Write That Book Now: Write Now, #1

Write That Book Now

On getting books written

and

life lived

Philip J Bradbury

––––––––

Published by: Philip J Bradbury, Brisbane, Australia

ISBN- 978-0-6485021-1-1

Copyright 2020 © Philip J Bradbury

Text design and set-up done with tenacity and beautificence by Philip J Bradbury

Cover created with modesty and greatness by Philip J Bradbury

Philip J Bradbury has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Amid the Forest of Confusion, I staggered. Panicked. Was overwhelmed. Finally, I stopped struggling, leaned against a doorway and beseeched her help. I immediately saw the benign half-smile of the Strumpet of Writing before me. Her gentle fist smashed into my face and I crumpled like jelly-beans, released from their bag.

For aeons I avoided writing, projected my pain and pretended I was coping. But I coped less and less, falling further and further each passing day. Eventually, at the bottom of the abyss, I collapsed from the weight of life, kneeling on the floor with the red pill in my quaking fingers, ready to end it all. One final, plaintive entreaty and a gnarled finger gently lifted my chin to look upon the benign half-smile of the Denizen of Writing.

Take your pain, Dear One, he said. Hold it gently, reverently, gracefully, and let it be your muse.

The pill became the pen and, with it, I stabbed my pen to the white, virgin page, the pen red and dripping.

I took not the writing up but let it take me up. It came not from me but through me.

I became the grateful observer while the pen became the steersman and my pain and anguish the wind that filled my sails. It blew in hurricanes and breezes, in tornadoes and zephyrs and, puff by ragged puff, drip by bloody drip, my pain eased from me, through the words and I released myself into my books.

The pages lost their virginity and I lost my grief and smile again.

Contents

Welcome

Why This Book

Why Do I Write?

Whence Our Ideas?

I want to write but I don't know what to write about

Flying, Writing And Being Off Course

I try to move ahead with my writing but I keep going off course

​Contaminative Proximity And Clarity

You have a choice in every moment. Choose your own truth

You Might Be A Writer If ...

Are you mad or just a writer?

Writing is not Homeopathy

The sport of finding your own voice

Beware The Writing Police

I don't know the writing rules so I'm not a good writer

Storytelling Rules

My English isn't good enough and I don't know all the rules of writing

Communicating to Confuse

I'm not sure if I can explain things clearly

Turn Up At The Page

I don't have time to write a novel

Writing On Empty

I always get writer's block. I keep getting stuck

Create Spaces

I can never get in the mood for writing, though I want to

Writers Block and the Kaleidoscope Life

What if I can't make myself write or I can't think of anything?

The Bitch On Your Shoulder

I'm too critical of myself to take the risk

A Gardener Tidies His Garden

Keeping myself going by making my progress public

I Am Such A Perfectionist

I'll never let my book be finished

I'm a Procrastinator

I'm good at starting projects but not finishing them

Aiming For One Thing, Getting Something Else

I never seem to achieve my goals

Persistence

There is so much competition from so many other writers, I'm afraid I can't succeed

The Persistence And Bloody Persistence Of Paulo Coelho

The story of a story-man who didn't give up

Walking My Talk and Remembering

I keep regretting my inaction but still can't get going

Questions Are More Powerful Than Answers

How do I conquer writer's block?

Why Do I Choose Failure?

I give up easily - how do I keep going?

Apple Cider, Doing It Badly And Writing

I keep being diverted by other things - how do I stay on track?

Creative Spaces

I can't write where and when others tell me to

Accepting Judgement

I don't think I can deal with the criticism I'll get for my book

Wisdom And Words From The Silence

Most of us listen to the outer world and it's not always nice

Isolation And Interaction - Writers Groups

I don't know any other writers and I need support

Confessions of a Magazine Writer

Persistence, bloody persistence and unexpected magic

Are We There Yet?

I love writing but I don't want to write a whole book.

FOR PLANNERS

Why Are You Writing This Book 1?

What bugs you?

Why Are You Writing This Book 2?

Where have you been?

Why Are You Writing This Book 3?

Matching passions with experiences

What Is The Point Of Your Story?

The ONE BIG THING

Ordering Thoughts And Emotions

Unjumbling the jumble

Ex 1. Words Are But Symbols of Symbols

I don't know how to explain intangible things

Ambidextrous Writing

Answers to all my questions

Ex 2. What To Ask Your Writers Agent

​​About the author

Other books by Philip J Bradbury

Writing is a most peculiar sport: a solitary activity to create a public spectacle.

It’s definitely not a team sport and our only companions are a pen, a pad and the untameable mystery of that which brings words – memory, imagination and something else ineffable. From this intangible mystery we are to conceive and give birth to a very tangible tribe of words who scream to the world for attention.

Within this there are two challenges:

1. There is no single formula for which words to write and in what order. We are left totally on our own and it’s only afterwards, when 100,000 words have been lovingly etched onto paper or screen that other people will arrive to pull them apart.

2. To play this solitary sport, one must be a solitary-seeker; at least for a time ... a long time. Comfortable in our own space we must, then, step into the space of least comfort and expose our fragile new children to the world. We must bare our solitary souls, defenceless against the jibes, compliments and indifference we might encounter.

Yes, writing is a most peculiar sport and here is one writer’s kind guidance to playing a safer, more supported game for you.

Welcome

A snapshot of what you’re in for

W

elcome to Write That Book Now. I am Philip J Bradbury, your slave driver ... aaah, I mean I am your writing coach!

So, quickly, a little about the book, a little about me and a small introduction to writing.

About the course

This course is for you if you:

If you have completed your book and need to know how to improve it before publishing,

If you have started your book and you’ve become stuck, for some reason,

If you have started your book, it is flowing beautifully and you feel a mentor or coach would help your book and/or your life along,

If you have a story or a theme you want to write about but haven’t started for whatever reason, or

If you really want to write but you can’t think what to write about.

Whatever stage you’re at, this book will help you get your story – or any other writing – written, whether you want it published, if it’s just for close family or if it’s simply for your own healing and/or peace of mind.

About me

I have written 18 self-published books so I’ve been getting my books written! I have also edited, designed and published over fifteen books for other authors and you can see some of them on my website www.philipjbradbury.com.

I’ve been a magazine columnist, editor and publisher at different times and in different parts of the world, as well as a freelance writer for clients round the globe.

Right now, I’m working with a team to turn one of my novels into a podcast and then (hopefully) into a movie. I’m also engrossed in writing my Great Australian Novel and doing this, partly, through a writing course in which I am a student. We never stop learning and it definitely helps to have the support of others to keep me on track and to see the bumps in the road that I don’t.

I write every day – 500-2,000 words a day – and will continue writing even if none of my words were ever published. I just love the process, the creativity and the otherworldliness I can plant into each and every day of my life. For example, I just wrote the 936 words of this Welcome chapter in 40 minutes this morning.

I do my best to walk my talk and I won’t ask