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Writing is all about self-motivation—how do you
keep motivated?
Writing isn’t so much about motivation as it is
about work ethic. You need to slot a routine
that works for you, and then use it—every day.
Just like people who work away from home, who
drive to an office and begin their day at a
certain time, so must the writer find the hour
or hours that are conducive to them. If you have
a day job, then write in the early morning or
late evening. If you’re a mom with kids at
school, write during school hours. If you’re a
stay-at-home mom, write when baby is napping or
toddler is on a play-date. Writers can’t wait
for the muse to strike or motivation kick in,
any more than if they were punching a clock in a
downtown office. If you want to be a writer,
you’ve got to make the time. And then write! Of
course, some days will be more difficult than
others, and you’ll worry about not getting
enough pages done. Or you’ll hit a ‘block’ when
nothing seems to gel in your mind. The best
thing to do when this happens is to talk to a
writer friend—or your spouse—someone you trust.
Simply having an ear to hear your frustration
can help break the barrier preventing the flow
of thought around your story.
How do you
start a new book?
All my books stem from a tiny germ. Sometimes
it’s an idea, sometimes it’s a character or
setting. In other words, something catches my
attention enough that I begin to jot notes. Once
I have enough notes and a solid image has formed
in my mind of where I want the story to lead, I
begin writing the first three chapters. But this
stage doesn’t happen overnight. Often it’s weeks
or months before that first sentence is written.
How long does it take you to
write a book?
What's your daily page count?
Some books take longer than others. There’s
never a given time frame in the completion for
me—except of course the deadline date! So, while
some books finish quicker, others go to within
days of the due date. As to a per-day page
count, I don’t keep track. I used to, but it
drove me crazy. Now I write scenes per day.
Sometimes I get one completed, sometime 2 or 3,
and sometimes only half of a scene. It all
depends on the length of the scene. I write
until my time schedule is finished for the day,
which is 9 to 3 weekdays. However, if I’m
nearing a deadline, I’ll do marathon weekends.
How do you
plot?
For the most part, I’m a “fogwalker.” (Read the
Fogwalking
article
(below) I wrote a number of years
ago.) That means most of the story is not yet
revealed to me, but I plunge forward with it
anyway. Much the same as when you’re walking in
a fog—which, by the way, was how I literally
stumbled on the word. (Again, see
fogwalking.) I
also don’t use character sketches, charts or
grids; they’re too ‘busy’ for me. However, I do
have a few guide posts—notes—I jot down
initially and then again along the way. Some of
these notes, however, never make it into the
story because other scenes suddenly spring up
instead during the writing. I love those
moments. I love the mystery, the surprise they
bring. It’s why I could never plot an entire
book from start to finish. The mysteriousness
would be gone. That said, I wish I could plot as
some authors! It would save me hours of agony
when I’m required to write a synopsis, LOL.
Where do you get your ideas?
Everywhere. News stories, documentaries, talk
shows, quotes, a conversation in a restaurant, a
scene on a street, real life... The list is
endless. You can get an idea from simply looking
out a window or stepping out your door. It all
depends how receptive you are to what your
senses are picking up.
Are your
characters based on real people?
No. That said,
there are realistic traits which I’ve added to
the complexity of my characters. But reading my
books, those “real” people would have a hard
time pinpointing their specific trait because
it's so altered and jumbled up with a whole
bunch of other traits in order to round out the
character. I’d say most writers do this
subconsciously. We can’t help it. Unless we live
like hermits, we’re bound to pick up on the
nuances in people we meet.
Do parts of
your books mirror your life?
No. My books are fictional. Places, characters, settings,
names, events. It’s all a work of fiction. Yes, in certain
books I’ve had to do research for a specific realistic
aspect such as autism, but no part of the work—even
remotely—mirrors my life.
Are your
heroes carbon copies of your husband?
I’m very careful not to have any character look or behave
like anyone I know. Pure and simple, they are all a
fabrication of my imagination. That’s why it’s called
fiction.
Could you please critique my book?
Sorry, but my schedule is so full these days, I have very
little time left over and what there is belongs to my
family. J
What are some of your hobbies?
Having a leisurely dinner with my husband, walking on the
trails, jogging, enjoying a day in the mountains or along
the ocean, and yes...reading!
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