Help! I'm Blocked

Dear Dr. Hack,

I've been working on my 200,000-word period romance novel, "A Small Affair of Smallpox," for a long time without any problems, but now I'm stuck!

A lot of research has gone into this book, you wouldn't believe it. Hours and hours on the internet and at the library. I even joined the National Historical Period Romance Smallpox Writers League as a volunteer, to better acquaint myself with the time period, mannerisms, and difficulties faced by peoples in the 1400s who had to live through the disease.

My problem now is that I have five years and a couple marriages invested in the success of this piece of writing, but I think I'm only about halfway there. I'm not sure I have what it takes to write the next 200,000-words.

Even my friends say I should just give it up. A frequent topic of conversation when looking for new fabric patterns at the arts and crafts store with my circle is the "novel." They claim that publishing is a fiercly competitive industry that is extremely hard to get into, like they would know! All I can say to them when this topic comes up is that they haven't even read the whole thing yet, so how could they possibly say my writing isn't any good?!

Still, I'm starting to think maybe this book was a mistake.

Any ideas on how to overcome these feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt? Thanks.

--Smallpox Wench in Wisteria


Wench,

First, you need to dump these useless friends. They're obviously selfish, jealous "little people" that don't understand the star-spangled genius lying dormant between those gorgeous little ears of yours.

Who needs stupid friends anyway? Once you get famous, everyone will love you.

The next course of action, naturally, is to sit your butt down in that chair and get writing. Why are you even stressing about 200,000-words? Do you think Margaret Mitchell ever doubted her ability while writing Gone With the Wind? I think not. And just look how well it turned out.

Self-doubt is the most deadly mistake you can make at this point. Most good artists never, ever doubt their abilities, not when they're busy working. My advice: get cranking on that novel, 5,000-words minimum, a day.

Just let the prose fly hot and fast, and then as soon as it's done, start sending it out to publishers and agents. DO NOT REWRITE.

Usually authors just mess their books up when they try to rewrite, because no true artist has a good perspective on what they've created. You just need to send it out exactly the way you finish it, and a savvy editor will read it and tell you what needs to be done.

Once industry professionals see what a piece of unfiltered brilliance they have on their hands, I can almost guarantee they'll be calling you within days begging to publish and represent your opus.

The best cure for writers block is knowing when you break into print with your entire, glorious, 400,000-word masterpiece, all those delusional spouses and friends will be choking in the dust trail of your jetset career.

With the latest advances in technology and novel writing software, these days anyone can toss off a piece of really good, gripping literature. Who are these "friends," to say you aren't just as talented as Nora Roberts or Danielle Steele?

Carry on, Wench.

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