A writer’s habits–Joanne Anderton

Jo and I first met – oh, I don’t know, somewhere in the mists of time. We’ve been hanging around the Australian con scene, knowing the same people, for years. In the past couple of years, I’ve had the chance to spend more time with Jo and get to know her better. She’s funny and charming and a bloody good writer.

1)     What is your writing routine?

I’m so addicted to routine. Morning words with coffee before work. Evening words after dinner. Saturday and Monday are writing days. Sunday is a day off, to reconnect with the real world and spend some time with my husband.

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

It depends on what I’m working on. If I’m writing new words, I write thousand words over an hour, then take a short break (which involves standing up and moving around, possibly some exercises on the yoga mat). If I’m revising, then it’s whatever I can do in an hour, with the usual break in between. I’ve learned that any longer than an hour at the desk and my dodgy back starts to protest.

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

I can only properly focus on one project at a time — I’ve got to be immersed in a world, and it’s difficult to be in two places at once! I do, however, plot and plan new stories at the same time. So once I’ve finished something, the next project is ready to go.

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

I write before and after work hours, and only work four days a week so I have an extra day to dedicate to writing. The hardest part is balancing sitting at a desk from 9-5, then coming home to do it for a few more hours! That’s where the stretches and exercises come in.

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

My family is made up mainly of pets, and they’re pretty good at giving me writing time. Although one cat does tend to stand on the keyboard if I don’t pay enough attention to her.

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

My husband is an illustrator, so he absolutely understands the need for dedicated writing time. On the days we’re at home and working together we tend to stick to the same schedule, and will disappear to focus on our own projects for a while, then share the downtime. My friends are awesome. They know I’ll need a block of writing time before or after socialising, and will organise accordingly. I’ve always insisted on it, I guess, so now it’s just part of the routine.

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

I’m very conscious of the amount of time I spend sitting at a desk, and make sure I take regular breaks. I try to be active during my days off, rather than spend even more time sitting on the couch! I run, do yoga, cycle, bushwalk, dogwalk, and garden. Oddly, having a bad back helps — because I know the kind of pain I’m in for if I’m lazy, and I do NOT want to go there if I don’t have to!

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

Running definitely helps. I plug myself into music, get into the rhythm, and stories start appearing. Music is a big part of my creativity and writing. It germinates stories, which can be a bit dangerous if I’m driving and listening to music at the same time! Reading books, watching movies or tv shows also helps, because there’s something infectious about a good story.

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

I usually find that if I can just start, just push past that first hurdle of ‘I can’t be bothered’- ness, the rest will flow. The key to that? Plug in some kick-arse music, and set a small goal. 100 words, doesn’t matter if they’re crap, come on now you can do 100 words. Then another, then another, until it starts to flow. If that’s not helping, then get up and do something else. Go outside, move around. But always come back and try again.

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

I’ve always found conventions to be a real boost to my creativity and productivity. Sure, they might take you away from writing for a long weekend, but when you come home all fired up and enthusiastic to create more, it’s worth it! Other publicity commitments, like blogging etc, get squeezed in after the daily word count, or I’ll focus on them if I have a day when I’m less enthusiastic about writing. They’re a good way to get into that flow.

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?

It’s all about the breaks. Back when I was young and foolish I’d hunch over the keyboard for hours, non-stop. Exercise? Nah, didn’t have time for it, I’d rather write. Foolish, foolish girl. Our bodies aren’t designed for that, and I suffer for it 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?

Everything I’ve said about breaks and exercise. Don’t wait for the pain to start first!

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Joanne Anderton lives in Sydney with her husband and too many pets. By day she is a mild-mannered marketing coordinator for an Australian book distributor. By night, weekends and lunchtimes she writes dark fantasy and horror. Her short fiction has most recently appeared in Midnight Echo #6. She was shortlisted for the 2009 Aurealis Award for best young adult short story. Her debut novel, Debris (Book One the Veiled Worlds Series) was published by Angry Robot Books in 2011, and will be followed by Suited in 2012. Visit her online at: http://joanneanderton.com  and on Twitter @joanneanderton

You can read the rest of the Writers’ Habits and Processes blogs here: http://nicolermurphy.com/writers-habits-and-processes/