Write With Ozzy

Category: Writing

  • The Myth of the Lightning Bolt

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    Ozzy
    in

    Where Ideas Really Come From Writers love to talk about “the moment it hit me”—that flash of inspiration, that perfect idea arriving out of nowhere like a lightning bolt straight to the brain. It’s a good story. It’s cinematic. But it’s not the truth. At least, not the whole truth. Because in my experience, most…

  • I Have an Idea. How Do I Start Turning That into a Book?

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    by

    Ozzy
    in

    Your idea might not be a novel yet, but it’s where every novel begins. Something sparked. Something took hold. That’s worth something. But now you’re standing at the edge of a long road, and you’re not sure how to take the first step. So let’s talk about it.

  • Writing Through the Dip

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    Ozzy
    in

    Every project has a point where it stops feeling like a good idea. At the start, you’ve got momentum. Energy. A shiny new premise that feels like it might be The One. The words come fast, or at least willingly, and there’s that sense of excitement—this time, it’s going to work. The words flow from…

  • Style and Structure Are the Essence

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    Ozzy
    in

    “Style and structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.” – Vladimir Nabokov

  • There’s No Such Thing as a Wasted Draft

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    Ozzy
    in

    I’ve got entire folders full of unfinished stories. Scenes that trail off. Characters who never made it past chapter three. Worlds built and then left behind. Ideas that sparked brightly and then just… faded. I have a trilogy, the first ‘real’ writing I ever started – a full draft of book one, outlines for books…

  • Writing Advice is Not a Rulebook

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    Ozzy
    in

    Not every tip you read is meant for you. Some writers outline. Others don’t. Some write for a single, rigorously guarded hour every day. Others write in headlong, eight-hour long marathon sessions, then do nothing for a week or two. Some edit as they go. Others draft messy and clean it up later. The only…

  • Job #1: Tell the Story

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    by

    Ozzy
    in ,

    It’s easy to get lost in the details. The structure. The pacing. The world-building. The themes. The voice. The rhythm of your prose. The way the light hits the side of the coffee cup in chapter two. All of that matters. Eventually. But your first responsibility—the one thing you have to do before any of…

  • Weekends, Word Counts, and the Writer Who Works

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    Ozzy
    in

    The writer’s fantasy weekend. Debunked.

  • Your First Draft Is Not Your Book

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    Ozzy
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    The first draft’s job is to get the story out of you. It’s not a book, not yet, but it’s the start of what your book will be.

  • The Hobbyist vs. The Professional

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    Ozzy
    in ,

    Hobbyists do it for love, and there’s no shame in that. Professionals show up and do the work. They treat writing like it’s a job.