How to Jump Start a Writer’s Day ~~ My Guest Blogger, Author, Jodi Thomas
‘ As I was saying in Trisha’s Motivational Moments for Writers: The hardest thing a writer does each day is sitting down to work. In 28 years as a working writer I’ve published 45 books and 13 novellas. The hardest thing wasn’t learning to write, but learning to managing time. I picked up a few tricks but it is still the dragon I fight every day.
First, remember this is your job. If you worked in an office or taught school you wouldn’t stop and answer every friend’s call. So leave the phone in the kitchen or garage. You’re at work. One phone call might not knock you out of fiction, but the third one might.
Second, build your nest. I find this makes it easy for me to step into fiction. It doesn’t matter if your nest is in a secret room in the attic or a small desk in a hotel room, it needs to be your nest.
I usually start with a notebook. My facts book, my bible for the series. It includes all characters’ names and basic facts. Maps of the area—if you’re making up a town, make up the map. Sometimes pages of research like maps of the area or dates that need to be considered. If you’re writing about a time in history you need to be aware of what was happening on that day in history. If Lincoln was shot or 9/11 happened your fictional characters need to react.
Three, keep a log. As I turn on my computer every night I flip over to the log page and list date, page number I’m starting on, total word count so far. This log lets me know how I’m working my way through the book. I consider it a good night if I write four pages or about 1500 words.
Then, I flip over and keep a chapter outline. Chapter number. View point character, page numbers of each chapter and plot points. With this chart, it’s easy to flip back and see, which chapter I killed someone or when a couple had their first kiss. This also helps me keep the plot balance with the main character’s POV.
Add to the nest, must have: Hemingway’s whiskey, or in my case a Diet Coke. A snack. Remember M&M’s are directly related to creativity. Kleenex.
Step into your book and write for an hour. Remember, even if you write one page a day, you’ll write a book a year.
Always remember to walk the land at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG4IeXueJDA. Be sure to catch my interview with Trisha and her reviews of my books at https://www.writeratplay.com/. Visit my web site: http://www.jodithomas.com/
Did you miss my Interview with Jodi? Click here
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DON’T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS featuring INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! October Author, Lisa Jackson. November will be best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, ghost writer for Robert B. Parker ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!
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