Category: Irreverent Muse

7 Strategies to Overcome Writer’s Block

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I’ve heard many different opinions on Writer’s Block. Some people deny its existence while others say it is absolutely a real thing. Regardless of where you stand on the issue (I personally don’t deny it but don’t really believe in it either), there are times when writing is hard. Maybe impossible. So, how do you overcome it? Well, before we come up with some strategies to overcome the problem, it would be wise to understand what might be causing it. Let me list a few of the reasons I’ve had difficulty writing and then I will relay some of my own strategies to get past the problems. Causes of Writer’s Block You don’t know what’s supposed to come next in […]

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Six Writing Rules for Finishing your Novel

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Writing a book is something many people want to do. Some people actually start doing it and a few complete it. I am one of those few and, the biggest lesson I learned when I finished my first book was… Wait for it… …that I could actually write a book. Please note, I didn’t say, “Write a good book.” Just that I could do it. Since that first book, I have written seven or eight novels (four of which have been published) and a dozen or more short stories (several of which have been published, too). I have come up with a concise list of rules that, when followed, will allow you to finish a novel (again, note I didn’t […]

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Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

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I’ve got to make a confession regarding this book: I read it because the movie interested me. I also read it prior to the movie because I am well-aware movies often gloss over (or change) aspects of the book. For the record, there were some rather obvious changes to the movie. I’m not going to say what they were. Just that they exist (other than a condensed timeframe, of course). The Martian largely reads like a diary. Purposely done since most of the book has the main character, Mark Watney, living and working alone. The entries are sometimes very long and other times extremely short. There is often humour involved as the snarky character of Mark Watney (which I personally […]

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Leave a Tip on Your Way Out

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In North America tipping is a common (in most cases, expected) thing in restaurants. You get good service, you leave a gratuity for the server. The theory is (created by and propagated by the hotel and restaurant industries) that serving staff is making minimum wage, works hard and should have their income subsidized by tips. Before you go thinking I am anti-tipping, I’m not. I was a server in my youth and I was making minimum wage. The tips made a difference. It’s just unfortunate that this is a manufactured thing much like *name that Hallmark Holiday*. Today, I’m going ask you to consider tipping those authors whose work you enjoy. Not in cash or cheque but in reviews. This […]

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