Faith Wood, Author of the Colbie Colleen Cozy Suspense Series and a host of other books.
A quiet cabin by the lake. No phones, no TV, no internet. No one asking if you have finished yet. HEAVEN!
Maybe.
Anyone who writes for a living will tell you that they envisioned a perfect writing location. Some sanctuary tucked away from distractions and interruptions. For me, that was never a viable option.
Perhaps I am hardwired for distraction. Who knows really!
What I do know is this….
WE can WRITE anywhere. I write in airport lounges, on airplanes, in hotel rooms and in my beautiful home office between client appointments. I know some authors who write in waiting rooms, libraries, coffee shops and outside. Whatever works for you, do that. Naturally, the nicer and more comfortable and private you can make your writing space, the better. But the space in and of itself is a personal decision. And it should be about keeping you in the chair.
When I wrote my first books (yes, I wrote two simultaneously – mostly because someone told me I couldn’t do it), I worked to create a holistic space. I cleaned up my desk (it is usually pretty organized). I grabbed my favourite pen and a stack of lined paper. I scheduled hours into my busy calendar. And, I stared at the blank pages for hours just the same.
So, if you are just starting out, what are some of the tips that I might share that could potentially add any value?
Start with a comfortable chair. I have so often been in the flow of an idea only to have it disrupted by crippling pain in my back and hips.
Don’t skimp on good supplies. A good computer. Stable internet. Pads of paper and pens at the ready should you run out of ink.
Invest in the right technology. Like AutoSave. Automate this and do it more often than you think you need to.
Your book can’t be written all at once any more than that proverbial elephant could be eaten in a single sitting. See your book for what it is: a manuscript made up of sentences, paragraphs, pages. Those pages will begin to add up, and though after a week you may have barely accumulated double digits, a few months down the road you’ll be into your second hundred pages.
Keep things simple.
Starting your writing without a clear vision of where you’re going will usually end in disaster.
I start with a title. That gives me focus somehow. Regardless of whether I write fiction or non, I always start this way. It is not necessary, but I like to be able to use the title throughout the pages, so beginning like this facilitates that.
Draft an outline. It helps clarify the message and meaning for your book and what you are hoping to convey.
Because I have a busy travel schedule which results in my writing in spits and spurts, I always have folders at the ready – digital mostly, but also physical. As I find myself inspired to write, I don’t worry about where the thought fits. The folders let me move ideas and pages around. Sometimes the writing turns into an article and never makes the book – that’s okay.
Never edit while you write.
In my mind, my first draft is always terrible. Edits happen after. I like to pause and edit in thirds so that I can pivot the storyline if need be. Stephen King (in his book – on Writing) said that he would write the manuscript and then throw it in a locked drawer until he had forgotten about it. Only then was it time to edit. Be a ferocious self-editor after not before.
Finally, establish a deadline. I am driven by deadlines and find they keep me on track. Without deadlines, I rarely get anything done.
I have written 10 books just this way and so can you.
My advice? Just stay in the chair!
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