How Do I Know I'm a Writer?

Three books into my author career (with a fourth one coming really soon), and I am just now figuring out what renders me as a dedicated writer.

Here they are:

• I make sure to take my laptop with me every time I go out of town.
• I have pens of various colors in my purse.
• I have pads everywhere around my house and even in my purse.
• Any spare time I have at home, and when my husband is busy with something at home, I write.
• When I have to try hard to not say the name of one of my characters, who is a portrayal of the person I'm talking to.
• When I hear autobiographical songs, such as "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock, and want to cry.
• I bristle every time someone says to me, "That is something to put in your books."
• Every other thing I talk about is my books.
• In conversations, I talk about my characters as if they are real people.  I've done this a time or two.
• I talk about something that had happened...only to find it was something I had written in my book, it didn't happen in real life.
• When my husband sees a car on a car auction show, it's one that one of my characters drives, and he asks me about it.  I give him the character and what book it is from.
• I quote things from my books in conversations.
• I would see someone and maybe even talk with them.  They look the way one of my characters would, and I try not to tell them so, even if those characters were good ones.
• Last but not least, when I consider my main characters my children.

Why I Should Live in a Hotel Room

I spent this past weekend in a hotel room.  

But it wasn't to get away and write.  While I could do that (and I did), it was for an AmVets conference. Though I knew I would be busy with meetings for two whole days, I took my laptop, journal, and notebook with me anyway, knowing I'd have some time in the mornings and evenings to write.  And I knew inspiration would strike, so I decided to not pack lightly for this.

As soon as I got there, I was reminded of the great things I could do when I only have a bed, a refrigerator, a desk with a swivel chair, and a bathroom.  And I have a housekeeper. Therefore, no dishes to wash, no laundry to do, not even a bed to make.  All I have to say about that is: Bring on more creativity!

What did I spend Friday and Saturday mornings doing?  Working on Professional Fans.  I believe this was the first time I had been able to work on it when out of town.  Having the time and temporary break from any other responsibilities made the difference in my being able to concentrate on it.

I probably don't need to tell you any of this.  You who are writers yourselves already know the benefits of staying in a hotel room just to write.  But sometimes I need to be reminded of small things like that, and when I'm longing for alone time just to write but spend my time sometimes resisting distractions.

I was so involved in the writing, I almost forgot to go to the meetings.  As the first day (Friday) unfolded, I noticed I had about two hours for lunch.  What did I do?  You guessed it. But I did it in style.

I sat on a lounge chair by their indoor pool and continued my writing.  The funny thing is, for a while I had envisioned writing by a body of water, whether it was a pool or the beach.  I knew in doing so, I would be able to think of great ideas.  And they just kept coming!

Needless to say, pretty soon, I had to remind myself why I had to come here in the first place.  Great things were happening, great character development.  I was working hard at making Professional Fans un-disjointed.  These are some examples of how I made it that way.

As can be expected from what became this stupid amount of time to write, I only wanted to do it more.  

It was such that though my hotel was only a half mile from all of the shopping and sightseeing I could possibly do, I did none of that.  

This book, as you can see, has a hold on me.  I cannot wait to release it and have it in your hands.

In an attempt to draw this post to a close, I'm having to watch my time, which is very limited this morning, before I have a full day of work.  Hopefully, I will be able to keep my desire to write more at bay.  If not, I may have to check into another hotel room...maybe for about two weeks.  Oh, if only I could!

Dancing 'Cross the Pages

"Rain, play my song today.

No one wants to know me anyway.

Perfect lover, where are you?

I can't wait much more for you to come true?"

These are a few of the first lines from Heart's melancholy ballad, "Magazine."  I have known that song for thirty years now and have always liked it.  It wasn't until I started writing that I found the reason why not only Heart is my all-time favorite band, but the purpose of this song in my life. (Yes, to me, songs can have purposes.)

It rained this morning.  I was at work.  I couldn't concentrate.  If the last time it rained as hard as it had done today was anything to go by, I'd be able to leave early.  In fact, when this possibility sank in, I sang those words to that familiar classic Heart song.

After the great weekend I had had, at the Perry Stone Regional Conference, I was re-inspired, refreshed, and ready to go.  The only thing I wanted to do was write.  To have to wait until after dinner to do it would have almost been the death of me.  

I am still working very hard on finishing Professional Fans.  I am determined to get the first draft done sometime this month.  I believe this has been the most rewarding project I have ever done.  After reading many parts of it to family and friends, I have received great feedback about it.  They want to read more of it.  

The more I work on this, the less I like being away from it for a long period of time. Even one day would cause a noticeable separation anxiety.

It poured hard today!  What did that mean for me?  I got my wish:  To go home early and get to writing as soon as I could.

But there was a problem:  I couldn't think clearly due to the rain, I wasn't easily motivated. The first song I cued up once I got in front of my laptop...

Hearing that song on a rainy Monday morning never fails to get me in the right mindset to write. Playing this song, and drinking a little bit more of some sweet tea, I got to work.  It's now just after 8. As I put a bow on this post, and this day, I'm glad I can lay my head down on my pillow and know I accomplished a lot of writing today, took advantage of all of this time alone, and I have the passion for having my fingers dance 'cross the pages....of my own books.