Time to Write (No Excuses!) Guest Blogger Linna Drehmel

Today I have a guest on the blog. Welcome Linna Drehmel, a writer I met last weekend when she came to town for the Idaho Book Extravaganza. Before we met IRL, I knew Linna online. We live in the same time zone, and she's often one of my only friends up writing/tweeting at 3:00 a.m. like I am. When I hear someone say "it's hard to find time to write," my honest reaction is "well then, writing probably isn't a priority for you." There's nothing wrong with having other priorities. But if you're truly a writer, you make it a priority and you make time to do it, period. I asked Linna to do a guest post because I think she's the perfect example of someone who MAKES time to write. Read on and you'll understand why....

Hello K.C. Thank you for having me on your blog today.

Let me introduce myself my name is Linna Drehmel and I am a young adult SciFi/fantasy author. I have been married to the same great man for twenty years and we have 8 amazing kids (hobbits). I have been asked by so many people how in the world I can possibly write books with such a big family.

It’s not easy I can tell you that much. I sacrifice and work hard. I often work through the night with no sleep, and at 6 am I get kids off to school, and have to take care of my two littlest hobbits.

The best time of day for me is at 3pm, no matter how little sleep I got the night before I get out every day and do a 5-8 mile walk/work out. I think about plots and characters while I listen to my ‘muses’.

If writing is something that you love then you will find a way to make time. Giving up watching tv for me was the best way to make time. It is easier than one would think to make the time to do it. I started out my telling myself that I could write for 30 minutes, and then I worked my way up to an hour then an hour and half. By the time I got up to an hour and a half I was so into the story that I didn’t notice that I had gone long past the hour and a half.

Something that helps me to stay on track and keeps me inspired is my ‘muses’ Josh Groban, Depeche Mode, and Evanescence. Three very different sounding musicians but I need different sounds to do one scene or write that character or another. It really does help to have ‘muses’, so find what kind of music moves you. I have a very good friend by the name of Lindsay Downs who writes YA mystery and she is moved by country music. Country music is not my thing but I read her stories all the time and they are fantastic!

I think the best advice I ever heard was at the Idaho Book Extravaganza. Mr. Vincent Zandri said that the best way to get a book written is butt to chair. It is as simple as that.

If you love writing then find what moves you, find the time and put your behind in a chair and write, because somewhere out in that big world there is a reader who will love your work.

Thank you once again for having me on your blog.

Happy writing and let your light so shine.

Linna Drehmel

Thanks so much, Linna! See you on Twitter.... :) -Kate

Author K.C. Neal :: Pyxis Series :: YA Paranormal Fantasy