Comments on: A Full-Time Writer’s Top Ten List http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:21:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Josephine Damian http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-2490 Josephine Damian Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:32:46 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-2490 I've got two rooms now with computers: spare room with card table and uncomfortable chair - this computer is for Internet access only - and the awful chair is on purpose so I don't spend too much time here. The other - much nicer room with the big desk and comfy chair is the writing room - that computer has NO internet - so there's no getting distracted while writing. Housework? Who cares! I'll clean when I finish my WIP. I’ve got two rooms now with computers: spare room with card table and uncomfortable chair - this computer is for Internet access only - and the awful chair is on purpose so I don’t spend too much time here.

The other - much nicer room with the big desk and comfy chair is the writing room - that computer has NO internet - so there’s no getting distracted while writing.

Housework? Who cares! I’ll clean when I finish my WIP.

]]> By: Kelly McCullough http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1997 Kelly McCullough Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:34:16 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1997 Bran fan, that's certainly possible. I can't speak to the gender issue in general, but as the spouse with the flexible job, the housework is mostly mine ~75 percent.* I just don't let it interfere with my writing. *My wife does most of the mowing and puts away most of the clothes. Vacuuming and mopping are done with robots, though it's mostly me who does the set up for that. Dishes, washing and drying the laundry, and snowblowing are mine. General cleanup is 70/30 me/her. Inasmuch as cooking happens we split it 60/40 me her. Anything that goes into or comes out of a cat is my problem. Bran fan, that’s certainly possible. I can’t speak to the gender issue in general, but as the spouse with the flexible job, the housework is mostly mine ~75 percent.* I just don’t let it interfere with my writing.

*My wife does most of the mowing and puts away most of the clothes. Vacuuming and mopping are done with robots, though it’s mostly me who does the set up for that. Dishes, washing and drying the laundry, and snowblowing are mine. General cleanup is 70/30 me/her. Inasmuch as cooking happens we split it 60/40 me her. Anything that goes into or comes out of a cat is my problem.

]]> By: Bran fan http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1990 Bran fan Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:10:19 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1990 I wonder if women feel more of an obligation toward the housework then men do? I'm not slamming men, it's just that our society has raised us to think that cleaning up a house is the wife's job. Maybe Connie Willis is trying to outwit her societal conditioning by writing elsewhere. Can't clean up the library. I wonder if women feel more of an obligation toward the housework then men do? I’m not slamming men, it’s just that our society has raised us to think that cleaning up a house is the wife’s job. Maybe Connie Willis is trying to outwit her societal conditioning by writing elsewhere. Can’t clean up the library.

]]> By: David B. Coe http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1988 David B. Coe Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:24:45 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1988 Glad to know I'm not the only one, Sam. Glad to know I’m not the only one, Sam.

]]> By: S.C. Butler http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1986 S.C. Butler Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:19:57 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1986 Sounds like my schedule exactly, especially the post lunch sugar fix and the catnap. I do love my catnap. Sounds like my schedule exactly, especially the post lunch sugar fix and the catnap. I do love my catnap.

]]> By: David B. Coe http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1976 David B. Coe Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:46:02 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1976 I'm picturing huge dust bunnies laughing at you behind your back.... I’m picturing huge dust bunnies laughing at you behind your back….

]]> By: Kelly McCullough http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1975 Kelly McCullough Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:15:56 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1975 I work at home too, and as long as the room I'm actually writing in is all right, I don't have a problem. Honestly, as long as the part of the room I can see without moving from my writing chair is fine, so am I. Mess behind me? Not there. I work at home too, and as long as the room I’m actually writing in is all right, I don’t have a problem. Honestly, as long as the part of the room I can see without moving from my writing chair is fine, so am I. Mess behind me? Not there.

]]> By: David B. Coe http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1971 David B. Coe Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:38:36 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1971 To answer mother's question first: the last book I turned in was 574 manuscript pages and just shy of 143,000 words. That's pretty typical for my epic fantasy work right now. I've also got a contemporary fantasy that I'm trying to sell -- 115,000 words. Karen, I've heard Connie say the same thing about working at home. I don't know if my ability to work in my house means I'm a slob, or what. But I do seem to be able to ignore the household stuff during my work hours. As for the reward system, yours sounds great. Anything that gets us to write is a good thing! To answer mother’s question first: the last book I turned in was 574 manuscript pages and just shy of 143,000 words. That’s pretty typical for my epic fantasy work right now. I’ve also got a contemporary fantasy that I’m trying to sell — 115,000 words.

Karen, I’ve heard Connie say the same thing about working at home. I don’t know if my ability to work in my house means I’m a slob, or what. But I do seem to be able to ignore the household stuff during my work hours. As for the reward system, yours sounds great. Anything that gets us to write is a good thing!

]]> By: Karen Wester Newton http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1970 Karen Wester Newton Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:31:59 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1970 Interesting. I've heard Connie Willis talk about her writing routine, and one thing she says is, she <i>can't</i> work at home because she's too prone to get distracted by the need to do housework. I don't think that would be a problem for me; it certainly isn't on the weekends, as you could tell from looking at my house. Doesn't sound like it is for you either. Connie works at the public library and at coffee shops, and she uses a similar reward system to yours. If she meets her writing goal she lets herself buy a latte or something. Having a day job, I see it the other way around—if I get the other tasks done, I reward myself with three hours of writing time. Interesting. I’ve heard Connie Willis talk about her writing routine, and one thing she says is, she can’t work at home because she’s too prone to get distracted by the need to do housework. I don’t think that would be a problem for me; it certainly isn’t on the weekends, as you could tell from looking at my house. Doesn’t sound like it is for you either. Connie works at the public library and at coffee shops, and she uses a similar reward system to yours. If she meets her writing goal she lets herself buy a latte or something. Having a day job, I see it the other way around—if I get the other tasks done, I reward myself with three hours of writing time.

]]> By: mother http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1969 mother Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:17:22 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/02/13/a-full-time-writers-top-ten-list/#comment-1969 So 600 manuscript pages is a book for you? How many words is that? So 600 manuscript pages is a book for you? How many words is that?

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