E
asked
Janet Fitch:
What are your daily/weekly habits and rituals around writing and revising your novels?
Janet Fitch
Hi E-- Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you!
I'm not a highly structured person, but I've done this a long time now, so I have fallen into general routine that I can describe. This was a different routine when I had small children at home, I can tell you about that one too.
I write every day, about four or five hours, maybe more, sometimes less, usually starting in the morning and working into the afternoon, that's kind of the bottom line, weekdays, weekends, holidays, vacations, it's mostly the same--though I work less on an actual holiday, maybe only two hours. Same for vacations. But I"m never far from my project. I feel it's a living thing that requires feeding like an animal or a child, you can't just decide to take a vacation. Maybe it's like being a farmer, you just don't take off for two weeks and expect anybody to still be alive.
I wake up around 7 or so, make coffee and read for about an hour, an hour and a half. Books. Not the newspaper, not magazines, not Facebook. I try to read books that excite me about writing, that inspire me, and I notice how they're affecting me. I don't waste time with books that don't inspire me. I generally don't read in bed. Some writers worry about reading while they're writing, or reading something with a really strong style that will affect their work. I don't worry about that--if someone's strong style affects me for a while, that's okay, because I will be back over it many times before it finally sees the light of day. But I must keep reading while I'm writing or I'd never read at all!
I eat breakfast, and get to work around 9:30, work until lunch, then go back until I just am not getting anything more, usually around 3 or 4. After that I'll read some more, goof around on the internet, answer email, work out or walk, live my life. If writing is compelling I might go back after dinner, around 8 or 9 and work for another hour or two. That's life in the writer lane.
I am very careful about not developing too many rituals. I think certain writers put too much of their creative effort into rituals, into 'getting ready' to write, then 'getting ready to get ready' to write... excessive preliminary rituals back the writer away from actually writing, ringing gongs and meditating and burning sage and so on. I'd say if you want to write, better just sit down in the chair and jump in. The muse will come when she's good and ready, and favors the writer who is already at work.
I begin my writing day by rewriting what I wrote the day before, adding a word or changing one, brushing things up--it helps me get back in to the mindspace I was in yesterday. I go through phases where I start the day by reading poetry aloud for 10 minutes, something with a great sound--it helps tune my ear to the music of language. I read a good deal of poetry.
I'm not a highly structured person, but I've done this a long time now, so I have fallen into general routine that I can describe. This was a different routine when I had small children at home, I can tell you about that one too.
I write every day, about four or five hours, maybe more, sometimes less, usually starting in the morning and working into the afternoon, that's kind of the bottom line, weekdays, weekends, holidays, vacations, it's mostly the same--though I work less on an actual holiday, maybe only two hours. Same for vacations. But I"m never far from my project. I feel it's a living thing that requires feeding like an animal or a child, you can't just decide to take a vacation. Maybe it's like being a farmer, you just don't take off for two weeks and expect anybody to still be alive.
I wake up around 7 or so, make coffee and read for about an hour, an hour and a half. Books. Not the newspaper, not magazines, not Facebook. I try to read books that excite me about writing, that inspire me, and I notice how they're affecting me. I don't waste time with books that don't inspire me. I generally don't read in bed. Some writers worry about reading while they're writing, or reading something with a really strong style that will affect their work. I don't worry about that--if someone's strong style affects me for a while, that's okay, because I will be back over it many times before it finally sees the light of day. But I must keep reading while I'm writing or I'd never read at all!
I eat breakfast, and get to work around 9:30, work until lunch, then go back until I just am not getting anything more, usually around 3 or 4. After that I'll read some more, goof around on the internet, answer email, work out or walk, live my life. If writing is compelling I might go back after dinner, around 8 or 9 and work for another hour or two. That's life in the writer lane.
I am very careful about not developing too many rituals. I think certain writers put too much of their creative effort into rituals, into 'getting ready' to write, then 'getting ready to get ready' to write... excessive preliminary rituals back the writer away from actually writing, ringing gongs and meditating and burning sage and so on. I'd say if you want to write, better just sit down in the chair and jump in. The muse will come when she's good and ready, and favors the writer who is already at work.
I begin my writing day by rewriting what I wrote the day before, adding a word or changing one, brushing things up--it helps me get back in to the mindspace I was in yesterday. I go through phases where I start the day by reading poetry aloud for 10 minutes, something with a great sound--it helps tune my ear to the music of language. I read a good deal of poetry.
More Answered Questions
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more