Susan Adrian: How I Write

Today, Susan Adrian is stopping by for a “How I Write” feature! Many thanks to Susan for participating!

When Jen asked me to participate in this series, I was thrilled. I’ve been writing for more than 12 years now—I’m working on my seventh book now, and already have a plan for the eighth. Sometimes it’s too easy to forget what it’s like to be a newbie, or even to take a step back and analyze my own process. I just do it, head down, in my own little world. It’s nice to take that moment to reflect, and share with writers on the same path. So, on to the questions!

Are you a planner (outline, etc.) or pantser?

Such a pantser. Ridiculously a pantser. I usually start with a character in a situation, start writing what’s going on at that moment, and follow the character along from there. When I start a book I have only the vaguest idea of the plot. I rarely even know the end until I’m almost there. (This does make it a bit difficult when I have to write a synopsis of a book in progress, but it’s how I work best.)

Do you write daily or sporadically when you’re inspired?

I try to write daily. I’m kind of hard-school, I guess, but I don’t believe in being “inspired” to write or “muses” or anything like that. I don’t even really believe in writer’s block. I believe if you sit down and do the work regularly, keep hammering away at it, the inspiration and the words will come.

What time of day do you find you write best? Or you enjoy more?

Since I have a full-time job and a family, it’s sometimes very challenging to find time. For me, lunch hour and weekend early mornings work best. If my husband goes out to a work function or my daughter goes to a party or something I tend to fill up those hours with writing too—or reading.

What tool(s) do you use to write? Microsoft Word, Pages, Scrivener, typewriter, and/or pen and paper?

Until my last book I used Word, but since then I’ve quickly become addicted to Scrivener. I love being able to write in scenes and move easily around between them while still being able to see the whole structure at a glance. And Scrivener’s colored progress bar is glorious.

How do you stay motivated?

I tried to quit once, last year, when everything had been going wrong for a long time and I’d started to hate writing. It didn’t last more than a couple months. A story pops into my head, and I have to chase it. There are definitely ups and downs in writing, times when you get horribly discouraged or feel like every word you’re writing is crap. The key for me now is that I recognize that it’s just a phase, and if I keep going the rollercoaster will go up again. There will come another day when I think the last scene I wrote is freaking brilliant (rarer than the previous feeling, but I love those highs) or I make myself cry. Then I realize no matter what happens with the publication part, I just love the writing.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received for writing?

This advice is from Diana Gabaldon, one of my first mentors. It’s simple, but you really don’t need more than this:
1. Read. 2. Write. 3. Repeat.

More “How I Write” Q&As!