Don’t TRY to Write – Just Write!
There are challenges to anything anyone does, whether it’s owning a business or working in an office, everything has its trials. But I won’t focus on that here. What I will focus on is the benefits of writing full time. Writing full time (for me) is FUN. Is it stressful? Sure. But so is everything else. I simply don’t let the stress get to me because there is no reason. It takes the same amount of effort to enjoy the moment as it does to be annoyed by it.
The way I divvy up my time, I believe, is the most important part of the writing process. I never feel bogged down by my schedule. People ask me if it’s a nine to five job and I tell them ‘no’. For me, RESEARCHING is my nine to five. That’s the most important part of writing. Research your subject. Get familiar with your settings. Play with your ideas. If you’re writing about a certain city, for instance, New York City…go visit!
Last year, when I wrote Witches Protection Program, I tried to spend as much time as I could in NYC. Scoping out locations, seeing my characters on the street and feeling their reaction to their surroundings – the cars honking, the sounds of people, and the smell of food. Research is as important, if not more important, than actually sitting down and writing. Put your findings on paper. Even if you don’t use it, nothing goes to waste. Keep notes for everything. I have a journal with over 50,000 musings and observations. I keep this as a reference for when I want to add something to a book.
For me, the writing really starts when my wife and kids go to sleep. My son and daughter are in bed by 7:30pm. My wife is in bed by 8:30pm. Then it’s me, a green tea with fresh mint, my TV on mute and my laptop. The TV has to be set to something mindless, like a cooking show on The Food Network, or travel show on The Travel Channel. If a good movie is on, The Hobbit, for instance…that’s on mute in the background. Then I write until my eyes go. Sometimes it’s an hour, but most nights I plug away for 3 to 4 hours.
It’s easy to focus on the challenges of writing full time. Yet the more time you waste on the challenges, the less time you have researching and writing your incredible story. It’s as simple as that. As my favorite movie character Yoda once said, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Don’t try to write. Just write. (And research your subject).
*****
About the Author:
Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist. He’s written ten books including the best-selling Brood X, Stillwell, The Flip, The After House, The Hanging Tree, Witches Protection Program, Pokergeist and Battle for Darracia series.
Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island. He writes full-time with his screaming kids in the background.
Amazon Author Page ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website
*Media Kit by Susan Barton, My Book Tour
