The Five Best Things I Learned About Writing, I Learned While Asleep
Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 10:43AM 
Growing up, my daily wake-up call was the sound of two big electric typewriters. I could hear their furious clicks, dings, and noisy swings as I emerged from sleep, and knew that my parents were writing in their bedroom on the other side of the house. They had a comforting rhythm and reassured me that all was well. From kindergarten to middle school, I awoke to these sounds, until my parents finally earned enough money so that my father could quit his job and they could both start writing during the day. Then the typewriters pounded behind two locked doors. But to me as a child, writing was boring, obsessive and isolating. My own interests lay in reading. (Strangely, I never connected the two.) I read everything in my path, like a kind of devouring book machine, and never thought about those two noisy typewriters or what they might be saying to me. Years later, when I decided to start writing myself, I realized how much I had learned:
1. If you want to be a writer, WRITE!
My parents talked about it for many years, but finally they sat down and did it. They wrote every morning, no matter what. It took them years, but they were finally able to achieve their dream of becoming full time writers.
2. Set up a schedule.
Don't leave your writing to chance; make sure you have a dedicated time every day. My parents started with early morning writing sessions; I started with late evening ones. (There was no way I was getting up at 4:00 a.m.!)
3. You might have to fight for your time.
No, they didn't have to wrest the hours from our slippery little fingers, they probably had to fight their own fatigue and urge to sleep. My father had a full-time job and my mother was engaged in caring for three young children, all under the age of five. But they still managed to carve out the time to write. When you start to write, obstacles always seem to pop up. Don't be afraid to fight for your time!
4. Make writing a habit.
Once writing is a habit, everything becomes much easier. You don't have to think about it, schedule it, fight for it, you just DO it. It becomes part of your nature. I am, therefore I write. I saw my parents turn writing into a habit, and after many years of adhering to a writing schedule, I did, too. After a while, writing was so deeply a part of me, that even if I wanted to stop, I couldn't.
5. Writing is a slow process.
One of the best things I learned from waking up every morning to my parents' typewriters was how long everything takes. It takes a long time to write a book; it takes a long time to publish one. I never expected quick results or easy success. My parents wrote for at least seven years before they were able to make a living at it. It was another five or six years before they published their first young adult novel.
Finally, let me give thanks to the typewriter gods, wherever they are. If my parents had been using computers, the gentle tapping of a computer keyboard would never have reached me at the other end of the house, and I wouldn't have learned some of the most important lessons of my writing life.
Reader Comments (20)
Happy Valentine's Day, Anne! Thx 4 da advice, da other day!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO,
Aishah Q.
WOW! These are great advises! I'm in love again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With writing! OMG I finaly have something to follow because I had no idea where I was going?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thax Anne, your are DA BEST!
I'm so happy that this advice helps, Faria! Happy Valentine's Day to you and Aishah! XOXO Anne
Thanks, Anne. I'm an early morning writer myself...and ever so grateful typewriters have given way to laptops! I never was much of a typist, spent my life with white out perched alongside my typewriter. Enjoyed your post!
Oh yes, typewriting drawbacks. The delete key on my computer has probably saved me thousands of hours over the years... No more retyping whole pages for one silly mistake. And no more of that horrid white-out, not to mention carbon copies, and mailed manuscripts! Thanks, Gail!
Wow Anne I Don't Know Why But This Is My Favorite Post Yet. I Wrote Some Awesome Books And I Really Want To Publish Them But First Im Gonna Look Over Them And Re-Write:) Thx Anne You Are The Best And So Is Your Advice Happy V-Day By The Way!
AbbyFan, it makes me VERY happy that you and Faria find this advice helpful! Thanks for your comments.
And happy valentine's day!! XXOO
I'm going to read this entry again and again, whenever I need a boost! Thanks, Anne. You are a writer's touchstone.
Anne - I love the lessons that you learned as you grew up. And it is true...the biggest thing about becoming a writer is basically one simple thing "butt in chair" and scheduling regular time is critical. Happy Valentine's Day!.
Hey everyone. I want to share something with you guys. I have been thinking of writing a chapter book called The Journal Journey.
The title I got when I was at French class, somehow? It was just dancing around my head??????? So I thought I should start on writing it today. The reason I'm not like" YAY , I'm gonna Write a Book today!" because I'm scared I'll go "I can never write a book! Why did I start this in the first place"! So yeah I'm scared of writing a book !!! But reading this at February 14, 2010 made me think I'll give it a try and try, try ,try keep trying until I'm done!
It's just I HAVE ALL THESE GREAT IDEAS IN MY HEAD FOR THE BOOK THAT I CAN'T REFUSE NOT WRITING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From me A big Thanks To Anne, my favorite author ever for putting her terrific post up! These Advice I will read everyday to give me a boost! THANK YOU ANNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3
I'm thinking of writing a book called Elizabeth From L.A.! It's a chapter book! Good Luck on your book Faria!!! I think this advice is really helpful so I'm thinking of printing it out today... Hope everyone had a nice Valentines's Day. I'd like to thank Anne for the advice she e-mailed me the other day (Thanks Anne! <3!) and for taking the time to write this blog. I can't wait to finish my book! :) This is my favoritest (is that a word?!?) post that Anne ever wrote! Good Luck on your next book, Anne!
-Aishah
Anne,
When r u going 2 do da Spilling Ink book giveaway, plz???
Plz lemme know ASAP!
-A- :))))))))))))))))))
Faria & Aishah - It takes a lot of courage to write a book, so congratulations to both of you! The Spilling Ink giveaway won't happen for at least another month. The books aren't in print yet. But I will continue to blog about writing. xxxAnne
Thanks, Anne!
Wow Good Luck On Writing The Journal Journey Faria! I Love The Title Name!
And Good Luck On Writing Elizabeth From L.A Aishah! I Don't Even Know What It's About But It Sounds Great:)
Haha, thanks AbbyFan!!! But, I changed my mind & decided to name it The Adventures & Diary Entries of Elizabeth Smith.
Awesome I Really Hope To Read It One Day:)
Hi everybody, Nathalie here! I never really caught up with u guys! Soooo busy with homework. I luv the advice u gave me Anne! That'll sure help me in the future.
Lots of hugs,
Nathalie
P.S. I have finally read "Sealed With a Kiss". I never knew it was actually HIM who sent the smooch card to Abby. Anyways, one of my friends happen to be experiencing one of those crush things. PEACE!
OMG! I'm sooo sorry! The comment I just sent was actually me! 'Cuz I didn't know I was an author! lol My bad everyone!
No problem, Natalie! Thanks for letting everyone know what happened :-) -Anne