A Personal Writing How-To ~ by Author Emily Gallo

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There is no right way to be a writer. There is no time of day or amount of hours appropriate for everyone. There is no location or type of venue that gets the creative juices flowing for everyone. There is no rule of thumb about how to design a plot that works for everyone. 

There is no way to make an outline with any specific number of plot points that works for everyone. There is no guide to developing characters that must be followed by everyone. There are many books and articles on how to write, but what excites one person as the best book on writing, is not necessarily everyone’s favorite. 

Just as they say that everyone must find their own voice or style, everyone must also find their own comfortable approach to the writing process. And it may be after trial and error, or by accident, that it is stumbled upon. Here’s mine . . . for what it’s worth.

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I can write any time of day. But I don’t. I write in the morning because I like to write in cafes and drink Earl Grey tea while I write; drinking black tea in the afternoon doesn’t appeal to me. I am not an introvert or a lover of solitude. Writing in a café gives me just the right amount of people-time. I can visit with the other café denizens as long and as often as I want and they are always considerate about my desire to stop talking and start writing. 

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The buzz of conversation and people watching stimulate my creativity. At my favorite café the tables are just the right height and the chairs are just comfortable enough to keep any possible back issues in check. At home I tend to type on a bed or couch or at a table that isn’t the right height so if I don’t get up every twenty minutes, my piriformis muscle and my sciatic nerve will remind me of their presence. Also, writing in a café gives structure to my day. I have an “office” to go to, or a “job” I must do a couple of hours a day. It’s the motivator. If I don’t show up, the café baristas will know that I didn’t write that day. I wear a Fitbit for the same reason: it’s like someone’s watching so I need to walk my 10,000 steps. 

I started writing screenplays while sitting in the ICU watching my

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first husband, the father of my children, as he lay in a coma. I was still teaching elementary school at the time, but it was Christmas Vacation so I had my days free. My first screenplay was somewhat autobiographical. I had unfortunately spent similar time in hospitals watching both my mother and father die so I followed the old adage: “write what you know.” It was the best therapy I could have ever done. But the screenplay? Not so great. It got me on the road, however, to becoming a writer. 

I wrote two more screenplays and lo and behold, my third one was in development for production. The management company had found funding, the unit producer and director had been chosen, a studio was on board.  And then, in typical Hollywood fashion . . . nothing happened. I found out later how common this was in the entertainment industry. Even famous directors, actors and writers have movies already made and then shelved. At that point I decided to switch to novels where I would have more control. 

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Now, after five novels have been published, I am back into getting them produced as films or as a series. A few production companies have expressed interest. So now I am back into screenwriting. Another example of how hard it is to make a plan and stick to it. Better to “go with the flow.” You just never know . . .

As for how I choose my characters, plot and setting, it is another example of how I let things just play out. I listen carefully to everyone’s stories, be they people I know well or people I read about. A kernel of information gets me interested and then the research begins. I have the setting and at least a couple of the characters and an idea of plot when I start. But it is after I start writing that the story and characters develop. 

It is the same way I approach life. One of my favorite quotes came from a podcast about a man who was almost eaten by an alligator. He lived and only ended up losing one arm. When he awoke his doctor said to him, “Okay, that happened. Now you get to choose what happens next.” That has kept me positive, optimistic, and enthusiastic.

My last piece of advice is the one attributed to many experienced

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authors: WRITE! There are many appropriate quotes about just doing or persevering. My favorite is attributed sometimes to Michael Jordan and sometimes to Wayne Gretsky 
. . . “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” 

Author and screenwriter, Emily Gallo resides in California with her husband and fur babies. You can reach out to her at the links below.

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Tea and Conversation by Kristine Raymond

Tea... 

There’s nothing quite like it – that first sip from your favorite drinking vessel of precisely-heated 150° water poured over a perfect blend of dried leaves and flavoring accentuated with just a hint of sweetener. Ah…the perfect cup of tea. Or mug, in my case. 

Now, I’ll admit – I’m a tea-aholic. I drink hot tea all day, every day; all year ‘round. And – full disclosure here – until this morning, I’d never calculated the actual temperature of the water, though I can attest that fluctuations in degrees can enhance or detract from an enjoyable tea experience, at the same time acknowledging that everyone’s tastes vary. To some, a lukewarm cup of Oolong is pure heaven; to others, unless that first taste of Darjeeling scalds their tongue, it’s just not hot enough. 

My mood – and the season – dictates which flavor ends up in my mug. In spring and summer, Numi Maté Lemon or Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion hits the spot. Once autumn arrives, it’s Bigelow Salted Caramel or Harney & Sons Pomegranate Oolong. And there’s nothing better on a cold winter’s night than Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane or Harney & Sons White Christmas Tea. And then there’s the Earl. 

As you may have figured out, I don’t discriminate when it comes to tea. White, green, red, or black; loose-leaf or bagged; caffeinated or decaffeinated; flavored or unadulterated – I love it all. But, if you told me I had to choose just one kind to drink for the rest of my life, it’d be Earl Grey. At last count, I had nine varieties – aged, lavender, raspberry, winter white, double bergamot, green, black, organic, and decaffeinated. I adore the flavor of bergamot, so much so that twenty-eight years ago I purchased the last case of Earl Grey liqueur from my local liquor store after the distributor went out of business. But, that’s a story for another time. 

Tea is more than a simple beverage to me. It’s a magical elixir. On the most stressful of days, one sip of Camellia sinensis can dissolve away every ounce of tension in my body, the aroma and taste and warmth infusing my spirit with tranquility. It comforts me, invigorates me; it's a simple joy, yet one of my most cherished. There’s nothing I anticipate more after a long day than a steaming mug of my favorite brew. 

…and Conversation 

You know what pairs well with tea? Great conversation! And, as the host of a podcast where authors get together to talk about writing, reading, and anything else that comes to mind, I’m lucky enough to enjoy both on any given day. 

Since the start of my authoring journey, I’ve searched for new ways to promote my colleagues as well as myself. Late last summer, while mulling over ideas of how to do that in a new and exciting way, an idea in the form of a podcast slowly began taking shape. Oh, who am I kidding? The concept mushroomed overnight into this larger-than-life project that I had no clue how to execute. That didn’t stop me, though. After a considerable amount of frustration trying to get it off the ground and onto the airwaves, Word Play with Kristine Raymond launched on October 31, and I haven’t looked back since. 

My first concern was that no one beyond the half-dozen friends I’d invited to be on the show would be interested in being guests. My second was that no one would listen. I shouldn’t have worried. To date, podcast episodes have been downloaded in 17 countries and on platforms including iHeart Radio, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and PodBean. Word on the street is that Alexa will even play it for you. 

As for guests, I have no shortage of those as I’m currently booked through August of this year and signing up more every day. And, recently, I had the honor of chatting with New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d have an opportunity such as that in my lifetime. 

When you listen to Word Play, you’ll discover the format isn’t the typical structured Q&A; rather, it’s a show where two authors converse about their favorite topics – sometimes book-related; sometimes not – usually with a cup of their favorite beverage close at hand.  Mine's tea, of course.

It's akin to sitting in your favorite coffee shop catching up with a friend you haven't seen in a while – the conversation's unstructured, and spontaneous, and most of all, a lot of fun. And, you might just learn a thing or two about your favorite author. Or discover some new ones. Because nothing goes better with tea and conversation than books! 

 Word Play with Kristine Raymond