My Writing Process

Outside of consuming lots and lots of chocolate, chicory, and coffee, how do I go about getting some writing done?

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A Cozy Place

Writing is harder when you're uncomfortable. Don't be bound to a room or a desk. Be bound to whatever you need to write that day.
Defined Working Times... Except

When I need to get the work done, I show up for it, but when that spark ignites, I roll with it and order takeout.
No Distractions

My phone goes in Do Not Disturb mode, so the important stuff can get through, but the fluff doesn't.

My Tools

Must-Haves For Writers

Campfire

For Writing and Worldbuilding

I used Campfire to write The Never-Ending End of the World and it was a huge help! If your story requires a lot of worldbuilding, Campfire is a lifesaver. It's great for keeping records about your characters, creating timelines, and even writing the book with a built-in word processor.

Books

Writing Needs Some Reading

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.

The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass.

The Emotion Thesaurus by Puglisi and Ackerman.

My Other Tools

Always Useful

A notebook, my favorite pen, and my Chromebook because I can take it everywhere and it's light.

My other favorite author tool is my camera. Beyond the house I use my phone, but inside my good old Nikon camera is never far away. Inspiration is often fleeting. Capturing the way the light falls on a piece of litter in the street or clouds scudding across a sky as the wind shifts can bring that feeling back later when you find you need exactly that for your writing.

A word after a word after a word is power."

Margaret Atwood

My Writing Philosophy

Do these steps and you're bound to become a great author

Write a lot, and consistently, and you'll get better. Listen to feedback, share your work, and stay true to yourself.

Do something other than write?! You betcha. Read in your genre, read outside your genre. See what other authors are doing, and pick apart how they do it. But not too much. Never lose the joy of reading. It's still important to enjoy stories without overthinking the mechanics.

To yourself and to others. You'll make mistakes. Hundreds. Thousands. Hundreds of thousands. Even the best writers have multiple mistakes per page on their rough drafts. Just keep working to improve your work, and you'll create something you're proud of. Study, listen, and learn from others. But above all, be kind. Be charitable to yourself, and deliver constructive feedback to your peers without being hateful or rude.