How To Think Sideways is all about digging in, tipping everything you thought you knew about writing on its side, learning techniques that will make your writing FLY.
It takes time, but you get amazing results.
When you’re sitting in the MIDDLE of a writing problem, what you really want is a quick fix to get you over THIS hurdle, right now.
So…
You told me where things were going wrong—what your writing problems were.
Now take a look at what that turned into…
I recognized your problems as I read through them. At one time or another, I’ve hit them. If you write long enough, you will.
I didn’t have time to live with them or suffer through them, though, because if I didn’t write, we didn’t eat. So I fixed them. And I was willing to try some pretty strange shit to do it.
Now I’m going to show YOU what worked.
Here are just a few of the high-speed, maximum-intensity workshops you’ll be getting in HTTS Ultra—crunchy little morsels you can plug into your worst writing problems instantly—no theory, no fluff, just the fix you need whenever you need it:
- Get Beyond The Blinking Cursor
Get words—good words—on the page in just minutes, without anxiety, without dread, without second-guessing yourself, without struggling for the ONE perfect word, or sentence, or paragraph your mind insists you must have. - “But I’ll Never Be Shakespeare…”
Stall out because you compare yourself to writers you aren’t and never will be? Here’s a quick and dirty solution to stop THAT little problem dead in its tracks. - Defenestrate The Dwindling, Superfluous Self-Aggrandizement Of Perambulating Verbosity
Description dragging your story through frozen molasses? This quickie will pitch the blather out the window in a hurry. - “I Can’t Make Myself Write.”
If this is your problem, I have a fix. I call this one the “Ice Water” exercise. It’s a shocker. - Cure Hummingbird Brain
Write, delete, backup, fidget… New idea—“Hey, that’s cool,”—new character magically appears… “SQUIRREL!”—glass of water, check the email… Sound familiar? This frikkin’ defines me. Here’s how I fight it—and win—every damn day. - Fix Day-Week-Month Stalls
You’re moving along at a steady page, getting your daily word count…until you hit a story problem. And you stop to figure it out…only the quick stop turns into a day…a week, a month… This one is an EASY fix. - Conquer Wild Bob, The Plot Destroyer So you have this out-of-control character, and he insists that your story is going to go HIS way, in spite of the fact that HIS way bears no resemblance to the story you want to write. You have some new alternatives to get him to toe the line. He won’t like them. But you will.
- Create Lightning Conflict for Every Situation
Struggling with what conflict is, how it works, or how to get it into your story now? I once plotted an entire novel using JUST this trick. (Deadlines, again, and howling desperation). - Break the Perfectionist Freeze
Can’t write anything because it doesn’t turn out perfect the first time through? Yeah. I remember that. You may have to repeat this exercise, but you’ll get wonderful first-draft words when you’re done.
And many more…
But not today. 😀 The rest will wait until the launch.
I am looking soooooo forward to this! Thanks a TON, Holly!
Thank you thank you THANK YOU Holly! Conflict and distraction, major roadblocks. So much looking forward to this.
Oh, thank you, Holly! I cant wait. Now if I can just give myself permission to write…
Thanks Holly, great to find tools to teach an old dog new tricks!
Looking forward to it!
Hallelujah I can’t wait!
“I Can’t Make Myself Write.” Hummingbird Brain ….. “SQUIRREL!” This frikkin’ defines me.
This is literally what I was doing when I was reading this email from you. I was running away from my writing by all my distractions.
Yay!!!! Holly!
Boy I sure need the ones you mentioned.
CAN’T wait!!
Holly you did it again!!! You never fail to amaze us with the great ideas you have to help writers. Looking forward to these coming out
I know that’s a partial list, but that list hits both my major road blocks (momentum and ‘ooh, shiny’) in just about the exact way I think of them! The ‘hummingbird brain cure’ alone would be worth its weight in gold for me! 😀
OK, im in. When?
This sounds very helpful!
I’m always struggling with “I Can’t Make Myself Write.”, an issue thatis flanked by “Perfectionist Freeze” and “SQUIRREL” (well, toddler, baby, housework, squirrel, toddler, e-mail, …) 🙂
I’m looking forward to the new lessons and very grateful for you being such a creative and inspiring teacher!
That is awesome! 🙂
I’m so excited, I can hardly wait for HTTS Ultra to come out. Sitting on the edge of my seat waiting.
This looks terrific, Holly. Can hardly wait until we see the whole production number. Rehearsals WOW us now.
I think you just gave every writer their birthday presents for all time early. Holly, these are fantastic!
I am so looking forward to reading all!
Well, that was a nice tease, but it wasn’t a sneak peek. I didn’t learn anything about your solutions – only that you have some.
Sneak peak, noun. The opportunity to see something before it is officially available.
Whether that “something” is the entire thing, the first chapter, the table of contents, the dedication, or the pterodactyl illustration that will be randomly dispersed throughout the final product, if you are seeing it before it is officially available, it is a sneak peak.
SNOOPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!
I know it will be great. Can’t hardly wait. I’m all a quiver.
Regards,
Lisa
want want want want yesssssss
Feels like Christmas all over again! This sounds amazing. Can’t wait for these new goodies to go live.
Thank you!
Holly, this looks awesome! Can’t wait!
Standing O….Applause! Applause! Squirrel! (LOL)
Sounds awesome! I can’t wait – thank you so much, Holly!
Oooooohhhhh….
*salutes*
Holly, you always go above and beyond with your teaching. I was secretly worried you’d pick a topic for this that I wouldn’t get anything from. I should’ve known better. This looks fantastic. It’s a whole Snap-On tool truck! 😀 Thank you sooo much.
Fan-freakin-tastic! Thanks Holly! Can’t wait!
Yeah! I learned a new word today. And other great things to look forward to.
Squee! I’m really excited about this!
Great product Holly. I can see how this would be so helpful in the midst of the writing. Looking forward to it’s release.
WOW! And I love this: “Defenestrate The Dwindling, Superfluous Self-Aggrandizement Of Perambulating Verbosity” 🙂
So excited! 🙂
*like* Looking forward to this one’s emergence. Yay!
So looking forward to all of them! (And I love that you said “shit” in your post.)
Thank you so much. I am so excited for this new launch!
You are such a brilliant writer, teacher and communicator – all the skills, talents and capacities, plus you’ve been there. I’m a non-fiction speculative ideas-y type writer, but everything you say seems to apply there too.
I’m in the UK. WHAT’s the cost of joining the class.
Thanks. Very grateful.
Pat
Yes! I can’t believe how many of my own writing problems I recognize in this list. Thank you, Holly!
Can’t wait!
Oh wow. That hits several issues I have! Discipline, Squirrel, & Bob the Destroyer, especially. I hope you plan on selling this one separate from the HTTS course too, because I am sure you’d sell a bunch of copies!
I’m so excited! You’ve nailed all the struggles I’ve had, and I can’t wait to find out the quick and dirty fixes. :-). Thanks, Holly!
Wow!! This sounds fabulous Holly!
I see myself in the list above… see me here..! thats the hummingbird thing… and me not writing 🙂
Looking forward to this one.
So excited for this. Thank you so much Holly!
Sounds awesome!!!
Looks and sounds fantastic. Am stalling right now and don’t now how to get out of this trap, might just be that I wait for your help…
Awesome! I’m excited to get started…again.
Oh look – a SQUIRREL!!!!
Yep, it looks great. Can’t wait to participate.
must check email….
Hi Holly just read through what you are putting in the Ultra course and you have knocked the ball out of the park with the wonderful extras you are adding.
These all look so great! Super excited for them, and very appreciative of all your hard work, thanks Holly.
Awesome! Plug and play. Very cool stuff Holly.
I especially look forward to the “Create Lightning Conflict for Every Situation”. 🙂
It’s look very exciting. Thank you, Holly!
This is going to be awesome!