Q&A with Deanna Lynn Sletten - Author discussion

Hi all,

If you are a writer, I'm sure you have a time of day or night when writing is easiest for you. When my kids were young, finding any time to write was a challenge so I did it in the van and at the baseball fields. Now that my children are grown, I find my best time isn't during the day but instead from 10PM-2AM. From the looks of Twitter, there are many writers up that late, too.

What time of day or night do you like to write?

I live in San Diego so it's very hard to write during the day, especially in the summer. However, sometimes it's nice just to go to the beach, watch the waves, and write.

Hi Brandon - I'm jealous! I'd love writing by the ocean - how peaceful. Used to be a Calif. girl - miss the sun and waves. :)

Just at the moment, I'm all over the place with my writing. Family just keeps getting in the way! My favourite time is from 9am to 3pm, but at the moment it is one big compromise, which is really frustrating. I also love writing really late at night,(although my husband doesn't!) I'm luck enough to have a desk with a view of hills and fields, which is lovely to look out on when I'm thinking. Or I'll go to my favourite coffee shop and write there, but always with a note pad, never my lap top. That way, people don't mind if you're there for a couple of hours!

my favorite time is from midnight to 4 or 5 am but now i always keep my papers and my pen with me whenever i had ideas i wrote them or on my phone ! so i can write anytime ! even at work if i had time ! eventually it's not about time u like to write it's about time when the inspiration came !

Absolutely. Sometimes you just have to get it down on paper. That's why I have notes on napkins, cereal packets, the edge of newspapers etc...

Jayne wrote: "Absolutely. Sometimes you just have to get it down on paper. That's why I have notes on napkins, cereal packets, the edge of newspapers etc..."


:))))

When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my morning coffee. My project stays open until I shut it down at night. Some days it goes untouched and other days it feels like I never leave the story. It all depends on whether or not the characters are in a talkative mood…

I am most productive in the early morning. I get up before six
with my dogs. They get a snack and go back to bed. I enjoy some quiet time to write.

I work a soul-crushing, time-sucking day job, so Sunday is my designated writing day: 8AM-6PM, whether I feel like it or not. I belt out 6-8K words. I can't imagine writing late at night (althought it's true that many writers do). I would fall asleep at the keyboard. X-P

Jayne wrote: "Just at the moment, I'm all over the place with my writing. Family just keeps getting in the way! My favourite time is from 9am to 3pm, but at the moment it is one big compromise, which is really..."

Hi Jayne,

It's hard finding time to write when you have a family. I used to write at baseball practices and in the van! Now I'm lucky enough to have more time to myself, but I still find I enjoy writing between 10pm-2am - a crazy schedule! I also write notes down on scrapes of paper or post-it notes when ideas pop up, otherwise I lose it!

Salem wrote: "my favorite time is from midnight to 4 or 5 am but now i always keep my papers and my pen with me whenever i had ideas i wrote them or on my phone ! so i can write anytime ! even at work if i had t..."

Hi Salem - I'm like you - I write late at night to early morning. Something about the house being asleep - it just make writing easier for me.

Melanie wrote: "I work a soul-crushing, time-sucking day job, so Sunday is my designated writing day: 8AM-6PM, whether I feel like it or not. I belt out 6-8K words. I can't imagine writing late at night (althought..."

Melanie , seems you are busy all the time , so do i , but i found a solution how to read books at work ! but writing just at home and my favorite time is from 12 pm to 4 or 5 am coz i'm living in a beautiful peaceful town so it inspired me just late at night .. wish you the best with work and writing :)

Brian wrote: "When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my morning coffee. My project stays open until I shut it down at n..."

Hi Brian - I have my computer open all day too, and try to work on my latest project as time allows. Nighttime is when I can sit uninterrupted though. Thanks for stopping by!

Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "my favorite time is from midnight to 4 or 5 am but now i always keep my papers and my pen with me whenever i had ideas i wrote them or on my phone ! so i can write anytime ! even at w..."

thannnnks ! well as i said , it's so peaceful at night so it inspired me ! reading or writing both ! with that coffe and wispering to papers it's sothing romantic !!

Connie wrote: "I am most productive in the early morning. I get up before six
with my dogs. They get a snack and go back to bed. I enjoy some quiet time to write."

Hi Connie - I wish I was a morning person like you - but I can barely function in the morning for some reason. Fought with it all those years I was getting kids off to school and working a regular 8-5 job! It's nice when you can use your most productive time for writing when your brain is the most awake! :)

Deanna wrote: "Brian wrote: "When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my morning coffee. My project stays open until I shu..."

Deanna wrote: "Brian wrote: "When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my morning coffee. My project stays open until I shu..."


but dont you think that reading from a paperback better that PDF on computer even wiritng for me is so nice on paper than computer !! ?

Yo, Salem! Yeah, we're all busy in our own way. I'm one of those people who can't be interrupted while writing, which happens all the time at my job. (I'm lucky if I get a lunch break.) It's best for me to lock myself in my apartment, ignore my messages and just write the damn story.
Awesome that you live in a nice town. I live in Los Angeles, so "peaceful" means there's only one police siren going off. ;-)
Good luck with your writing, too, and get some shut eye sometime. :-)

Melanie wrote: "I work a soul-crushing, time-sucking day job, so Sunday is my designated writing day: 8AM-6PM, whether I feel like it or not. I belt out 6-8K words. I can't imagine writing late at night (althought..."

Hi Melanie - I used to have that job - soul-crushing, time-sucking! It's hard to be creative when your job is taking all of your energy. It's wonderful that you can spend all day on Sunday writing. I've never written more than 3,000 words in one sitting! Good for you!

Melanie wrote: "Yo, Salem! Yeah, we're all busy in our own way. I'm one of those people who can't be interrupted while writing, which happens all the time at my job. (I'm lucky if I get a lunch break.) It's best f..."

:))))))

Salem wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "my favorite time is from midnight to 4 or 5 am but now i always keep my papers and my pen with me whenever i had ideas i wrote them or on my phone ! so i can write anyt..."

:-)

Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "my favorite time is from midnight to 4 or 5 am but now i always keep my papers and my pen with me whenever i had ideas i wrote them or on my phone ! so i ..."

all the best ! and all the good luck ! and waiting to learn from you , your words , and from all friends here ! less you all !

Salem wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Brian wrote: "When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my morning coffee. My project stays o..."

Salem - I am still partial to paperbacks even though I have a Kindle. And when I can't use my computer, I still enjoy writing books in a notebook until I can type it in the computer. Something about pen and paper...

Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Brian wrote: "When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my morning coffee. My p..."

great ! bracause - for me - when i read a book ( paperback ) i feel like a relationship has born between me and that book and when i finshed that book like i'm going to left my other!! like i break it with someone !! hope you undrestand me !

Salem wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Brian wrote: "When I get up in the morning, I open my current project. I check all my favorite websites; take care of urgent matters, and down my mornin..."

Understand completely!

Deanna wrote: "Melanie wrote: "I work a soul-crushing, time-sucking day job, so Sunday is my designated writing day: 8AM-6PM, whether I feel like it or not. I belt out 6-8K words. I can't imagine writing late at ..."

3K is still pretty awesome. :-)

I think my main problem is that everyone else in the family thinks of my writing as a little hobby, that I can just put down whenever someone has a problem. (sigh)

Jayne wrote: "I think my main problem is that everyone else in the family thinks of my writing as a little hobby, that I can just put down whenever someone has a problem. (sigh)"

Oh - I so completely understand! It's hard to get family to treat your writing like it's actual work. I think they feel it is easy to turn your thoughts on and off. Very frustrating!

and for some details : for me , i love Febrary, Jun, July, August , to write ! for me those months are so quite calme and nature is much calme just the moonlight at night , birds at moorning , some music and of course COFFE ! which make me in Love with papers and pen ! <3

Salem wrote: "and for some details : for me , i love Febrary, Jun, July, August , to write ! for me those months are so quite calme and nature is much calme just the moonlight at night , birds at moorning , some..."

I write all year round but I do enjoy writing in the summer when I can sit outside and enjoy the weather while I write. Very inspiring.

Deanna wrote: "Salem wrote: "and for some details : for me , i love Febrary, Jun, July, August , to write ! for me those months are so quite calme and nature is much calme just the moonlight at night , birds at m..."

EXACTLYYY :D

Thanks, I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's different writing habits. Before breakfast and just before bed are my most productive times. Jayne I understand your *sigh*.

Wendy wrote: "Thanks, I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's different writing habits. Before breakfast and just before bed are my most productive times. Jayne I understand your *sigh*."

Hi Wendy,

I admire anyone who can write in the morning - I'm brain dead in the morning and my mind doesn't start to function until early afternoon. Good for you!

Jayne wrote: "I think my main problem is that everyone else in the family thinks of my writing as a little hobby, that I can just put down whenever someone has a problem. (sigh)"You just hang in there! Keep on writing!!!

sometimes you just have to be inspired! Even when I have the time, I just don't feel it! It can be frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!

Connie wrote: "sometimes you just have to be inspired! Even when I have the time, I just don't feel it! It can be frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hi Connie - That is so true. I know I have to be in the mood to write or else it never comes out very good. I find sometimes that by reading a few pages of what I'd written the day before helps to get me back on track, even when I'm not feeling it. :-)