How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing with an eye to publishing for about fourteen years, but I’ve been a scribbler of stories ever since I was a little kid! Whether it was my own Nancy Drew mysteries or short stories about murderous neighbors, I’ve been writing every chance I can get throughout my life. I just can’t seem to stop! Thank goodness.
What piece of information do you want to pass on to authors?
I think the information I most want to pass on to authors is that you’re never too late. It’s never too late to start writing, to improve your writing, to try writing something new, to try your hand at publishing, at querying – whatever it is you’re thinking of doing in the writing space, it is NOT too late. The only time it’s too late is when they’re lowering the lid of your coffin. Until then, seize the moment! Try the thing! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
What does your day-to-day writing career look like? Where and when do you write, describe your desk and what you can see out the window, or do you write in cafes or hotel rooms or on the bus? Do you listen to music? Are you distracted sometimes, and if so, what is it that distracts you?
I try to write for at least a half hour every day at my kitchen table. The half hour comes whenever I can fit it in, though lately it's been happening during my lunch hour or right after I get off work. I've developed a ritual for my writing sessions that seems to help me get the words onto the page. Darkness is key for me; I have to work in a dark room. I turn on a local radio station for background music. Then, the final touch: I light a candle. Depending on what I'm working on, I have different candles I will light. Certain projects require certain smells to help me get in the right headspace. During the actual session, I start with a ten-minute writing sprint and then focus on one of my pieces for the remaining time. For the sprint, I just do a stream of consciousness writing style, typing out whatever thoughts come into my head. I used to get distracted often by my phone, so I've started putting it in a separate room while I write, so I can't even hear it if it goes off. That's really helped! Not having the device to reach for when I get blocked forces me to work through the problems on the page.
Do you have a book that you read again and again (and maybe underline passages)? What book? How does it inspire you? How and where did you come across it? What kind of condition is it in?
I do have such a book: Terry Pratchett's Reaper Man. I'm not much of one to write in books, but I have read Reaper Man somewhere between ten and twenty times since I first came across it in college. I discovered Terry Pratchett's Discworld series as a teenager after devouring Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and looking for something similar, but in the fantasy genre. Reaper Man has always stood out to me from the rest of Pratchett's work because of the way it deals with themes of death, rebirth, and exploring humanity's place in the universe. I myself as a writer have been drawn to exploring these same themes and I'm always impressed by how deftly Pratchett tackles these immense topics. I actually own two copies of the book. One is in pristine condition - a hard cover, whose spine I've never even cracked. The other, my original paperback copy, is in pretty sorry shape! But I would never part with it.
What do you believe is the most important thing a writing student should walk away with?
I believe the most important thing a writing student should walk away from any class with is a sense of excitement. Excitement to try new things and excitement for what the future of their writing holds. If you don’t leave a class (of mine or any others) feeling a certain spring in your step and an eagerness to try out what you’ve just learned, I think something is missing!
Robin Jeffrey was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming to a psychologist and a librarian, giving her a love of literature and a consuming interest in the inner workings of people’s minds, which have served her well as she pursues a writing career. She currently calls the Pacific Northwest home, where she lives happily with her husband and their out of control comic book collection. She is the author of the urban fantasy romance series The Night, as well as the author of the scifi mystery series The Cadence Turing Mysteries. When not writing, Robin teaches writing workshops in the PNW area. To keep up with Robin and her writing, sign up for her newsletter on her website.
Facebook – Robin Jeffrey Author
BlueSky - @robinjeffreyauthor.bsky.social
I’ve been writing with an eye to publishing for about fourteen years, but I’ve been a scribbler of stories ever since I was a little kid! Whether it was my own Nancy Drew mysteries or short stories about murderous neighbors, I’ve been writing every chance I can get throughout my life. I just can’t seem to stop! Thank goodness.
What piece of information do you want to pass on to authors?
I think the information I most want to pass on to authors is that you’re never too late. It’s never too late to start writing, to improve your writing, to try writing something new, to try your hand at publishing, at querying – whatever it is you’re thinking of doing in the writing space, it is NOT too late. The only time it’s too late is when they’re lowering the lid of your coffin. Until then, seize the moment! Try the thing! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
What does your day-to-day writing career look like? Where and when do you write, describe your desk and what you can see out the window, or do you write in cafes or hotel rooms or on the bus? Do you listen to music? Are you distracted sometimes, and if so, what is it that distracts you?
I try to write for at least a half hour every day at my kitchen table. The half hour comes whenever I can fit it in, though lately it's been happening during my lunch hour or right after I get off work. I've developed a ritual for my writing sessions that seems to help me get the words onto the page. Darkness is key for me; I have to work in a dark room. I turn on a local radio station for background music. Then, the final touch: I light a candle. Depending on what I'm working on, I have different candles I will light. Certain projects require certain smells to help me get in the right headspace. During the actual session, I start with a ten-minute writing sprint and then focus on one of my pieces for the remaining time. For the sprint, I just do a stream of consciousness writing style, typing out whatever thoughts come into my head. I used to get distracted often by my phone, so I've started putting it in a separate room while I write, so I can't even hear it if it goes off. That's really helped! Not having the device to reach for when I get blocked forces me to work through the problems on the page.
Do you have a book that you read again and again (and maybe underline passages)? What book? How does it inspire you? How and where did you come across it? What kind of condition is it in?
I do have such a book: Terry Pratchett's Reaper Man. I'm not much of one to write in books, but I have read Reaper Man somewhere between ten and twenty times since I first came across it in college. I discovered Terry Pratchett's Discworld series as a teenager after devouring Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and looking for something similar, but in the fantasy genre. Reaper Man has always stood out to me from the rest of Pratchett's work because of the way it deals with themes of death, rebirth, and exploring humanity's place in the universe. I myself as a writer have been drawn to exploring these same themes and I'm always impressed by how deftly Pratchett tackles these immense topics. I actually own two copies of the book. One is in pristine condition - a hard cover, whose spine I've never even cracked. The other, my original paperback copy, is in pretty sorry shape! But I would never part with it.
What do you believe is the most important thing a writing student should walk away with?
I believe the most important thing a writing student should walk away from any class with is a sense of excitement. Excitement to try new things and excitement for what the future of their writing holds. If you don’t leave a class (of mine or any others) feeling a certain spring in your step and an eagerness to try out what you’ve just learned, I think something is missing!
Author Bio
Robin Jeffrey was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming to a psychologist and a librarian, giving her a love of literature and a consuming interest in the inner workings of people’s minds, which have served her well as she pursues a writing career. She currently calls the Pacific Northwest home, where she lives happily with her husband and their out of control comic book collection. She is the author of the urban fantasy romance series The Night, as well as the author of the scifi mystery series The Cadence Turing Mysteries. When not writing, Robin teaches writing workshops in the PNW area. To keep up with Robin and her writing, sign up for her newsletter on her website.
Social Media Handles
Instagram - @thesidekic_igFacebook – Robin Jeffrey Author
BlueSky - @robinjeffreyauthor.bsky.social
Upvote
0