On My Writing Process, Featuring Advice for Wannabe-Writers
Min’s Morning Brew: Almond milk Rishi chai latté topped with Burlap and Barrel Royal Cinnamon, sipped from a Studio Ghibli mug with little soot sprites dancing across it
Today’s Tarot Deck: The Supernatural Tarot Deck and Guidebook, which I had the honor of authoring
Today’s Tarot Card: Seven of Pentacles
Today’s Mission: A Good, Long Writing Session
I love reading about the peculiar writing habits prolific authors have developed over the years. Stephen King says he writes a two thousand words every single day; his consistency and dedication are inspiring. Ernest Hemingway liked to write while standing. In order to be a great writer, perhaps one has to be a little odd.
My Writing Process
Over the years, I, too, have developed distinct—and sometimes peculiar—writing habits. I prefer to write at a desk facing an open window—rain or shine. I particularly love writing during rainstorms and power outages; they’re energizing and invigorating. At night, I write only by candlelight. I have a profound craving for an analog life; the fact that I’ve surrendered myself to using a modern computer over my typewriter is bad enough. Artificial light would be a step too far. (This may sound strange coming from the wife of an industrial electrician, as my lifestyle is largely funded by electricity use and management, but there you have it.)
I like to have vanilla- or orange-scented candles burning during writing sessions, and I need two beverages available at all times—one iced, one hot. A notebook with thick, cream-colored pages stays at the ready, along with a juicy, high-quality black pen. A fat, heavy tome of a thesaurus is always within reach. On my desk lie carefully-selected crystals to help imbue my work with whatever energy I require at the time. For example, if an intuitive connection is needed: blue apatite. To foster creativity and focused motivation: red aragonite or vanadinite. My romance writing necessitates fire opal or morganite.
To prepare for sessions, I take care to make sure my pets will have no need of me for at least a few hours. Whether using my desktop or laptop, my screen settings are adjusted for great warmth and low light. All notifications are off, and I refuse to have my writing devices synched with my phone in order to avoid the unwelcome disturbance of phone calls and texts popping up on screen. The world waits while I write.
On Writer’s Block
It’s likely true that most authors have periods of stalled writing. Personally, I emulate Stephen King a little in that my preferred method of staving off writer’s block is to simply power through it. Just keep writing. I find that hesitation leaves too much room to get lost in one’s mind and its doubts. I write best when I begin by building a solid framework, then fill in the meat on those bones in marathon, multi-hour sessions (though my rheumatic body needs time to recover from them, so I can’t perform at King’s two-thousand-words-each-day level until dictation technology improves considerably). The dreaded writer’s block never plagues me because I never give it pause to.
That brings me to my best advice for wannabe-writers. I often receive messages saying, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I don’t know where to begin.” Other than reading voraciously and taking classes to improve skill, my best advice is to write. Stop wishing you were a writer. Get out of the dreaming/hoping/planning stage—you’re stalling. Simply write. If my inbox is any indication, most people are too afraid of failure to pursue their dreams. Between my Sagittarius sun and Capricorn stellium, that could never be me. As the late, great Tim Curry said while playing Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter, “Don’t dream it, be it!” You won’t know what you’re capable of until you give it everything you’ve got, so get at it! And best of luck.
My disability-friendly ergonomic split keyboard