So, time for a confession.

I am the most inefficient writer on the planet. At least, I think so. I love to write. I love to hand write my stories.

That means, I must type everything up later and my rough draft takes twice as long to finish. Likewise, I love to edit with paper in hand, rather than reading from a computer screen. Thus, it takes twice as long to revise a chapter. I know that a full-time writer probably wouldn’t have the time to do things this way, but its a habit I’m trying to break.

With my critique partners, we do all our correspondence and editing via email and Word TrackChanges. This has pushed me and helped me grow within the new realms of technology, but I still love the feel of a freshly printed page and the red ink covering the snow white paper. I think finding a balance is key. Finding errors in writing on a screen is different than on paper, and I admire those who do everything by computer screen.

So, while I struggle to find that balance, I will simply adapt in ways I can. For instance, I have “hired” my younger sister to type up my handwritten draft of probably 30,000 words or so. It saves me the time and she is happy to help, since she loves my novels. So, when in doubt, look for sibling labor.

Keep your eyes out: I’ll be posting an interview with author Cara Putnam soon, who might have some good advice to help cure me of my bad writing habits! 🙂