Wednesday, October 22, 2014

My Writing Process by Anne Baxter Campbell


MY WRITING PROCESS

I suppose there are as many different writing processes as there are writers. And really? I’m not too sure I have a process! I realize most people are going to write about how they go from point A in their novels to point Z in the publishing process. Therefore, I choose to be different.

I write every day. I can’t remember the last day when I wrote nothing at all. Even on days when I’m “taking the day off,” I usually answer emails and check Facebook. Okay—I admit it. I’m addicted to written communication.
My day usually starts out with email. There are always a few to answer or initiate, because, you see, my brain didn’t stop when I went to sleep. It kept going. Then I check the blog to see if anyone has commented on a post, share it to Twitter and Google Plus (it’s already been shared with Facebook automatically), and if it’s a book review, I copy the review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, or wherever else.

Then Facebook—I go to my timeline and share that blog to a few other places on Facebook as appropriate. Oh, yes, also check messages, accept or reject friend offers (what is it with spammers anyway?), and see if my family or friends have posted neat stuff. (Okay, so not everything I do is work-related.)
After that, I dive into editing and writing. I usually have a blog post to do, sometimes a guest blog for someone else, or an interview. Finally—I get to splash around in my own creations—fiction. Love it. Fiction is where I get to live the life I wish I could live. Well—sometimes—except when my heroes and heroines get into trouble. Can’t say I’d love to be captured by slave traders or be run over by a horse-drawn chariot. I’ll leave those adventures to my characters, ones who usually have more strength and stamina than I do.

Long story shortened mercifully: I write. Pretty much all day every day. On Sundays I try to limit it to devotionals (after church, of course) or something relaxing (games of Scrabble, for instance). Occasionally, there’s a deadline I can’t postpone though.
So, six days a week, ten to twelve hours a day…Write on, Write on, about and with His Majesty, our Lord and King. It’s not work—it’s joy.


2 comments:

  1. Anne, thanks for sharing your process! I'm much like you, even if I am not working on the WIP one day, I am still composing emails or blog posts, etc. Happy writing! :)

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  2. Karen--
    Wow, I didn't realize this comment was here! I should scroll down on occasion, shouldn't I? Sounds like we could be kindred spirits in the writing process!

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