Joe Walters from Independent Book Review asked his subscribers to send their favorite writing hack, or tips. I replied, and my response inspired today’s post. I figured that you might be curious about what motivates me to write or inspires my story telling, when there’s no looming deadline or boss to appease. Here’s the scoop… Writing is often as simple as putting my butt on a chair, and opening my computer, even when I don’t know what comes next with my story. Without a 9-5 job, or a time clock to punch, who cares how long I let my laptop sleep? My cat cares. Hana loves it when I pull my laptop snug against my abdomen. That’s exactly the kind of challenge she lives for, and she must wedge herself between me and my keyboard come rainbow bridge or high water. I begin by editing what I wrote the day before, to insert myself in the scene. Sometimes inspiration quietly arrives, and when I reach the end, I keep going. If words are elusive, and I can only spit up a strangled sentence or two, I go back even further and edit again. Instead of always be closing, my motto is always be editing. Although I wish I could be a tough salesman like Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross. I’d certainly sell more books! But what happens when I’ve finished editing and words still won’t breach the ether? If all else fails, I take a book and go for a walk where there are towering trees and a lot of benches to sit and read upon. Inspiration can’t resist a good bench. Distraction attracts words. But don’t forget a notepad or a phone to collect wayward ideas. If you don’t write them down, the ether will slurp them back into the literary stew. Research. Live. You can’t write if you aren’t living well. You need to be out and about, learning from experiences, letting happy accidents happen, listening to the conversations of strangers, and traveling out of your comfort zone. Specific book research counts as writing time in my book. And sometimes it is okay to sit on your couch and read several witches’ grimoires to help fuel my upcoming book The Savannah Book of Spells. Or to research archeology online like I did for The Levitation Game. But being a couch potato won’t help you become a better writer. Living will help. Get out there. Of course, it helps to love what you do. I’ve met so many wanna-be writers that quit. It takes passion and perseverance. The longer you’re in the writing game, the better you’ll be. And I’m lucky that creativity is my cornerstone. Gosh darn it, I just love to make things, whether it’s snapping a pretty photo, sewing a new pillow cover, painting a drum (this summer’s task) cooking up a mean squash noodle soup, or whipping up a heroine on a quest to find the elusive Garden of Eden like in my work in progress, Artlet Abrams and the Ancient Apple Tree. Writing should be fun! Just do it!
“How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
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