Everything You Wanted to Know about Freelance Writing

Interview: What motivates you to write?

I was interviewed by Nate Hendley on motivation and freelance writing for his blog on artistic motivation — www.motivatetocreate.com.

Here is a bit of the interview. It continues on Nate’s blog:

What motivates you to write? Is it the promise of money, fame, power, recognition, self-fulfillment or something else?

I was seven years old when I published my first magazine. Using a stubby pencil, I meticulously printed articles about members of my family and illustrated the articles with crayon art. I produced only one copy of the magazine, but my entire family read “The Lima News”. I had great fun doing it and words have been an important part of my life ever since. There is no denying it: there was both a recognition factor and a self-fulfillment factor involved. But I also learned, since that first foray into writing, that I could make a living doing something I enjoy, and that’s cool too. Recently, though, I published my first collection of short stories, Rebel in the Back Seat. You don’t publish short stories for the money, so I guess I’m back to trying to gain a bit of recognition and self-fulfillment, while having fun with fiction.

Do you have any “tricks of the trade” that help you kick-start the creative process?

Darn good question. I know a lot of writers who admit they procrastinate. I can’t afford to do so. I’ve been earning my living as a fulltime freelance writer and writing trainer for over 20 years. If I want to get paid, I have to work and meet my deadlines. That keeps me motivated! At the same time, there are some mornings when I have to find ways to kick start my engine. I sometimes start work before I have breakfast. The deal is that I don’t eat until I accomplish a particular goal. Don’t know if it’s healthy, but it works for me—because I love to eat!

The interview continues on Nate’s blog …