Author: Elan

Episode 2.19 – A Day in the Life of a Writer

Most of us have much more than writing to fill our days. We have day jobs, pets, interests, lives. Where do we fit writing in?

A few episodes ago we talked about making a living as a writer, and we concluded that there are as many ways to work full time as a writer as there are writers who are pursuing that career. This episode, we focus on what our daily lives look like, whether as full-time, part-time, or hobbyist writers.

Recommendation:

Look up The Magic Spreadsheet, a gamified daily word-count tracker that encourages friendly competition. If you want an invitation to our own, private version of The Magic Spreadsheet, let us know in the comments or get in touch on Twitter or via email.

 

Download episode 2.19.

Episode 2.18 – Plotting vs. Pantsing

The age-old debate among writers with no correct answer: should I outline or write by the seat of my pants? These come by many names: plotters and pantsers, architects and gardeners, outliners and discovery writers…there are many ways to describe the duality. The reality is that most writers fall somewhere in between, because the process is more like a spectrum.

Prompt: 

Write two 2,000 word stories. Outline one, and discovery-write the other.

 

Download episode 2.18.

Episode 2.17 – Making a Living as a Writer

Making a living on novels alone is difficult—in fact, the odds are stacked against such success. But becoming a full-time writer who can support themselves doesn’t mean hitting the bestsellers list with every book you write, it means diversifying your income. How can you make a living as an independent writer?

Recommended Reading:

 

Download episode 2.17.

Episode 2.16 – Milestones of Intention

How do we measure our achievements against personal goals? How do we learn to feel proud of our writing achievements without throwing the rest of our lives out the window?

Prompt:

Try our hacked version of Stephen King’s 1K-a-day experiment. Instead, write for one hour every day, then take the seventh day off.

 

Download episode 2.16.

Episode 2.14 – How We Go From Idea to Done

Writing is more than typing frantically at a keyboard. Alas, we get ideas and have to work them into stories, while making sure that the final product meets our original intent and the desires of our readers. What does that process look like?

Recommendation:

  • Check out Author Accelerator, a service that helps you move through the full process of writing a novel.

 

Download episode 2.14.

Episode 2.12 – How to Self-Edit Economically

Previously, we talked about how self-editing is a no-no. But that’s not entirely valid. Self-editing is an important part of the process, when applied properly and not overexerted. How do you go about it? What kind of limitations do you need to set?

Recommended Reading:

Prompt:

Set a timer and edit a chapter, sticking strictly to a superficial edit.

 

Download episode 2.12.

Episode 2.11 – Am I Ready to Publish?

You’ve been refining and revising your book forever. You’ve got a beautiful cover and the book’s been edited by a pro. The question remains: am I ready to publish? How do you know when it’s time to hit publish?

Recommended Reading:

Prompt:

Create a checklist (or use the list from the Steven James book) and review your closest-to-publication work. Does it meet the criteria?

Listen to the episode here.

Episode 2.10 – Where We Write

Where do you write? Do you have a special place that fills you with inspiration? Do you sit? Do you stand? Do you work at a cafe? In silent sequestration?

Where’s best?

Recommended Reading:

Prompt:

Try switching up where you write. Take notes about where you feel most productive or inspired.

 

Download episode 2.10.