Write Now with Andy Weir

Summary

Andy Weir, a former software engineer turned full-time author, discusses his writing process, preferences, and personal life, emphasizing his focus on scientific accuracy in his science fiction works and his dedication to storytelling without political or moral messages.

Abstract

The web content provides an insightful look into Andy Weir's life as an author, detailing his transition from a software engineering career to full-time writing. Weir, known for his novels "The Martian" and "Artemis," prioritizes scientific accuracy in his science fiction stories, a genre he has been passionate about since childhood. He avoids incorporating political themes or moral messages into his books, aiming solely to entertain his readers. Weir writes in a home office, preferring a quiet environment and instrumental music to maintain focus. He relies on Microsoft Word for writing, supplemented by a whiteboard for notes and diagrams, and maintains a disciplined writing schedule, aiming for 1000 words daily after handling business matters in the morning. His motivation for writing stems from a love of storytelling and a desire to share his stories with an audience. Weir does not experience traditional writer's block but rather struggles with the discipline of sitting down to write, a challenge he overcomes by denying himself leisure activities until he meets his writing goals. Outside of writing, he enjoys woodworking as a creative outlet that engages a different part of his brain.

Opinions

Weir has a strong preference for scientific accuracy in his science fiction writing.
He intentionally avoids political themes or moral messages in his stories, aiming to entertain rather than preach.
Weir believes that his role as an author is to provide pure entertainment without a hidden agenda or deeper meaning.
He requires a distraction-free environment for writing, highlighting his need for solitude and instrumental music.
Weir uses Microsoft Word for its industry-standard features and collaborative capabilities.
He sets a daily word count goal to maintain productivity and uses leisure restrictions as a motivational tool.
Weir enjoys woodworking as a hobby that complements his writing by offering a different form of creativity and relaxation.

What do you write?

I write science fiction with a heavy emphasis on scientific accuracy. I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a kid — I just can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making up stories and creating fantastical worlds in my head.

I avoid political themes or moral messages like the plague. I don’t like being preached at by entertainment, so I don’t preach in my books. There is never any deeper meaning or message to my stories. I’m not trying to change your mind or affect your opinion of anything. My sole purpose is to entertain.

Where do you write?

I work in my home office — just a spare bedroom downstairs. I have to be alone to get anything done. I’m easily distracted. Sometimes I listen to music, but it has to be instrumental — no vocals. I think the vocals occupy the language center in my brain or something. Whatever the cause, I can’t write if there’s lyrics to the music I’m listening to.

I use Microsoft Word to do my writing. It’s simply the standard of the industry, and it has excellent collaborative editing and change-tracking features.

I have a whiteboard next to my desk for taking short-term notes or drawing diagrams. But for the most part, my notes and calculations end up in supplemental Word documents or Excel spreadsheets.

When do you write?

I try to get 1000 words done each weekday when I’m working on a first draft. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t. I usually spend the morning answering fan mail and doing other business-related emails and calls. My writing usually starts after I eat lunch. I’m sort of an afternoon-writer. And until I’ve made my word count, I deny myself certain fun time-wasting stuff. No video of any kind (neither YouTube, nor TV, nor anything else like that). None of my favorite humor websites. I have to concentrate on work.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

I never get “writer’s block” per se. I always know what I want to happen in my story. Sometimes I have to grapple with multiple different ways it could go and I struggle to pick one. But that’s not a block, that’s almost the opposite.

No, my main problem isn’t writer’s block, it’s “writer’s lazy-assed work avoidance”. Sitting down and actually doing the work is hard and sometimes requires a huge amount of effort. So the biggest challenge for me isn’t coming up with the ideas, it’s forcing myself to sit down and do the work.

Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?

I love woodworking — my whole garage is set up as a woodworking shop. Most of my projects are things for the shop itself. Though my main goal is to get to a point where I can make furniture. I’ve made a few pieces and the results were pretty good. I hope to increase my skill on it.

It’s a really nice break from writing. It occupies a different part of my brain. It’s all visual and procedural instead of pure thought and creativity. Makes for a fun activity while still being creative, which is my core enjoyment.

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Write Now

Write Now with Andy Weir

How a former software engineer wrote The Martian and makes a living as an author

Who are you?

What do you write?

Where do you write?

When do you write?

Why do you write?

How do you overcome writer’s block?

Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?