Guest Blog from Andrew John Rainnie, Author of Spirits of Vengeance: The Stone of Spirits, a Sword & Sorcery Fantasy.
Where to Find the Time & Energy to Write
by
Andrew John Rainnie
What bothers me most about writing?
The act of writing in itself
is not really the issue; as a copywriter and screenwriter I have never
aimlessly stared at a blank page, but filled it with something, anything, until
I have something better. When plotting stories, you can have a number of
different ideas, and the best way to see which works best is to write them all
until you find one that serves the story and characters best.
No, the issue with writing is
the sheer amount of time and energy it takes. My new fictional novel, has taken
me almost a decade from the initial idea to presenting a polished book. As a
self-confessed workaholic, the issue is not time management, but having too
many fingers in too many pies, or wearing too many different hats. I work a job
that pays the bills, I freelance as a copywriter and games journalist, I write
screenplays, I make films, I design websites, and occasionally, when time
permits, I relax.
Focus is a big key to
overcoming these obstacles. I often jump between projects as enthusiasm wanes
for one and increases for the other, or a story that has been gestating for a
while in the back of my head finally bears fruit, these ideas have to be scribbled
down and organized into something coherent. In terms of losing energy or
passion for a project, the best thing to do is concentrate and slug through it.
If it seems like a slog, and you are not enjoying it, then chances are your
readers will not either. In this instance, some time and space from the
material is often required, meaning you can return with fresh eyes.
I have also been looking at
tools to help speed up my writing process. Another writer I know often uses a
Dictaphone to take a note of ideas, snippets of dialogue, or even whole chapters
of books. I’ve tried a few apps with my phone, as I feel quite exposed if I’m
walking in public talking into a microphone, saying strange, odd words out
loud.
As a self-published writer,
the whole aspect of marketing a book deflates me, as it takes an incredible
amount of energy to seek out reviewers, make a trailer, write a press release,
and generate online support. The time this takes could be spent writing, but it
is a necessary part of the job of finding an audience who will love the words
you have written. I am attempting to record video blogs, as they are relatively
quick to make, and it adds a more personal approach to connecting with people.
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About the Author
Andrew John Rainnie is a
Scottish novelist, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He has an MA. Joint Honours in
English Literature and Film & TV Studies from the University of Glasgow,
and an MA/PGDip in Screenwriting from Bournemouth University.
He has written and directed a
number of short films, which have shown at festivals around the globe. His
last, The Collector, based on a short story by Jonathan Lethem, was shown at
the London East End Film Festival, the London Short Film Festival, and
Aesthetica Film Festival in York.
After working as a media
analyst and script reader in London for six years, Andrew quit the rat race and
embarked on an epic around the world adventure, details of which were published
in a compendium of his travel blogs, titled My Right Leg Is Tastier Than My
Left. During that journey, he finished writing a passion project, his first
fantasy novel, Spirits of Vengeance: The Stone of Spirits.
You can learn more about Rainnie's writing at his Website.
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Blurb: Spirits of Vengeance: The Stone of Spirits
In the land of Enara, the
religious zealot Lord Malenek marches across the continent of Amaros, cleansing
the world with his army of Vengeance Spirits. Standing in his way is an
unlikely adversary, Kamina Elloeth, a young tree elf who is inadvertently
entangled in Malenek’s plans. She embarks on a quest with her ghostly brother
and a mysterious Ranger to find an ancient artefact, one that may hold the key
to saving the world from Malenek’s destructive schemes. Facing her fears,
Kamina will trek over oceans and deserts to unearth the power hidden within the
Stone of Spirits.
