Guest
Post by Heather Frost—“Sit Down and Write!”
Aspiring
authors have many great questions, though sometimes I feel like I
have a hard time giving solid answers, since writing is such a
personal thing. I’m often asked how
I write; where I go, what I listen to, how I get myself to sit down
and actually focus on writing.
Since everyone is different, I’m not sure if my process will help
at all, but I figure it can’t hurt to share some tips about how I
go about writing.
If
there is a step one in this process of mine, it’s find a time to
write. I have to schedule the important things in, or they just don’t
happen. So find a time that works for you, and then follow through.
The most consistent you can be, the better. If you’ve got a
flexible schedule, awesome. If you’ve got three small kids to take
care of, you must already know some of the basics when it comes to
juggling. Strive to give yourself at least one uninterrupted hour,
though I try to give myself a minimum of two.
Here’s
the blunt truth: writers are dreamers. And while there’s absolutely
nothing wrong with that, daydreaming tendencies can be distracting
when you’ve finally scheduled a bit of time to sit down and write.
So once you’ve given yourself that time, don’t let anything
else—thoughts of dinner, cleaning, homework, whatever—keep you
from using that time to write. Take yourself away from the
distractions as much as possible by finding a place you won’t be
easily interrupted. For me, that might be under a shady tree at a
quiet park, or—more often—my desk at home.
Now,
here are the rules once you’ve settled in: Don’t check your
email, phone, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever else might distract
during your scheduled writing time. When you get pulled out of the
zone for even two minutes, it could end up costing you twenty to get
back in. Of course emergencies pop up, but don’t let a Facebook
post about your friend’s cat keep you from writing the most comic
piece of dialogue ever.
I
can’t write when it’s quiet. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a
large family, but I need sound in the background, or I can’t focus.
If this is the case with you, I recommend listening to soundtracks,
because movie scores tend to have a lot of great emotion. My
favorites: Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Harry Gregson-Williams, James
Horner, and James Newton Howard to name a few. I’m also fan of
Enya, classical (Tchaikovsky!), and I’ve created playlists that are
tailored to certain books, characters, or types of scenes. I try to
avoid music that could become distracting, whether through the lyrics
or bass lines.
Finally,
you need to write.
Computer keyboard, pen and paper—it doesn’t matter. One paragraph
or five pages, it doesn’t matter. The goal is to finish that story
so you have a rough draft to polish up and eventually send out into
the world. It literally happens one word, one letter, at a time. It
can be tricky when you first start; trying to find a time and a
place, shutting out the world’s distractions so you can focus on
your own imagination—But, really, if you don’t, who will?
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Author: Heather Frost
Publisher: Sweetwater Press, an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc.
Published: July 2013
ISBN: 1462110355
FTC FYI: I received an eCopy via the author in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Book Description:
Kate Bennett has escaped captivity, but she has not escaped the hunt. The Demon Lord has one million dollars on Kate’s head, and every bounty hunter around is just waiting for the chance to break through her guardian force. Kate’s only shot at staying alive and protecting her loved ones is to lead the seers on a mission to the past and kill the Demon Lord before he comes to power.
But Patrick, Kate’s immortal guardian and the love of her life, knows what happens when she travels back in time: he has seen her die in his arms. With Patrick keeping a protective watch over her, Kate knows she can never lead her mission, but she cannot wait around to be captured by demons again, either.
This final installment of the Seers trilogy brings Kate Bennett’s tale to a surprising and exciting conclusion filled with love and heartache, danger and triumph, loss and redemption.
About the Author:
Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern
Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she has always
been an avid reader and writer. She’s a graduate of Snow College, and,
more recently, Utah State University. She enjoys playing the flute,
listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies.
Ever since she wrote her first short story—at the age of four—she has
dreamed of one day becoming an author. Guardians is her third published novel; her second book, Demons, was a Whitney Award Finalist.
Giveaway:
Heather Frost is offering one copy of Guardians. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
or
click here
