Katie Bartlett, Author

The Boardwalk

How do you actually write a book?  Well, you have to be inspired, right?  Sounds simple.  Inspiration.  I mention it a lot.  I know I need it.  I know it comes to me.  But I don’t really understand what it is, or how to consistently have it available.  That is the challenge.

In order to write, you have to find what inspires you.  Again, sounds simple – kind of.  Music inspires me, most of the time.  Beautiful landscapes inspire me but in more of a spiritual way, not in a way that makes me grab the pen.  Reading about high school and college classmates’ achievements inspire me, especially if they are in the arts or entertainment fields.  The jealousy that arises (yes, I’ll admit it) drives me to write, but the catalyst isn’t positive.  And my writing reflects it. 

Once you find the inspiration, you need to be able to chanel it at will.  This is, in my mind, that hardest part.  The inspiration always comes upon me when I am away from the computer.  Lot of good the musical inspiration does my writing when I am stuck in traffic on the parkway.  And by the time I sit to write, poof!, it is no where in sight.  Where did it go?  Why can’t I get it back – right now!  I’m ready and waiting, but it is no where in sight.

So what to do?  I actually don’t quite know.  When you find out, please share the info.

In the meantime, here is one suggestion:  I saw Miguel Gutierrez and the Powerful People perform their piece “Last Meadow” at the Abron Arts Center, Grand St, Manhattan last Friday night.  Wow.  If you ever have the means to see one of Miguel’s pieces, run, don’t walk.  To make sure you don’t miss him, join his group on Facebook.  You’ll get emails regarding his schedule and upcoming events.  What an inspiration. 

My mind was on fire watching his show.   These incredibly talented performers move through a sequence of uniquely original acts, taking hold of the subconscious creative vortex of your brain.  You can’t stop.  You are awakened, inspired, in a positive and enlightening way.

I took that sensation and was able to parley it into writing.  And it lasted for a few days, a rare treat.  So my suggestion to you is to find your Miquel and piggyback on his creativity.  He won’t mind.  He will probably be flattered.  And then share what you found.  We will all be thanking you!

The Morning Tide

The mantra you hear repeated most often when asking for advice on writing from agents, editors, publishers, and the like is “you must read and write every day”.  If not, you are told, you will fail.  Ouch.  I’ll touch the “read every day” part on another post.  But the “write every day”, that’s a tall order.  And it is definitely a myth.  My advice to you, do not let your inability to write every day ruin your desire to write at all.  Honestly, who has the time or the lifestyle to allow for writing everyday?  I tried to write yesterday but ended up spending two hours on the phone with Verizon trying (and failing) to clear up a billing error.  When I was done, my mood was not conducive to flawless writing.  (And if you are a Verizon executive reading this, please contact me.  One of your agents was so belligerent, you do not want him representing your company.)

But I understand what they are getting at.  Writing is a craft.  You must practice your craft, like any other artisan, if you want to improve.  Not to mention, if you want to finish a novel, you have to make the time to write it.  But do you have to write every single day?  Will you honestly never “make it” as a writer if you don’t?  Is your dedication to the craft any less if you can’t?  I suggest not.

My dedication is strong.  And on the days life refuses to let me carve out a moment in time for my craft, I get cranky. Really cranky.  But that doesn’t mean I stop or that I get kicked out of the game.  It means I have to work harder at finding the time on another day.  Or another week.  Or another month, depending on how long it takes me to worm my way back into the writing routine.  It also means it will take longer for me to finish my work.  Sometimes, a lot longer.

I love the book How to Write & Sell Your First Novel (on my blog list), but I laugh at one premise.  It proclaims that in order to write a book, you must write three pages every day for ninety days.  In the end, you will have a perfect 300 page draft of your novel.  It is an honorable goal.  And it is true; you would have a novel in only 90 days.  When I first read that section, I thought, “90 days, that’s a long time.  I’ll never need that much time!”  Two years later, I am finally finishing my conclusion.  Wow.  90 days.  I wish.

Can you image what would have happened if I had stopped when I failed to accomplish the premise of the book or the advice of every professional I have spoken with?  Granted, I did not complete the book swiftly.  But after two years, I do have a book.  If I had stopped after the 90 days, or on whichever day I first failed to write, I would have nothing.  I’d rather have a book that took forever to write than nothing.

If you can’t write every day, it’s fine.  It only means your project will take you longer.  You might need to backtrack, you might forget where you were going, you might change a section completely.  As long as you keep thinking about your project and don’t give up, you will get there.  I promise.  And the longer it takes, quite frankly, sometimes you need a break.  When you return to the project, your ideas are fresher and you are more determined.

So, please, keep writing whenever you can.  And don’t stop forever if you can’t.  Just imagine if Margaret Mitchell had quit.  The world would be a little duller without her magnificent ten year project, Gone With the Wind, wouldn’t it?

Sea Oats

But how is that possible? I started out at the coffee shop. Because that is where you are supposed to write. But honestly, there was never enough room for all my stuff, and while the energy was inspiring, the people watching was way too distracting, and I always panicked about coffee spilling on the computer (mine or others!).

Then, I tried my fantastic, converted attic, complete with eaves, peek-a-boo windows, and leafy treetop views. Not to mention great sunlight. But it was too far away. I found myself not getting up there for days at a time. Out of sight out of mind.

Last – there was the library, which was great. Good space, large worktables, endless supply of information, perfect light, energy of people with a balance of privacy and quiet. But – I couldn’t help wanting to nap. Very reminiscent of college. That or wander. Also reminiscent. It just didn’t hold my butt in the seat for very long.

At first, it did not work. It took a long time to get used to trying to work in five minute chunks in between other obligations. My papers became coloring pads, they are covered in juice rings, and my vocab list has “I Love You Mommy” scrawled all over it (which I now love, but at the time I had lost my sense of humor on the issue). But since I wasn’t getting to run away for hours at a time to write in perfect bliss, I wasn’t missing anything. Not to mention, my novel was always in my head. I became better at stepping away and continuing to write the next section in my mind. When I could sit down again, the words flowed. I actually wrote more this way than I ever had before with my “Designated Writing Times in Designated Creative and Perfect Writing Spaces”, because the computer was always available.

In the worst possible environment, I found a place I could sit. Or try to sit. Or want to sit in – most importantly. I crave slipping into the hard, wooden, high-backed chair. Like a well trained dog, it means creative time to me. There is a trigger now between my butt hitting the chair and my fingers flying. And even when I can’t sit, I can look at it. Which on some days reminds me of how much work I am not doing, but on other days is an inspiring tease.

So, if you can, find yourself a place to sit. Don’t try to make it the perfect place. It just has to be a place that works for you, whatever that is. And every time to return to it, your body will know what to do, like a well trained athlete. And you might find you enjoy talking to the Webkinz that are staring back at you. They have some good insight.