Write With Ozzy

Category: Writing

  • Am I Allowed to Write About…

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    “Am I allowed to write about this?” Yes. But…

  • Stop Trying to Be Unique

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in

    When you focus too hard on being different, you start second-guessing everything. Is this too obvious? Has this been done before? What if people think I’m copying someone else?

  • My Growing Toolkit

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in , ,

    Writers love tools, and I’m no exception. Sometimes, people who love their tools end up making tools of their own…

  • Your Process Is YOUR Process

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    Your process is YOUR process. It’s supposed to evolve and grow as YOU grow and evolve as a writer. Take what’s useful from others. Discard what isn’t. Build something that works for you—for your brain, your schedule, your life, and for this particular story.

  • Your Book Is Not Your Baby

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    Writing a novel is a labour of love, but it should be a love akin to that of a professional chef for the meals they make, not the love of a parent for a child.

  • The Myth of the Perfect Writing Space

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in

    Writers talk about these places like they’re magical keys. If only we had that space—perfect, private, uninterrupted—then the words would flow. It’s a nice fantasy. It’s just not true.

  • The Myth of the Big Push

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    The Myth of the Big Push Every writer has fantasised about it at some point: that glorious, uninterrupted stretch of time when you finally “catch up.” The long weekend. The holiday break. The retreat in a rustic cabin with nothing but your laptop, coffee, and a roaring fire. In this fantasy, you write like a…

  • Getting Over Your Humps

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    We talk a lot about writer’s block. About barriers. Walls. Brick-and-mortar barricades that loom in front of us until we either smash through them or give up entirely. Most of the time? It’s not a wall you’re facing. It’s a hump. A hump is smaller than a wall. It’s awkward. Uncomfortable. Sometimes ugly. But it’s not…

  • Writing Means Being Selfish

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in , ,

    Let’s just say it up front: Writing means being selfish. Not cruel. Not careless. Selfish. Writing takes time. It takes attention. It takes energy you could’ve spent doing any number of “more useful” things—cleaning the house, helping someone move, replying to every message within three minutes. If you want to get serious about writing, you’re…

  • Stop Fixing; Start Finishing

    —

    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    There’s a writing community I’m part of that has a rule. Rule #1. Finish The Freaking Draft. (Respect to Hobo Dan who came up with this rule.) To be honest, the word used there isn’t “Freaking”… I’m sure you get the gist. It sounds obvious. Simple. Even a little bossy. But it’s the single most…