Susan Foster, Author

350+ Women's Fiction writers in one space generate a dazzling amount of creative energy. (Image by Susan Foster) I just returned to Montana from the  WFWA 10th Anniversary Conference in Chicago . I'm still in awe of all that I learned and all of the wonderful women that I met. WFWA At the beginning of January 2022, I joined the  Women's Fiction Writer's Association  (WFWA). It was unquestionably the best thing I have done for myself as a writer.  "WFWA is a diverse international community of aspiring, debut, and multi-published authors." WHAT IS WOMEN'S FICTION? To answer this question, I'll share parts of the definition provided on the WFWA website:  Women's Fiction stories are  " layered stories in which the plot is driven by the main character’s emotional journey."   They   may have elements of romance, mystery, thriller, or other subgenres; and can be contemporary or historical; commercial, upmarket, or literary fiction but "... ...

(Image by Susan Foster) We usually think of writer's block as a situation when the writer just can't come up with anything to write. But that's not always what's going on. A lack of ideas is not always what stops a writer from writing. The ideas can be flowing, but efficiency and confidence  are not. Many factors can get in the way of creativity, and I suspect many writers and bloggers have the same problems I've experienced. Five Reasons for Writer's Block and How to Overcome It What Can Block a Writer's Productivity? Many factors influence the craft of writing. Here are five obstacles that like many writers, I've encountered: 1.  Being pulled in many directions Life can be pretty distracting. Daily life responsibilities and even blogging tasks can slow down the process of creating. For example, instead of writing my novel recently, I have been: working on improving the layout of this website.  troubleshooting an issue with the delivery of this blog...

(Image by Susan Foster) When my insecurities woke me up one night, I wrote them down... A Writer's Doubts. Are the hours I sit in my chair in front of my computer time well spent? Should I be doing something else instead? Hours go by, and all I do is write. Is this a worthwhile effort?  Should I be doing something else? Do other writers feel the way I do? Do they have feelings of uncertainty and doubt, as they write the minutes of their lives away? Are the words that spray out from my pen ever any good? Are the thoughts I share just commonplace or are they brilliant news? Do people read my work because it draws them in? Or do they read only out of loyalty to me or, worse yet, obligation? Have other writers found my work because it’s too good not to read,  or simply because I left a comment on one of their own stories and they want to return the favor? What would I be doing if I wasn’t writing? Should I be spending such vast quantities of time on this? Perhaps these questions a...

(Image by Susan Foster) Winter sometimes seems to drag on forever in Montana - especially if one is not involved in winter sports. This year is no exception. Normally, our winters are filled will lots of blue skies and sunny days. But this year we've had more of our share of grey.  The upside of all this is that it's not as tempting to be outside and allows for more writing to get done. What season makes it easiest for you to write or accomplish tasks without outside distractions?