Reading time: About 2 minutes
Gina Brown says that many talented writers become stymied by limiting thoughts. Read on to learn how to defeat these thoughts….
Gina Brown is a writer and founder of NovaHeart Media, an independent publishing platform. She has written two novels, The Sugar Bowl Feud (2024) and Lucy McGee’s Moment of Truth (2021). Gina has also written travel and lifestyle articles for The Globe and Mail, Canadian Living and The Chronicle Herald. After working as a marketing specialist in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and England, she now lives in her home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
I was excited to talk to Gina about how she approaches writing.
Q. Roughly how much time do you spend writing every day?
When I’m working on a book, I spend two to four hours a day (with micro-breaks). After that, I tackle the dull but necessary tasks required to market my books.
Q. What’s a simple activity or habit that makes you a better writer? I read other people’s books to learn more about the writing process. I also attend workshops and webinars. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve written, you can always learn more.
Q. What interferes with your writing? Noise. It’s funny, the number of times I’ve sat down to write when a lawnmower suddenly fires up, or a beeping delivery truck idles forever. While I’ve trained myself to ignore sounds, it’s still disruptive to my writing process. C’est la vie.
Q. How do you persuade yourself to sit down to write on days when you really, really DON’T feel like doing it? The only time I find it difficult is when I’m super tired. The cure for me is to have projects of varying lengths on the go – a novel, a short travel article, or a memoir piece. One of them will excite me.
Q. Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found helpful for writing? “I hate writing, I love having written.” The I-hate-writing sensation usually shows up around mid-novel when everything feels messy or hopeless. Then I think of the quote, have a laugh, and get back to work.
Q. Which stage of the writing process do you enjoy the most: researching, writing or editing/rewriting and why? I like all three. However, I can have too much fun wandering unproductively down a research labyrinth. I love writing when it flows. And I enjoy editing and rewriting, but sometimes I overdo it. Pro tip: I hire a professional editor after I complete my “final, final draft” – and I’m shocked at what I’ve missed!
Q/What’s the best book you’ve read (either fiction or non) in the last five years?
Sacred Geometry: An A-Z Guide by Canadian anthropologist, artist and scholar, Dr. Marilyn Walker. If you’ve ever gasped at the complexity of flower structures like dahlias or sunflowers, this book explains the mind-blowing patterns of nature. It’s all you’ve ever wanted to know about the sacred geometry found in mandalas, snowflakes, beehives and more.
Q. What book are you reading right now?
I have two books on the go: Mrs. Van Gogh by Caroline Cauchi is an exquisite, fictionalized account of Vincent Van Gogh’s sister-in-law, Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, who dedicated her life to bringing his artwork to the world. I’m also reading We’re Not Rich, a debut short story collection by Halifax writer Sue Murtagh that is garnering a lot of attention. There are many talented writers in Atlantic Canada, and it’s exciting to discover new literary voices.
Q. What do you think is the biggest misperception that new writers have about the act of writing? How hard it can be to write. I read a stat that only three percent of people who start writing a book finish it. Sadly, many talented writers become stymied by self-limiting thoughts. Been there. It’s as if a little gremlin sits on our shoulder and whispers, “your writing sucks” or “people will hate it.” Somehow, you have to summon the courage to push past the negative chatter.
You can learn more about Gina Brown and her work at her website.
