Comedians and writers approach their craft differently.

Watch my video below, or read the transcript, to find out the difference. 

Hello my lovely writers!

We had the Edinburgh International Festival here throughout August, so there’s been lots of comedy on and a friend recommended I go and see a certain comedian. He was very funny and got nominated for a prize, which I found out when my friend sent me a screenshot and said, ‘Look, he’s been nominated for a prize.’ 

Next to that comedian’s name was the name of another comedian, a young woman with an unusual name, which I recognised straight away as the daughter of an ex-boss of mine. I immediately went onto YouTube to find out about her because I’d met her once when she was about six and now here she was, all grown up and performing stand-up comedy live on stage. 

I said to myself, ‘My goodness, I’ve got to find out about her comedy and what she’s doing. Is she funny? Is she not? What’s going on?’ So I looked her up on YouTube and watched all the clips that came up and, what I noticed was, because she was getting established – and I think this is probably similar for all comedians – she had a set she’d put together and was practising that set. 

She’d get up on stage at university gigs and small club gigs – wherever she was touring on the circuit – and she’d perform the same set. It was interesting to see how she’d tweak this and tweak that, pause in different places and put emphasis on different words depending on the audience’s reaction. I could see her watch the audience, trying to gauge their response and work out how they were responding to her and the material. 

How comedians and writers approach their craft differently

I’m so glad I don’t have to do that. I am so glad I don’t need to take my early drafts and go up on stage and read them out in front of an audience who, let’s be honest – comedy audiences, particularly on a Friday night – are almost baying for you to fail. They want to see what you’re made of. They want to test your mettle. 

Imagine doing that night after night after night. My nerves would be shot. As writers, we’re lucky we don’t have to do that. As writers, we get to sit at our desk in the privacy of our own home and revise and revise and revise and then we can ask people to read snippets of our work and, with it being a writing environment, everyone’s very supportive. 

We don’t have a live audience who have had a few drinks baying for our blood and willing us to fail. Instead, we get to do it in a nice, calm, private way where we can take our time, revise things and get them to a state where we are happy to share them. 

You’re in your own hands

I thought that was a really interesting thing to share and so, if you are procrastinating about getting started, just know you’re in safe hands because you’re in your own hands. You’ve not got an audience waiting to pull you down as they sit in stony silence and give you no respect or response. You get to do this for yourself. 

So, don’t be waiting, don’t be holding on to the story idea you want to share and criticising yourself before you’ve even written anything down. Know that you’re doing it in a safe space and know that the people who you will eventually share it with are going to be supportive and encouraging.

Also, just be thankful you’re not a comedian having to do it live on stage. 

Take courage. Take courage from comedians and know that that’s what they’re doing and you don’t have to do that. It’s safe for you to write your early drafts of your novel. 

 So, go for it. Go ahead and do it. You’ve only got yourself to impress.

Emma xx

Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.

She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.

Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.

Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!

Knowing how to accept feedback isn’t always easy but it’s all part of the writing process. 

Watch my video below, or read the transcript, to find out why receiving feedback doesn’t have to be scary. 

Hello my lovely writers!

Unless it’s your first time here, you’ll know I’m a fiction writer who writes psychological thrillers. I’m also an Author Accelerator Certified Coach who specialises in helping first-time writers write their debut novel, which is something I love doing as I get to be in on the ground with some amazing new voices coming through. 

I’m currently writing another book, which will be released later this year. I’ve been getting some feedback on my ARC review copies and have been told there’s a bit in my storyline I need to tweak. 

I wasn’t sure what to do.

Do I take it to heart what people were saying or do I say, no, I’m going to leave the book as it is? Do I make those revisions? Do I not? Do I draw a line under the sand? What do I do?  

How to accept feedback on your writing

Another few days rolled by and it reminded me it’s so necessary to take a moment when we get given feedback, both good and bad. We need to take a moment to reflect on the feedback and think, okay, do I agree with what that person said? Can I see where their comments might have some merit? Or do I not agree and don’t think they’re right about this?

Being given feedback on my writing has been good for me. I had a chance to reflect, I had a chance to talk to my coach about it and think about whether I want to make these changes or not and, do you know what? I have made some changes and was very pleased to find out those tweaks were easier to make than I had anticipated. 

I wanted to share with you that, if you’re not yet at the point where you’re getting people feeding back on your work, this is part of the writing journey. It doesn’t matter if you’re an indie author or if you’re traditionally published, at some stage your book is going to be reviewed, either by reviewers, the general public or possibly even peer reviewed. It might be reviewed by other writers in your genre or writers who share the same publisher or agent as you. 

It’s all part of the process

But at some stage, your book is going to get read before it goes on general release so you and the publisher, if you have one, can receive feedback on what’s working, what’s not working, and if there is anything that needs a last minute tweak or change. 

I spoke to a student the other day about how, just when we think we’ve finished the story, just when we think we’ve done all we can do with it, there’s always a bit of room for improvement. Receiving feedback from others is when we get to know what feedback is needed, how much is needed but we also learn not to panic and over-worry about receiving feedback. 

If you are at that stage, take comfort. I want you to take comfort from my experience and  know that getting feedback and knowing how to accept feedback is all part of the process. 

Emma xx

Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.

She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.

Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.

Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!

Why can’t I write my book? This is a question all writers ask themselves from time to time.

Watch my video below, or read the transcript, to find out how I can help if you find yourself unable to write your book.

Hello my lovely writers!

Not written your book yet? Are you feeling super-disappointed with yourself that still this book hasn’t come into being, into fruition? Do you wonder, why is it, when someone else asks me to do something, I do it, no problem. If somebody needs a favour from me or a colleague needs me to help them out, I do it, I don’t have an issue with it. 

Why can’t I write my book?

But when I ask myself to do something like write this book that I know I really want to write, it doesn’t happen. Why can I not do that? Why can’t I write my book? 

Does that sound familiar? Is that the kind of rhetoric that goes around in your head when you think about writing your book? 

I can help you with that. 

21 Days of Writing Inspiration

I can give you the motivation you need to keep yourself going so you can build a habit and show up for yourself. So you do the writing for yourself in the same way you would help out a colleague or a friend. 

Sign up for my 21 Days of Writing Inspiration and I will send you a short video each day for 21 days to help you stay on track and stop you falling off the wagon so you can write your book. 

I know you want this. I want it for you. Let me help you. Let me be there for you, just like you are for the other people in your life. 

Emma xx

Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.

She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.

Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.

Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!

Give yourself the slight edge by breaking things down into smaller chunks. It’s a great way to stay productive if you’re feeling unmotivated. 

Watch my video below, or read the transcript, to find out more. 

Hello my lovely writers!

I’ve been feeling unmotivated today. I’ve been thinking about why I’m not feeling motivated but also how I can still have a somewhat productive day. 

I like a productive day. I like to come to the end of the day and know I’ve made moves towards whatever it is I’m aiming for. For us as writers, that will be making moves towards finishing our books. 

As writers, we know that, even at the best of times, we’re not always motivated. If the muse is not with us, the wall of resistance comes up and we can feel demotivated. When you’re in the mood and frame of mind where you’re already not feeling motivated, that wall of resistance to writing comes up higher and higher and higher. 

It’s easy to do something. It’s easy not to do something

I thought, what can I do about this? So I said to myself, ‘Delve into your tool box, Emma. What have you got around this?’ and I remembered an amazing book called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, which you may have heard me talk about before.

In Jeff’s book, he says, anything you want to do in life, if you want to get a slight edge on it, you simply have to do one little thing at a time. The mantra that goes through his book is, ‘It’s easy to do something. It’s easy not to do something.’ 

One example he gives in the book is that it’s easy to make a phone call that’s going to help you in what it is you want to do. For example, if you’re looking for a new house, it’s easy to make a phone call and make an enquiry. It’s also easy not to do it. If you make the call, you’re making a step towards getting that house. If you don’t make the call, you’re nowhere near where you want to be. 

Give yourself the slight edge

It’s very much this idea of the slight edge. You’re doing one small thing at a time. It’s a philosophy I really like about chunking things down, pulling things down into baby steps and making a goal, task or project small and manageable.

If you’re like me today and thinking, ‘I just don’t feel motivated,’ or, ‘I’m feeling frightened about the work I’ve got to do and the writing I’ve got to do on this book,’ how can you break that down into much smaller pieces so it doesn’t feel as intimidating and scary? 

For us as writers, it might be coming up with the name of your book. It might be researching book covers to see what’s out there. It might be writing just 200 words of your book. Just start writing one scene and you’ve written 200 words – done. That might take you, what, ten minutes? Although you’ve not finished a chapter or a scene, you’ve made a start and you’ve made a slight edge to where it is you’re trying to get to. You’re staying close to the fire. 

So, if you’re like me today and you’re feeling unmotivated, break it down, chunk it down, think of the slight edge. It’s easy to do something, it’s easy not to do something. What are those baby steps you can take to get you to where you want to be? 

Emma xx

Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.

She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.

Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.

Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!

Stop planning and start writing. That’s what even the most successful crime and thriller writers do. 

Watch my video below, or read the transcript, to find out why you should just start writing with what you’ve got. 

Hello my lovely writers!

I attended a fantastic discussion between Queen of Crime, Val McDermid, and historical writer Kate Mosse, whose Citadel was her big break-out novel. 

They talked about the writing process and Val did a great job of getting Kate to open up about how she starts her books.

Where do they begin?

Where do the ideas come from?

When does she start writing? 

You don’t need to know what’s going to happen

Kate said, for her, it starts with place. For some, it might be character, but for her it is place. She goes somewhere and the place speaks to her and she described it as hearing whispers and voices in her ear. If she hears nothing, she knows there’s no story there for her but, as soon as she starts hearing those little whispers, she knows there is a story for her. 

What came out from that is she doesn’t know what’s going to happen and she doesn’t know how it’s all going to fan out. All she knows is she’s got a place and, one by one, her characters come on a stage and start telling their story. She doesn’t know everything about it or exactly what’s going to happen. 

That was something Val nodded her head in agreement with. They then mentioned Ian Rankin, the very famous crime writer here in Scotland who writes the Rebus books, which you may know from the TV show. He also says, ‘I don’t know who the killer is. I don’t know who the murderer is. I just have this idea and I get writing.’ 

Stop planning and start writing

This is something I have come across time and time again from published writers, successful writers and, surprisingly, writers who write in the crime and thriller genres. You’d think crime and thriller writers would need to have everything worked out ahead of time because they’ve got to put in their red herrings, misdirect the reader and weave in all those little clues that lead up to the end but, no, taking Ian Rankin’s example, they don’t even know who the killer is. They just know there’s been a crime. 

If you know this is what’s holding you back and you’re waiting to have everything worked out before you start, I cannot encourage you enough to stop planning and start writing. Take what you’ve got. Take where you’re at. Take what you know already and just get writing. 

I promise you from my own experience that, those little nuances, those little details, the little things you cannot plan for, they come out in the writing process. All the gold, the gems, the magic, that comes in the writing of the book itself. It doesn’t come in the planning. You can do as much planning as you want but you won’t get the golden nuggets in there. 

Do what all of the other writers are doing, all of these successful writers, even the crime writers and the thriller writers. Take what you’ve got and get started because the rest is procrastination and, in your heart of hearts, you know this. If you know that’s you, get writing, get cracking and the gems, the gold, the magic will come as you are writing. 

Emma xx

Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.

She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.

Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.

Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!