Apps running in the background

Big up the human brain!  In particular I mean the ‘apps running in the background’.

I find that if I’m stuck with something my brain will work on it subconsciously and come back at a random time with a solution.

For example, I’ve been trying to write a particular chapter without much success.  I knew where I wanted it to go but the words just wouldn’t come.  Resentment for the character, their story and the whole book ensued.

But I was in the shower the other day (yes, I do wash occasionally…) and a thought came to me.  It was a very simple thought – “Try y instead of x.”

I sat down with my laptop (not in the shower, I might add) and wrote a couple of thousand words.  Chapter finished.  All from one simple idea that helped break the narrative block.

It’s so weird how the brain works!

I’m not a salesman…

I’m an introvert.  An INFP personality type to be precise – a small group of people (about 4% of the population) who usually turn out to be poets, writers or actors.  I’m not good at selling stuff, I don’t like high-pressure situations and I certainly don’t like contacting people I don’t know.

Unfortunately, now I’ve done the bit I really enjoyed – i.e. been creative and written a novel – I have to do the stuff I don’t enjoy.  This includes putting out loads of messages trying to convince people to buy my book, joining forums in an attempt to cut through the noise of thousands of other authors, finding strangers to read and review my work.  The last one is seemingly impossible – I can’t find anybody who isn’t already snowed under with requests for reviews.

I’ve had sales, for sure.  The initial buzz of release day has slowly faded, however, and if I want to avoid my book descending into the darkness of millions of other forgotten works I will have to jump right out of my comfort zone.  I need to be a salesman.

Fortunately, as I mentioned above, INFP people are actors as well as writers.  Perhaps I can act like a salesman.  Maybe? Yes – I will pretend to be a salesman and see how that goes…

As always – thanks for reading.

Now – BUY MY BOOK, please 🙂

Quiet, Brain. It’s sleep time

Does anyone else experience ‘Chatty Brain’ when attempting to get to sleep?  I get it most nights and it can be really annoying! I just want to switch off and rest, but my inner voice starts pondering existing chapters or working out twists and turns in ones that are yet to be written.  Usual thought pattern goes as follows (although with much more conversation and rubbish ideas):

“What about we do this with….”

“Quiet, Brain.  It’s sleep time.”

“Or,” Brain continues as it ignores my instruction, “we could link x with y and come up with z…”

“Brain.  Seriously.  Go to sleep.  I won’t remember any of this.”

“Wait – maybe so-and-so could find out that…”

“Damn it, Brain!  Go to… Hang on. That’s amazing.  I need to write this down.”

Sometimes I have some smashing ideas that are too good to forget so I’m forced to wake up and write them down.  That’s where my phone and Google Keep Notes comes in handy. I can type in the idea and Chatty Brain goes away. Or, if I’m too tired even to write, I can press the microphone button and dictate.  Many of my story ideas tend to come at this late stage of the day. Perhaps that’s merely how I operate, just like I always feel I write my better stuff between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM or 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

Chatty Brain never really switches off.  I think writers always have ideas rattling around somewhere – being pondered consciously or subconsciously.  

I will always be grateful for my vivid imagination.

But sometimes all I really want is to go to sleep…