I’ve decided to wait until January to post more interviews – not everyone I asked in the first round responded, and I wanted to give the next round folks a bit of time.
So today, I’m going through the first eight who had been part of the fun and I’m going to group their responses together here, so you get more of an idea of both the similarities and the diversity.
A big one – the old myth that you have to write every day? BUSTED. Not one of these writers does this.
Part A – Writing habits
1) What is your writing schedule?
Gillian – works in a block of time, but where that occurs in the day depends upon other priorities
Alan – tries to have two dedicated writing days a week, otherwise writes around the time available after running his business
Edwina – three+ evenings a week
Angela – works Mon-Wed, Thurs/Fri big writing days, will write amidst family-friend commitments on weekend
Andrew – sneak words in when can around business and being housedad
Anna – write every hour can steal between 6am and 5pm – evenings are for my beloved
Erica – five days a week, plus some weekends. Start 10am after dealing with business stuff
Christina – most writing done while kids at school and after errands run, then some in evening
2) Do you set yourself word count aims or time limits to keep yourself on track? What are your aims/limits?
Gillian – uses a counter and a spreadsheet to keep track of words and then uses tricks to keep going eg just need a few more to get to a nice round number, so let’s keep going…
Alan – writes whatever feels good. Chinese proverb – “Fear not moving slowly, fear only standing still”
Edwina – sometimes a quota, sometimes a deadline, sometimes story just needs to be left alone
Angela – writes in fits and starts, setting a word count kills the creativity
Andrew – unless there’s a deadline, don’t set goals – words will come or they won’t
Anna – use word counts to keep track of story and build to resolution. Once first couple chapters done, aim for 2000 words a day
Erica – if planning, hard to quantify. If drafting, at least 2k a day although trying to write faster and do more
Christina – I set my own deadlines – five pages a day, 30 a week, although publisher deadlines come first
3) Do you work on more than one project at a time? If so, how do you organise it?
Gillian – works on several projects. Might be researching one novel, writing another, editing some non-fiction.
Alan – where possible, stick to one thing at a time – currently writing a novel, helping develop a game and splits time between two, short fiction between major projects
Edwina – works on a number of projects at a time, a bit like a horse grazing, just moves to what appeals
Angela – Also does multiple projects, decides on which through what appeals and closest deadline
Andrew – this year working on novels and shorts, helps to put novel aside a week or two to work on shorts
Anna – No. Sometimes will do research or write down a new idea, but rarely stop on novel for more than a day
Erica – Not if I can help it.
Christina – Can write a new one and edit old, but tried writing two at once and brain almost fried!
4) If you have paid employment apart from writing, how do you organise your time so you can write?
Gillian – very carefully J
Edwina – writing, painting ceramics and silk dying fight for my spare time – housework comes dead last
Andrew – own business working at home so can organise how that work is done to free up writing time eg do a long day for clients today to free up most of tomorrow for writing
5) If you have family, how do you organise your time so you can write?
Alan – wife is an artist so fully understands the creative urge – both very supportive of each other
Edwina – just a dog and cat that have somehow worked out when on deadline and aren’t as annoying then
Angela – husband is very good but make a point of regularly getting outside and doing things eg walking, visiting family
Andrew – am housedad so can be hard to find time but often finding doing chores is great mind time for writing
Erica – I work when husband is at work. Try to avoid writing in evenings so can have family time
Christina – chn older now but when younger had lots of guilt over time spent. Holidays particularly difficult
6) How do you get family and friends to respect the writing time and leave you be?
Gillian – most respect, but some never work it out – use the broken record technique to explain over and over
Edwina – becoming increasingly rude works wonders! Helps if most friends are writers, they understand
Angela – lucky that success has convinced people this is serious and should be respected. Tells students to talk over with family, recommends the ‘If I don’t write then I’m not happy and if I’m not happy you probably won’t be’ argument.
Andrew – boys made a sign ‘Don’t disturb the writer, he’s disturbed enough’. Own worst enemy when it comes to online friends.
Anna – family have always understood this is my business. Husband is a great fender-offerer during the day
Erica – generally pretty good. Hardest part is making them understand working from home doesn’t mean I’m able to easily run errands
Christina – they know if I don’t write I become cranky and impossible to work with.
7) How do you ensure your health is a priority?
Gillian – Chronic illness so less energy than most; timetable, get help from friends, disciplined about exercise
Alan – Job as a martial artist and physical trainer helps, but make sure balance sitting at keyboard with activity, lots of walks with the dog
Edwina – I don’t – walk dog every day, but very bad habit of wandering to fridge when need a break
Angela – Yoga a couple of times a week to stretch out the back, walk in evenings with husband
Andrew – Ha! Eat well because enjoy cooking, but maybe next year…
Anna – treadmill, eat well, got an occupational therapist to look at workspace and abide by the rules
Erica – gym 4/5 mornings a week, walk to coffee shop to work, walk dog.
Christina – still working on it.
8) What do you do to keep your ‘well of creativity’ stocked up?
Gillian – Accept and enjoy who I am; when I’m firmly myself, I never run out of things to work with
Alan – I don’t know, it just is – brain is packed with ideas
Edwina – When things are quiet in the day job, I tend to get more ideas. Otherwise, I take lots of notes and don’t stress if I can’t think of something to write
Angela – don’t panic, just need time to rest. Read books, watch movies, go to museums, people watch.
Andrew – most of time isn’t a problem, but when I’m feeling blocked find another form of creativity eg illustrating helps
Anna – don’t tend to have a problem, but will regularly challenge myself to learn something new, live half year in UK so that is stimulating, read and watch tv
Erica – watching tv works for me, seeing other story arcs
Christina – read, watch movies, eat lots of delicacies from the bakery – well it makes me feel better!
_thumb_1.jpg "Forbidden Published Cover (JPEG)")
9) How do you cope with the days/weeks that you just don’t want to write?
Gillian – unless there’s a deadline, I don’t write fiction on those days. There’s plenty other things to do.
Alan – I don’t write. Like physical activity, writing requires recovery time
Edwina – unless deadline, don’t. More relaxed about writing – like an old friend, don’t need to see every day but know I will see again soon
Anglela – I don’t – writing on those days turns out not to be productive.
Andrew – sometimes so busy I don’t notice, but family does and makes me write
Anna – doesn’t exist, I always want to write
Erica – keep going. If it’s a serious case of don’t wannas, put away and work on another idea for day or two to freshen up
Christina – used to procrastinate for ages but deadline won’t allow that
10) How do you fit other writer career commitments into your schedule so it doesn’t unduly affect the writing? Eg publicity, attending conventions
Gillian – Take notes whenever an idea occurs or new information – writing goes well when I return to it
Alan – Spread out wide enough to not really impact, and get a boost from conventions
Edwina – part and parcel of same thing – most publicity is writing, and conventions are inspirational
Angela – at the moment not too many publicity requirements and can pick and choose the conventions to attend
Andrew – not big on publicity, only go to one con a year. Thought of having to publicise self a bit scary
Anna – tend to do PR at end of day, when creativity is low. Monthly writer’s group is a wonderful recharge
Erica – writes off four weeks in middle of year for US conferences and time around book releases for PR. Lack of words during this negotiated into contract. Gives permission not to write so not a stress.
Christina – Do publicity in evenings. So far deadlines haven’t hit around a convention…
11) What changes have you made to your habits over the years? What are the mistakes that you used to make, habits that didn’t work for you?
Gillian – tried other authors ways and didn’t work. Have worked out what works for me and I’ll just stick with that
Alan – process had grown organically. Am now able to recognise a bad idea and not waste time on it.
Edwina – Prospect of losing eyesight a few years ago has made me more relaxed about my writing. Might not achieve what I originally dreamed but am enjoying it more
Andrew – worst habit was for 25 years I didn’t submit anything – my wife broke me of that J
Erica – first MS I wrote out of order – will never do that again. Also outline more now
12) RSI and skeletal problems are proving to be big problems for writers – what suggestions would you make to ensure up and comers don’t suffer?
Gillian – walk, stretch, don’t work for more than half an hour at a time, edit on paper so change posture, dance, eat chocolate.
Alan – martial arts classes – seriously, work great. And be aware of posture
Edwina – take sufficient breaks. Easier said than done, when using same muscle groups in day job
Angela – Calcium supplements, massage/physio, go for a walk for half an hour every day
Andrew – think about things like posture, exercise etc NOW, not when the problems start. You can write forever if your body holds up
Erica – move, regularly. I have strong hands from playing instruments – think that helps. Get a squishy ball and play with it often to make hands stronger
Part B – Writing process
1) Do you have a different process for writing short stories versus novels?
Gillian – absolutely. I live my novels, I write shorts much more cerebrally.
Alan – No, approach them both the same
Edwina – No
Angela – I probably do more planning for novels but haven’t finished one yet so not sure it works
Andrew – don’t think I do too much differently
Anna – No
Erica – No – I’m a structure queen and both have the same basic structure
2) Do you plan out your stories, or do you write organically?
Gillian – both – I do a lot of planning, but then the story takes over
Alan – Bit of both – start with some loose planning, then pants it
Edwina – sometimes a bit of both
Angela – I write organically; first draft is brain vomit, then considered thinking in revising
Andrew – I do a lot of research – will spend weeks diving into the world – not necessarily all will make into story, but will feel it when the time comes to write
Anna- have given up planning, story changes so much. Even when I have to do a synopsis for publisher, story rarely matches it
Erica – plan, plan, plan. Organic is for fertiliser.
Christina – Need to know hero and heroine well and a few plot points. Then it grows from there.
3) Do you wait to finish the draft before revising, or do you revise as you go? If when you finish – how do you approach it? If as you go – how do you approach that?
Gillian – I revise as I go and revise as I finish the draft – use revision to get back into a novel if life spits me out
Alan – mostly I want to get the story out but will revise a little. Once done lots of revision and uses beta readers
Edwina – I like to revise as I go, and revise several times after finished. I’m a great tinkerer.
Angela – Finish first draft quickly, put it away and let brain think on it, then come back and easier to recognise areas not working
Andrew – Revise as I go. Start each writing session going over previous work. Wish I could just go on, but can’t.
Anna – revise as I go but also push ahead. Call first draft ‘dirty draft’. Polishing is my favourite thing
Erica – because outline so fully, little revising needed of big picture stuff. Once written, will change format to trick brain into thinking reading something new and will revise on that.
Christina – edit as I go. Thought of having to revise an entire manuscript makes me ill.
_thumb.jpg "CHERRY TREE LANE thumbnail (307x500)")
4) How many times do you revise before you submit?
Gillian – I revise until feels whole and viable. Then I’ll have people read it, and will revise again. Sometimes have to be coaxed to give them up to editors
Alan – as many times as it needs. Some barely need any, some short stories can be tinkered with for weeks
Edwina – three seems to be the rule – 1) put stuff in, 2) take stuff out, 3) put stuff in again
Angela – when started could be 10-15 drafts, now generally around 3-4 although some stories need more work
Andrew – heavily revised by time written. Will get readers to go over it and revise on their recommendations.
Anna – until it’s done. I don’t know how I know but I do.
Erica – if time, will give to crit partner but otherwise once written – just a couple of passes
Christina – Because revise throughout, just needs a readthrough at the end.
5) How has your process changed over the course of your career?
Gillian – I trust other people (beta-readers, editors) with work more now, more willing to let it go
Alan – No, but ability has changed a lot
Edwina – Better at spotting what needs to be cut out. Working as an editor taught me a lot.
Angela – used to agonise over every work in first draft, now vomit it up means out of head and can go back to it with clearer more critical vision
Andrew – become thicker skinned and less precious. Readers and editors are usually right
Anna – I write more quickly but after 55 novels, I should!
Erica – Hasn’t really. Am more precise and confident
Christina – Used to endlessly tinker – now with deadlines can’t do that any more
6) If you’ve mentioned previously (or haven’t but think it’s true) that the process is different for each book, can you give some more details on how this is the case?
Gillian – each book is own universe and need to get that before can go on.
Edwina – I hope it’s quicker for each book
Anna – some books are easier to write. I don’t know why.
7) What’s the most difficult part of the book for you? Why do you think?
Gillian – Leaving it behind. It’s like losing friends
Alan – several instances but in truth, think that selling it to publisher is the hardest part!
Edwina – Finding time to get all the books I want to write written
Angela – I have issues with the sheer size of the novel – scary!
Andrew – maintaining momentum, and not getting distracted. Learning that a good idea will still be there has been hard.
Anna – the middle. The white hot enthusiasm of the beginning is gone. I used to abandon novels in the middle, but now I know this is quite normal
Erica – the outline. Writing is just technique but if the plot is broken no amount of classy writing will save it.
For the links to the full interviews, go here: http://nicolermurphy.com/page/Writers-habits-and-processes.aspx