I’m writing a novel.  Oh, I know, everyone is either writing a book, plans to write a novel or has an idea for a story that would make them rich if only the correct person put their ideas into words. I get it.

Sadly, most don’t understand why writers write.

So, with that in mind, I’ll start over. Did I mention I am writing a novel?

Yes, I am. It is book two in a four-book Christian science fiction series. I have previously written two full-length novels as well as a nonfiction book. I have also written and published a short-story collection.

Maybe you are like some in my extended family and circle of friends and acquaintances. Frequently they ask what makes me qualified to write. I usually get that question after they ask me what are you writing.

My answer? I love to read and read a lot. I’ve paid the price academically. I hold a BA in history. It is a wonderful college major. It teaches you how to research, have a contextual world view, how to learn, and how to collect, organize and share information. I minored in English with a focus on creative writing and grammar. I added more formal education with an MA degree and later an Ed.D. degree. All helped me learn to write and express myself.

I have over 750 paid writing credits over the last 35 years. I have sold articles to trade journals, magazines, and wrote a weekly column from 1981 through 1996. An important part of my day job is writing documentation. I know, these aren’t all that sexy, but they show constancy to the craft.

Have you ever noticed the response of family and friends when they learn you are writing a novel?  You know their reactions. You’ve seen them. There’s the rolling of the eyes up toward the sky. There’s the bobbing the head up and down while shaking it in disbelief.

Sometimes they will express condolences to a spouse that you’re using your time in this way.  Other times they will say “That’s nice. Everyone needs a hobby.”

When I get responses like these I want to put my hands on their shoulders, look them direct in the eye and say, “Hello, did you hear me? I said I AM writing a novel.  That’s because I’M A WRITER!”

At this point, they usually repeat, “That’s nice, or I thought you worked with computers.”

I reply “Working with computers pays for my passion for writing.”

It’s sad. They still don’t get it.  Oh, I can send them running out of the room in a hurry if I say, “Would you like to hear a chapter?”  Those words are like saying “FIRE, RUN, FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE!”

I mention all this to say, don’t let anyone steal your dream.  If you’re like me, you have to write.  You can’t help it.  It’s part of who you are.  So write!  And, tell your friends and family that you’re working on a novel.  Let them know the progress you are making.  If they don’t get it, I do. And you can drop me a note from time to time.  I’ll understand.

Jimmie Aaron Kepler is a novelist, poet, book reviewer, and award-winning short story writer. His work has appeared in over twenty venues, including Bewildering Stories and Beyond Imagination. When not writing each morning at his favorite coffee-house, he supports his writing, reading, and book reviewing habit working as an IT application support analyst. He is a former Captain in the US Army. His blog Kepler’s Book Reviews was named a 100 best blogs for history buffs. You can visit him at http://www.jimmiekepler.com.

Do you find balancing the writing life with your day job challenging? I do. Most writers trying to move from the day job to supporting themselves writing do as well.

There is no wrong or right way to work full time and pursue a goal of paying your bills by your writing. Regardless of your approach, you have to write on a regular basic. I don’t know what you do but I do know what I do. I’ll share today as an example.

The day began as many others. I woke up at 4:40 AM. I turned off my alarm before it rang. It had been set to wake me up at 5:00 AM.

I made my way from my bedroom/office to the restroom to do the morning personal hygiene routine. I tried being quiet where I won’t wake up my wife of forty-one years.

After my bathroom time I went to the kitchen where I took my morning prescriptions. I am a sixty-two years old white male with most of the common health issues of a man my age.

I next retired to my room where I refreshed my iPod downloads making sure I downloaded the latest podcasts. With it being Monday morning I knew there should be a new episode of Joanna Penn’s “The Creative Penn” podcast. I download it each Monday morning and listen to it either going to or coming from work.

This week’s was titled, “Successful Book Marketing Using Facebook Ads With Adam Croft.” The podcast summary is if you write a great book, it will not fly off the virtual shelves unless people can actually find it. In this week’s interview, UK crime author Adam Croft describes how he used Facebook Ads to drive his book into the Amazon Top 100 and stay there. I get a great education listening to podcasts.

While it downloaded and synced, I got dressed. I then returned to the restroom to comb my hair which was nearly dry after my shower.

Next, I grabbed my iPod, headed to the kitchen grabbing a breakfast bar and Dr. Pepper. I picked up my backpack with laptop and headed out the door for my car.

As I sat in the car I tuned in the local news radio station. The time was 5:35 AM. About three miles from home I realized I had forgotten my cell phone. I thought about turning around to get it but decided not to. I headed for Starbucks. I have been going to the same one almost every morning for over fifteen years. I arrive there at 6:00 AM as the coffee house opened.

My usual table was empty. I sat down my backpack, removed my laptop, and booted it up. While it was booting up I went to order my tall blonde roast coffee. Destiny, that’s the barista’s name, had it ready quickly.

I returned to my table, logged on the computer, connected to my day job’s network via VPN. I then ran the morning system checks. This took about 30 minutes.

At 6:30 AM I log off the VPN. I launch the file with my book one on my current series. I look at some of the suggested edits. They won’t be that hard to do. Next I open the file for book two in the series. I have sixty-five pages written.

For the next hour I write. I am a plotter, not a panser. That means I know what I will write. I just follow the outline. When I write I do not edit. I do not reread what I wrote yesterday. I simply pickup at the point I  was last at.

I don’t worry about writing a bad first draft. I’ll fix it in the rewrites and edits. I write at the same place at the same time each day. That way the muse knows where to find me. At 7:30 AM I pack up and head on to the day job where I arrive at 8:00 AM.

I try to give my best part of the day to my writing. This works for me. I allows me to write a book a year. Yes, it takes discipline, but then I want to support myself writing. I have to do the work.

What works for you?

Jimmie Aaron Kepler is a novelist, poet, book reviewer, and award-winning short story writer. His work has appeared in over twenty venues, including Bewildering Stories and Beyond Imagination. When not writing each morning at his favorite coffee house, he supports his writing, reading, and book reviewing habit working as an IT application support analyst. He is a former Captain in the US Army. His blog Kepler’s Book Reviews was named a 100 best blogs for history buffs. You can visit him at http://www.jimmiekepler.com.

Who would have thought the secret sauce for getting 4,000 unique blog hits in a weekend would be 1) write an article about a polka dot house + 2) wait for the article to sit unfound on your blog for two and one-half years then suddenly in less than two days 4,000 unique visitors and nearly 5,000 total visitors. A side effect of the post was it getting shared 2,000 times on Facebook.

I have been blogging for thirteen years on a very regular basis. The above results prove I don’t have a clue on how to build an audience. Oh, I write about growing up a military brat, trying to make it as a writer, and share a few book reviews and poems. My tastes and writing a very eclectic, Christian, and conservative. I know they aren’t for everyone. Every now and then I would write a poem or piece that would get nearly a thousand views. Numbers like that were the exception, not the rule.

If I wrote or mentioned Bob Dylan or Ray Bradbury, I would see a spike in the number of viewers. There was no doubt that their celebrity attracted readers. These had been my most viewed articles.

This past weekend’s phenomenon of getting over 4,000 views and 2,000 shares was different. My writing had connected with people. It wasn’t that I had written anything with shock value. It was just a simple nonfiction piece about a little house that brought some joy. For others, they wanted to share their knowledge of the polka dot structure. Some simply thought the house cute.

Amazing.

I’m smart enough to not try to replicate the story. I have been through WordPress’s Blogging 101 and Writing 201 course.  I’ll just keep on keeping on. One thing I have learned is people read and share blogs for a variety of reasons. If I’m lucky, I’ll touch someone’s heart strings again someday. Until then I’ll just keep sharing a little about my journey.

I wonder, why do people read blogs? I have a few I read to improve my writing skills. I have some I read to help me better understand the business of writing. I read a few because friends write them and I have an undying loyalty to my friends. If you are my friend, I will support you to a fault.

Why do you read a blog? I would love to know.

Jimmie Aaron Kepler is a novelist, poet, book reviewer, and award-winning short story writer. His work has appeared in over twenty venues, including Bewildering Stories and Beyond Imagination. When not writing each morning at his favorite coffee house, he supports his writing, reading, and book reviewing habit working as an IT application support analyst. He is a former Captain in the US Army. His blog Kepler’s Book Reviews was named a 100 best blogs for history buffs. You can visit him at http://www.jimmiekepler.com.