Writing Tips

So I am a BIG supporter in sharing writing tips. Why? Because before I published my book I was a stay at home Mom who kept walking into bookstores thinking “My dream is to write a book“. I made it happen. And you can too. In this post I asked author Kim Foster to share her writing tips with Parent Club readers…

Where do you find writing time?

Anywhere I can! Having a medical practice and being a mother of two young boys, I have to do a lot of creative juggling to get writing time. The bulk of my writing is done between 5 am and 7 am—it’s the only time nobody needs me for anything. And although it took some getting used to, I now enjoy my blissful morning peace. It’s just me, my laptop, and a steaming cup of coffee.

I also try to squeeze in little writing blocks in the evenings and weekends sometimes, especially if I’m staring down a deadline— and if I can bribe my husband or my mom into watching the boys a little longer. It really just comes down to sacrifices. I have to turn down a lot of invitations, and I hardly watch any TV (except…occasional Game of Thrones binges, of course).

What does being an author mean to you?

Being an author, for me, is about following my bliss. It’s not the easiest path, to be sure. It makes for a busy life and a tight schedule, but the truth is, I can’t help it. Writing is something I love to do.

A key moment in my life was attending my first autopsy as a med student. The pathologist informed me that the man lying naked on the cold metal table had been a doctor himself. It hit me: we all end up like that. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do. It made me realize the only way to live is to follow your dreams.

What tips to you have for aspiring authors?

First: Read tons. Stuff yourself full of story.

Second: Get clear on your priorities. If you really want to write, you just have to write. Other stuff in life will perhaps suffer, but that’s the price you have to be prepared to pay.

Third: Never stop learning. There is so much to learn about the craft of writing and the publishing industry, it would be impossible to reach the point where you knew everything. Stay humble, stay open to feedback, and keep growing.

Biography:

Kim Foster is the author of the Agency of Burglary & Theft Series, a series of novels about a professional female jewel thief. Kim has a typical background for someone who writes thrillers about thieves and spies and criminals: she has a degree in medicine and is a practicing family doctor.

Don’t worry, it doesn’t make much sense to her friends and family, either.

She’s addicted to yoga, loves to travel, and has a clinical weakness for dark chocolate with sea salt. Online, you can find her blogging about her left-brain, right-brain mash-up on www.kimfoster.com. Kim lives with her husband and their two young sons in Victoria, BC, where she’s hard at work on her next book. And drinking a ridiculous amount of coffee.