Reading time: About 2 minutes
Joe Siple says he’s been able to make writing a habit — something he does every morning — no matter how he’s feeling….
Joe Siple is the author of the USA Today bestselling novel The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride. His other books include The Final Wish of Mr. Murray McBride, The First Wish of Mr. Murray McBride, and Charlie Fightmaster and the Search for Perfect Harmony, The Town with No Roads, and a middle grade novel, The Last Dogs. His next novel, The Anonymous Storyteller, will be released in early May 2026. He lives in Colorado, where he goes for lots of walks around his neighborhood and enjoys playing the guitar with his daughters.
I was excited to talk to Joe about how he approaches writing.
Q. Roughly how much time do you spend writing every day?
I spend about two or three hours each day at my computer writing. But if you include walking my dog and thinking about my stories, or even “assigning” something to my subconscious, then I write constantly.
Q. What’s a simple activity or habit that makes you a better writer?
Of course, there’s reading, which I think is imperative for any writer. But I also think walking is enormously beneficial for me. That’s when the ideas happen!
Q. What interferes with your writing?
I’m fortunate to no longer have a “day job” and my kids are in college. So I don’t have many excuses left. The only thing that interferes now is my worry that whatever I write won’t be good enough.
Q. How do you persuade yourself to sit down to write on days when you really, really DON’T feel like doing it?
Just by making it a habit. It’s not a question of whether I want to or not, it’s just something I do each morning. Fortunately for me, I really love creating stories. Combine that with the fact that I’m only actively writing for a couple hours each day, and it’s pretty easy to get myself to write.
Q. Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found helpful for writing?
You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist. (My way of allowing myself a really terrible first draft).
Q. Which stage of the writing process do you enjoy the most: researching, writing or editing/rewriting and why?
I get the most reward out of writing a first draft, but it’s hard enough that I don’t think I enjoy it the most at the moment. That would probably be rewriting, because it feels so productive.
Q. What’s one of the best books you’ve read (either fiction or non) in the last five years?
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, by Ben Sherwood.
Q. What book are you reading right now?
I’m “between novels”, which is rare. For nonfiction, I’m reading Still Here, by Ram Dass.
Q. What do you think is the biggest misperception that new writers have about the act of writing?
If they’re anything like I was, then it’s the misconception that getting published will be fairly straightforward.
