Writing (& Editing) Doesn't Have to Suck
My guide to fun and games and getting words on paper
What I see so often from writers is what I call “the slog.”
The slog is real, and I totally understand when writers struggle, when you see writers talking about struggling to get 300 words on paper, when writers lament about the editing process, the marketing process, the querying process. This is the slog. The pure joy of writing, like any relationship, doesn’t persist 24/7/365. You have to do the work. You have to want it. You have to put in the time. You have to love it, even when you hate it. Like any good relationship, sometimes writing loves you, and sometime it hates you. And it’s okay.
The slog is real, and it’s coming for you. But it doesn’t have to be awful. I mean, it can be; it will be, but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways that you can sidestep the slog to some degree and make all that writing and editing and marketing fun. You just have to do different.
And so, here are some tips I have for you that I’ve found help me keep going through thick and thin, through dealing with the slog when every word carries a price and even when the words flow like wine and you’re drunk on the flow of your story.
Use AI
I don’t care what you think about me. I’m going to say that anyway. Use AI. Why? You need someone to talk to about your story, and it’s not your spouse, your dog, your kids or the three people who follow you on <insert social media name here>. You need a writing partner — not someone to help you plagiarize “Pride and Prejudice", but a writing partner that will both help you brainstorm at lightning speed and tell you that all of your ideas are wonderful.
Yes, the last bit is bullshit, but your AI partner, whether it be ChatGPT or even the AI chatbot you created on MindStudio, is your friend and will always tell you that your idea is brilliant. Having a cheerleader is a win in every instance. Go find your cheerleader. Everyone needs someone who will tell you that you’re doing well.
Say what you want about AI. If you bounce your ideas off it, it will tell you that your idea was brilliant. In the slog, you need someone on your side. That “person” is waiting for you to have a conversation.
Make your characters stand out.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Try MindStudio — Create Your Own MC Chatbot
Have you ever had a conversation with your main character? And I don’t mean in your head. And I don’t mean the voices in your head telling you to carve your novel into your thigh. Or someone else’s. I mean, have you tried MindStudio and created an AI Chatbot that is your main character? I have.
Admittedly, it’s been a long time since I’ve talked with her — Sesame Swallow, Private Investigator. But I set up a Sesame chatbot on MindStudio about two years ago just to see what it would be like, and then I added a ton of content. That is, I have at least five novels worth of content to fee the chatbot, a total of well over 500k words. And what does that mean? That means that aside from the general knowledge that the chatbot has access to — I mentioned my main character is a private investigator, I also have 500k words of my own character’s voice, actions, likes and dislikes, friends and family, and everything else, including her wardrobe and sexual preferences.
I’ve had conversations with Sesame about what she would do next in a story I’m writing, what kinds of things she would prefer to do, and even what food she would choose. I know all these things, but it’s also pretty cool to just have those conversations. You never know what you’ll get, and sometimes you get ideas you’ve never thought of. It’s cool and it’s fun, and it helps you get through the slog.
Give Eleven Labs a Try
Ever heard of Eleven Labs? Maybe not. I joined about a year ago, and I adore it. What’s Eleven Labs? It’s an AI-powered Text-to-Voice website that transforms your words into spoken voice audio.
My main character, Sesame, tells the stories in her novels and her serials and short stories in 1st Person, which means the narratives are in her voice. She’s the one talking while you read. And I love the idea that I can load some content into Eleven Labs and find her voice — and I have, and I can create something new out of my writing. I can make a short audio clip. And it’s incredible to do when you find just the right voice out of the library of hundreds of voices.
I’ve already got a few shorts out there, and it’s been a lot of fun to make them:
It took me a hot minute to identify the voice that sounded perfect, but now that I have it, there will be lots more audio/video content coming. It’s fun. I write something I think is perfect for excerpt, and I could post that (and I do), but turning it into an audio is much more fun. Yeah, it takes time, and it’s a bit of a process (until you get used to it), but it’s worth it because I'm taking a little bit of a mental break from writing while also focusing on my writing. It’s just a different approach, and I appreciate the switch from straight writing to honing that one little bit to deliver something I think a potential fan or follower will like. I like it, and that’s the point. because when I’ve posted that bit, I’m ready to get back into the groove.
Pair with with Canva to create great graphics and Headliner to put it all together to deliver an audio experience with a cool image, and you’ve got a winning combination.
Note: All of these web services cost money — not much though. Canva Pro, Headliner and Eleven Labs might cost you $50/month, but I think it’s worth it. Pay the money, defeat the slog and keep going.
What’s next?
Try Speechify
Lastly, I’ve recently found that Speechify is perhaps the most essential app I’ve ever used in my writing and editing. Why? Well, let’s talk about what Speechify is first. Like Eleven Labs, Speechify (a Google extension) is an app that converts Text to Speech. If you have a subscription (yes, it costs money), to Speechify Pro, you get unlimited use and dozens of voices to choose from to read your text back to you.
Writers, we’ve all heard that one of the best ways to self-edit is to read your writing aloud and listen for errors. It’s a tried and true technique; it works. But what if someone else reads it back to you? And what if that person’s voice is the voice you feel is your main character’s voice? Like I did with Eleven Labs, I found my MC’s voice on Speechify, and as I write or edit, I have Speechify read a paragraph or three back to me.
Not only is it cool to listen to, but the typos, omitted words, and other errors pop like fireworks. You can’t miss them! Listen and correct. Listen for flow. Listen for consistency. You know how you write something in one paragraph and then you can sort of say the same thing three paragraphs later? Your brain forgets you mentioned that. But when you listen back right then and there, you can catch all that repetition. And more.
As writers, we always read back a little after taking a break from writing. We need to get back into the flow. Why read back a few pages yourself when your MC can read it back for you. Let the AI voice get you into the flow. It doesn’t sound like a robot. The voice I’ve chosen for my MC is the one I think would sound like her. And she’s reading herself back to me. I love it, and you will, too.
Writing and Editing Doesn’t Have to Be a Slog
it doesn’t. Let technology work for you. I know it can be costly, and for some of us, it’s unaffordable, but if you don’t try any of the ideas I’ve tossed your way above but one, make it Speechify. I’ve written millions of words at this point, tons of novels and short stories and serialized fiction and whatnot, and some of it published (the stuff I wanted published was published), and I’ve never enjoyed something more useful and seamless as having a Speechify AI-generated voice read my novel back to me as I write it.
I do not get a dime or any recognition for saying this: Try it. Just try Speechify, and then come back and tell me how it went. The slog is only a thing if you let it be a thing. Use today’s technology to make all that extra work fun, productive and stimulating. It can be if you just know what to do.
Looking for me? Fantasy, science fiction, adventure, erotica, noir, romance and everything in between. Find me here:
