As a published author who has attended numerous writers groups and writers conferences over the last decade, I’ve heard lots of excuses about why people don’t write. Some of them I’ve even heard coming from myself! For fun, I came up with a list of 101 excuses why people don’t write that book they say they are always going to write. See what you think.

1. No one will want to read it anyway.

2. I’m not good enough.

3. I don’t have time to be creative.

4. I have to take care of everybody else first.

5. I’m just too busy to go on book tours.

6. The sun is in my eyes.

7. Starbucks has run out of coffee.

8. I don’t know what to write about.

9. No one will understand me.

10. I don’t think I can handle success.

11. I don’t think I can handle failure.

12. If my parents had encouraged/would encourage me more, I could do this.

13. If my spouse/children/teachers/friends would encourage me more, I could do this.

14. Writers are naval-gazers.

15. I like money too much to become a starving artist.

16. It takes too long to learn to write well.

17. I don’t like criticism.

18. There’s a ballgame on.

19. I don’t like to read.

20. My twitter followers need me to tweet about what I had for lunch.

21. See #1 on the list (it’s worth repeating).

22. The spell-check on my computer is set to British English.

23. I don’t want to have to promote my own book.

24. I don’t really have anything to say.

25. Everybody says I should write a book, but I don’t believe them.

26. See # 7.

27. I want to save on electricity.

28. I can’t find the pencil sharpener I used in 3rd grade.

29. The back of this envelope isn’t big enough.

30. I can’t afford the gasoline to drive to Starbucks.

31. There are no comfortable chairs in my house.

32. It’s too cold.

33. It’s too hot.

34. My facebook friends need me to post something every 5 minutes.

35. I work fulltime.

36. I’m already better than all those bozos writing today.

37. If I can’t have fame and fortune, I don’t want to bother.

38. Writing is the get-rich-slow-or-not-at-all plan.

39. 99% of all writers get their work rejected by publishers.

40. I’ll do it when I have more time to devote to it.

41. I’ll do it when the kids are grown.

42. I’ll do it after my divorce is final.

43. I’ll do it after I am independently wealthy.

44. I’ll do it after I get everything finished with the house.

45. I’ll do it after everybody I want to write about is dead.

46. I need my down time.

47. Most of the writer’s I know are mentally unbalanced.

48. I’m too tired.

49. My neighbors are too loud.

50. Is that a dog barking?

51. I need to go out to get a drink with my neighbors.

52. I have a cut on my finger.

53. My back hurts.

54. My ghostwriter has disappeared.

55. Sarah Palin has already said it all.

56. John Grisholm doesn’t answer my emails.

57. Oprah’s show has ended, so my book won’t be a book club pick.

58. I don’t have anything to wear to the Academy Awards.

59. My cat won’t get off my lap.

60. repeat # 6.

61. I need to wash my car.

62. Somebody’s got to make a living.

63. The coffee shop doesn’t carry my brand of tea.

64. My writer’s group is full of critics.

65. Writer’s conferences are a racket.

66. I have a cramp in my big toe.

67. It’s that time of the month.

68. My bowling team will think I’m a sissy.

69. I won’t have anyone to sit next to at the National Book Awards.

70. I’m shy.

71. I need to make a list of excuses for my blog readers so maybe they’ll laugh and maybe even buy my books.

72. I can’t afford to live in New York City where all the famous writers live.

73. I don’t have time to find an agent.

74. Creativity is over-rated.

75. I’m sleep-deprived.

76. Hemingway killed himself.

77. I don’t have enough self-esteem.

78. I’m a woman.

79. I’m a man.

80. I’m not white.

81. I’m not a person of color.

82. I’m thirsty.

83. Time to eat.

84. I need to see who wins American Idol.

85. I secretly find myself boring and have absolutely nothing to say.

86. Virginia Woolf drowned herself.

87. I don’t want to become an alcoholic.

88. I don’t want to give up drinking.

89. I’m much better than a lot of writers out there; they’ll be jealous.

90. I don’t like competition.

91. The publishing companies only want stories about vampires.

92. No one is getting published these days.

93. I ran out of my medication.

94. If I had had a better childhood, I could do this.

95. My therapist is on vacation for the next two months.

96. I have to write the next great American novel.

97. I’ve never read a great American novel.

98. see # 83 and repeat.

99. I don’t like writers.

100. Is there an app for this?

Now add your own number one excuse for not writing that book, poem, article, screenplay, or other creative endeavor:

101. ——————————

Are there any excuses from the list that you particularly resonate with? We all make excuses. But let’s face it, excuses are boring, and my guess is that you really do have something to say. So why don’t we collectively bury all those excuses in a cyber box in our cyber backyards and get on with it, shall we?

Susan Gabriel is an author of fiction for adults and children. Her latest book, Seeking Sara Summers, is gaining acclaim in diverse circles. More info at http://www.susangabriel.com. Gabriel works and plays in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Welcome to the October 13, 2010 edition of the book marketing blog carnival. We welcome your submissions on any topic related to writing, publishing or marketing books. See the end of this post for links to submit your blog posts for the next carnival. Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., October 27, 2010. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., October 25, 2010.

Marketing and Online Marketing

Dana Lynn Smith presents Selling Books for Ebook Readers – The Savvy Book Marketer posted at The Savvy Book Marketer.

Penny Sansevieri presents How to Double Your Book Sales on Your Website posted at Selling Books saying, “The key to success is to offer a bonus or package that is valuable to your customers. Get the details on how to do that in this post.”

Sarah Bolme presents A Marketing Paradox posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Dana Lynn Smith presents Why Should People Buy Your Book? – The Savvy Book Marketer posted at The Savvy Book Marketer.

george lapierre presents How Do I get Started On My Article Marketing Campaign posted at lotofmoneyhomebiz, saying, “Article Marketing Campaigns, Keyword Phrases and Written Content 5 Tips to help you with your Article Marketing Campaign 1. Remember that the standard of the”

Jim Logan presents Why your prospective customer’s view of the world is more important than yours posted at Jim Logan, saying, “There’s one worldview that matters most when it comes to lead generation, sales, and selling — the prospective customer’s.”

loomis1324 presents Conversion Optimization Basics posted at Success Demands Action, saying, “Conversion Optimization Origin? Conversion Optimization was created out of the need to increase the conversion rate of a websites traffic. Because of all the online competition the websites with the better conversion optimization campaign will ultimately create more sales per customer/accomplish call to actions.”

Other

Michael Erins presents Top 50 Book Club Blogs to Inspire and Learn From posted at Masters in Education, saying, “If you love a great book and you love to discuss books with others, chances are you’ve already found a local book club to join. But sometimes new ideas can be hard to come by. The article has listed interesting book club blogs that will enlighten and inspire your own book club experience.”

Barb Friedberg presents The 20 Minute Guide to Investing is HERE! posted at Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance, saying, “See how I market my free online eBook. Check out the book to learn how to create your own.”

Reviews

Read Aloud … Dad presents Today’s read aloud: The gruffalo posted at Read Aloud … Dad, saying, “Children’s book reviews and read aloud impressions from a Dad and his twins. We are reviewing what we read aloud and recommending whether you should Buy, Loan or Pass on the books.”

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Generation Earn: A Guide To Spending, Investing and Giving Back (Book Review) posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Thanks!”

Writing and Publishing

Joel Friedlander presents Self-Publishers Start Here: The Indie Publishing Life — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

David Bricker presents Eight Tips for Better Book Cover Design posted at Selling Books saying, “Here are some simple book cover typography tips for designers and do-it-yourselfers.”

Anastasia Valentine presents Journey from Idea to Print #1 posted at My Pempek Publishing.

Andy Skinner presents Astrojammies | Demibooks posted at Demibooks, saying, “Astrojammies is an interactive children’s book for iPad, written and illustrated by Stacey Williams-Ng, and developed by Demibooks Inc. We’re keeping a detailed blog of the creative process and technologies used in bringing it to life.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of book marketing carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Every writer needs a good collection of books and some software in their writer’s library.

Each writer will have his or her own favorite writing books. Numerous books on writing are available for various stores and online. Writers are free to choose whichever ones work for them.

Anyone that wants to be a writer needs some of the following books in his or her library:

A good dictionary, like the Merriam-Webster Collegiate
A good Thesaurus

The Chicago Manual of Style

If you write journalistic articles, or web content, a current Associated Press Guide to Newswriting.

If you write academic writing, a current MLA and APA may need to be in your library.

All writers should also consider a copy of Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

For those writers that wish to write Science Fiction, consider an old book, The Engines of the Night by Barry N. Malzberg (It is an out of print book, but you may be able to find a copy.)

The best thing any writer can do to help them learn their craft, it to READ in the genre you want to write.

On a personal note: A program called WordWeb Pro is a very helpful program which I use often.

Also, consider subscribing to Merriam-Webster online. For $29.95, you have access to a number of dictionaries, a thesaurus, and an encyclopedia online. You can sign up at Merriam-Webster Online.

Many publishers want documents in Word 97-2003 Document. If you happen to have Microsoft Office 2007, you have to option to save as Word 97-2003. It seems the Word 2007 has its own extension that some people may have trouble reading with older versions of Word.

Robert Medak built a website where he offers his services, and maintains five blogs. He also maintains two blogs for AllBook Reviews,
and does marketing for AllBooks. Robert created a social networking site for freelance writers at Ning.com. He keeps it an invitation only site to keep spammers out, he has been plagued enough with spammers in other writers’ sites where he is a member. He also maintains a critique group at Yahoo Groups called “critiquings”. Robert created a course for writers at Writers’ Village University (WVU) which he has facilitated, he has facilitated other courses at WVU. He also helped establish a Creative Writing Workshop at WVU.

Website: http://stormywriter.com or blog, http://rjmedak.wordpress.com/.