I start and I keep going. I can zone out into my writing for an entire day. I might take breaks to eat. I might not. Typically, I stop because I'm needed for something.
Too many people think that science fiction and fantasy are all about escapism. Science fiction and fantasy make great use of distortion to make certain aspects of the story or character easier to recognize and address. I think that the best fantasy and science fiction, especially now, is about the human condition, not just escapism.
My first publication credit came when I was 9 years old, when my teacher, Ms. Adams, submitted a poem I wrote to a contest. I didn’t even know she did it. Then the poem won first place and was published. In sixth grade, Mrs. Ferrin, who taught my Language Arts and Gifted & Talented classes, let me write a new chapter of a novel for every writing assignment in those two classes over the year, regardless of the actual assignment. As a result, by the end of the year, I wrote my first novel. From that moment on, my career goal changed from cartoonist to novelist.
I often incorporate real-life things into my characters. It gives an extra bit of "reality" to my fantasy and sci-fi. For example, Natharr has a bad knee. My left knee ended my wrestling career, although I've had two surgeries on my right knee and only one on my left. (Although I fear that another is coming for the left.)
I don't really have problems with writer's block. Knock-knock. Once I start writing, I just GO. I may not have a specific direction sometimes, so I just start and see where it takes me.
Joy. You have to love what you’re writing, particularly in fiction, or it will come through to the reader. Being successful is not about money. I’ve had some very high-paying jobs where, in doing my job, I helped unscrupulous people sell products that I did not agree with in the first place. I was doing my job. But getting that big paycheck wasn’t worth it, even to the point where those jobs caused some health issues. So I think that sums it up, not just as a writer, but as a person. Whatever you do for a living, it must bring you joy. Writing science fiction and fantasy absolutely does that for me.
First response: shock. I also coach wrestling and, one time, I approached the score table to talk to a referee about a call he had made that I didn't agree with. Before I said a word, he said, "I've been following your success with your book. Congratulations!"
