1 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:07,520 pretty much every writer I ever have 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,240 known when they starting out had another 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,559 job, you know, and that certainly was my 4 00:00:12,559 --> 00:00:14,400 case. I was a trial lawyer for about a 5 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,720 decade in Washington DC and that was a 6 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:18,160 time period where I was really focusing 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,560 on my on my novel writing career. I'd 8 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:22,320 done screenplays, didn't really success 9 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:23,519 and I thought, you know what, I want to 10 00:00:23,519 --> 00:00:25,600 attempt a novel. So, here's how I broke 11 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,279 it down. I had a family back then. I was 12 00:00:27,279 --> 00:00:29,920 married. I had one child at that time. 13 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:31,760 And I worked regardless of whether you 14 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,520 like lawyers or not, they work really 15 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:34,880 long hours because that's how you make 16 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:36,320 your money. You work hours and you get 17 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,800 paid by the hour. So for me, I had to 18 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:40,719 find a time where it would work for me 19 00:00:40,719 --> 00:00:42,960 and my family and my professional career 20 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,120 uh to be able to write. And I chose very 21 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,120 late at night uh because I usually got 22 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:48,800 up in the morning. Washington DC traffic 23 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:50,559 is is terrible. So I had to leave early. 24 00:00:50,559 --> 00:00:51,840 I didn't have time to write in the 25 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,000 morning. So I would come home, I would 26 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:55,680 spend time with my family. They would go 27 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:57,280 off to bed and around 10 o'clock I would 28 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,359 go downstairs in my little cubby and I 29 00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:01,199 would write from like 10 till 2 in the 30 00:01:01,199 --> 00:01:02,960 morning every day, seven days a week. 31 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,280 And I did that for years. And that may 32 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,280 sound a little draconian, but trust me, 33 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,280 if you really enjoy the the craft of 34 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:10,479 writing and you're really into your 35 00:01:10,479 --> 00:01:12,320 stories, I remember like running down 36 00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:14,720 the stairs to my cubby hole at 1000 p.m. 37 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,799 because that was my time. That's when I 38 00:01:16,799 --> 00:01:18,640 got to write what I wanted to write 39 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,720 during the day when I was working at my 40 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,119 at my lunch hour. you know, if I had 30 41 00:01:23,119 --> 00:01:24,640 minutes where I could, you know, eat a 42 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,119 sandwich at my desk, um, I would pull 43 00:01:27,119 --> 00:01:28,880 out my notepad and I'd start writing 44 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,400 down some story ideas and notes that I 45 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,560 wanted to work on that night or 46 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,400 computer. I'd pop on my computer and 47 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,200 maybe bang out a page during lunch. Um, 48 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:38,720 while during the course of the day, you 49 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,400 can take find a minute here or a minute 50 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,079 there. You can go out and take a walk 51 00:01:42,079 --> 00:01:43,920 just a few minutes where you can build 52 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:45,600 up stuff in your head so that when you 53 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:46,880 go down, if you're going to write at 54 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,399 night or early in the morning, you can 55 00:01:48,399 --> 00:01:49,600 hit the ground running and you know 56 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,119 where you want to go that night. I 57 00:01:51,119 --> 00:01:52,960 approached it brick by brick much like I 58 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,040 did my legal cases. I worked I did trial 59 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,280 work. I did business deals. They're both 60 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,600 involving little details. And so with my 61 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,200 books, I would go down and I would look 62 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:02,719 a little bit each day. Here's my little 63 00:02:02,719 --> 00:02:04,320 goal. Here's what I want to accomplish. 64 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,159 And I do and I set it aside and I think 65 00:02:06,159 --> 00:02:07,439 about it the next day. And I come back 66 00:02:07,439 --> 00:02:09,119 the next night and I put another brick 67 00:02:09,119 --> 00:02:12,440 in the wall. 68 00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:17,680 A lot of times when people come up to me 69 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,520 and at parties or book events and stuff, 70 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:20,800 they know I'm a writer and they come up, 71 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:22,560 you know, I'd think I could write a book 72 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:24,720 if I could just find the time. And I'm 73 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:26,160 always very encouraging to those people. 74 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:27,360 I say, you know what, I think you can, 75 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:28,800 too. Everybody has a story in them. You 76 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:30,160 know, try to find the time. But I'm 77 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,080 thinking to myself, you're probably not 78 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,239 meant to be a writer because, you know, 79 00:02:34,239 --> 00:02:36,080 if you really wanted to be a writer, you 80 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,160 would find the time somewhere in your 81 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,040 life. Most people, you know, how much TV 82 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,760 do you watch during the day? uh how long 83 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:45,440 are you on the internet surfing around 84 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,280 stuff, you know, looking at really cute 85 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,920 cat pictures on Facebook? Anybody can 86 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:51,200 find a few minutes during the day, but 87 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,760 writer, it's this compulsion, you know, 88 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,080 when I say I can't not write, that's 89 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,000 what I mean. I can't not write. If I get 90 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,640 up during the day and I'm I haven't 91 00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:02,560 written anything that day, there's this 92 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:04,959 void in me. So you find the time if 93 00:03:04,959 --> 00:03:06,319 you're really into your career and 94 00:03:06,319 --> 00:03:07,680 that's like any other career if you're 95 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,319 an actor or you're musician or an 96 00:03:10,319 --> 00:03:12,560 artist. Uh telling them that I you know 97 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,640 I can't find the time they would look at 98 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:16,640 you and go that's ridiculous. You know 99 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:18,480 this is a passion. This is part of who 100 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,760 you are who you identify as. So I think 101 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:23,440 writers who are really meant to be 102 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:24,800 writers who are going to go through this 103 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,959 gauntlet you know of obstacles and come 104 00:03:26,959 --> 00:03:28,879 out the other end those are the ones who 105 00:03:28,879 --> 00:03:30,480 will find the time they can. If you want 106 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,879 to be creative writing stories, you have 107 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:34,799 to be very creative in finding the time 108 00:03:34,799 --> 00:03:36,640 to write those stories. And most people 109 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:38,400 who have that inner drive, they will 110 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,560 find it. 111 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,159 I have friends who are incredibly 112 00:03:48,159 --> 00:03:50,000 disciplined and they have a process 113 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,840 whereby they write 2,000 words a day 114 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,080 every day and once they get to 2,000 115 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:55,120 they stop. It could be in the middle of 116 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,200 the sentence and they stop. I have 117 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:58,720 others who count pages. They write five 118 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:00,239 pages every day of their lives and when 119 00:04:00,239 --> 00:04:01,599 they get to five pages they stop. It 120 00:04:01,599 --> 00:04:02,879 could be the middle of a paragraph. 121 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:04,400 They're out of there and that works for 122 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:05,680 them and that's absolutely fine. They 123 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,120 may work for you and that's absolutely 124 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,159 fine. My days and my processes are 125 00:04:10,159 --> 00:04:12,319 typical for being atypical. So I don't 126 00:04:12,319 --> 00:04:14,159 have two days that are alike. I don't 127 00:04:14,159 --> 00:04:16,400 count words. I don't count pages. Um 128 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:17,919 some days I don't write anything at all. 129 00:04:17,919 --> 00:04:19,280 I go in I think about what I'm going to 130 00:04:19,280 --> 00:04:20,720 write about or I'm interviewing somebody 131 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,199 or I'm doing some research or maybe I'm 132 00:04:23,199 --> 00:04:25,520 doing some editing. When I sit down to 133 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,320 write, I write until my tank is empty 134 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,479 that day. So, it could be three words, 135 00:04:30,479 --> 00:04:33,360 zero words, 4,000 words, 12 pages, one 136 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,520 page, zero pages. I don't really care 137 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,759 about the quantity of that. I care about 138 00:04:37,759 --> 00:04:40,000 what I've got up here and get it down on 139 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,479 the piece of paper exactly as I want it 140 00:04:42,479 --> 00:04:44,960 uh at that moment in time. So, every day 141 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,639 for me is a little bit different. And 142 00:04:46,639 --> 00:04:48,560 that's not to say that, you know, that 143 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,400 process would work for other people. You 144 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,160 all have to find the process that works 145 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:53,919 for you. And you may go through multiple 146 00:04:53,919 --> 00:04:55,600 methods. You know, you may find one 147 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:57,520 works for you, you know, fine or another 148 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,199 does. Or you may change down the road. 149 00:04:59,199 --> 00:05:01,120 You may be having one process for two or 150 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:02,320 three years. It works great for you and 151 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:03,360 then all of a sudden you're like, you 152 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,120 know, let me try something else. It 153 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,880 might work a little bit better for me. 154 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,520 The perfect place to write does not 155 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,360 involve a physical space. I also know 156 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:12,639 some writer friends who have to write in 157 00:05:12,639 --> 00:05:14,880 the same the same desk with the blinds 158 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,479 open at a 45 degree angle and the 159 00:05:16,479 --> 00:05:17,759 sunlight is hitting, you know, the top 160 00:05:17,759 --> 00:05:18,880 of their desk and the paper and they 161 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:20,800 have the special pen and that's all cool 162 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,199 and that may work well for you. For me, 163 00:05:23,199 --> 00:05:25,440 the perfect place to write is in your 164 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:26,960 head. If you're in the zone in your 165 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,120 mind, you can write anywhere and I truly 166 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,039 do write anywhere. I write on trains, 167 00:05:31,039 --> 00:05:34,080 planes, cars, at restaurants with 150 168 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:35,199 people around and I'm in the back 169 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:36,720 corner, you know, with my computer 170 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:38,960 working. So if you're in the zone, you 171 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,800 don't need a physical place that's 172 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,800 perfect or pristine. The mind is 173 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,360 pristine. And I cocoon myself. It could 174 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:46,400 be in the middle of a whole bunch of 175 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:48,320 people, but if I'm in a cocoon and I am 176 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,560 in the zone, I can be really highly 177 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,320 productive no matter where I happen to 178 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,320 be. 179 00:05:58,479 --> 00:06:00,479 What I like to do is immerse myself in 180 00:06:00,479 --> 00:06:03,280 the material. So let's say that um that 181 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:04,960 day I have a new chapter that I'm going 182 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,960 to write. I never just sit down chapter 183 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,440 24 and here we go. I go back and read 184 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:10,800 the opening chapters of what I've 185 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,319 written. It kind of energizes me. It 186 00:06:12,319 --> 00:06:14,080 gets me back into the story. Then I go 187 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:15,280 back and read the first the two 188 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:17,120 preceding chapters and gets me back into 189 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:18,639 the story. Gets me back into the the 190 00:06:18,639 --> 00:06:20,560 flow of what I'm trying to tell. I'm 191 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,160 getting back into the characters again. 192 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:23,680 And I'm also getting to the flow of the 193 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:25,039 language that I've been using in this 194 00:06:25,039 --> 00:06:26,479 particular novel because that can change 195 00:06:26,479 --> 00:06:28,479 depending on it. So it's like preparing 196 00:06:28,479 --> 00:06:30,080 yourself for a run. You know, you don't 197 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,400 just go out there and start running. you 198 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:33,759 stretch, you know, because you don't 199 00:06:33,759 --> 00:06:35,280 want to pull a hamstring or something. 200 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:36,880 You warm up, warm your body up. For me, 201 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,160 it's like warming your body up before 202 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,240 you exercise. So, read the first couple 203 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,240 of chapters. Um, and then read the two 204 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,240 preceding chapters and then that gets 205 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:45,600 you into the flow and get you start 206 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,520 thinking about stuff. And nine times out 207 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,680 of 10, that will spark something in your 208 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,080 mind. So, the chapter 24 will start off 209 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:53,360 a lot better than if you hit it cold 210 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,360 turkey. 211 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,720 Any 212 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:01,840 writer who tells you they have never 213 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:03,759 stumbled over a plot or had writer's 214 00:07:03,759 --> 00:07:06,080 block is lying to you because we all uh 215 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,479 come across that. Nobody's mind is so 216 00:07:08,479 --> 00:07:10,160 pristine and perfect that they just have 217 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:11,520 fluid thought throughout the entire 218 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,759 course of writing a novel. And I've run 219 00:07:13,759 --> 00:07:15,120 into, you know, where I've written 220 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,520 myself into a corner and I don't want to 221 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:18,720 get out of it. I don't know where the 222 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,240 plot is going to go next. I'm not sure 223 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,240 the next vital clue that I'm going to 224 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:23,520 put in there. I haven't figured that 225 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,759 out. I mean, it absolute power. It got 226 00:07:25,759 --> 00:07:27,919 down to the point where uh I was 227 00:07:27,919 --> 00:07:29,520 thinking, you know, you find a greasy 228 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,080 thumb print on inside of an engine and 229 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:33,599 that's a fingerprint that you can 230 00:07:33,599 --> 00:07:35,440 identify somebody off of a car 231 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,520 inspection. That takes this pop out of 232 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:38,720 your mind. It takes a little bit of 233 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:40,479 thought. So, when I have writer's block, 234 00:07:40,479 --> 00:07:42,160 I either do a couple of things. One, I 235 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,319 will go off and work on another project. 236 00:07:44,319 --> 00:07:45,520 Uh it might be another writing 237 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:46,960 assignment. I could be a newspaper piece 238 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,639 that I've written, a short story. It 239 00:07:48,639 --> 00:07:50,000 could be a nolla that I've been working 240 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,000 on, or maybe a screenplay. And that 241 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,759 frees up your mind, but part of your 242 00:07:53,759 --> 00:07:55,360 subconscious is thinking about the plot 243 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,680 problem that you have with the book. Uh, 244 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,280 two, it sounds really stupid, but it 245 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:00,879 absolutely works for me is I go take a 246 00:08:00,879 --> 00:08:03,039 shower. I mean, when I have that water 247 00:08:03,039 --> 00:08:04,319 pouring over my head, I can't tell you 248 00:08:04,319 --> 00:08:06,000 how many plot dilemmas and writer's 249 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,240 block issues I solve while having a 250 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,560 shower. And the other attribute to that 251 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,639 is that I'm astonishingly clean at all 252 00:08:12,639 --> 00:08:14,160 times because I take so many showers. 253 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,240 It's just wonderful stuff. Um or I'll 254 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,080 just go take a walk, you know. And I 255 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,000 walk a lot in my neighborhood and and my 256 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,680 wife when people move into our 257 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,440 neighborhood and they're they're newbies 258 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:24,960 there. She always goes over and welcome 259 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:26,400 to the neighbor. We live at the end of a 260 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:27,759 long street and we're at the house very 261 00:08:27,759 --> 00:08:30,160 house at the very end of the culde-sac. 262 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:31,759 And she'll go and welcome them with a 263 00:08:31,759 --> 00:08:33,519 pie or something and she'll say and 264 00:08:33,519 --> 00:08:35,120 she's a picture of me and she goes, "If 265 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:36,719 you see this man walking around the 266 00:08:36,719 --> 00:08:38,320 neighborhood and he might come and sit 267 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,399 in your yard and be dazing off, you 268 00:08:40,399 --> 00:08:42,800 know, into this guy, uh he's not 269 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,480 dangerous and here's a phone number. 270 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,040 Call me. I'll come and get him. Um 271 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,120 because long walks just free your mind 272 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:50,720 up. You know, it's like there's a little 273 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:52,399 bit of relaxation that takes place. When 274 00:08:52,399 --> 00:08:53,760 you're tense, it's really hard to sort 275 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,399 of think clearly. So, you walk, you look 276 00:08:56,399 --> 00:08:58,080 at the sky. If you have a dog, walk the 277 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,160 dog. Just let your mind wander a little 278 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,120 bit. Wandering minds solve a lot of 279 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:04,880 complicated plot problems. So, let your 280 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,120 mind wander. 281 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:12,640 You know, I'm at the point in my career 282 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,399 where I know the publishing schedule 283 00:09:14,399 --> 00:09:17,519 cold. So, I I always publish in the 284 00:09:17,519 --> 00:09:20,000 second week of April and in the second 285 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,160 week of November. So, those those are my 286 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:23,920 posts and that's where Beldachi books 287 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,080 come out each year. So, I know in order 288 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,000 to do that, I know exactly when I have 289 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,760 to deliver first drafts of these novels. 290 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,600 I know when the editing process has to 291 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,640 be completed and done. And so, I never 292 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,200 miss those marks. And so in my mind it's 293 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:38,560 like I've taken the calendar and I've 294 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:41,120 backed up and so okay if I start here 295 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,279 then I have until here for the first 296 00:09:43,279 --> 00:09:44,800 step and then here for the second step 297 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:46,640 and third it's done. It's got to be done 298 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:50,160 by that point. One thing that um I'm 299 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,800 really fast at I'm the fastest editor in 300 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,480 the west. I mean I think any publisher 301 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,399 and I I work with a number of them you 302 00:09:56,399 --> 00:09:57,839 know if they expect to get the 303 00:09:57,839 --> 00:10:00,000 manuscript back um with editing in a 304 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,600 month they get it back from me in about 305 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,320 4 days. And because I totally immerse 306 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,800 myself in that process, I love the 307 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,120 editing process where I can take a whack 308 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:10,800 at the entire length of the novel. 309 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,240 Everything is in my mind. I have every 310 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,399 detail in my head. I know exactly where 311 00:10:14,399 --> 00:10:15,600 everything's supposed to be and I just 312 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,200 go through and slash it and mix and move 313 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:18,800 and and take things out and add things 314 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,279 in. And so I know that even if I'm a 315 00:10:21,279 --> 00:10:22,720 little bit late delivering the first 316 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:24,800 draft, I know that I can always make it 317 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:26,720 up in the editing process because I've 318 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:28,320 done it time and time and time again. 319 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:29,839 And the book always comes out far better 320 00:10:29,839 --> 00:10:31,519 than it was in the first draft. So you 321 00:10:31,519 --> 00:10:32,959 have to have those calendar dates in 322 00:10:32,959 --> 00:10:35,120 mind and I just I know my blocks cold 323 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:36,959 and I know know what my marks are and I 324 00:10:36,959 --> 00:10:39,040 hit those marks. Self-imposed deadlines 325 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:40,800 are the best deadlines. You know I don't 326 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:42,480 worry about that much about publishers 327 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,920 deadlines even though I know what they 328 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,240 are. I have my own, you know, inter 329 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,079 inner deadlines that I'm working with 330 00:10:48,079 --> 00:10:51,040 that I know that I have to hit. And I'm 331 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,120 not saying that pressure it is not 332 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:54,800 pressure. It is pressure. And I feel 333 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,399 that sometimes I'm like I'm getting kind 334 00:10:56,399 --> 00:10:57,839 of close to the edge and things aren't 335 00:10:57,839 --> 00:10:59,120 coming and I got to work a little bit 336 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,320 harder. Uh but at the same time, you 337 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:03,680 know, when you immerse yourself in the 338 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:05,279 material, I know I keep saying that, but 339 00:11:05,279 --> 00:11:07,200 I really mean it. You have to immerse 340 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:08,560 yourself in the material because that's 341 00:11:08,560 --> 00:11:09,600 where you get the revelations and 342 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,440 epiphies and the cool twist and the 343 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:13,519 witty stuff. That's the only way you get 344 00:11:13,519 --> 00:11:15,440 it. If you walk away from the stuff and 345 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:16,399 you think you're going to just come back 346 00:11:16,399 --> 00:11:17,920 in cold and all of a sudden something 347 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:19,839 brilliant is going to hit you, that's 348 00:11:19,839 --> 00:11:21,360 not going to happen. So, you have to 349 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,120 live this material. You have to become 350 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,600 one with it. And if you do, chances are 351 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,200 far higher that you're going to be able 352 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:28,640 to nail this stuff and write a really 353 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,200 great story.