@ The Author's Desk

What works for one author won't always work for another.

The last writer's conference I attended, I remember the speaker addressing the audience's questions. Someone asked if writing was easy for him. His answer: yes. It always had been. He never had to struggle to come up with ideas. Even putting them on paper was almost magical because his brain and hand practically wrote the story for him.

I was overjoyed to hear this because I had spent my life listening to people say how difficult they thought writing was. How they could never imagine writing a book because it just seemed like too much time and too much work. It always made me feel uncomfortable answering questions about how I write. I always felt like I was somehow bragging. I then started feeling like there was something wrong with me for being this creative person.

Of course, I'm not that way anymore. I don't volunteer information about myself as a writer (even though I probably should) because people still give me blank stares. The stare is just a sign that books isn't something we're going to have in common and I change the subject. But if people ask, it's hard to get me to stop.

The point is, we all know it takes time and work to produce a quality book. I never feel like I'm struggling when I'm writing. I don't experience the same level of boredom I had when I used to work at a call center and had to do the same series of tasks for 6 and 8 hour shifts. And I definitely don't feel frustrated or stressed about having people yell at me the way they did when I worked insurance.

However, our presenter went on to describe meeting another writer who told him that he found writing difficult. That he wasn't able to work unless he shut himself up in a room devoid of noise. The man in his story had to treat writing like a 9 to 5 job. He set daily page and word limits for himself. He used outlines and stuck strictly to the ideas and points he had plotted out.

Personally, I just can't work like that. When I work on a novel, I need the flow of ideas to be organic. It has to come naturally to me. I work best when I have background noise. I listen to music or reruns of a favorite show on TV. I like Futurama or cartoons from the 90's like Recess, Pepper Ann and The Weekenders. This way I don't get distracted by new content because I've seen all these shows before.

What kind of music I listen to completely depends on the scene. If I'm writing a love scene, then slow R&B style is what I need. If I'm writing a fight scene or a chase scene, then I need fast paced pop or rock music. If the scene is emotional, then Country is where I turn.

Every author has their style. Mine came naturally to me as breathing air. For other people, they have to take their time and try different things to see what works for them. Take your time. There is no rush. With every word you write, you'll get one step closer to that perfect form.