People often imagine a writer’s life as one of solitary confinement—a lone figure hunched over a typewriter in a dark room, perhaps with a single candle for company. I’m happy to report that the reality is much more social! While the actual act of putting words on the page is a private one, I find that I do my best growing when I’m surrounded by my peers.
Learning from the Tribe
This year, my calendar is dotted with three major conferences and almost monthly writing retreats. There is a specific kind of magic that happens when you get a group of mystery writers together in a room. We aren’t just talking about plot twists; we’re discussing the author business, the changing landscape of publishing, and sharing the secrets of our craft over endless pots of tea. There’s always more to learn, and there’s no better way to stay inspired than by hearing how my peers have solved a particularly tricky narrative puzzle.
Even on my home days, I rarely stay in the house. I’ve found that a local coworking space is my saving grace. Being around other people who are also working—even if they’re doing something completely unrelated to fiction—helps keep my focus sharp and prevents the cabin fever that can set in after a week of solo writing.
The Purr-fect Distraction
Of course, the biggest challenge to my productivity at home is my feline “assistants.” If I stay at home with only the cats for company, I quickly succumb to my greatest weakness: feline affection. It’s far easier to make a cat purr than it is to fine-tune a tricky scene or untangle a complicated motive. The lure of a nap in a sunbeam with a cat on one’s lap is a siren call that few authors can resist.
The only way I’ve managed to justify the hours spent stroking them is by putting them to work! You will find versions of my cats woven into the pages of my Parchment Paper Mysteries. They have officially graduated from distractions to literary research, providing the cozy heart to many of my scenes.