Ask the Author: Beth Anne Campbell
Answered Questions (4)
Beth Anne Campbell
Discipline yourself to write on a regular basis.
Set a timer, schedule time, whatever you need to do to have your butt in the chair (or couch or bed) and put words on paper or your laptop, a notepad, a typewriter, whatever...just write. The rest of it will come and you will learn.
Stop thinking about everything. Stop worrying about all your characters and plot lines. That will come. For now...just write, every day, even if it's a gratitude journal or a shopping list.
Set a timer, schedule time, whatever you need to do to have your butt in the chair (or couch or bed) and put words on paper or your laptop, a notepad, a typewriter, whatever...just write. The rest of it will come and you will learn.
Stop thinking about everything. Stop worrying about all your characters and plot lines. That will come. For now...just write, every day, even if it's a gratitude journal or a shopping list.
Beth Anne Campbell
I have never had writer's block. What I HAVE experienced is lack of motivation and lack of ideas.
One of the greatest writing tips I ever received was to stop waiting for inspiration and motivation and start embracing discipline. This philosophy came partly from motivational speaker and author Mel Robbins and actress Lauren Graham.
Mel has a great Ted Talk where she reveals her 5-Second Rule for doing things we don't necessarily want to do.
Lauren mentions using a timer to discipline her writing in her autobiography "Talking As Fast As I Can."
Both of these have helped me greatly. It took me 3 years to write 3 chapters of my first book. I was searching for perfection, and waiting for motivation (neither of which ever happened).
So I took Mel's advice and just accepted that I would not always be super-inspired to write. Jodi Picoult helped with this too - she has a quote that I live by: "You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page."
Then I took Lauren's advice and started setting a timer. I would put 20 minutes on the clock and write. Anything. It didn't matter, I would just write.
After adopting these techniques and mindsets, I finished my first book within six months. I'm now nearly finished drafting my first novel, less than 6 months since I put my first word on a page.
One of the greatest writing tips I ever received was to stop waiting for inspiration and motivation and start embracing discipline. This philosophy came partly from motivational speaker and author Mel Robbins and actress Lauren Graham.
Mel has a great Ted Talk where she reveals her 5-Second Rule for doing things we don't necessarily want to do.
Lauren mentions using a timer to discipline her writing in her autobiography "Talking As Fast As I Can."
Both of these have helped me greatly. It took me 3 years to write 3 chapters of my first book. I was searching for perfection, and waiting for motivation (neither of which ever happened).
So I took Mel's advice and just accepted that I would not always be super-inspired to write. Jodi Picoult helped with this too - she has a quote that I live by: "You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page."
Then I took Lauren's advice and started setting a timer. I would put 20 minutes on the clock and write. Anything. It didn't matter, I would just write.
After adopting these techniques and mindsets, I finished my first book within six months. I'm now nearly finished drafting my first novel, less than 6 months since I put my first word on a page.
Beth Anne Campbell
I am currently working on my first novel, called "Aunt Frannie and the She-Shed Itch." It's a humor/romance loosely based on my crazy family.
Aunt Frannie had been like a second mother to her eldest nephew Boone and his friend Valerie. When Frannie is diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live, she enlists in their help to bring the entire family together to celebrate her life by building her a grand Lady Lair reminiscent of the one her mother had when she was a little girl.
As the family gathers, Boone and Valerie start to wonder if they have feelings for each other beyond friendship. Frannie knows the truth and won’t stop until the two are together…even if it takes her last breath.
Aunt Frannie had been like a second mother to her eldest nephew Boone and his friend Valerie. When Frannie is diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live, she enlists in their help to bring the entire family together to celebrate her life by building her a grand Lady Lair reminiscent of the one her mother had when she was a little girl.
As the family gathers, Boone and Valerie start to wonder if they have feelings for each other beyond friendship. Frannie knows the truth and won’t stop until the two are together…even if it takes her last breath.
Beth Anne Campbell
My most recent book, "Where The Hell Is My Bacon?" is based on a true story that happened at a company I used to work for.
Shortly afterward, I was reflecting on how impactful it was to people, the company, and me. Bacon, Employee Engagement, Leadership...it sounded like a unique combination too, so I decided to write about it.
Shortly afterward, I was reflecting on how impactful it was to people, the company, and me. Bacon, Employee Engagement, Leadership...it sounded like a unique combination too, so I decided to write about it.
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