Ask the Author: Lee Reed
Answered Questions (6)
Lee Reed
I have two tricks, and they both stem from the recognition that writer's block is a form of anxiety. I've had my share of challenges with self-esteem on many fronts--I've learned over the years that I can avoid all manner of performance anxiety by feeling prepared.
Trick #1: productive procrastination. When I'm stuck, I research with a vengeance. I read and look up things until I find I'm seeing the same information and I'm convinced I've learned what I can on a subject. That gives me a feeling that I know what I'm talking about! And then I feel strong enough to write.
Trick #2: percolation. I think about the scene I want to write before my writing time begins. I let the scene play out like a movie in my head or talk to myself in my mind about how the scene will go. I may do this while driving, in the shower, or walking the dog, but my favorite time to do this is while I'm drifting off to sleep. The next day, when it is time for my meeting with myself to write, the idea for the scene has finished percolating and the ideas come much more easily.
Trick #1: productive procrastination. When I'm stuck, I research with a vengeance. I read and look up things until I find I'm seeing the same information and I'm convinced I've learned what I can on a subject. That gives me a feeling that I know what I'm talking about! And then I feel strong enough to write.
Trick #2: percolation. I think about the scene I want to write before my writing time begins. I let the scene play out like a movie in my head or talk to myself in my mind about how the scene will go. I may do this while driving, in the shower, or walking the dog, but my favorite time to do this is while I'm drifting off to sleep. The next day, when it is time for my meeting with myself to write, the idea for the scene has finished percolating and the ideas come much more easily.
Lee Reed
Those moments when you are "in the zone"--for me that's about 45 minutes into a writing session.
Lee Reed
Put your writing time in your calendar like an appointment. Call it a work meeting, both when talking about your writing time with other people and thinking about it yourself. When you label your writing as work that is important to you, it becomes easier to protect that time.
Lee Reed
I'm working on #2 in the Constellation Clues series, which will center around the Orion constellation. I'm also updating a picture book, revising a book club novel, and doing research for another book club novel. So many book ideas, so little time!
Lee Reed
I love answering "why" when I write. Why do people do certain things? Why are people fascinated by this or that? Why don't people understand people that aren't like them? And I write to figure out the answer for myself.
Lee Reed
I talk about this in more detail in the acknowledgments of my book, but the short answer is, my kid asked me to write this book. And so I did!
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