How would you like a job in which you do what you want whenever and wherever you feel like doing it? Consider being an author.
That’s right, authors choose the projects that excite them. I love history, so I have chosen to write about famous events in history: the dropping of the first atomic bomb, the freeing of the slaves, the building of the transcontinental railroad. I have written about historical places, too: Mesa Verde in Colorado, Ellis Island in New York, Old Ironsides in Boston. And then there were famous people: A.C. Gilbert, America’s most famous toymaker, Lewis & Clark, western explorers. Baseball is my favorite sport, so I wrote a behind-the-scenes look at a major league game.
Research is a vital part of nonfiction, so visiting places associated with my topics is important. This has provided me with many opportunities to travel, which I really enjoy. Spending a week at a major league ballpark, hiking railroad beds in the Utah desert, sailing on America’s oldest fighting ship, and visiting Hiroshima, Japan have been some of the highlights.
Once you do the research, then you do the writing. The best part is you get to do it when and where you want. For me, that’s mornings somewhere between six and noon. That’s when my mind is freshest and clearest. Most of my writing takes place in the office I have in my house. I keep lots of paper, and sharp pencils there, which I use when I begin writing. My computer and printer are in the office as well, and I use them when my writing is further along. I also have lots of books, and they are excellent resources.
At the office
It’s great having a job where you don’t have to be someplace at a certain time and spend eight hours there. It’s wonderful being your own boss and you’re the only one telling yourself what to do.
Writing is about playing with words, arranging and rearranging them until you have something that communicates what you want to say. The process of writing is great fun, and seeing the finished product – the book – is awesome!
Sounds pretty cool, huh? Well, I know what you’re thinking: “It can’t be all great. There has to be some bad, too.”
Uhhh…well…yes that’s true. We’ll get to that soon…
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