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Paige Gant says that writing even 10 bad words is far better than not writing at all….
Paige Gant is a writer living in Vancouver, Canada. She holds a BA in English and History from Simon Fraser University (SFU) and is a graduate of The Writer’s Studio (SFU). Paige has work published in The Lyre and in TWS’ annual anthology, Emerge. Paige has been escaping into fairy tales since she could read and writing her own since she could spell. When she’s not writing, you can find Paige travelling to explore art and history, cozied up with a good book, or drafting her next project. Paige is currently writing a high-energy, cozy mystery, and you can connect with her on her website.
Q. Roughly how much time do you spend writing every day?
I try to spend at least fifteen minutes a day writing, no matter the content. When I really dig into my works in progress, I can write for hours before coming up for air.
Q. What’s a simple activity or habit that makes you a better writer?
Talking with other writers. Reading in various genres. Travel. Exploring art and history. Immersing myself in nature.
Q. What interferes with your writing?
My jobs.
Q. How do you persuade yourself to sit down to write on days when you really, really DON’T feel like doing it?
I pop on my noise-cancelling headphones and cue up a playlist, trying not to put any pressure on the outcome of the writing session. Even 10 “bad” words written are 10 more words than I had before.
Q. Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found helpful for writing?
The first draft is about telling yourself the story. Subsequent drafts are when you make the story accessible to your reader.
Q. Which stage of the writing process do you enjoy the most: researching, writing or editing/rewriting and why?
Editing is my favourite part of the process because I already have the bones of the story written, so I can take my time exploring deeper into the story with my characters.
Q. What’s one of the best books you’ve read (either fiction or non-) in the last five years?
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Also Outlander. And any of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot mysteries.
Q. What book are you reading right now?
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I devour her books.
Q.What do you think is the biggest misperception that new writers have about the act of writing?
That you need to write what the market wants. In my experience, if I’m not loving what I’m writing, it feels like a chore. Creativity to me is freedom to write the story that’s calling so incessantly that I can’t think of anything else.
