Ask the Author: S.E. Reichert
Answered Questions (6)
S.E. Reichert
The series I'm currently working on came to me as an idea while I was nursing my first daughter at night. When you're up twice in the dark with no where else to go, it serves as good thinking time. Its built upon itself in amazing and unforeseen ways. My next series, set in Wyoming, came to me first as an idea about how love changes as we age and what it means to be true to our roots.
S.E. Reichert
I have two basset hounds that need daily walks, so I find a lot of inspiration just getting out (especially in the beautiful fall colors) to mosey around. They're sniffers so there are a lot of pauses, and since I can't be multi-tasking while I'm out there, my mind is more free. I allow daydreaming whenever possible...stoplights, at my kids karate lessons, standing in line at the grocery isle. I look for new story ideas in newspapers often. I get inspired by reading often too.
S.E. Reichert
I am in the editing process of my second novel in the Southtown Harbor series, "Finding Destiny". Concurrently, I am writing the third and final novel in that series. When I get a little stuck, I've been shifting my attention to blog posts (being able to finish something in an hour makes me feel better about the long-haul commitment of my books) and a new series idea, set in my home state of Wyoming.
S.E. Reichert
Write. Every day. It doesn't matter what it is. Poetry, essay, personal story, or fictional novel. Just write. Some stuff you'll keep. Some stuff will be trash. But train your mind to need it. So that on days you don't write, you feel a little bit edgy and grouchy. Make it a habit.
Make good connections with a writing group or like-minded people. Lots of writers are introverts (myself included). We like to be alone with our thoughts. But it does truly help to know that we don't suffer the frustrations of writing alone. And new eyes on your work will improve it and give more perspective.
Also READ. Read a lot. Read often. Read diversely. The newspaper, novels, essays, scientific journals. Whatever it is, it will give you new ideas, and help you view words with a critical eye. Read things you agree with and things that make you irate. A stimulated mind writes better.
Make good connections with a writing group or like-minded people. Lots of writers are introverts (myself included). We like to be alone with our thoughts. But it does truly help to know that we don't suffer the frustrations of writing alone. And new eyes on your work will improve it and give more perspective.
Also READ. Read a lot. Read often. Read diversely. The newspaper, novels, essays, scientific journals. Whatever it is, it will give you new ideas, and help you view words with a critical eye. Read things you agree with and things that make you irate. A stimulated mind writes better.
S.E. Reichert
Being able to put thoughts and ideas into words. I love creating new worlds and people. I love being able to put the best and worst of what I find in my mind and in the world around me all together in this tapestry of a story. I love meeting new characters. I love watching interesting situations play out on the page. I love being able to share joy and frustration with the people who read what I write. Its a great connecting force.
S.E. Reichert
Sometimes I take a day or two away from a project if I feel I'm stuck. It not only gives my brain some distance from the work in progress but it ends the frustration. I revisit it after a couple of days (or sometimes weeks) with renewed vigor. It also helps me to leave the project and work on something else, completely unrelated for a little while. A great method I've found is to just write through the tough or trouble scene, giving myself complete permission to write something horrible (knowing I can scrap it later). Sometimes I get the most interesting parts of a book this way. Sometimes I get a lot of junk from it. Either way, it keeps me writing.
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