Many times I’ll listen to a podcast and get a review out of it. Once it’s been submitted and I’ve gotten my paycheck, sometimes my interest in wanes. Not so with Dedicated with Doug Brunt, where New York Times bestselling author Brunt interviews other bestselling authors. While I don’t listen as soon as a new episode drops, I always find myself catching up later.
It’s inspiring.
My favorite part of every episode is when Brunt asks his guests about their writing process. Everyone approaches their craft so differently, it’s a good reminder that there’s no right way to write. Some outline. Some don’t. One author can write anywhere, another needs to be on the back porch. Every author depends heavily on caffeine, whether that be coffee or energy drinks. Lee Child writes on an empty stomach until the coffee and cigarettes start making him jittery.
Maybe they’re all a little self-destructive.
While I’m not in the league of Brunt’s guests and unlikely to get a spot on his show, I’m more than willing to share my process. Obviously, I’m a young writer and am still refining. If I had it down, I’d be much more prolific. In my defense, my days are unpredictable. I try to go to bed at the same time every night, but I don’t always sleep well and wake up at a different time. My mother, with whom I share this house, is the same. I like to do my workouts fasted and first thing in the morning, so most days I don’t start writing until afternoon.
How long after noon? Who knows!
Some days I need to write reviews, because that’s my only source of income. And if I’m going to have anything to review, I have to dedicate time to reading or watching those things, which I generally do during the day. I’m trying to find a routine, where Mondays I edit, Tuesdays I write, Wednesdays I read, or something like that. But I’m not there yet.
Frankly, I’m floundering. Still have my head above water, though it’s not graceful.
One thing I have in my favor is that I can write anywhere and switch my brain into writing mode at almost any time. I could set up and write in a McDonald’s dining room and do just as well as if I was out in my backyard office. Maybe it’s because I was homeschooled, but I think I do my best work in dining rooms. Morning, afternoon, or night doesn’t matter. However, I have recently noticed that just as I used to pack up my schoolwork for the day around 3:30pm I prefer to do the same now.
Old habits never die. They just rest until least expected.
My ideal writing routine would be that magical ideal, out in my office every day at the same time, cup of coffee in hand. Maybe I’d light a candle. Someday I’d like to put a wood burning stove out there so it’s warm and I can begin my day by stoking a fire. Would it help? I don’t know. Ritual is good. I do know that.
I don’t outline.
When I was in film school we weren’t allowed to start until we’d gone through a strict outlining process. So I know from experience that having an outline really helps speed things along. Part of me feels like I should outline for the sake of efficiency. I personally don’t think that it inhibits the creative process, though most of Brunt’s guests would disagree. However, because of all the outlining I did in college, and study I’ve done since, story structure is baked into my soul. I may not know specifically where I’m going, but I can go with the flow of Story pretty intuitively.
Every day is different, but I don’t despair.
In the past I might have given up. It’s easier to sink than swim, and it’s in the moments of floundering like I am that a choice has to be made. If I keep going, maybe someday I’ll be an overnight success.
