Do you have writer’s block? Do you want to overcome it?  Try a WC.

What is a WC, you ask? It’s a Word Count chat and it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

I have been writing Finding Forever (yes, I’m totally going to pimp my own story, and you can read it here) since the end of June and it’s still only about halfway complete.  Part of my problem with concentrating on my writing is the fact that I am usually chatting with my friends on yahoo at the same time.  This is not good for concentration.

Enter the WC.  It’s so easy, a caveman could do it.  Simply put: a group of writers go into a group chat and introduce themselves, and discuss what their writing projects.  Then they set a time to start; at the start time, they write for an hour and allow no talking for that hour.  Someone will usually pipe up when there is anywhere from 5-15 minutes left in the hour, but other than that there is no chatting.  When the hour is up, all of the authors compare notes, and depending on how confident they feel about what they wrote, they might tease a little bit of their work.   If you ask me, that alone makes a WC worth it.  It’s great to get a little sneak peek at other author’s unreleased chapters, and it’s also a way to get feedback on your own writing.  They are great self-esteem boosters and an awesome way to get your name out there.

It’s a wonderful way to make new friends as well.  If it weren’t for many of my favorite authors cheering me on every day, my writing would definitely suffer. I’ve written almost 20,000 words in the past 2 weeks!  And the best part is that I get to talk to them on a regular basis!

I encourage you to try one.  If you decide to test the waters, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Be respectful.  Every author is in a WC for the same reason : to write.  It defeats the purpose if there is constant chatter going on during the session.  Of course, people might come in later or leave early.  Sometimes we want to reiterate what time to session started, or leave a message if we  have to leave hastily.  But other than that, there should be no chatting during the session.
2. Feel free to pimp yourself and your story during the intros.  I have started so many really great fics because the authors linked them.
3. Be a cheerleader! If you like what an author has teased, tell them! It always makes an author feel good to get some instant gratification. It lets us know we are on the right track.
4. Absolutely, positively, under NO circumstances should you bad-mouth or talk down another author, whether they are in the WC or not.  I think that goes without saying.

So, you think you might want to try a WC, but don’t know where to find one? My google name is “susanashlea” so you can feel free to add me to gchat or google talk. I usually Tweet about them too. You can follow me on Twitter: suzybear78.  If you want to do a WC, hit me up, I usually willing and able!

Also, I still need a name for my new column. Anyone got any ideas? If so, leave a comment! I love comments, they’re my favorite!