Author’s Balanced Routine Yields Success

An excerpt of an interview of Linda Seger from www.LindaSeger.com by Mel. Edwards

When does an author become an artist? After the first book is published? The fourth? For Linda Seger (pronounced SAY-er) it was after her sixth book. At that time Linda read Anne Lamont’s Bird by Bird and fell in love with the playfulness of Lamont’s author voice and the rhythm of her language. Seger began to use Lamont’s style as a reference for putting more of her own voice into her writing. “Voice was the focus of my seventh book. It became more fun, playful, bold.” Perhaps Seger’s writing voice was previously accustomed the dry academic writing required in higher education, since she holds not one but three master’s degrees and a PhD. Even with these degrees, Seger had to work hard to become more emotional and spiritual in her writing and change her platform from screenwriting coach who “passes on information” to a woman who truly “writes books.” No matter the reason, Seger is now free of those binds and the limitations of a solitary platform, with her eleventh book due out in February 2009. “I have eight books on screenwriting but three spiritual books now, too.”

When asked if she could think of herself doing anything else for a career she admits she’s looked at everything else. “No. It makes my stomach hurt. I can’t imagine (doing any other career).” Seger believes creative people “bring creativity into the way you do everything in life.” She should know, as she works on a short film headed for Sundance, slogs through two to three scripts per week by other screenwriters, and does her own research and re-writes for a book and fits in kenote speaking engagements as time allows.

Seger credits her daily routine for her success. “In grad school creativity is a two year process. I had to learn to how it worked, not be scared, get rid of the mystery in creations. I learned how to meet the muse and get her here, with the expectation of ‘You have to be here at 7 the next morning.’ I don’t get blocked, but it doesn’t flow all the time either.” Although Seger is also a a multiple project personality, she knows balance in work and life. “I don’t work too hard. It is focused. (My day) is a natural flow for me. I remind myself, ‘This is supposed to be joyful.’”

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To learn more about Linda and her work, please visit: http://www.lindaseger.com/bio.html