From procrastinating, to putting it off, to words on a page.

One of the most difficult things about writing is that, in the end, it’s all up to you. Whether you’re an amateur or a paid professional, writing demands those hours in the chair to build the word count on a story that might never go any further than your bottom drawer. Writers have all sorts of routines to keep their momentum going. Haruki Murakami believes the repetition of his routine is important in itself; mesmerising him into a deeper state of mind. Junot Diaz wrote his first book to the soundtrack of Conan The Barbarian (not something that would inspire all of us). Stephen King, like Murakami, loves a bit of routine and describes the cumulative effect of his daily repetition, as being like a bedtime routine. Australian author, Melanie Cheng, is a fan of King’s advice but adds that you need a good editor – once the writing’s done.

So how do you find your own writing routine? One that fits in with your life and gets your idea out of your head and onto the page? And once you’ve started, how do you get to ‘The End’? Because we’re all hoping to get to the stage of handing our work over to an editor.

At the Queensland Writers Centre we’re always working to come up with ideas that help our writers do exactly that – reach ‘The End’ and get your work in print. Our new writing consults are designed for writers at any stage. Come in and spend a half hour talking about your work with someone who understands. We want to hear about your work, your plans, your successes, and your failings. Then we’ll be the writing best friend you never had, who tells you how it is and gives constructive advice on what to do next. This isn’t a critique, it’s a time for judgement-free fresh ears. We want to find out where you’re at and send you back to your work with three recommendations to help get you on your way. Each session comes with a follow up email to see how you’re going. This offer is exclusively available to members. At $100 per session, it’s the perfect price to gift yourself or others and a small investment in what we hope will be a great end result.

Developmental book editor, Laurel Cohn, has been helping writers with editing and manuscript development for many years. You can read a bit about her experience of getting writers through the development phase here. Laurel is running a workshop for writers with a completed draft on 22nd June. If Laurel’s story sounds like you, book in for her course and start developing your work this Saturday – members enjoy a discounted rate. And when you’ve typed ‘The End’, let us know. We love to hear your success stories.