The Secret to Being a Productive Writer

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I dream of an office just for me and my writing. One lined with books from floor to ceiling and a large bay window to my right, overlooking the flower garden. On my large mahogany desk would be my 18" laptop (my eyesight is starting to fail), a steaming hot cup of Joe, and a dainty dish filled with Hershey kisses. Yes, in that setting I could pump out best-selling novels like nobody's business. I could be so imaginative that writer's block would never even enter the domains of my brain. Yeah...wouldn't that be nice.

Well, in the meantime, my 15" laptop and desk with a view will have to remain in my living room overlooking the screened in porch. My books will have to remain crowded on my one large bookshelf in my bedroom, spilling onto the floor. And I'll have to settle for coffee without chocolate because Hershey kisses last about two seconds in this house.

I believe it is important to have a peaceful place to write that's quiet and flutter free. And although I would love to have the office described above, I don't think that is what is necessary to produce great writing. I think sometimes writers (including myself) are guilty of placing blame on the people or things around them for their own lack of creativity and effort. I'm not complaining when I say my desk is in the loudest room of my house during the day. If I tried writing at 10:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m., I might as well just type with my toes because my writing would be worthless by the time I got finished. Life is busy in my house - probably yours too - but instead of blaming factors that are out of my control, it makes more sense to find a solution that will work.

Lately, that solution has been getting up with the chickens when my living room is dim and quiet. While everyone else is dreaming, I've got my ears plugged with inspiring music and a good dose of caffeine within arm's reach. For now, that seems to be working for me. Later, I may need to adjust to something else, but ultimately I understand that in order to reach my writing goals, I have to find a way to make it work. That, I believe, is the sort of determination that produces great writing. I'm sure many of the great writers before my time didn't have my dream writing space or even the ideal environment to write in. I'm also sure that life happened to them just as often as anyone else. So, what was their secret?

I'm guessing, passion and perseverance.

Anyway, it's high time to stop blaming anyone but yours truly for the lack of productivity. I have dreams, and somehow I'll find a way if I want to accomplish them.

What is your secret to being a productive writer in the midst of life's happenings? Where and when do you write? What is your dream writing space?

What is your passion?

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There are many things that I am passionate about. I am passionate about big things like Christ, my family, and my church. I'm also passionate about little things like reading, quirky food joints, and holiday decorations. However, what I'm really asking is, what makes you tick? What specific thing or things make you feel like you're making a difference in the lives of people outside your comfortable circle of family and friends? Whether you work for an employer or run a household, there is a lot of time spent in your day doing things that you're...not so passionate about. I don't have to give you a list. You know. 

I can tell you that from where I'm sitting, being a Business Analyst is not very exiting. As blessed as I am to have my job and the flexibility that comes with it, it is not my passion. It may be someone's passion, and I won't discredit that, but I don't get excited when I sit down at my desk every weekday morning. I am, however, thankful for it. This job allows me the time and flexibility to do what I am passionate about, which I probably don't have to spell out for you, but I will. W-r-i-t-i-n-g! 

I love telling stories. Not just any stories, but ones that can inspire or move. That's not to say they will inspire or move everyone. They won't. However, the thought of making someone smile or laugh, giving someone hope, or delivering a message of truth about the God I serve is something I can say really excites me. I believe God has given everyone a talent - one that we can be passionate about, and use to serve Him and witness to others. Sometimes we have to dig deep within ourselves to find it, but it's there, armed and ready to change the world. 

Are you using the talent God gave you? What is your passion?

Ah, Books...

I have a bit of an obsession with books. Not just with reading them, but the physical make-up itself. It doesn't matter how many times I walk into a library or a bookstore, I always have the same quaint experience. First, it's the unmistakable smell - the indescribable, but clearly identifiable, combination of new and aged paper and leather with musky and woodsy notes. While the world outside is rumbling with conversation and laughter, engines and sirens, and any other noises that ring the facts of life into our ears, the library invites us into the quiet. A place where we can study, contemplate, organize, plan, or just simply take a trip with our imagination. If I'm having a rough week and the kids are a fuss, a trip to the library is just the thing we need. I'm always amazed how quickly they settle, studying page after page without a word.

It's interesting how my perception of books has changed over the years. As a young child, I watched my mother immerse herself in books quite often. I remember taking frequent trips to the local second-hand store where she would sift through unorganized mounds of books, picking out her selection carefully for just ten cents each. I would pick out my own selection, taking care to get the ones with the most interesting cover and illustrations. Then without a second thought, I would catch up with my sisters at the large box of used toys where the real treasures could be found. By early middle school, reading was more of tool for learning than an enjoyable pastime. From time to time, due to utter boredom, I read books from the Boxcar Children Mysteries series and The Baby-sitters Club by Apple Paperbacks, which I did enjoy. But watching Who's the Boss and Saved by the Bell was time much more well spent than time spent reading.

It wasn't until the summer before eighth grade that a book really sparked my excitement for reading. It started with another summertime trip with my mom to the second-hand store. In my mom's search for her summertime reads, she got my attention with a couple of teen romance books she ran upon. One of them, Megan the Klutz, by Alida Young, had a cover I'll never forget. An average girl in a mortifying situation, while a popular boy finally takes notice (pictured above). It was probably the first book that I couldn't put down until the end. That's also the summer I received my first real kiss. I believe it was that book, along with my first summer romance, that likely fueled my love for reading romance.

After cleaning out the second-hand store of their stock of teen romances, I convinced my mom to sign me up for a teen mail-order book club. I still remember the unexpected emotions that Don't Die, My Love pulled from my heart. That book, by Lurlene McDaniel, made me ball like a baby! It was the first time I realized how much a book could, not only entertain, but move its reader - even change them. It's a book I kept even to this day. Remember Liz and Jessica Wakefield? Yep, I belonged to the Sweet Valley High book club too. It's when I read my first historical romance. The Sweet Valley Saga: The Fowlers of Sweet Valley. I'm pretty sure I still have that book too.

Today, I have kids of my own, and I encourage them to read every day - fiction and non-fiction alike. I almost never say no to the purchase of a new book because I know it is money well spent. My love for reading is one of the reasons I began writing. As many books as there are available on the market today, I still believe there are even more stories to be told. There are books needed to educate, warn, promote, and stir emotions. They're needed to entertain, uplift, show empathy, give hope, or simply tell a story (fact or fiction). I believe books can be powerful and make a difference in people's lives. This is why books will continue to be written and why people will continue to read.

What sparked your love for reading? Has a book ever changed your life?