What is the most difficult part of writing?

I've published through lulu, before, but nothing's currently in print. More often than not, I write just to write ^_^ and I'm best at books, so, that's what I do. I think generally, it is easier to keep with things if the subject matter is something you're genuinely interested in (probably helps if one's not under a deadline!). I don't usually write stories that I don't have a certain degree of fascination with...because it's almost impossible for me to keep with it that way. There's something satisfying about sitting down every night or else whenever I have time, and returning to a story that I love. But I've always been a bit fast, with reading and writing (provided I don't burn myself out or hit a snag and have plenty of time)...so it doesn't take me like, half a year like plenty of wonderful authors. My record amount of time's been one month...and it's challenging, which is why it's fun. Believe me, I don't intend to stop writing!

Good to hear that you have the determination to write a book. Writing short articles of 400 to 1,000 words are stressful enough. Can't imagine having to write a book and work on it for months and months and the writings never seem to end anytime. Keep up your writing! Where do you sell your book?

Fantastic xParanoiax! You do write very fast even without worrying about deadline. How do you market your books? How do you decide on the price tag? I'm very curious to know about, not many writers are capable of writing a book.

yes, i bet you are right. I've never been in that position but I would imagine that if I were, it would be a great motivator!

This is true. When it is your only source of income, your mind suddenly learns to switch on the moment you're in front of the computer. I never run out of ideas and never get stuck on how to start. I have to keep writing. It's how I make my income. Lucky for me I love my job!

Only the reporters do not have this kind of problem. Probably it's their bread and butter, so they train themselves to write and write, regardless of mood. Maybe when writing becomes the main and only source of income, the motivation to write and write is there.

That is really a very tough way to write article. If the keyword is easily substituted for common words, then not too bad. Like the word "making money" can be used instead of "earning money", at least these 2 are commonly acceptable words to substitute each other. Do you have to repeat a sentence over and over again just to meet the minimum word count?

Yes, I often have to repeat myself to satisfy the word requirement. I say the same thing in many different ways and it drives me crazy. That is NOT quality writing and it's something I don't like to do. If I didn't need the money so badly I certainly wouldn't accept jobs like that.

Repeating is a very good way to highlight certain main points. Even when Robert Kiyosaki wrote the whole series of books, the bad debt good debt concept is repeated all over, in every single book, in every single chapter and so many times in a chapter. It is good in a way, now the whole world is absorbing his good debt bad debt concept. Even in college examinations, a good answer will generally repeat the key points a few times, definitely in the conclusion. Anyway, repeating to satify the SEO is your client requirement, just got to follow and earn money.

Probaby the old saying that practice makes perfect. Even though once I start, I do not stop writing still the end of the article. The first sentence is still the most difficult, especially writing for Helium. The rating system means that the first paragraph must be very appealing, since to be frank, most readers do not read till the end when they rate. Really envy experienced writers like you. You seem to be able to write about anything and everything.

I agree with what you say about the opening paragraph, but you do not need to start writing the first paragraph first. I take a lot of time to revise and rework a draft of any article before I publish it.

Very good advice, how come I never thought about that! I really should complete the article first before editing, and to make the first paragraph more appealing. I guess this is a time saver as well. Thanks for the advice.

I do not like to edit too much. Sometimes pondering over a sentence too long, and suddenly lose the courage to post the article. Usually I just read once, and run through the grammar checker before posting the article up. Agree that a strong conclusion is not easy to make. I take the easy way out, just summarize the main points or end with a one-liner.

True, sometimes lose interest in writing at the end of the article. Usually I just summarise the keypoints as the concluding paragraph.

haha, to go blank in the examination hall is really a nightmare. Fortunately we are not working as a full time journalist. Hard to imagine we missed the deadline for the front page news article. Heads will roll when that happen to the national newspaper.

haha, I'm really not looking hard, except to read your blog and follow the link.

That sounds really bad. I hate to get stuck in the middle of a passage, just to check spelling. Hopefully practice makes perfect, a year from now, your writing must be better than now. Agree that mylot helps.

Writer's block is irritating. I have written down a lot of notes and story ideas and keep them in the drawer, hopefully can reduce writer's block. The worst time to happen is near the end of the article. Dont know how to end the article, the beautiful concluding paragraph just disappear from memory.

Good to hear that I'm not the only one having difficulty with starting. Like your method of writing for 10 minutes to get the flow before editing. Since all my articles are short, about 400 to 1000 words, I always complete the writing before reading through and make any adjustment.