No, I’m not talking computer viruses… I’m talking that other dreadful predicament that faces every writer at one point or another: the old brain freeze. Drawing a blank.

The bad kind of Writer’s Block.

Writer’s block.

Despite a mind that’s full of ideas, always mulling over something, I sat down at the computer to write this post and I had… nothing. Nothing, I tell you. This was doomed to be the Seinfeld of blog posts. So, like my old writing teacher used to say: write what you know! Which means, today I’ll look at some of my favorite ways to battle the Blank Screen of Death (before ending up like that unfortunate follow there on the right…).

• Step away from the Internet. I repeat, put down that mouse and back away slowly!
  Yeah, you know what I’m talking about, right? You flip open the laptop, chug back some coffee, fire up MS Word… and there’s that little Safari icon, beckoning. Like a junkie, you figure — just one click. One. That’s all. I’ll check my email, pop over to Twitter, maybe a quick Facebook status update (clearly I’m working if I tell everyone I am, right?!?). Next thing you know, you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of Yahoo! News (Kim Kardashian wore what? where?) and you’re Googling how to make homemade body scrub (handful of coffee grounds, sea salt, brown sugar and some olive or coconut oil — total mess, but exfoliates like a dream!). Short of engaging in electro-shock therapy (or buying that software that shuts down your web connection entirely), I simply tell myself I’m not allowed to make that click until I’ve achieved some sort of objective. Nothing like the burning need to read yet another friend’s “Some eCard” to get me going, which leads me to…
• Reward yourself.
  Back in my corporate days, there were always little pats on the back for a job well done. Office parties. Performance reviews. Bonuses. Being self-employed doesn’t mean we stopped deserving recognition. In fact, we may need it even more now — cause if we don’t do it, who will? So I set goals for myself — finish one chapter, get a mocha at Starbucks; polish off a whole book, time for a pedicure and new shoes to show it off! Of course, if that doesn’t work, sometimes it’s necessary to…
• Change the scenery.
  Amazing how a good drive, walk, trip to the gym or nice hot shower can clear the mind and get those creative juices flowing. In fact, I often get my best ideas while in motion or surrounded by steam. (Needless to say, thanks to my writing endeavors, I’m quite fit. And clean. And lately, smelling an awful lot like a Frappuccino. The dog won’t stop licking me.) And when all else fails…
• Just Do It!
  I like to imagine whoever came up with that Nike slogan was some poor stumped advertising exec who, after staring at the Blank Screen of Death for too long, simply banged his or her head against the desk and yelled “Just DO IT already!!!” — and a legend was born. Because sometimes, just doing it is the only thing you can do. There comes a point when it’s time to stop over-thinking things and put a word on paper. Type something — anything. Getting that first word out is often like pulling your finger from the proverbial hole in the dam. Boom! The rest of the words start flowing. Suddenly, there’s an outline. A chapter. A story… A, ahem, blog post.

Yep, I think now I’ve earned one of these:

So, tell me — how do you battle writer’s block? Let me know in the comments below. And then, for Pete’s sake, quit procrastinating and get back to work… .

Jan Gangsei has become such a regular at her neighborhood Starbucks, the baristas not only have her coffee ready the minute she walks in — they’ve also been known to deliver it to her if she happens to be in the shop next door. She’s beginning to think perhaps she rewards herself a little too much…

I’m currently under deadline, knee-deep in revisions on one of my work-for-hire projects, so forgive me if this is a somewhat shorter than usual post. (Um yeah, stop clapping, I know you were looking forward to a long, rambling missive!)

Anyway, one of the great things about having your work professionally edited is that… well, it’s being edited by professionals. Not necessarily a process for the faint of heart. But I’ll admit I actually like it. It’s very educational to have somebody else point out where your dialogue falls flat and the plot wavers… and the times you fall back on writerly tics and crutches. You know what I mean — the eye rolls, shrugs and spine-creeping chills that fill in for actual descriptions of annoyance, apathy and fear. I’ve gotten pretty good at catching when I’m overdoing those. But now it seems I’ve come up with a new tic. Apparently, I like! Exclamation points! A lot!!!

As soon as my editors pointed this out to me, I had to cringe. Because what they were saying was true. My manuscript was riddled with those pesky things. Somehow, in my zeal to make sure readers knew what the characters were saying was REALLY! I MEAN, REALLY! IMPORTANT!!! I felt the need to throw an exclamation on every other statement. And fixing it hasn’t been as simple as changing exclamations to periods, either. Because the thing about writerly crutches… we use them when we’re lazy. Or uninspired. Or just plain out of ideas. I didn’t need to over punctuate to highlight the importance of a character’s words… I needed to make sure the words themselves conveyed that importance. Exclamations are okay — in moderation. Otherwise, they begin to feel flat. It’s the writerly equivalent of having someone yell everything they say directly in your ear. After a while, it all starts to sounds the same. Not to mention, loud.

So what are your characters guilty of? Do they shrug so much they need neck massages daily? Do their eye rolls make them look like human slot machines? Fess up in the comments below. There’s no judging here on the Mixed-Up Files.

As for me, I’m getting back to editing! Er, I mean, I’m going to rid my manuscript of all those darn exclamations. And maybe next up, I’ll do something about my burgeoning love affair with ellipses…

Jan Gangsei admits she’s a naturally exuberant sort of person. But she’ll try to save the exclamation points for things that are really important. Like cookies!

Pop quiz: Nancy Drew, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Sweet Valley High, The Warriors… what do these have in common?

Yes, they are all wildly popular middle grade and young adult series — but that’s not all. They were also penned by “ghostwriters.” Wait… What? my inner 11-year-old asks? Carolyn Keene was not an actual person?!?

Well, my grown-up writer self asks — then how do *I* become Carolyn Keene?

The answer: writing work-for-hire.

Recently, I signed on to write a 3-book MG work-for-hire project with the fantastic London-based book packager Working Partners Ltd. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d like to share what I’ve learned so far about WFH with my fellow writers and readers:

1. Not all work-for-hire is created equal:  You don’t have to look much farther than the whole James Frey “fiction-factory” thing to recognize this. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t good opportunities out there. Work-for-hire projects run the gamut — some pay only a flat fee, others offer royalties; some give credit, others don’t. It’s important to weigh your options and make sure any project you take on is worth your time and effort (whether financially or as an experience to grow as a writer). I really like Working Partners because they do offer advances, royalties and credit. Plus, I am working with an incredibly talented team of editors who are all published children’s authors in their own right.
2. Work-for-hire is not for everyone:  Just as not every job is the same, it takes a certain type of writer to succeed at (and enjoy!) writing work-for-hire. You need to like working collaboratively. You also have to enjoy working within the confines of someone else’s idea/plot/characters. While some writers find this limiting, for me, it’s actually kind of freeing. Instead of worrying about what is going to happen, I get to think about how it happens and focus on voice, character development and dialogue, which I love. Also, if you are a fast writer, work-for-hire is a great way to fill the gaps between your own projects (and get paid for it!).

So how do I sign up, you ask? Well, there are a few different ways to break in to WFH. My agent connected me with my current job; however, there are packagers and publishers who work with unagented writers, as well (Working Partners is one). The process usually looks something like this:

1. The sample:  Typically, book packagers or publishers will ask interested authors to provide a writing sample to see if you are a fit with any current or future projects. This is the Working Partners sample submission page. Capstone Books also does MG and other work-for-hire. And here’s a great round-up of WFH links from blogger/writer Chandler Marie Craig.
2. The audition:  If the packager or publisher decides you might be a good fit for a project, they will ask you to “audition.” This generally consists of writing a portion of the proposed project (for my current MG work I was asked to write the first three chapters of the first book). Typically, other authors will be asked to try out as well. The packager and/or publisher then selects the author they think captures the story best.
3. Writing the project:  If you win the audition (yay!), now it’s time to get writing. Generally you’ll be given a story line, complete with characters and often with a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of how the action should play out. Turnaround times on work-for-hire projects are typically short. My latest project, a 20,000 word MG novel, was due in seven weeks. I now have a two-week window to edit and revise. Once that’s turned in, I’ll get the story line for the next book in the series — and another seven weeks to crank that out.
4. Publication! (double-yay!)

As with all things in the publishing world, there are ups and downs writing work-for-hire. But all in all, I have found it a great way to gain writing experience, work with some amazingly talented people, and do what I love to do — write.

If you have any work-for-hire experiences, suggestions or links you’d like to share, please do so in the comments below. Or, if you have any questions about the process, feel free to post them and I will answer as best I can. And Happy Thanksgiving, everyone — hope this year has given you much to be thankful for!

Jan Gangsei is in the process of revising her second book for a really cool new MG series from Working Partners, Ltd., but she will be taking some time off tomorrow to stuff her face with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy .