FAQ with a Writer

Making a career out of being a writer is one of those things that is said to be very rare. And that's true. Making a full-time living from weaving words is no easy task. It's nearly impossible, as a matter of fact. But it can be done if you really want it. 

I have noticed over the years that I get a lot of the same questions about writing from curious friends, eager fans and even family members. It's a novelty to be a professional storyteller, so I can't blame people for being interested in how writing works. Here are four commonly asked questions I get asked, along with my answers. 

Do you have, like, real work? 
Many people assume that because writers work from home, it  does not count as "work" and therefore we don't know what it's like to have a "real job." I liken this to telling a woman that being a mother isn't a "real job," when we all know that it very much is. It's simply a false assumption. A writer merely has an office in their home. Is it more convenient than driving in rush hour traffic to get to an incorporated building? You bet. But that doesn't mean it's not work. 

What's a typical day like for you?
I get up just like everybody else. I work for an hour, then I eat breakfast, then I work until lunch. After lunch I work until dinner, and then I'm done. But usually I end up working after dinner, too. Like right now. It's eight o'clock at night and I'd really like to watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes. But sometimes you just have to keep going! I have a full time work day just like everybody else. It consists of writing, writing, and more writing. Also publicity, interviews, organization, paperwork, editing and correspondence. I would make a list, but it could go on for a while. 

So do you plan out all of your books?
I plan, yes. I also like to write for the heck of it, so there's a fine balance that I like to find between these two approaches. The Collapse Series definitely has a game plan in mind.

Are you working on any other books?
 The true question here is, when you're done with the Collapse Series, what else will you write? My answer is this: wait and see! I am a storyteller, and I will continue to tell stories for as long as I can. 

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FAQ with a Writer