Reading time: About 2 minutes
S.M Stevens tries NEVER to make writing a chore. “Otherwise, what’s the point of this labor of love?” she asks.
S.M. Stevens has written the friendship/social justice novel Beautiful and Terrible Things, which won seven awards including Best Literary Book of 2024 from Indies Today; Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, and an award-winning novelette, The Wallace House of Pain. Her next novel, about a grandmother and successful business owner harboring major family secrets, Unraveling Caro Dunn, is due in early 2027. You can learn more about her on her website.
I was excited to talk to Sue about how she approaches writing.
Q. Roughly how much time do you spend writing every day?
It varies greatly. Anywhere from 30 minutes to six hours. I’m happy with four to six.
Q. What’s a simple activity or habit that makes you a better writer?
Giving myself time to sit and just be, maybe thinking, maybe trying to meditate. “Sometimes I sits on the dock and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.”
Q. What interferes with your writing?
My husband making phone calls using his speakerphone. We sit very close to each other in our office, and headphones only do so much to block the noise.
Q. How do you persuade yourself to sit down to write on days when you really, really DON’T feel like doing it?
I try to never make writing a chore. Otherwise, what’s the point of this labor of love that does not provide a livable income? But if I want to be productive and am not feeling creative, I’ll tackle some light editing, or maybe review one aspect of the plot.
Q. Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found helpful for writing?
“But what is the character feeling?” We often say this in my critique group to challenge each other to dig past the surface character trait or plot point and reveal the motivating emotion swirling below.
Q. Which stage of the writing process do you enjoy the most: researching, writing or editing/rewriting and why?
Writing, for sure. Nothing beats taking a scene that’s been stewing around in your head for months while you research and frame the story, and finally putting it on paper.
Q. What’s one of the best books you’ve read (either fiction or non) in the last five years?
Horse by Geraldine Brooks. It mixes contemporary fiction with a social justice theme, which is what I write, with historical fiction. Best of all for this horse-lover, a thoroughbred features prominently in the story.
Q. What book are you reading right now?
For work: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, because I’m researching male friendship stories for my work-in-progress. For pleasure: True Grace by Karen E. Osborne.
Q. What do you think is the biggest misperception that new writers have about the act of writing?
That any aspect of it will be easy! It’s not a hobby; it’s a job that requires work. But it is so worth the effort.
