Avery K. Tingle, The Gamer Author

I am not the writer who can write every day, but I am the writer who can write several days a week and not hate myself for taking a break.

Writing is hard, hard work. Consistently willing things from your mind into the real world is a mentally backbreaking endeavor. I have the highest respect for people who can sit down and write all day, every day. I haven’t reached that level yet. I still aspire to.

I block out at least two hours a day, five days a week. I draft by hand: it’s easier to transcribe to the screen and saves time on editing later. The two days off, I don’t even so much as glance at a notepad. This makes my ADHD a little crazy. A thousand ideas bloom and die in my head. It’s a conscious act to let new ideas go. For me, at this stage in my career, new ideas mean that my imagination is charged up. Not every idea you get is meant to be written down or pursued. Sometimes, new ideas mean that your mind is ready to return to work–on your existing project. I know: it’s not sexy, but it gets the job done and keeps you from piling up an endless library of unfinished work.

This is how I do things. I have a notebook in front of me, a tablet with a movie going, several pens, and the makings of a book that I’d like to complete planning on by the end of the year.

If you have any tips on your craft, drop them, and let’s learn from each other.

Thanks for reading.

Avery K. Tingle is a scifi/fantasy author currently residing in the Las Vegas area. Owned by two cats, he is passionate about social justice, Star Wars, and mental health. Connect to his award-winning writing and social media here.