from SoulMate Publishing
If you’ve just come from J.R. Richardson, author of the fabulous Cursed be the Wicked, the lady who penned this week’s questions, welcome! If you’ve come from somewhere else, welcome, welcome! This is my stop on Romance Weekly’s author blog tour.
How often do you write?
I want to write everyday. I don’t. I probably get to write 4-6 days a week. Sometimes it’s new words, sometimes it’s editing. If I’m in the new words phase, it varies between 200-2,000 words, depending on whether I have narrations or other demands. If I’m editing, I try to do 2-3 chapters a day. I haven’t figured out how to add up word counts during editing days. And how do you figure time done plotting? Anybody? I dream of spending 6-8 uninterrupted hours a day writing. That’s my goal – so far unattainable, but as the kids get older and my husband gets more and more supportive and understands that I need unbroken quiet, my hope grows. (Because like Elna Rae says, where hope grows, miracles blossom)
Do you think it’s important to your craft to write as much as you can, and as often as you can?
When I write more I produce more. But I’ve gone through times when I haven’t been able to meet my word counts. I don’t want to derail myself by thinking if I don’t write as often as I can that I’m a failed writer. You only fail when you stop trying. Life will let you write more sometimes and less others. Sometimes we need to refill the well, so we don’t run dry and that’s part of the process, too.
Stephanie Gauvin on Mt Assiniboine
What is your opinion on the saying “if you don’t write every day, you’re not a writer”?
For me it’s similar to acting. I am definitely an actress. What I call a “career” actress, because I’ve been able to live off nothing other than acting for over 20 years. I don’t get an acting gig everyday, but I do land 3-4 of them a week. I acted and practiced the craft for several years before I could “quit my day job”. It’s the same working in any art. You must practice your craft, hone those skills, until you are marketable. I act when I’m not getting paid to act. I notice my own feelings, emotions and those of others. I observe people. A lot. Since I’m primarily a voice actor, I read out loud and “play with my instrument”. In effect, I “act” daily. This is transferable to writing. Or painting. One of my artist friends, who happens to be in Who’s Who in American Art, responds the same way whenever some one asks her, “How long did it take to do that watercolor?” “30 minutes and 30 years,” she’ll say. There’s more to writing than writing. There’s reading and thinking and observing. And social media. Can’t forget that.
Ok, hop with me now to Veronica Forand’s blog. She’s a multi-award winner, Veronica is. Including being a Finalist in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
kimhandysides.wordpress.com 
LOVED these answers Kim! Especially the bit about needing more unbroken quiet time to yourself. : ) And the kids getting older totally helps – and the comparison to acting is perfection. Love you! XOXOXO
Aw. Me too, you, Jo! Thanks for the comment.
Great post – I loved the comparisson to actors and artists – we are all creating and it does take lots of practice and retakes!
Right on Susan. I think once we get that (speaking for Self here), it becomes a lot easier.
Love replenishing the well. So true. Much more to writing than putting the words on paper. Great blog. XOOXX
Time with the grands replenishes the well, I bet, Vicki!
I love the post. Editing and revising my drafts count as writing days, although I don’t do a word count because the word total on the book can rise and fall depending on what needs to be added and deleted and I don’t want to keep in a crappy scene just to keep my word count high- so on those days, no word counts!
I agree totally Veronica. Word counts aren’t the best measurement. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
30 minutes to 30 years – yeah that’s about right! Great post!
Thanks Dani!
Great analogies, lovely. All art takes time and practise
Thanks Sarah. I know you really get this.
I can’t agree more. Anything we do in this life takes time put into it. Loved your answers!!!
It works with our marriages, our kids and our work, doesn’t it, J.J.
I loved what your art friend said, “30 minutes and 30 years”. I’ve also found a way to keep me motivated when I’m editing. I count chapters per day but also page count. It’s a way for me to see that I’m making forward progress.
Great tip Fiona, Thank you. I’ll apply that.
Speaking as someone who just retreated from normal life for the past three weeks, I totally get the unbroken quiet. It was nice to not have to worry about putting dinner on the table or paying attention to anyone but the characters. Loved this post.
Three weeks! What a gift. Thanks for your kind words.
Practice and practice some more! Great post, as usual!
Thanks Collette. You rock, too.
Wonderful post. Like a lot of others, the “30 minutes and 30 years” part really struck me. I practice every day, too, even if not a single fictional word goes on a page.
🙂
Thanks for the comment Meggan.
Loved so much about this post. 30 minutes and 30 years…also the filling the well. Very nice.
Thanks, Vicki. The artist friend who said that, Vicki, was Eileen Ruscher. You’d love her beautiful water colors of the Rockies.
Great answers my dear! I am continually intrigued by your acting, and can’t wait to hear your voice one of these days! I’m glad your family understands the need for quiet time. Can you explain that to mine?!
The best you can do is as much as possible 🙂 Life has a way of getting in the way of writing a lot of times, but it is important to enjoy life as well. Great answers!
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