How to be anti-social: Become a Writer

"Someone said you've written a book. That must be exciting."
This was actually said to me the other day and it made me stop in my tracks.

Writing isn't exciting.
Writing is sitting at a desk for hours upon hours, pouring out your soul as you type. Then it's more hours deleting the work you spent hours on simply because your mood has changed and now you hate everything you created.

It's months of creatively tearing your hair out to make the vision in your mind match the words on the screen. Then it's time for editing - don't get me started on the pain involved with shredding your beloved work to pieces to make it fit the right box for reader consumption.
As for publishing... *shudder*


Writing can be a work of love, but it can also be a painful labour of dogged determination and absolute stubbornness.

Have I put you off yet?

No?

You might just be stubborn enough for the gig.


But I haven't got to the best part yet. The part that really sets you apart from the normal people.

That's right. Writing is incredibly anti-social.

While other people get to go to work and interact with real living people, your interactions play out inside your head and on the page.
When you do actually go outside you find yourself watching people, you see how they behave and what they do. You know you're beyond help when you find yourself scripting their actions. It's hard to relax and simply enjoy the moment when you're analysing it, you find yourself permanently placed on the outside looking in. The worst part is - you put yourself there!
It's well known that I take a notepad and pen with me everywhere because inspiration can strike at any time and once it hits I can't concentrate on anything else until it's written down. I need a "Do Not Disturb" sign to hang round my neck when I sit down with my pad and pen


So I urge you, fellow writers, it's time to unite! Separately, at our computers, without real people around to interrupt us.

You're either a writer or a reader.
It's time to choose sides.

On the cutting room floor - the regrets of editing

Everyone has to face it at some point, even if they do all their own editing. You will have to cut things out sometimes, whether a scene you love interrupts the flow of the story or it just doesn't quite flow right, there will be times when you must be brutal.

One that springs to mind for me is part of the early version of the journey home within my Heir Non-Apparent novel. It was one of those sections of story that was good for the character (Androvich) but just was not necessary for the plot, especially with later edits.

I have so many scenes like that languishing on my computer. I know they will never be published but I just can't face getting rid of them.
Oh well, at the risk of spoilers (or complete incomprehension) for anyone who hasn't yet read the book yet, I will publish that little something on another page, just to console myself that it has been published somewhere.
Androvich on the Singer