1.
Writers Block &
Re-writing:
Moving Forward and Making it
Better

2.
What Is Writer’s Block?
•Most of the time: Laziness.
•Could be right brain/left brain conflict.
•Subconscious telling you to stop
because you’re screwing up.

3.
How To Overcome The Block.
•Bum glue.
•You write pretty much the same regardless
of emotions.
•Be open-minded.
•Do more research.

4.
How To Overcome
The Block
• Multi-task.
• Work on Promotion.
• Outlining future books.
• Editing old books.
• Teach.
• Learn.
• Do something physical.

5.
The Danger of
Perfectionism
• “Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for
perfection is demoralizing.” Harriet Braiker.
• You could edit out subconscious seeds.
• Might end up cutting perfectly edited work that you now
have wasted time on.
• Avoiding moving forward.
• Nothing is ever done: sometimes you just have to stop.
• The next book will be better.

6.
How To Overcome
The Block.
•Don’t over-edit.
•Re-read what you’ve written for
subconscious seeds.
•The three ways you will write:

7.
The Lords of Discipline
•Protagonist is in a bind.
•Must discover who the Ten are.
•Earlier in the book is a scene
where he is in his room-mate’s
father’s den.
•He later learns the father was
one of the Ten.

8.
Three Ways To Write:
• Protagonist decides to break into the den to read the
father’s journals to find out who the current Ten are.
1. Pat Conroy knew from the very beginning this
was the solution and had it outlined this way.
2. Pat Conroy ended up in the same bind as his
protagonist, re-read what he wrote, and used the
den scene in another way.
3. There were no journals in the den and Pat
Conroy went back and re-wrote, putting them in
there.

9.
Re-Writing
•You re-write many times while writing the
first draft.
•Print out every fifty pages or so.
•Start over from the beginning if:
•Away from the manuscript for a while.
•Something significant has changed.

10.
Re-Writing
• Rewrite for main story arc.
• Rewrite for character arcs.
• Rewrite to make sure all subplots close out and
are supported.
• Rewrite for symbol and motif consistency.
• Rewrite to copy edit and make it as clean as
possible.
• Rewrite to tighten down the plot.
• Rewrite to cut un-necessary material.
• Look for conflict in every scene.
• Fix anything that doesn’t “feel right”.

11.
Getting Feedback
• Writers groups.
• Beta readers.
• Book doctors.
• Agent feedback.
• Editorial feedback.
• Readers can point out problems, rarely provide
solutions.
• No explaining allowed.

12.
Story Editing: Questions
• Why now? Does the initiating event make sense?
• Does the story open with the protagonist in conflict with
the antagonist or someone linked to the antagonist?
• Does your opening establish mood, tone, voice and
setting?
• Does the reader know what the problem to be solved
is?
• Does the reader know who your protagonist is?
• Do your turning points strip away a layer of motivation
for your character AND turn the story in a new
direction?
• Does the conflict escalate for BOTH protagonist and
antagonist?

13.
Story Editing: Questions
• Is the moment of crisis a fight or flee situation
where the choice is not obvious?
• Have you closed out all your subplots before the
climactic scene, in reverse order that they were
introduced?
• Is the climactic scene your protagonist and
antagonist on stage in conflict until one is utterly
defeated?
• Does your resolution give an emotional pay-off to
the reader.
• Is your book as good as you can make it?

14.
When Is The Book Done?
•Sometimes you just have to stop.
•Sometimes you put it aside.
•Sometimes you have to kill it.
•Trust your gut.

15.
Original Idea
Conflict the Fuel of Your Story and the Conflict Box
Plot I: Research and Narrative Questions
Plot II: Outlining
Plot III: Narrative Structure
Character
Point of View
Write It Forward: From Writer to Bestselling Author
Writers Conference Guide (Free eBook)
Three P’s: Platform, Product, Promotion
Writers’ Block and Rewriting
How to Write the Query/Synopsis
Planning for NaNoWriMo Success
Bob Mayer’s Workshops, Seminars & Presentations
Your Creative Process: How You Write
The Present and Future of Publishing for Writers
Writers Workshop and Retreat
ON WRITING SLIDESHARES

16.
Writing Scenic Workshop
•An intense, on-premises workshop focusing on idea, conflict, story and the ever-
changing business of publishing.
•At our house on Scenic Drive in Knoxville, TN
•Most importantly, this workshop focuses on developing your creative process as
a writer.
•Led by Bob Mayer and his wife, Debbie.
•We’ve worked with everyone from #1 NY Times best-selling authors to novices
writing their first book.
•Limited to four people per workshop. This workshop can also come to you if you
have four interested writers. For schedule contact bob@bobmayer.com

17.
For More Information click on covers
The Complete Writer is four books at discount in one
bundle.

18.
New York Times bestselling author, graduate of West Point, former Green
Beret, and feeder of two yellow Labs, most famously Cool Gus. He’s had
over seventy books published, including the #1 bestselling series Time
Patrol, Area 51, Atlantis, and the Green Berets. Born in the Bronx and
having traveled the world he now lives peacefully with his wife and labs.
Sort of. Free books below available HERE
www.bobmayer.com