tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18983885482772341912012-02-02T16:36:44.238-08:00The Easy Way to SuccessRob Parnell's blog. For more information, free writing lessons and a free newsletter featuring tips, tricks and news about writing and creating success in your life, go to my websites.Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.comBlogger1571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-78938011081749754962012-02-02T16:29:00.000-08:002012-02-02T16:36:44.255-08:00Love, Your Partner, & Success
It's a truism that pop stars marry
models, actors marry other actors and writers marry people with proper jobs - to
help support their vocation!
The idea of marrying for 'only love' is wonderful, of course,
but how many of us would choose haphazardly if we knew our artistic careers (or
lack of them) were so dependent on picking the right person to share our lives
with?
Fact is, if you have Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-14577131075201211562012-02-01T15:22:00.000-08:002012-02-01T16:16:48.454-08:00The Fame Game
There's speculation on E-News that the split between power
couple Seal and Heidi Klum is not all that it seems. Despite the official line
of 'having grown apart', both are still wearing their wedding bands and neither
have filed for divorce.
There's also the convenient fact that both have much to gain
from extra publicity at this point in time. Seal has a new album out and is
touring to Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-61929562933088926132012-01-31T14:56:00.000-08:002012-01-31T14:56:44.975-08:00Celebrity Leaves Clues<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4ptRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-58569375236924558642012-01-30T15:21:00.000-08:002012-01-30T18:57:18.014-08:00How to Get PublishedAccording to her bio, Jane Friedman used to be a publishing and media executive (which could mean anything) but is now assistant professor of e-media at the University of Cincinnati. The good news is that for writers, especially wannabes, she has a blog with more pertinent information than is probably good for a writer to know!
Her latest article (28.1.12) covers the thorny question we allRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-12925567668320874552012-01-26T16:53:00.000-08:002012-01-26T16:55:28.558-08:00How to Write an Article - Fast!My latest novel, PSI Kids: Willow, is on Amazon. The Easy Way to Write Digital Disposal.Go here to get all the writing resources you need. This is the last of the newsletters under this particular banner. From next week, they'll come from The Easy Way to Success. (There's not much there at the moment - but time will sort that out!) You can sign up on the site if you like - no pressure! THIS Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-22955402852802350102012-01-19T18:51:00.000-08:002012-01-19T18:55:54.512-08:00The Pursuit of PerfectionMy latest novel, PSI Kids: Willow, is on Amazon Kindle. If you've got a Kindle, you can borrow it for free. Go get it! If you're curious, here's a link to the latest R&R press release. It will open in a one page PDF. We're making a video promo for Robyn's latest book, Maya and the Crystal Skull, at the moment. We spent yesterday filming 13 year old actor Leila Clendon against a greenRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-40042986434958685102012-01-12T16:59:00.000-08:002012-01-12T17:07:18.372-08:00How to be HappyIn case you didn't know, my latest novel, PSI Kids: Willow, is now on Amazon Kindle. Go get it! Onward. I've almost made a decision. It feels right to me but I'm giving myself another couple of weeks before I totally commit... Deep breath... I'm starting a new website - actually more of an on-line magazine focused on art, wealth creation and achieving true happiness - allRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-78927813359144104502012-01-05T16:41:00.000-08:002012-01-05T17:13:00.316-08:00One More Newsletter...People keep emailing me - begging me not to stop. It's awesome - and humbling. In truth, I get to today and the pull of writing an article is too strong to resist. I'd be lost without having to do it. Also, many of you have asked for a tiny extension to the December Digital Disposal, for whatever reason. Okay, go here for a (final!) chance to get what you need. THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE: Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-58572402859647674542011-12-30T17:08:00.000-08:002011-12-30T17:37:51.839-08:00The Search for The Answer...Here we are - sob sob - at the last Easy Way to Write newsletter. See below for the last article. (It's a good one!) For your reference, here's a complete list of all the EWTW resources offered this last month, all re-coded in the previous couple of days to make them super easy to purchase and download.Feel free to click on any of the links you're interested in. December Digital Disposal The Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-89539458475751799942011-12-22T16:46:00.000-08:002011-12-22T16:48:23.370-08:00Meta-WritingChristmas is just two days away! I remember a particularly mean boss who made me work up to the last minute on Christmas Eve one year. We two were the only ones left in the office at 6.30 and I couldn't go home without his signature on my time sheet. That last half an hour was probably the longest in my life! At the time I felt very resentful of the guy - but maybe he was just lonely Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-76703531955956827562011-12-15T17:12:00.000-08:002011-12-15T17:13:20.753-08:00Your Mother Should KnowLate start today - slept in! Are you thinking about next year's resolutions yet? I find myself pondering the future at this time of year - a kind of habit. Also a time when you naturally review the previous year - did we do all things we planned? Yes and no. I've noticed that it's not always the big things that come to pass - but also some of the smaller goals, the ones I Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-78452809323280172742011-12-08T17:10:00.000-08:002011-12-08T17:25:58.123-08:00The FutureIt's been a busy time for us this week. Lots of promotions in lieu of our imminent shutdown. Thanks for all your emails of support and encouragement. News of what's happening to us in January will have to wait until then... We have important stuff going on right now! In case you needed a reference point, the following is a list of the Digital Disposal items that have Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-71049668294978856352011-11-24T17:33:00.000-08:002011-11-24T17:35:25.598-08:00Writers and Society 2My latest novel - PSI-Kids: WILLOWNow available on Kindle - $2.99 Dear Fellow Writer, Are you getting ready for Christmas? The shops are - you may have noticed! Here, we're gearing for Santa Stampede 2011 - a time when everything at the Easy Way to Write is on special offer for all of December. Plus there's a major twist this year. News of that coming soon. On the Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-70767866967835417652011-11-17T16:51:00.000-08:002011-11-17T16:55:17.982-08:00Writers and SocietyDear Fellow Writer, There's a silly petition going around the Net at the moment trying to stop a bill going through Congress about copyright on the Internet. Avaaz - I think that's what they're called - are trying to imply the bill is a bad thing - when clearly it's not. The bill is merely trying to stop websites displaying copyright material like books, film and music that they Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-20564632521300006612011-11-10T18:33:00.000-08:002011-11-10T18:36:58.294-08:00Research & WritingDear Fellow Writer, Slight change in the website this week - the newsletter, as it's the most frequently changed page on the site, will now become the main index page. So now - when you load the Easy Way to Write site, there will always be something new to look at! Cool or what? I'm thinking of doing a whole makeover on the site soon - y'know, downloading Dreamweaver, making Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-11940132648888738672011-11-03T18:35:00.000-07:002011-11-03T18:39:38.917-07:00What to Do With InspirationDo you ever wonder if your inspiration will one day dry up? It's unlikely. I think inspiration is hard-wired into the brain - and once you've opened the pathways, they never fully close off. To be honest I think having inspired thoughts is a survival imperative - designed to help us think our way out of problems - a curiously human faculty. Plus, there's the theory that when Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-87956218127650723292011-10-27T18:28:00.000-07:002011-10-27T18:31:16.065-07:00Writers, Adapt to Change!I see Hollywood, in its ever deepening penchant for plundering the past, is making a movie version of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., a TV spy show from the 1960s. Robyn doesn't remember it - and even I was a baby when I caught reruns in the UK. Bradley Cooper is tipped to star in the lead role of Napoleon Solo, with no-one yet set up for his side-kick or boss - or the S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agents for Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-85012452798325342122011-10-20T18:03:00.000-07:002011-10-20T18:09:46.046-07:00Give yourself a kick up the a**Dear Fellow Writer, Watched Scream 4 the other day. I love the Scream movies for that deliberate self consciousness of the genre they use as part of the plot. It's a clever device - a kind of nudge nudge, wink wink at the audience. Instead of: "this is not a movie, it's real life" - Scream goes beyond to: "this really is a movie, about movie cliche, and we both know - and love - it!"Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-58834742257482079732011-10-13T19:40:00.000-07:002011-10-13T19:47:01.315-07:00The Secret Rules of GrammarDear Fellow Writer, I read the other day that modern burglars don't case neighborhoods anymore. They don't have to. They use the Net. First they find people in their target area with Twitter and FB accounts and they follow the posts, waiting for messages about you being away from home... then, if they need to find your house, they ask Google where you live, get the map, study Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-69684924678271158792011-10-06T19:42:00.000-07:002011-10-06T19:50:02.423-07:00Write On TargetDear Fellow Writer, How are you today? Good, I hope! The happy couple: Married life sees us at a new beginning. Our new company: R&R Books Film Music, means we have to focus on technology even more. Hence, a new computer... you'll remember all the hassle I had with the last laptop: losing everything, all the Magellan manuscripts etc. Well, we bit the bullet Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-45960722470984358692011-09-29T20:14:00.000-07:002011-09-29T20:34:29.802-07:00What Should We Write About - and Why?Dear Fellow Writer, The secret to success is consistent action. Small steps taken every day toward your chosen goal will take you much further than short, random and generally unfocused spurts. Talent is really just the empirical manifestation of a craft practiced often and to your own satisfaction. The more you practice, the more talented you appear to outside observers. Take charge ofRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-39694228132012461562011-09-15T18:46:00.000-07:002011-09-15T18:53:29.284-07:00The Undiscovered CountryDear Fellow Writer, Another week, another week of wonders... Robyn and I are getting married tomorrow. Yay! Of course a lot of people think we're already married - we've been together forever already - and now we're making it permanent. We're also starting a new business venture too: RnR Books Film Music. More on that soon. Suffice to say both the Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-67199788946797828242011-09-08T18:37:00.000-07:002011-09-08T18:44:25.694-07:00Staying the CourseDear Fellow Writer, Good to speak to you again! Been recording a lot of music this week. Putting together a demo for a young pop star called Zak we have in our midst. For a 14 year old he's an amazingly competent singer... ...and he's giving me a chance to relive my music biz career - this time as a producer. Difference is, the technology these days is amazing. Wish it Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-73025229811739624632011-09-02T17:36:00.000-07:002011-09-02T17:40:04.485-07:00On CriticismDear Fellow Writer, Greetings on this Labor Day weekend. Finally got my computer back. Not with all the data intact of course - that would be way too much to ask. But at least my favorite computer and its big fat screen is back and it works. At least that's something - a wonderful thing, really. I hope life - and your computer - is treating you well and that your urge to write Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-8184170354197076252011-08-25T18:19:00.000-07:002011-08-25T18:32:44.423-07:00Ten Quick Tips for Writers<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-64407942848768312542011-08-18T18:53:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:04:20.519-07:00Inspiration - where does it come from?<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-61438155098431854642011-08-11T17:53:00.000-07:002011-08-11T17:58:29.691-07:00Outlining Vs Story Telling<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-AU ZH-TW X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-80550116934441292892011-08-04T19:15:00.000-07:002011-08-04T19:16:51.773-07:00How To Create a HeroWhen it comes to creating characters, you want readers to love your protagonist or, at the very least, empathize with him or her. Having an unattractive hero - as in psychologically unattractive - can be a surefire death warrant for a novel. Even having a protagonist with a shallow or undeveloped personality can be enough to make publishers think twice about accepting your magnum opus.Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-4716301615060382382011-07-28T19:08:00.000-07:002011-07-28T19:10:24.746-07:00The 7 Great Story Plots of All TimeIt's been a interesting week. Hope it's been good for you. Poor Amy Winehouse, eh? I've never heard any of her music but I've followed her in the news. Hard not to. Who knows what she might have done with the rest of her life? Twenty seven is so young - but I knew she was in trouble when she drank a fifth of vodka at London airport at nine o clock in the morning - in public - on her Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-87999889431085237602011-07-21T20:06:00.000-07:002011-07-21T20:12:19.319-07:00Writing Down the BonesHope you're well and happy. These things: health, perceived wealth, positive mental attitudes etc, are so important to your artistic lifestyle and your productivity. The angst ridden artist rarely achieves much in his self imposed garret, whereas the joyful, purposeful artist who has the courage to let the world impress itself upon his emotions will find plenty to, in turn, express. To Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-4321924892862245552011-07-14T19:30:00.000-07:002011-07-14T19:33:07.177-07:00On Me - apologies for the indulgence...Another special day today. It's the Opening Night of my self penned musical play: KOOL KAFE! Go here for details. BUT - you know me. Never one to let the grass grow under my feet, I've been working on a new project. Namely, a graphic novel. Here's what I have so far: It's early days of course. I just wanted to show you what I've been workingRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-40111518298621706582011-07-07T20:09:00.000-07:002011-07-07T20:17:38.094-07:00Free Novel - PSI-Kids: WillowSpecial day today. I'm giving away free copies of my latest novel! Click on the image below: Feel free to download it, read it, pass it on to your friends and family, send copies to people, link to it in emails, whatever. You can even let me know what you think of it! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's about a young Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-29412719091220930472011-06-30T20:12:00.001-07:002011-06-30T20:13:46.683-07:00Consider This...Yowzah! Watched Me and Orson Welles last night - brilliant movie if you haven't see it - and they used this Yowzah word in it (the film is set in 1937): I didn't realize the word had such old roots! Anyway, talking of literary trivia, I see there's a kerfuffle brewing over the "Oxford Comma". You may be wondering what all the fuss is about... It's that little comma that goesRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-53119236649419267992011-06-23T19:22:00.000-07:002011-06-23T19:24:07.928-07:00Raise Your ExpectationsI hope life - and your partner - is treating you well! It's winter here - being Downunder - and even though it's been cold and wet all week, the sun is shining into my room today. I love my sanctuary - my writing space. It's full of my books, files and technology (computer, music and video) and all the things I need to inspire me: my paintings, mock-ups of past magazine pages, posters of Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-6220599914103676782011-06-16T19:23:00.000-07:002011-06-16T19:25:06.117-07:00What Do You Have to Say - And Why?Hope you had a great week. We took some time off last weekend and didn't really get back to work until yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. Being a self employed writer is handy for that. If you're getting stressed you can call time out for a few days to recover - and you don't have a boss threatening to sack you if you don't come back into work immediately! I remember those days - Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-34755447469430734502011-06-10T01:14:00.000-07:002011-06-10T01:18:07.967-07:00It's Only the InternetTGIF! Do you ever feel you have so much to do and be responsible for that your head might just one day explode? Not sure how much relaxing I'll get done this long weekend. My beautiful partner's going away to a seminar for the next few days and I have a self imposed list of stuff to get done here... Plus play rehearsals of course - at least that's going well. Which reminds me - I have to go and Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-17140657218000730792011-06-02T20:46:00.000-07:002011-06-02T20:48:15.698-07:00Character Creation ChecklistDear Fellow Writer, I hope your writing is going well. Don't worry if you haven't the time to write consistently. We all know that life's 'duties' often get in the way of the more important things. It's funny how many of the things we waste our time on: working 9 to 5, watching TV, meeting friends, looking after family, shopping, cleaning, sleeping, whatever, seem so importantRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-40431693343294804762011-05-26T20:20:00.000-07:002011-05-26T20:21:50.387-07:00On Inspiration - and How to Get it!Dear Fellow Writer, Probably about a year later than everyone else we watched The Social Network the other night. Enjoyed it. Beautifully shot with one of Jim Jannard's RED cameras I do covet. Clearly the sub text is the irony that a guy with no real friends would set up the biggest 'friend' site on the Net. I don't know how true the film is to reality but I'm willing to believe Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-21360873262936853262011-05-19T19:16:00.000-07:002011-05-19T19:19:37.577-07:00Show Don't Tell - How's it Done? Dear Fellow Writer, Ideas are plentiful. Artists know this and exploit the fact. The real problem an artist, writer or musician faces is how to filter those ideas into a creative and original whole. It's the ideas that an artist rejects that defines his or her art, their vision. And it's your instinct that helps you make the decision whether to use or ignore an idea. YOUR Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-32111895187983116622011-05-13T19:22:00.000-07:002011-05-13T19:25:26.013-07:00TAME Your Creativity - Get Things DoneThe way to feel good about yourself, your life and the work you do is to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind. Read uplifting books and articles - stay away from the bad news in the media - and surround yourself with affirmative influences. Too many people want to tell you the sky is falling in. These Henny Penny types waste your time and creative energy warning you of all the things Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-71842316911820177992011-05-05T21:36:00.000-07:002011-05-05T21:39:46.750-07:00 Isn't technology wonderful? Currently I'm penning this newsletter to you in my car. It's warm outside and Robyn's in a meeting - she'll be about an hour. Enough time for me to put together an article and then relax with my Tarot book and cards. I've been seriously studying the Tarot recently. I find some of the insights into the human condition fascinating - and good research into some Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-81098201336187304212011-04-28T18:27:00.000-07:002011-04-28T19:03:10.660-07:00On Hay House & Self HelpDear Fellow Writer, I hope this missive finds you well and happy - and that your writing is all that you want it to be. I've been casting my latest play this week. Twenty five actors, singers and dancers. It's funny because it's the dance part I'm most excited about at the moment - the idea of transferring my writing into movement seems like a fabulous, previously unexplored, Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-45678931164845457042011-04-14T19:20:00.000-07:002011-04-18T20:19:54.794-07:00Are You Entitled to Success?Creative people often get bitter about what's not happening. The trick is to know that you have always had total control of your destiny. You make things happen, you decide, you control. When things don't work out it's because either we don't have as much control as we thought we had - or we perhaps we really haven't really tried to exert it as much as we could have. And it's wondering why Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-74973443856897860542011-04-07T20:31:00.000-07:002011-04-07T20:38:46.491-07:00The Cosmic Ordering ServiceDear Fellow Writer, Still here - just three more performances of Are You Being Served? to go and then I'm looking forward to a rest - at least a whole day to ourselves - before the inevitable onslaught of new projects and TTD (Things To Do!) Weeks like this I find myself singing the old Bon Jovi song, Sleep When I'm Dead... Oh, by the way - quick reminder - my one day sale of Easy Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-7618918204521169412011-04-01T18:32:00.000-07:002011-04-01T18:36:05.178-07:00Surfing the Write SideBit frazzled today - last night was the opening night of a play I'm acting in: Are You Being Served? (based on the old TV series). I'm playing Mr Humphries of all people! Here's the poster: No rest for the wicked, as I often say. Next I'm directing a musical set in a nightclub - a cross between That 70s Show and Glee. Should be lots of fun! This week, I wasRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-91809601212128741442011-03-24T17:33:00.000-07:002011-03-28T15:57:06.513-07:00The Importance of CopyrightToday we have a new video - mainly a promo to introduce The Easy Way to Write to visitors unfamiliar with the website.Have a look - you may be surprised just how diverse we've become in the last nine years!Of course, all of the images, material and even the music in the video is copyright to us. Copyright is hugely important to all artists and in today's article, I explain why... Keep Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-17243529178567018362011-03-17T19:07:00.000-07:002011-03-17T19:10:24.151-07:00Write for the Next GenerationSt Pat's Day yesterday and we went out to celebrate. Great lunch at an Irish pub with a band playing. Green hats, Irish flags and Guinness signs everywhere. Terrific fun.It occurred to me how amazing it was that the logistics behind this essentially unofficial world holiday are enormous - and a great testament to the tenacity of humans to find an excuse to celebrate!Ah well - back to the real Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-79687490394696233072011-03-10T15:38:00.000-08:002011-03-10T15:40:45.376-08:00Writing Voice and Your Unique StyleHaven't got long this morning. We're off to give a talk on Screen Writing at midday to some esteemed writing students in Adelaide, SA. Should be fun!I have to thank everyone on Facebook for remembering my birthday this week. It was awesome to see so many happy returns. There were far too many to answer! I feel very humbled by your kindness.Robyn and I had a lovely day down by the beach, then we Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-51922616253020954252011-03-03T16:13:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:18:08.464-08:00Can You Be Too Old To Write?Now that the last of the exciting TV Writing modules has gone out, I'm thinking now of what to present to you next.After much consideration of your requests, I've decided on a series of short (for me!) writing masterclasses focused on character, plotting, conflict, drama, story construction, point of view, getting ideas, staying motivated and finding your own writing style.Each masterclass will Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-64052401956579393132011-02-24T16:34:00.000-08:002011-02-24T16:38:05.415-08:00"The Horror, the Horror!"Tis Friday - end of the week, beginning of the weekend.Time for fun and frolics.Today's article is about writing Horror - a much misunderstood genre, as I recently learned from a room full of people - not writers - that told me they never watch horror movies or read horror stories.For an ardent fan of the genre, this is like saying you don't like breathing... I explain why below.The above title Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-11028237930350308432011-02-17T17:00:00.000-08:002011-02-17T17:04:43.207-08:00The Fantasy Fiction FormulaIsn't life wonderful?I don't think we say this often enough.I read a great quote yesterday from Alan Clark - a UK politician you've probably never heard of. He said, "If you want to be great, you should always start from the position that you can do anything and that anything is possible."Okay, so I've probably paraphrased (ie misquoted) a little - but the sense of his wisdom is there I think.In Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-38276229967995934522011-02-10T16:52:00.000-08:002011-02-10T16:54:54.522-08:00Free WritingIt's hot and sticky here today - almost too hot to write. Ah well, better stop complaining and get on with it! As you probably know, I always put out a newsletter on Fridays, come rain or shine. That's the kind of commitment writers need to make, I always advise. When you decide to do something, you must do it, finish what you start - because if you get into the habit of doing something, the Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-11475616373796771522011-02-03T17:08:00.000-08:002011-02-03T17:11:18.544-08:00A Writer's Guide to ReadingOur thoughts go out to all those in Queensland Australia, hit last night so heavily by Cyclone Yasi. We hope all those displaced will soon be able to rebuild their lives. We'll be there for you.Many writers and writers' groups in South Australia have already pledged support, emotionally and materially. We too, wish you well.Ask any successful writer. You can't be a great writer unless you read Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-57927269539676288032011-01-27T17:01:00.000-08:002011-01-27T17:04:41.276-08:00The Science of Easy WritingThanks to everyone who voted for me on the Critters 2011 poll. Much appreciated. I think we made it to Number One again! Woohoo, as Homer says - Simpson, not the famous Greek writer.This week I'm going to do the one thing that modern physicists apparently hate most - to try and equate quantum mechanics with self help.I say 'modern' because before Newton, scientists included lots of free thinking Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-19497191774191873892011-01-13T17:21:00.000-08:002011-01-13T17:25:04.971-08:00Writing a Report the Easy WayHow are things? Good I hope!I need a favor. I need you to vote for me on Critters. Last year the Easy Way to Write was voted Number One Writer's Information Source - and I'd really like us to get there again. Will you help?You just need to go here, scroll down till you find "Rob Parnell's Easy Way to Write" and vote. Pretty please - I'd really appreciate it!Thank in advance.Have you noticed that Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-31385481045325559002011-01-06T15:23:00.000-08:002011-01-06T15:25:59.916-08:00Teach Yourself to WriteMany people email me and ask if they need a college degree or a set of special qualifications to be a professional writer.The answer is a resounding NO!Writing is not like other ways of making a living, especially if you want to be freelance - that is, independent. Your education, while potentially a useful advantage, is not a prerequisite to success.In fact, I 've noticed that the more writing Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-72132566966688684392010-12-30T18:59:00.000-08:002010-12-30T19:03:07.381-08:00So - What's Next For You?So - we made it to the end of the year. I hope your 2010 was all that you wanted - and needed - from your present life.We often think that the new year is a time to recycle all those old resolutions. I think this can be a mistake. Because we then send a message to our brains that goals and ambitions are to be confined to January - and then forgotten when the year gets under way!The time to make Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-79945363975860041692010-12-02T16:46:00.000-08:002010-12-02T16:50:40.296-08:00The Times They Are A'Changin...December is the time when publishers traditionally shut their doors and tidy their desks - writers get a lot of their MSS back, along with their customary rejections, at this time of year.This 'tradition' begins at the printers - who, back in the 1840s, began the habit of closing down their presses early for Christmas and opening them up again around mid January. For some odd reason, this Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-22175919769655974012010-11-25T16:37:00.000-08:002010-11-25T16:41:35.060-08:00On Joining Writer's Crit GroupsI hope you're happy and that your writing is going well.Ever the sucker for more work - why do I do this to myself? - I have managed to talk a local theater group into staging my Christmas musical next November (2011).I wrote "The Last Christmas Carol" in 2005 - and tried to stage it myself at the time, without much luck - spending oodles of cash in the process. This time, fingers crossed, it Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-82800370191725695912010-11-18T16:05:00.000-08:002010-11-18T16:08:42.343-08:00Your News, Views & Clues - to Writing SuccessI hope you're well and happy and that your writing is going well.I bought a new camera and some editing software recently. I thought it might help with some of the film and TV projects we want to work on and pitch.It occurred to me, too, the camera might help me connect with you better. I plan to create more video content for the Easy Way to Write - so look out for that. It's coming soon!Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-69606181022638309382010-11-11T17:09:00.000-08:002010-11-11T17:12:40.849-08:00You Got The Power!It's most definitely hay fever season Down Under. It's not something I've ever suffered from before. In fact I used to think it was some kind of psychosomatic ailment invented by alleged sufferers to draw attention to themselves in the otherwise lovely springtime.No more! I finally sympathize, having been slaughtered by the darned affliction all this week. Gah!Onward. (And upward, of course!)The Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-10097038765542471652010-11-04T17:07:00.000-07:002010-11-04T17:10:14.108-07:00Moments of Clarity - and What to Do With ThemBeen a long time since I did the newsletter stroll. We've been trapped in writing workshops for weeks now. We're still in one now in fact. I'm stealing a few moments to write this between screen writing exercises.People often email me to tell me they're blocked. No such luxury here. The writers in this room with us are all writing to order. You get one hour, sometimes less, to write at least two Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-55403850092154625202010-10-14T17:18:00.000-07:002010-10-14T17:20:57.398-07:00The Culture of PositivityThanks to the hundreds of people that contacted me about my latest video song. It's nice to know so many people enjoyed it!Next week we're back at the TV networks for another couple of weeks, so we're gonna try and get all our work out of the way this weekend - and as much as we can today.But tonight, as a treat, we go out to paint the town red. I think we need a nice break once in a while!Being Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-9408040665268303572010-10-07T17:49:00.000-07:002010-10-07T17:54:19.613-07:00Be Your Own MentorIt's springtime here Downunder. Everything in our garden is growing back in abundance - the birds are singing as I type and the new bright sunlight makes everything in the house look a little grubby - no wonder there's such a thing as Spring Cleaning!But hey, it's probably autumn where you are - so the need to clean up is still six months away...A lot of people ask me how I manage to get so much Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-1910179985135028472010-09-30T19:17:00.000-07:002010-09-30T19:24:24.260-07:00Create Your Own WorldAs if I'm not busy enough already, a local director has asked me to write the music for his latest production - and have it to him by the 11th of October.So on top of the two pitches for TV series we're producing, running Magellan Books and the EWTW and editing my latest novel during the day, I'm composing and recording music in the evenings...No Rest for the Wicked, as I once sang!BTW, as well Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-46128882103279216022010-09-23T17:42:00.000-07:002010-09-23T17:57:26.203-07:00K.I.S.S.It's good to be back. Three weeks is a long time to go without a newsletter. Don't know about you but I was suffering withdrawals!Strange that during an intense writing workshop the thing I missed most was writing - and the nice home-bound routines I've set up for myself. Writing in the morning, publishing in the afternoon - all that was on hold while we studied TV, drama, comedy and wrote and Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-2192456329808993222010-09-02T18:51:00.000-07:002010-09-02T18:55:10.447-07:00Seven Simple Strategies to Cure Writers' Block Forever!I've always been loath to tackle the subject of writer's block. A personal, largely superstitious thing - but still I get asked what writers should do about it - all the time!So here goes: 1. Crisis, What Crisis?First off, you need to deny that there is any such thing as writer's block. This debilitating condition can only hurt you when you give it the privilege of a concrete name. Take away Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-15767075226832082752010-08-26T18:07:00.000-07:002010-09-11T18:09:16.596-07:00The Truth is Out ThereGreat news this week.Robyn and I have been offered spaces on a TV Development Workshop sponsored by SAFilm. It's an intense two month project designed to help us (and 8 others) pitch to TV execs in October.We applied at the prompting of a producer/director friend of ours - had to put together an idea for a TV series - never believing we'd get in - but we did. Woohoo!Needless to say I shall be Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-10000545524090768332010-08-19T19:59:00.000-07:002010-08-19T20:07:03.691-07:00Tempus FugitVin Smith has a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for being the first ever night-time DJ. We've been friends for a long time in Internet terms - years - and we're both great supporters of writers and the issues they face in terms of self promotion and career management. This is a preamble to announce Vin Smith's new website. He's still heavily involved in radio and PR - and encourages writers Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-23382071077970472072010-08-12T18:22:00.000-07:002010-08-12T18:24:20.971-07:00Stand Up and Be CountedWatched Scorsese's Shutter Island last night on cable. A masterful piece of Kafka-esque paranoia vs conspiracy nightmare. I love stories that blur the line between reality and what the mind can perceive as real. I especially like 'double twists' at the end of movies.Ironic that the most outlandish of the paranoid delusions the DiCaprio character experiences are based on actual facts about the Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-1311225039167470842010-08-05T18:18:00.000-07:002010-08-05T18:26:21.440-07:00Seize the Writing DayI see Lindsay Lohan only did 14 days in prison, instead of the 90 she was supposed to. It's probably 14 days more than I could do. Horrible.But maybe it'll be good for her career. Not to be too flippant but it does seem to be that way with celebrities nowadays.Look at Robert Downey Jr. Started off in movies, forced to do TV for a while. Then a stretch in prison. Then back into movies - and now a Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-12036801424270824652010-07-29T20:38:00.000-07:002010-07-29T20:41:41.528-07:00That Competitive EdgeMany people are surprised that I write an article every week, just before I send it to you. They seem to think I have a store of them that I plunder for each weekly newsletter.Uh-uh. These are always hot off the press!That's why they're always relevant to now, this day, this week! (And sometimes have typos!)Writing is a habit that needs reinforcement. It's a good discipline - especially if you Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-8035483428931829062010-07-22T20:42:00.000-07:002010-07-22T20:44:24.248-07:00Inspiration PointI borrowed a book from the library, written by Ray Bradbury, called "Zen in the Art of Writing".It's so packed with great writing advice I'm almost loathe to finish it - because then I'll have to take it back!Writers often wonder about inspiration - and how to get good ideas for stories.And often, when writers start out, they wonder what kind of writer they're going to be - and what kind of Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-46675782779243137842010-07-15T19:10:00.000-07:002010-07-15T19:12:56.300-07:00Don't Have Time? Change Your MindHere's the thing: sometimes you have no idea how your writing will go when you start.Sometimes the thought of starting is so stressful, you'll do anything to avoid the work. But you have to get started. You need a time in your day when you always write. You need to train your brain into knowing what that time is. Then just turn up.And let the writing take care of itself.They say it takes about a Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-37236322915777691022010-07-08T19:25:00.000-07:002010-07-08T19:30:20.833-07:00Writing at the Pit FaceI hope you're well and happy and writing!We're releasing two more ebooks on Magellan this week. The success of the first two books has been a welcome and gratifying surprise to myself and the authors. Both Billie Williams and Ian Randall have received high praise for their books - and now have royalties due to them as a result!Why not send in your own ebook for us to publish? (See our FAQs)I'm Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-34270114672780850592010-07-01T19:16:00.000-07:002010-07-01T19:18:39.052-07:00Change the Way You Look at Things and the Things You Look at ChangeRecently I've changed the way I write fiction.You know me. For years I've been saying the best way to get past writing blocks is to write your first draft quickly. Get the words and the story down first and worry about the editing later.This process certainly works if you're having doubts about your ability to actually get a whole book written. The principle of letting go of your inner critic is Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-6161307909052950532010-06-26T18:29:00.000-07:002010-06-26T18:33:44.959-07:00Call for SubmissionsSometimes I wish there were clones of me. Then I could get everything done. One clone to write my novels. One clone to publish everyone's books. Another to submit short stories and screenplays. Another to do the housework and the gardening. And another to be a family man, focusing on looking after children instead of trying to be a creative dynamo.But then I think, what if the clones decided theyRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-87680482594858662572010-06-17T22:07:00.000-07:002010-06-17T22:10:17.652-07:00There's Always TomorrowWriting is a long term vocation. You may have to keep reminding yourself of this. Especially when you want everything - money, writing projects, publishing success - to go faster.Do you ever feel like this? I do.I read a guy's blog this week where he talked about burn-out. He was so determined to get a novel finished he wrote 16 hours a day for about three weeks. He said that suddenly he couldn'tRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-30718528025795903362010-06-10T21:57:00.000-07:002010-06-10T22:24:40.049-07:00The Future of PublishingIt's funny. Last week I was nervous about putting out a blog that was so down on the publishing industry.Little did I expect so many emails agreeing with me! And literally three days later, comes an article from the Wall Street Journal (no less) that basically said the same things.Fact is most insiders agree that the publishing industry is in trouble. Their inability to spot bestsellers - indeed Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-33496226443156175592010-06-03T18:52:00.001-07:002010-06-10T21:57:28.735-07:00The Trouble With WritingIt's hard enough to actually get the words on paper - but after that you have to do the self promotion thing. That's when you find out that, rather than the world clamoring to read you work, you're just one of thousands upon tens of thousands of writers in exactly the same place.Writing a book used to be the goal - that many splendorous achievement that marked you out as special. Now?Join the Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-37732769652504849112010-06-01T17:05:00.000-07:002010-06-01T17:07:47.373-07:00Elementary, My Dear SherlockOne of the most enduring of fictional characters would have to be Sherlock Holmes.So much so that many London tourists are surprised - and sometimes upset - to learn that, despite the master detective's fame and influence (and his real address at 221b Baker Street), Holmes is the imaginary creation of writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.What's fascinating about Sherlock Holmes is that he's almost too Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-63687983543969258322010-05-20T20:31:00.000-07:002010-05-21T17:01:06.260-07:00How Many Pages Did You Write Today?I saw this question posted on Facebook this week. Around 20 writers responded with anything from 3 to 30 pages, while quite a few bemoaned the fact they hadn't written any - and hated themselves (and the other writers) for it!Do you agonize over your daily page count?You really shouldn't.It's not the page count, or the word count that matters. It's turning up that's important. As long as you're Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-15223880888101574702010-05-13T19:49:00.000-07:002010-05-13T19:58:16.841-07:00Don't be Afraid of What You Don't KnowThings are fairly quiet around here at the moment, which is great because I'm working on a YA novel - not furiously, just a gentle couple of hours a day. I'm enjoying the process rather than approaching it like a competition.I'm also spending an hour a day editing the suspense novel I'm publishing soon. Again! Just trying to make sure it's the best it can be. I read a blog this week about a Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-22003509744756998212010-04-29T19:51:00.000-07:002010-04-29T19:53:25.383-07:00The OracleRob ParnellSeven keys to unlock your dreams, seven words you need to hold dear on your journey. They are:1. PassionYou cannot devote your life to anything without a passion for it. No amount of coulda, shoulda, woulda will help.If you don't know what your passion is, look for it, identify it. You'll know what it is when you feel warm inside and a smile touches your lips.Follow your passion.2. Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-38056710526410378312010-04-22T19:30:00.000-07:002010-04-22T19:32:21.472-07:00If You Want To Get Published, Edit Out the Literary You...Rob ParnellAs writers, we all know that careful editing makes the crucial difference between rejection and acceptance. Only a complete novice thinks that editing is not as important, if not more important, than the actual writing.For the purposes of this article, I'm assuming you know all the usual advice about editing for publication. If not, go here: http://easywaytowrite.com/Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-90464649817526689012010-04-15T22:20:00.000-07:002010-04-15T22:25:34.753-07:00Don't Think, WriteDo you ever have those days when you're feeling muzzy and unmotivated?You know how it is. Sometimes you feel you should write, but you don't feel like it. And even if you did, you're plagued by the thought you can't think of anything to write about.Or maybe you know you have an important scene or an article to write and you can't find the necessary impetus to get you started. Worse, you just Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-38991944392875215932010-04-08T19:29:00.000-07:002010-04-08T19:31:57.077-07:00When You Hate Your Own Writing...Rob ParnellIt's one of those bizarre phenomena - the way writers see-saw between a love/hate relationship with their own writing.You're in the throes of a story or an article - you don't want to stop because you're feeling inspired. Each word and phrase seems to resonate with profound meaning. The drama and/or the thought process seems to be unfolding well - and you're on a high. Finally, it Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-9246883954786031592010-03-25T19:33:00.001-07:002010-03-26T02:18:17.360-07:00Oh, to Write a Bestseller!Rob ParnellIt's every writer's dream.To write something that sells millions and pretty much guarantees you a place in history. Now that's sweet - the idea of it anyway.Of course, you have to remember it's every publisher's dream too. I read a publisher's blog recently that said that even in the US, it was rare for any author to sell more than a few hundred of their own books - and only then if Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-27769059214437707642010-03-18T21:26:00.000-07:002010-03-18T21:27:31.985-07:00What's That Knocking Sound?Rob ParnellWe've been busy these last couple of weeks going through staff applications and we've just started conducting interviews.It's fascinating to view so many different people and gain some appreciation and insight for their very different lives, hopes and dreams.As a writer, coming into contact with new people obviously fires my imagination and makes me think of characters I may not have Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-57162487211646494322010-03-11T18:40:00.000-08:002010-03-11T18:44:16.460-08:00There's Always a Book Inside of YouRob ParnellDo you ever have those days when you don't know what to write about? And worse, do those days turn into weeks and months, even years?You're not alone. I know this for a fact because people email me and send me letters about it all the time.According to most surveys, 80% of people feel they have a writer inside, someone who could - and thinks they should - write a book at some point in Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-43945687209041766032010-03-04T18:59:00.000-08:002010-03-04T19:00:21.930-08:00On Best SellersRob ParnellThe biggest selling book of all time is of course The Bible. Hardly surprising given its place and significance in our history. But, strictly speaking, the Bible doesn't count for our purposes because it's not supposed to be fiction (though some might disagree.)I want to restrict my study of the bestseller to fiction - because to me, any book about things that aren't obviously real, Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-82685066069726928922010-02-25T17:01:00.000-08:002010-02-25T17:02:20.658-08:00On Being a Modern WriterRob ParnellDoes anyone actually read articles anymore?I'm not sure.I know from my own experience that when I'm surfing the Net, I generally don't sit and read articles all the way through.For most of us the purpose of surfing is get information quickly. And reading off a screen can be tiring. So we tend to skim.Surfing is actually a good word for it. We rarely dive in and explore the sea of Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-19723671468125839482010-02-18T18:42:00.000-08:002010-02-18T18:43:35.944-08:00On Being a WriterRob ParnellI can't remember who said it but a writer once pointed out that nobody will ever miss something you didn't write.People don't walk around wishing they can find the genius they are unaware of, or the book that hasn't been written yet.It's the harshest reality a writer must face. That nobody really cares whether you finish your novel or magnum opus - or whether you even work on it at allRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-65160384559187201962010-02-04T17:37:00.000-08:002010-02-04T17:38:45.057-08:00Who's Your Main Antagonist?Rob ParnellWhen writing fiction, writers are forced to consider the protagonist and his or her agenda. We need to ask what our hero's goals are and where they want to end up as people.Now usually, there is an antagonist whose desire to thwart the hero's goals is at least as strong, if not stronger than the hero's.But what about writers themselves? Who is their main antagonist?Alas - usually Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-79965287003969103292010-01-28T17:44:00.001-08:002010-01-28T17:44:48.030-08:00Submitting MSS - An OverviewRob ParnellIt's weird to me that I still get asked, probably three or four times a week, how does a writer get published?My suspicion is that, given the Internet age, young writers especially assume there is some quick and easy solution out there - some secret that need only be discovered - and that the answer can't be so obvious.Because the answer is obvious - and it's the same as it was ten Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-34322754775363984962010-01-21T19:46:00.001-08:002010-01-21T19:48:44.945-08:00Interview With Doc HollywoodRob ParnellWhen we launched The Hollywood Connection last Monday, we got a slew of questions from new subscribers to this fabulous - dare I say - unique opportunity.I felt it was important for Doc himself to answer those questions himself. Here they are:Question 1: Why the anonymity, Doc? I'd really like to know who you are.Doc: I understand your wanting to know. I would too. But while developingRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-40443553143534092292010-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:002010-01-14T17:56:33.499-08:00The Four QuestionsRob ParnellI bought some software last night to help us constructing stories.In the help file I found a useful note on the four questions we need to ask ourselves about a story before we start writing. These questions help clarify our idea and also let us know whether we have a story that is compelling enough to start work on.Many ideas falter at this stage - which can useful because doubt can Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-76756700981270680692010-01-07T20:33:00.000-08:002010-01-07T20:35:07.029-08:00New Year - New StuffRob ParnellDo you spend this time of year thinking about all the things you HAVEN'T done?I do. Take this morning - I woke up dreaming about a fiction project I'd forgotten I started a couple of years ago. What is wrong with me, I thought. I never seem to stop and congratulate myself over the things I have done - only punish myself for projects left undone. Is this just me - or is this part of theRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-76845672400764789922009-12-17T21:49:00.000-08:002009-12-17T21:50:54.319-08:00Character CluesRob ParnellOur lovely assistant Elyse suggested I write an article about characters in fiction this week. Which was just as well because I was planning an examination of quantum field dynamics - something I'm sure would have sent everyone to sleep!Anyway, as you'll know if you've followed my teaching in the Art of Story and my Easy Writing System, fictional characters are different from us.WhilstRob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898388548277234191.post-1332392944077339392009-12-10T20:23:00.000-08:002009-12-10T20:24:54.163-08:00What's a Writer to Do, Rob?Rob ParnellThere's really only one way to achieve success in writing and it's very simple to learn: to keep writing!I know this is my call sign - but it exists for a reason. It's based on my experience of watching thousands of writers over the years. The truth of it is very basic. That is, the Universe favors those who do not give up.It's obvious really. If you set out on a path and commit to it,Rob Parnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08790351787884199634noreply@blogger.com2