This is the second instalment of the myths of being a writer.

Is writers' block real and a genuine problem? Not really. The truth is that the feeling of writers' block isn’t exactly a block from writing at all. It has little or nothing to do with actually writing. Usually, writers will suffer from a lack of inspiration or ideas when they have issues in other areas of their life. There could be problems with finances and relationships and this causes your mind to focus on that instead of your creativity. If you have no other issues and you still find you cannot focus, then it is because you have too many ideas in your head and your brain cannot prioritise and make creative choices of what to do first. I would recommend taking a break from the writing and focusing your attention on something completely different and then returning to your writing later.

The most harmful of all the myths surrounding writing is that everyone's first draft is awful so they shouldn't worry as they can rewrite it again. Although it is true that every manuscript needs several rewrites, isn’t it better to make your first draft the finest piece of writing you can muster? Believing this myth just results in pages of useless manuscript and a huge amount of wasted time and money. Do yourself and your story proud and always write to your highest standard. Of course, there are writers who intuitively know how to structure a story and develop a plot, but they are the rare few who are born with the storytelling gift. Most writers, including myself, are not so lucky, consequently the ‘just write’ advice ends in catastrophe. When you are missing the storytelling gene, most writers have to learn and develop their craft, which takes time and a lot of effort. Once you have mastered this art, you can successfully navigate the development and writing processes with less fear. The most important thing to remember is that you are in control of the creative process and not being held to ransom by an absolute myth.

A good story will take you on a journey and the novel practically writes itself. What a load of nonsense! Stories definitely do not write themselves; you are in complete control of where the story goes, it is your creation, every last word of your manuscript is there because you decided it should be there. When you are in the zone creatively, then it will feel as if the story is writing itself, but the reality is that you are in a creative mindset and the ideas and inspiration are flowing and feel effortless.Believing this myth is another reason you fear the blank page because you are waiting for the story to take control and, when this doesn’t occur, you are left anxious and deflated. This is just another form of giving away your power to the process itself, rather than taking total responsibility for it. When that doesn't happen, you get anxious and often despairing.