Celeste Jones: Are you a full time or part time writer?
Rollin Hand: Part time. I still work a full time job as an IP
attorney in private practice.[I think IP is intellectual property.]
Celeste Jones: What
other responsibilities do you have to juggle along with writing? Children?
Aging parents? Exercise? A disturbing number of pets? Critiquing for other
writers?
Rollin Hand: I’m a musician and in several groups, so I have
to work that in. My exercise regimen is important too. [I didn't know that! What instrument do you play?]
Celeste Jones: Do you have a set schedule for when you
write? If so, what is it?
Rollin Hand: No. It’s weekends, early mornings and breaks at
work.
Celeste Jones: Do you have particular productivity goals for
each day or week or just go for it?
Rollin Hand: Go for it, mostly. But on weekends I set aside
time specifically.
Celeste Jones: What is a typical day (if such a thing
exists) like for you?
Rollin Hand: I get up early and check mail etc., then since I’m
self employed, I go to my office on my schedule, usually 9-6, come home,
exercise or go to a rehearsal, eat, read a bit and go to bed.
Celeste Jones: Do you
work on more than one manuscript at a time?
Rollin Hand: Yes. I’ll be editing backlist stuff for
publication, writing new stories and working on a novel all at the same time.
My motto is---if the muse strikes, write.
Celeste Jones: Do you use any special writing programs like
Write or Die?
Rollin Hand: no
Celeste Jones: What about promotion? Do you have particular
time when you visit blogs or use other social media? How do you monitor your
time?
Rollin Hand: That’s early morning. I check my blog, prepare
blog entries, respond to email, comment on other blogs.
Celeste Jones: What about your blog? Do you have a set
schedule or just blog when the mood
strikes you?
Rollin Hand: I really try to update my blog every three days,
four max. It’s a successful blog, getting 700-1500 hits a day, so it’s worth
it.
Celeste Jones: What tips or pointers do you have to share to
help others be more productive?
Rollin Hand:: There’s no magic. Just set aside a set period and
do it. Procrastination is not an option.
Celeste Jones: What books are you working on now? What are
your goals for 2014?
Rollin Hand: I want to finish publishing my backlist which
will take some editing and rewriting. My most active project is a new novel to
be published by Stormy Night, a medieval romance. I’m also writing some F/M
short stories for a new collection.
Celeste Jones: Anything else you’d like to share?
Rollin Hand: For those
of us who work full time it’s difficult. I would love to write full time. But I
do have the luxury of being my own boss. Still, work demands come before my
writing gig so I have to squeeze it in. The key is, don’t let projects gather
dust. Every day do SOMETHING.
Me at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rollin/e/B009ZJUH50
Me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Rollin.Hand.58
Upcoming are twin novelettes to be published in a single
volume. First is “Willow Wood Estate”, a
mainly F/F bit of spanking erotica about a country estate, its mysterious
history, its imperious and beautiful owner, a young female employee, and an odd
circle of women who come to visit. Next is “Madeline Smythe” the story of a
college girl, her mentor and the man they enlist to help the coed with a dotty
aunt who owns a country manor that she runs like a nineteenth century estate.
Fans of Downton Abbey will like this one. Mostly M/F.
Wow, Rollin, I learned some interesting things about you. Your comment, "procrastination is not an option" ought to be very author's bumper sticker. (Or wall plaque. I don't put bumper stickers on my car.)
ReplyDeleteI like what you said, don't let your work gather dust even if you don't have all the time you want. I dream about being able to write full time, maybe someday.
ReplyDelete