The most difficult part of the writing process for me is getting started and staying on task. An idea will bubble to the surface and I can't get to a piece of paper or a keyboard quickly enough. The writing process comes easy, once I sit down and start. I'm a Master Procrastinator. I will sit and write for 20 hours straight --no food, no talking, no distractions -- only nature breaks. But then, I may not write another word for weeks. I admire writers who dedicate a certain number of hours a day to the project or those who won't stop until they hit a designated word count. I am not that person.
I took a leap of faith and left a safe, secure and good-paying job to retire and write full-time. I was well-aware that writing wasn't a lucrative career for most writers and that I did not have sufficient savings to supplement my retirement income, but my passion dictated that I spend the remainder of my life doing something I LOVE.
Selling someone else's work. Plagiarizing someone else's words. Cutting the author out of royalties they have earned. I've had books released as FREE PDF files. Before one of my children's books even went live on Amazon, it had been translated into another language and was being sold online without my permission.
Some would say write only that which you KNOW. I would modify that response by saying write about that which INTERESTS you. I've learned so much from researching topics that intrigue me. Writing is all about PASSION. If you're passionate about a topic, you'll want to learn more and share what you've learned with others.
I HATE surprises -- the kind where people you didn't invite over (and may not even like) pop up from behind your sofa, scare the beejeezus out of you, make your dog piss in the house, and expect that you will feed and entertain them. But I LOVE to surprise my readers just when they think it's safe to insert their bookmark and go to sleep. I LOVE to keep their fingers frantically turning pages until they heave a sigh of relief -- and then, I LOVE to do it again!
