Inspiration for Your New Year’s Writing Projects

(from left) Di Castle, Lorna Fergusson and Debbie Young comparing notes at the Winchester Writing Festival last summer

Sometimes, when indie authors are sharing their experiences about producing and marketing their self-published books, and comparing notes about sales figures, it can be all too easy to lose sight of the most important part of the process that surely is the most defining characteristic of any decent writer: a love of writing.

That's why each week we like to include a post on the ALLi Author Advice Centre blog about the craft of writing. We cover every aspect, from facing the blank page to keeping going to “The End”, from self-editing to working with the best editors to refine and polish your work. Posts about why people write what they write are always popular, as are pieces which disclose how writing (and self-publishing) have helped authors cope with illness or other misfortune.

Pick of the 2015 Writing Posts

So today, before we slip into the second week of the New Year, I thought it would be timely to look back at some of our best Writing posts from 2015, all written, as ever, by fabulous ALLi members. I've picked the ones that addressed two key issues at the start and finish of the process: how and why we write, and how and why we should make our books the best they can be prior to publication.

(If you'd like to read all the Writing posts on the blog – and there are now 163 of these in our archive (!) – you can do so at any time by going to the Categories list in the sidebar to the right of the blog, and click on “Advice: Writing a Book”.)

4 Blog Posts about the Writer's Motivation

• Nature or Nurture? – by Paul Murphy
• The Writer's Role – by Clare Weiner
• How Illness Made Me an Indie Author – by Nelly Harper
• Which Book Made You the Writer You Are Today? – by Debbie Young

4 Blog Posts about Quality Assurance

• Why Brevity is the Best Writing Lesson Ever – by John Lynch
• When (and When Not) to Use First Person – by Debbie Young
• What Makes a Good Editor? – by Lucy McCarraher
• How to Learn from Your Mistakes – by Samantha Warren

One of Lorna Fergusson's writing retreats in progress at St Ives, Cornwall

And if all else fails? Beat a retreat till you regain your confidence and enthusiasm. There's nothing like a break for recharging the writing part of the brain – or indeed the aching typing muscles! Lorna Fergusson makes the case for writers' retreats here, but if your budget doesn't run to a retreat, try joining your nearest ALLi Meetup group – and if there isn't one near you, why not start one up? Here's a post that tells you how to do just that. Speaking as someone who has been to two ALLi Meetups in the last three day, in Oxford and Bristol, I have to say it's a fabulous way to boost your spirits, pick up great tips, and put an extra boost into your writing drive.

OVER TO YOU

If, after casting your eye over these posts, you feel you have a writing story you'd like share here, we'd love to hear from you. Please read our Guest Post Guidelines to find out how to submit your idea.

Please remember, though, only ALLi members are entitled to write guest posts – though if you're not yet a member, that might just be the excuse you need to tip you over into joining our organisation, and to start benefitting from the very many discounts, deals and general camaraderie that you'll find within our midst. Click here to see more reasons to  join ALLi.