you will be distracting yourself.
3. Simultaneous submit: There are many editors/publishers that don’t mind you submitting your story to multiple editors as long as when you get an acceptance you inform them of it. No one likes a time waster after all. So rather than submitting a story to one place and waiting months for a no submit it to other places too, as long as the editors/publishers say that it is ok to do because many still do not like the whole simultaneous submissions process.
4. Channel the energy: All those emotions that you are feeling what would happen if a character felt them? What are they waiting for? How will they deal with all that frustration? Not everyone would be happy with pulling out their own hair. One thing I’ve learned is that when you put all your emotions into a character who doesn’t deal with them like you do an interesting story can blossom.
5. Chill baby: Now this might not work at all, but sometimes just relaxing can help either it’s a hot bubble bath, meditation or just lying down. Whatever helps to relax the mind can then help you put things in perspective.

So there you have it folks 5 ways to help combat the frustration and anxiety that comes from waiting for a story response. I’ll be trying them so hopefully they can help, it might however just be the case that this is part of what it is to be a writer, but in the end it will be worth it.

Keep writing folks let’s follow this dream.

I’m back with some more words of wisdom, well that’s the plan. Today we will be discussing a little subject that many new writers feel as they begin their new writing journey. There is so much to consider when you decide to pursue this route, and the mind can sometimes feel overwhelmed by it all. Not only do you have to learn to perfect your craft, you also need to get to grips with the whole publishing issue. From knowing where to send your stories, to which editors’ advice to follow, it can all boggle the mind.

So why do I feel the need to discuss this, well Mr Self Doubt loves to latch onto this overwhelming effect and use it against you. You convince yourself that you are feeling this way because this isn’t the path for you, and that somehow because you find the process a little confusing it means you are not good enough to pursue this career. This is wrong we are all human after all and a lot of the time, this feeling of being overwhelmed is down to your fear more so than your lack of knowledge or ability.

So to help you face this feeling and tell Mr Self Doubt to get lost I have come up with a list of things you can do, they have helped me at times so hopefully they can help you get rid of this potential blockage.

1. Take a step back: This doesn’t mean that you should stop trying to get published. What it means is that you shouldn’t make getting published your main goal. Instead, you need to focus on creating stories for the reader and there are many places you can self publish your stories. Not only will your story be read, you might also get some valuable feedback, and praise from a reader or another writer is just as good as from a publisher.
2. Research: Sometimes you’ll find yourself feeling overwhelmed because you don’t know enough. This isn’t a dire situation, you can easily do some research on the internet for anything that you are not sure about. Google is the kind of friend that knows everything.
3. The Reminder: It can help to remind yourself of why you are actually pursuing this dream. Often when faced with endless rejection it can be hard to remember why you are doing this. But think back to the way you feel when you’re writing, completed a story, or had it read, and if you’re lucky got it published that joy you felt is why you keep doing this so keep that in the front of your mind.
4. Relax: Sometimes it’s good to take a break whether that be a lie in or painting a picture, I like to bake when I can. This break allows you to get out of the writers hole you have put yourself in, and allows you to gain perspective. Also, you might find new story ideas coming to mind when you’re no longer stressing, I’ve experienced this myself.
5. Just write: If you think too much, you’ll let Mr Self Doubt win, so all you can do is just keep writing. Sometimes you’ll succeed and sometimes you won’t all you can do is keep trying. So rather than worrying about where a story will fit, just write it and see how it goes. Go with the flow folks.

So there you have it 5 ways to help you when you have that overwhelming attack. So all that’s left to say is take that Mr Self Doubt and keep on writing everyone.

I’m back again, and this week I got a topic that I hope will make you think, and even better offer you some solutions for you, while you travel along this guideless road. So what do I have for you this week? Well I will be talking about when you reach that crossroad in your writing journey, and this is something I have reached myself.

There comes a time in your writing journey where you need to ask yourself. What am I doing this for? Where do I want to go? For most, it will be to be able to write full time and have your work loved by readers (this isn’t necessarily global success). I know for me a liveable income and the ability to write stories full time would be the greatest thing ever; I often daydream of my book in Waterstones. But to be able to reach this goal there comes a point where you need to take a risk, jump out that plane and hope your writing dream is there to catch you.

When you start out on this adventure at first the odd hour or two is enough, but as your confidence grows, success follows and the thought of a bigger project comes to mind, it becomes clear that those few hours are no longer enough. This writing journey takes time, not only is it writing that first draft, you have to edit and hunt for publishers, plus develop your skills. So when you have work and other commitments it is hard to fit everything in and this is when you have to ask yourself. “How much am I willing to commit to this?”

I read on a career-changing website about a girl taking a huge gamble, quit her job and worked on her novel (she saved up some money and did the odd job here and there). She finished the novel and got it published; she is now working on her second novel, and has an advance that allows her to work full time. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this story before, but it makes you think what if I took the risk. However, for those suffering with self-doubt taking that risk is even scarier, so many questions and fears jump in front of you and push out that idea. So what do you do because you can’t stay in limbo forever, well for those of you (like me) who has Mr Self Doubt leaning on you I’ve come up with some solutions that may involve small risk taking rather than big.

As always, I have come up with 5 solutions.

1. Reduce work hours: If you have no responsibilities (or even a supporting partner for those who have kids or married etc) then you could possibly see if you could reduce your working hours from full time to part time. This enables you to still earn but it will free up a lot of time. This option is mostly best for the ones who have no real responsibilities because the rent and mortgage won’t pay itself.
2. Change job: This is similar to point one however, this is moving from a demanding job (that requires lots of over time) to one that will stick to the basic hours.
3. Save up: One of the fears of taking a gamble is money, so what could help is saving up as much money as possible, enough that will allow you to have some time off to write. This again is more for the ones with no responsibilities. However, if you can take an unpaid sabbatical and save up enough to cover those months then that’s something you can do.
4. Make the most of your time: I made this point in the learning to juggle post, but it is important that you use your time better. Get up an hour earlier, write while travelling to work, switch off the TV and get some work done. I found that I waste a lot of time in the morning when I could actually start work earlier and then have time to write.
5. Work from home: This isn’t always possible, but if you have a career that you could possibly go freelance with, or if you don’t mind working remotely then this will save you plenty of time. You won’t have to get up so early to travel to work, so at the end of your workday you won’t feel so tired, and will be willing to spend that hour or two on your writing.

So there you have it, 5 possible solutions, they might not help and you might find yourself again at that same crossroads, but for now it’s a solution that I plan on trying, and hopefully it will help me get that novel finished (I should actually say started).

On a final note for those who have attempted the NaNoWriMo hopefully you have reached your 50,000 if not you are still a lot closer to that finished novel.

All that’s left for me to say is, go follow that yellow brick road and hopefully you’ll meet your goal at the end.