Part of a conversation with a less experienced writer:
“Scott, exactly how many writing tasks do you consider in an
ideal/productive workday? When does it get unrealistic for you?”
“I've never broken it down by tasks. I have a good idea how many hours each job will take, and I try not to schedule more than 8 working hours a day. I often exceed that and, occasionally, I have a light day. Either way, when my day is done and I know I've put in the work, done my best, the work is solid and meets/exceeds requirements, deadlines have been met, and clients are happy and I know I've been productive."
“Has it ever happened to you that you wanted to take a break
from writing for a while?”
“A day or two, sure. As my primary focus, never. I'm always ready, willing and motivated to write. Yes, sometimes I get physically and mentally exhausted. And sometimes I find myself staring at a blank screen and need to get up and take a walk. And yes, sometimes I get assignments that I'm not excited about ... but once I'm into my writing process, I'm excited to be putting words on the page.”
How would you answer those questions to a less experienced writer
looking for advice?
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NOTE: This was an actual conversation. Not one of those phony “People are always asking me…” lead-ins some folks use to introduce a product for sale: People are always asking me how come my lawn is the healthiest looking in the neighborhood … People are always asking me about the lustrous shine on my 12-year-old car … People are always asking me how I can afford to wear designer clothes and expensive jewelry? No. They're not.
