Gettin' the Author's Groove On by Brenda Whiteside

All writers have their methods of writing that open the door to the muse. They each have their own style to get their groove on, get the juices flowing. It all comes down to...

What... Where... When... How... do you write? I've gotten various forms of the questions, especially since I've published. Over the years, my answers have changed.

What do I write? The answer has always been romance but the sub genre varies. My first book was a contemporary. My current series of books in progress are mysteries. And in between I've written historical and western. I love them all and not sure which one will finally win out.

Where do I write? In the beginning, I couldn't write a lick unless I was at my desk. And I mean the actual physical act of writing. I wrote plenty in my head and most prolifically while behind the wheel of my car. In fact, I would write whole chapters in my head before I ever put fingertips to keyboard. But when I did write, I had to be at my desk on my computer. When I got a laptop, that changed. Or at least it evolved as my 'when' expanded.

When do I write? For many years, I worked outside the home and had little time to write. I thought I had to write in long stretches at my desk and at my computer. That limited me to weekends. I've never been able to do much after work besides eat and veg. Then I read The Artist's Way. I tried writing for fifteen minutes before work each morning and voila! I wrote nearly half of one of my novels in fifteen minute increments. Now I can write any time of day and for any length of time.

How do I write? Well, as they say, some things never change. I can't write longhand. I can't write with music playing or loud television or talking and laughing. I like it quiet. In the past couple of years, I've gained a bit more tolerance with some amount of background noise, but not much. There's always a drink of some sort to my write. Depending on the time of day, that drink will be coffee, tea, water or red wine.

I'm happy to give away an ebook of my novella, The Morning After, today. This is a contemporary western and part of a series for The Wild Rose Press. If you'd like to have a copy, leave a comment and your email address. Good luck!

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about prairie life on her personal blog http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/