Patricia Johns writes from Alberta, Canada where the winters are long and cold and the summers are hot and buggy–the perfect combination for getting a lot of writing done! Her first Love Inspired novel is her 13th published novel.
What time of the day do you write best and why?
I best write in the morning. I’m the mother of a 6 year old boy, so by the time the evening comes along, I’m completely wiped. If I’m going to write, the earlier the better!
How long do you write every day when you have a deadline looming?
I don’t have any other hobbies, I’m afraid, so I’m pretty much *always* working on a book in some form or another. I might not be always typing on a manuscript. I might be updating my author page on social networking, or researching something, or trying to think through a scene before I write it… But it’s a constant.
How long do you write every day when you don’t have a deadline looming and why?
If I have a deadline looming, I do a lot of negotiating with my family for writing time. “Tell you what, honey, you take him to the park so I can write, and then I’ll put him to bed while you go to the gym.” When a deadline is looming, I’ll write just as long as my brain will cooperate.
How do you begin writing a novel?
I’m a planner. I start a novel by sitting down and plotting the entire book and deciding exactly what will happen in each chapter. Plotting is helpful, because that way I can keep writing, even when I’m not inspired with new ideas. I can look at my outline, know where I am in the story, and just keep on writing.
Where did the idea come from for the novel you are working on right now?
My current WIP is a combination of a few ideas. Where did it come from? I never know how to answer that! It’s a matter of combining a few things that interest me into a plot that will interest my readers. I wish I could give you a process. I generally happens while I stare at walls.
Do you use any visuals for inspiration? (or anything else!)
A friend of mind recently asked me why I’d rather write than go out and do the things I write about, and I didn’t have a great answer for that. I only really need to do something once for research. Anything more than that is just wasting good writing time. LOL
How do you get through the “murky middle” of your novel?
Perseverance. Sit down. Type.
Do you revise every day? If so, how do you organize your revising? What is your revision technique?
I revise at the end. I might smooth things over a bit as I write, but I want to get the whole story down before I put time into editing. It’s hard to edit without knowing what the book looks like as a whole.
Do you have a writing group, or a trusted reader for your novels? If so, how does that work? Do you meet weekly, or only when you have a novel due? Do you share your materials online or in person?
No, I don’t. I’m very much a loner in my writing process. I’m not sure if that is a good thing to recommend or not, but I don’t like writer’s groups. Unless it’s the kind of writer’s group where you get together to chat and gab and get a mental break with someone who gets it, but hands off my novel! 😉
What have you learned about your method of writing after publishing your book(s)? Has it changed? If so, how?
My first Harlequin novel which came out last summer is my 13th published novel, so it’s been a while since my first book came out. My method had certainly developed over the last decade, but it’s a slow learning process about what editors want and how to provide it.
What advice about a writing method would you give to any new writer?
I would say to find what works for you. I’m a big planner, but I know successful writers who just can’t be inspired that way. Use whatever helps you to put words on paper and to move forward in your story. It’s all about the discipline. Write every day! It’s too easy to get side tracked by life, so your book has to be your priority.
Is there anything you would like to add about writing?
I know a lot of people who like the idea of the writing lifestyle. In their minds, there are a lot of coffee shops, deep thoughts, a flexible schedule and artistic clothing. That isn’t writing. If you take all of the creative energy that goes into creating the writer’s lifestyle and pour that into your writing, you’ll come out the other side with a completely manuscript. THAT will make you a writer, and every wanna-be writer who sits around drinking a latte thinking a deep thought will be a full manuscript behind you. If you want to write, then write. Worry about the lifestyle once you’ve earned the right to it. You’ll have my personal respect, too!
If you have any questions or just want a little encouragement, come by my blog and contact me. Http://PatriciaJohnsRomance.com. I’ll be sure to respond!