A Writer’s Habits–Jason Nahrung

Jason comes from the dark side – he’s a horror writer. Despite the fact his work gives me the severe chills, I don’t hold that against him Jason’s a wonderful writer, a very funny man and his blog has some really interesting, thought provoking and informational posts. Well worth following.

Part A – Writing habits

1) What is your writing schedule?

I work from home, usually, so finding writing time most mornings is not a problem. I get more disciplined once I have a novel underway. Last year (2011), a group of us would meet weekly to spend an afternoon on writing, and we hope to continue this once we’ve got our work lives in order once more.

2) Do you set yourself word count aims or time limits to keep yourself on track? What are your aims/limits?

I usually set aside a block of time in which to write, and within that block, I tend to measure progress by scenes written. It’s nice to finish at the end of a scene, and to have a solid idea of what will happen in the next one, so I can jump write back into the story in the next writing session.

3) Do you work on more than one project at a time? If so, how do you organise it?

I try to work on just the one novel at a time, but it’s not a problem to hive off a weekend or a week to work on a short story if the inspiration strikes. Sometimes, a wee break will help the brain relax and perhaps solve a problem or two while my attention is diverted elsewhere. I also write occasional non-fiction articles and my day job also requires a fair amount of writing and interviewing, so these also give time off while keeping me in the writing zone.

4) If you have paid employment apart from writing, how do you organise your time so you can write?

It’s important to stay in touch with the work in progress. I’ve had to train myself to function in the mornings, before going to work (whether in or out of the home office), to ensure there’s at least an hour in the day devoted to the MS. And any ‘spare’ time tends to end up being devoted to the MS as well: it’s great to live with another writer who understands, and indeed shares, that distraction.

5) If you have family, how do you organise your time so you can write?

It’s just my wife and I at home, so organisation isn’t that big a concern — especially when we both have writing projects to pursue. We meet for tea and coffee at regular intervals…

6) How do you get family and friends to respect the writing time and leave you be?

By writing in the morning, the evenings are kept open for socialising and entertainment. It also helps that I’ve left a lot of family and friends behind in Queensland when I moved to Melbourne two years ago, so there are less knocks on the door than there used to be.

7) How do you ensure your health is a priority?

Apart from stretching regularly, taking breaks from the PC and trying to eat healthily, there isn’t much focus on health. I do keep meaning to go for regular walks but they tend not to happen *that* regularly — unless I’m puzzling out a new plot line, in which case they can really help!

What do you do to keep your ‘well of creativity’ stocked up?

It’s important to not whip yourself too hard when it comes to being creative. The brain needs downtime, even if the subconscious is still churning. I like to get out of the house to take in art exhibitions, theatre, movies, concerts, and to meet other writers, whether at conventions and festivals or just over coffee. It’s good to take in information from outside the chosen literary field, too. I’m a big believer in the importance of reading and reading as widely as possible: I call it feeding the creative beast. I don’t practise this as much as I should.

9) How do you cope with the days/weeks that you just don’t want to write?

Unless I’m under deadline, I’m okay with slacking off once in a while — read, watch movies, get out of the house, go for those walks and day trips. Not being energised to write suggests the body and/or brain needs a breather. It has to be policed, though, because maybe it’s a symptom of something not being right in the work in progress. Sometimes, you just have to sit down and push through. Editing or simply reading over the work in progress can help to get the wheels turning once more.

10) How do you fit other writer career commitments into your schedule so it doesn’t unduly affect the writing? Eg publicity, attending conventions

The writing time has to be sacrosanct. There’s time in the day — or more likely the night — for the other stuff. And if that writing block has to be interrupted, I try to make up the lost time later, but I don’t get overly concerned. The words will still be there, waiting for the fingers to hit the keyboard. Attending conventions is a fun way to reconnect with the community while drawing in new enthusiasm; they’re worth the slight disruption.

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?

I used to be a night owl, partially because I used to work evening shifts, but then I returned to day shifts, so needed to get up early to get words down before work. It’s a habit I’ve tried to maintain, although these days there tends to be writing at night and in the morning. In the past, I was guilty of making writing too much of a priority and allowing it to dominate my time too much, to the detriment of time with my partner and friends. Life’s short, our loves and families and friends are the most important forces in our lives, and deserve time; so I’m working on that balancing act, and trying to ensure my creative needs are met as well.

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?

Be aware of your body and the warning signs. Stretch and walk around a lot when at the desk. Make sure the work station is set up properly to reduce the risk factors. Exercise (ahem). Eat well.

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Jason Nahrung grew up on a Queensland cattle property and now lives in Melbourne with his wife, the writer Kirstyn McDermott. His fiction is invariably darkly themed, perhaps reflecting his passion for classic B-grade horror films and ’80s goth rock. He is the co-author of the novel The Darkness Within (Hachette Australia). His novella, Salvage (Twelfth Planet Press), is due out in 2012. www.jasonnahrung.com

Read more Writers’ Habits and Processes blogs here: http://nicolermurphy.com/writers-habits-and-processes/