Q&A With Author Lauren Christopher Sheil
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Do you have a writing routine or do you write when inspiration strikes?
I write daily. I get home from my morning exercise routine at 6:00 am and spend the next 2 hours mining social media for inspiration and writing. My goal is to write 500-1000 words per day in the form of book projects, seminar teaching material, and blog posts. I post to the blog twice a week, every Wednesday and Saturday. I take Sunday as a day off.
Which do you find harder to write: the beginning or conclusion?
Bringing my thoughts to a logical and understandable conclusion is always the hardest. Because I try to keep the blog posts to 500-1000 words I sometimes find it difficult to wrap it up cleanly. When I am writing for a book project it’s a bit easier because I’m writing to a much longer word count and can take my time making the point. For book projects the word count is anywhere upwards of 5000 words per chapter.
Are there any essential elements that must be present for you to write?
I write alone, in complete silence. It is a deeply personal, introspective, and sometimes emotional process. Nothing shuts down the process faster and more completely than noise, especially man-made noise, or the presence of other people. That is the number one reason why I write in the early morning. When I start to hear the rest of my family stirring in the house I’m done for the day.
Do you prefer to have friends and family or a professional editor review and critique your work?
Blog posts are always written on the fly and posted immediately. Books take several months to complete and go through at least 5 drafts prior to publishing. I have a stable of friends that I call upon to edit my book projects. Drafts two, three, and four are edited by these third party readers prior to final publication.
Have you self-published a book? How did you find your experience?
So far everything I have written has been self-published. I am not a professional and I have no desire to be a full time writer. My books and blog are designed as a supplement to my day job and a calling card to help build my Financial Coaching practice. I publish the books on Create Space and I find the interactive web based system simple and user friendly.
Author Bio
Lauren Christopher Sheil grew up in the small farming community of Parkhill in South Western Ontario. After high-school he spend 19 years in the music industry, taking part in 3 Juno Award winning projects and helping to change the way artists release music today. But life as an entrepreneur is never easy. Sheil declared personal bankruptcy in 2005 and was forced to leave the music business altogether in 2011. It was through this tumultuous time that Sheil began studying concepts called “money” and “the economy.” Grounded in a life-long faith, everything he learned kept drawing him back to the Bible and the development of what he soon coined “Meekonomics.” Sheil became a Financial Coach and has written 2 books on theology, economics, and personal finance. His third book, Meekoethics; What Happens When Life Gets Messy and The Rules Aren’t Enough? is currently in editing and is scheduled for release in the summer of 2015. He lives in Ottawa with his wife Brenda and spends his days helping others manage debt, build wealth, and leave a legacy.
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What essential elements must be present for you to write?
