Caimh McDonnell
This will no doubt be really irritating but I don't believe in writer's block. Honestly, I consciously made a decision early in my career to never use those words. There is a danger in adding a mystical element to the writing process in your own head because by definition, you're taking it out of your control.
I come from a background of having written a whole load of TV and there, you typically have to pitch an episode idea and then provide a detailed beat-by-beat breakdown of the idea before you ever get to writing it. That forces you to think things through long before you get to the writing stage. Writer's block to me is running out of road, how you avoid that is by making sure you've got a map. Even if you then take an entirely different route, you can always find your way to where you want to go eventually.
I come from a background of having written a whole load of TV and there, you typically have to pitch an episode idea and then provide a detailed beat-by-beat breakdown of the idea before you ever get to writing it. That forces you to think things through long before you get to the writing stage. Writer's block to me is running out of road, how you avoid that is by making sure you've got a map. Even if you then take an entirely different route, you can always find your way to where you want to go eventually.
More Answered Questions
Michael
asked
Caimh McDonnell:
Hi Caimh, two questions if you don't mind. 1. In Welcome to Nowhere Smithy is offered Vicodin for his flight anxiety, which - as we all know - is the opioid painkiller Dr. House is addicted to. Did you mean to write Valium instead, or is this a subtle commentary on the opioid crisis? 2. Was Banecroft inspired by Douglas Reynholm (Matt Berry) from the IT Crowd?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more
May 07, 2024 08:30AM