“What
Does Your Writing Process Look Like?”
Writers are strange creatures. We
all have various methods that eventually get us to the published page. By the
time readers see the finished product, they really don’t know what went into
the whole process – the long nights spent awake, the moments wracking our
brains for the perfect word or phrase, when the muse was driving us crazy –
and, of course, everything else which brought about this book that fans
adore.
Bearing that in mind, it’s why I
wanted to do a very fun project with my fellow writers, to investigate this
question and let our readers know what makes a book, obviously other than
writing, editing and publishing. What unusual habits do writers use to get the
story onto the page? How do they get from idea to fruition? So, I asked a group
of talented authors to give us their take on the writing process. I thought
this might not only give book readers a glimpse into how it works, but also
help some of our aspiring writers out there, or rather writers at any stage of
their careers. How does that sound?
Yeah, I thought it would be pretty
cool too! On top of that, we’ve hit an anniversary here on Writing in the
Modern Age…our 350th post! Woo hoo! We have come so far since 2013,
when I began inviting guest authors to participate on the blog. And I am beyond
proud to have met all of them, as well as the readers from different
backgrounds who often visit our fine blog.
Shall we find out what these 45
authors have to say today? Why not? So, without further ado, take it away,
everyone!
Caryl McAdoo - Christian Hybrid
Author, 28 published titles, 4 series: historical, contemporary, Biblical
fiction, and fiction for Mid-grade and YA readers
My writing process is much like the
way you read a story. I start writing with Chapter One and write the whole
story straight through to Chapter thirty-two or however many it takes to finish
and then write The End. When I begin, I have a premise in mind with some of my
characters' back stories. But I gather more as I go along, knowing back story
is for me to know in the start and readers to find out along the way...just as
we all get to know new folks we meet. I usually write at least a scene a day--though I do take a whole week off sometimes, and many random days where I never get to write for all the editing, formatting, and marketing I'm doing. I usually have three titles in the works...one fixin' to release; one that's finished, or almost, and I'm editing, formatting, and working on a cover; and one new story I'm writing on. I count it all joy that God called me to write, sent me to some of the best mentors I could ever have asked for at the DFW Writers' Workshop to learn my craft, then blessed me with these wonderful, interesting characters and their stories!
Website: http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com
Amazon Author
Page:
Viv Drewa - Author, Blogger, PA
First off I take my
shoes and socks off as I can’t write with my feet covered. I have yet to
figure this out.
Seriously, though, once
I decide what type of book I want to write I write out what I want in each
chapter. Usually, this gets edited as I go by either adding, shifting or
deleting my ideas.
Next, I create and
interview my characters. Yes, interview them! Interviewing helps me understand
each and every one, even the characters who are only in a couple of scenes.
When I create them, I come up with a physical description then choose a name
that I feel would suit them. I may change a character's name as I’m writing but
this only happened once so far.
As I write my book, I
use a technique a friend and fellow author, Scott Eder, recommended: keep a
notepad nearby in case you think of something you want to add to a previous
chapter. Having the notepad does save a lot of time, and when I’m doing my
first draft, I can add the notes in as I write. Then I do the second, and the
last draft before editing with Grammarly. It’s a great program and is available
for free or subscription.
I just started using
Beta readers, who are a great help as there are things I see in my mind's eye
that I forget to put in the book. They are the best group of people I’ve worked
with!
Then off to the
publishing house.
Amazon Author
Page:
Tom Johnson - Action Writer
I write many genres,
including science fiction, western, adventure, and mystery. I prefer being
called an action writer to any specific genre because I load my stories with
action and danger.
My
work place is in my bedroom. I can shut the door, and put my thoughts to paper.
For inspiration I have a wall of super heroes to push me forward.
I
need seclusion from noise and interruption when I write. As my words are
flowing on paper, I don’t want a telephone jarring me from concentration.
I
get stories from dreams sometimes. For instance, one night I dreamed of a UFO
floating down from the night sky, and an alien exiting the moon-like craft. A
young boy was lying on the ground, and the alien kneeled beside him and spoke
something to him telepathically. I remembered that scene vividly, and knew I
had a story. What was the purpose of the UFO and alien? Why was the boy there,
and what was wrong with him? And what did the alien say to him? From that dream
came the first of three novelettes that compose the e-book, THESE ALIEN
SKIES. It’s planned for a December release in paperback.
Television
is another good source. A Christmas episode of THE EQUALIZER featured a young
boy with AIDS, raised by his grandmother. Rednecks in a bar wanted them out of
the community. The boy had a poster of a comic book hero that the men ripped
off his wall one night. He calls The Equalizer, thinking he is the comic book
hero. That sparked another three-issue run of a pulp hero called The Masked
Avenger, a hero that protects children. These appeared in paperback from ALTUS
PRESS in TRIPLE DETECTIVE #2, 3 & 4.
Three
appears to be my lucky number, as both of these series have done well. I wrote
six novels in the JUR series, and they don’t seem as popular. This series was
actually created in the mid 1960s when I was stationed with the Army in France.
I was the military police desk sergeant, and on slow nights, when my units were
out on patrol, I would experiment with plots and characters. One of the plots
was JUR: A STORY OF PRE-Dawn EARTH. Nothing came of the series until
1970, after a tour in the jungles of Vietnam. With my imagination I saw lost
civilizations, prehistoric beasts, and ancient races of people. When I returned
to the states I wrote the first two JUR novels, and they were just as quickly
rejected. I had a long way to go before I would polish my skills as a writer. But
it was a beginning.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Johnson/e/B008MM81CM/
Fiona Tarr - Writes heroic fantasy with mystical themes
based around historical stories
My writing is often seasonal. We
have a busy period in our business so during this time I focus on my work and
any other projects I am working on. I write blog posts, do promotional work,
make guest appearances on other writers and reviewers' blogs and generally map
out and imagine what my next book is going to look like.
Once the season slows down I begin
writing my new story.
Writing fiction is a great wind down
for me, a release from the tension of my busy summer at work.
My writing process goes a little
like this:
I have the plot outline roughly planned out.
·
I have my main stay characters that everyone expects to find from earlier
books.
·
I have a number of new characters in mind to help develop the plot.
·
I start writing and don’t edit.
·
I split chapters as I see them develop along the way.
·
I try to put a beginning, middle and end into each chapter (Bryce Courtenay
tip).
·
I share a lot of internal dialogue about what my characters are feeling (I want
the reader to really get to know them).
·
I keep ideas and future directions for the plot in a running list of notes at
the bottom on my manuscript. (Fancy programs don’t work for me; they slow the
flow down).
·
I research any facts I need as I go, making notes and keeping Internet
references at the bottom of my page for rechecking.
·
I finish the story and begin the reading and editing phase. This is where I
find any holes in the story, boring bits where the rhythm has died, facts I
need to recheck and so on.
·
Once I am happy, I then have two of my closest beta readers read through the
story for initial ideas and feedback.
·
I edit accordingly and the manuscript goes off to my first editor (my mum) who
picks up all the usual grammar errors. I am getting better, of course, but I am
a writer, not a grammar teacher or librarian. There are always mistakes.
·
After making the necessary grammar changes I give the book to my broader
Beta reading team.
·
After final Beta reading, the book goes to my professional editor. Adele
does a line by line and overall story edit.
·
We work together to implement the final changes.
·
I release the ARC (advanced reader copy) to my team and set my release dates,
finalize cover art, toss around the blurb (the hardest part, I think) and then
prepare my release marketing schedule.
Website: http://atime2write.com.au
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FionaTarr
David M. Mannes - Multi-genre Author
I sometimes find it difficult to
talk about my writing process. The word process means that I have some sort of
set plan or system to my writing. I’ve been blessed with an overactive
imagination and the compulsion to put my thoughts on paper. I’ve been writing
since I was around ten, and that was a long time ago. I write in a variety of
genres and even mix genres.
These days I usually write in the
afternoon (I do have a day job). I find I get ideas from newspaper and internet
articles, and sometimes ideas pop into my head when I’m out walking my dog,
Kahlua. I find the catalytic question to ask is, “What if…” Often, no matter
what sort of rough outline I make the story often takes on a life of its own
and perhaps my subconscious guides me. I don’t have a particular set amount of
how much I’ll write each day. Some days I’ve written as much as seventy pages
in two or three hours and other days, maybe a half a page or a few pages.
On average it takes me about a year to do a book. When I get stuck, or the creative
juices aren’t flowing, I go back and re-read and edit what I’ve done. As well,
I often work on two or three pieces at a time. Never know what sort of mood
I’ll be in or what will suddenly inspire or motivate me.
I often listen to music suitable to
the subject matter. For example, while writing The Tunguska Encounter,
the second Damien Wynter-Majic 12 adventure, I listened to James Bond and
similar theme soundtracks. For Scarlet Vengeance, the second in
the Constable Kingsley and Charlie Buck series, I have a few CDs of
western movie and TV theme music. When I wrote The Cantor’s Son, I
listened to a lot of 60’s rock and folk rock music.
Amazon Author
Page: http://www.amazon.com/David-M.-Mannes/e/B004RQNWNA
A.B. Funkhauser - Paranormal gonzo author of the award winning
HEUER LOST AND FOUND and SCOOTER NATION
“BEFORE IT IS WRITTEN”
Pantsers and plotters are two
species we hear a great deal about, but what about the “mullers”? Neither
deliberate nor calculating, mullers often stumble on an idea in random places —
the grocer’s aisle, Big Box, bike lane, blog spot — or through curious
pop conventions foisted on them everywhere in glorious, bilious, digital
tabloid color.
With a hint of a thing, mullers will
posit and chew without committing a single word to screen, often for weeks, or
months, until they finally do, with few breaks in between. Characters and
scenes — sparkling diamonds — come in tandem at any time of the day or night.
These, once on the page and safely stowed in the WIP file, almost always make the
final cut when the last edits are done.
Just how random scenes become a
fully realized work varies from muller to muller. For me, it is a combination
of planning and playing, beginning with one of the aforementioned pop scenes;
the best of which is usually chapter 1. From there, characters wander at will,
each jostling for poll position. By Act 2, I have a fairly decent idea of who
my protagonist will be.
I never pressure myself in the first
draft to attain structural perfection. In fact, I rarely begin to plot until I
have the last line of the final scene, which usually presents itself at around
the same time the real protagonist emerges. With Act 1 and an ending, I’m free
to joyously jump in and plot Acts 2 and 3, always keeping in mind that my characters
will hijack me and throw the best made plans clear off the screen.
I don’t like surprises in my life,
but in writing I very much do. That said, I will never sit down in front of a
cold screen. Mulling, for me, is writing—it’s in my head. Tapping it out is the
joy.
(At the time of this printing, A. B.
Funkhauser is halfway through draft one of DIRTY DALE, a much mulled piece
getting its way through NaNoWriMo 2016.)
Andy Ruffett - Writer of Fiction and Nonfiction
My writing process usually begins and ends with music. When
I was young, I played a bunch of songs on shuffle on my iTunes and found that
sometimes what I was listening to fit the writing. These days however, I find I NEED
MUSIC to BEGIN WRITING.
My writing process begins with an
idea which I either branch out or don't. Usually there's tea or something to
drink by my desk and all my serious writing is done on my computer unless
there's no computer and then I use a notebook. When I write songs, for example,
all the songs are written in my red binder which I keep in the second drawer in
my desk. For novels, I either open a new Word document or look at an old one
and continue from there.
I usually write a chapter and then
stop unless there is some REAL PRESSING DRIVE to continue. If there is, I try
not to over-limit myself to more than two chapters. Thing is, I have A LOT of
projects I'm working on so it could just mean I move to another project, but
usually after my completion of writing, I'm done for the day.
The worst problem, though, is that if
a good song is not playing, I can't get into the groove of writing novels. It
can be very frustrating and that's why I haven't written any of my books in a
while. The ideas are there, but I can't get them down in Word because I'm not
driven.
I'm hoping the beginning of my
writers' group will help fix that.
However, I do writing in many
different ways: lyrics, novels, short stories, poems, tweets, essays, articles,
and posts. I have begun this new thing where I take pictures of figurines and
write a caption, line, or little story beside each picture. So you see, there
are many different ways I write and therefore many processes as to how I
write as well.
Amazon Author
Page: http://amzn.to/2dq2ZSo
Jannette Fuller - YA Author
Stirring up ideas and jotting them
down is only the beginning. In order to create a story, some level of planning
needs to be made. Note cards, sketches, and bullet points can come in handy if
you’re not a fan of writing extensive outlines. Which, by the way, I’m not a
fan of them either. I consider myself to be more of a pantster, but I do need a
visual to help me along the way.
I have a recipe to create. When I
think of writing, I think of lasagna. You’re hungry now, aren’t you? Before I
start pounding away at the keyboard, I get my notebook and write down the
theme/moral of the story, create character profiles, list all the locations
within the story, write down secrets & twists, and then I add a timeline
(which includes the day, month, season, and weather). Once I’ve done that, I
add the main component to each chapter. Here’s an example of what my
recipe/process looks like:
Chapter One
l Season/month/day/weather
l Introduction to main characters (s)
l Main scene
l End chapter to set up the next chapter
Seriously, this is all I do. I start
writing and fill in the blanks, which is a whole LOT of blanks! I’m character
driven, and I wouldn’t change it any other way. They always come up with better
plots than I do. They keep me on edge as they entwine mystery and suspense,
revealing secrets that cause me to bring a hand up to my slacked-jaw.
What about you? Are you character
driven? Plot driven? World-building driven?
So
once the first draft is
completed, the editing – layering – begins! I let my manuscript
marinate for a little while, a month at the most, and then the virtual red pen
makes its appearance. Eep! This is when I slip on my apron, grab a casserole
dish, and pour in all the ingredients. One layer at a time. Layering requires a
keen eye, making sure all the story’s components go into the correct places.
Let me demonstrate my layering process.
Layer One: Structuring my plot. If
it’s all over the place, I get anxious and confused. And if there are any words
underlined in red, I’ll correct them.
Layer Two: Filling in plot holes,
adding a better explanation of things, and foreshadowing in the appropriate
places.
Layer Three: Restructuring my
sentences to where they read better. This is when I’ll switch out certain words
for better ones. Word choice is important. It can give the story and characters
more oomph!
Layer Four: This is where I pick up
the pace, cutting out redundancy, boring content, and anything that slows the
story down. I love fast-paced reads. How about you?
Layer Five: I love this process!
This is where sprinkles of magic happen. I take my Word Doc and convert it into
a PDF. Then I’ll read through the story and clean up typos, insert missing
punctuation and words, and add tidbits of content to add more pizzazz!
I do have one more ingredient...the
secret sauce. Wanna know what it is? Of course you do. Before my manuscript is
handed over for others to read, I go through it one last time. I copy and paste
it into Natural
Reader. A free text to speech tool that works wonders. I highly recommend
it! Check it out for yourself. You got nothing to lose, right?
Did you hear that? The timer just
went off. So put on your mitten and take out your literary lasagna. Now it’s up
to you what you’ll do next: serve your story to the world, or keep it all to
yourself. Caution: some ovens may vary. Some stories take longer to cook than
others.
Happy Writing, Editing, Reading!
Website: http://www.jannettefuller.com/
Amazon Author
Page: http://amzn.to/2e9wlp7
Stefan Vucak - Editor and Author of contemporary and science fiction novels
Okay, this is how I go about my
craft:- Decide on a concept/theme for the book.
- Jot down all the pointers/elements that will make a story.
- Thoroughly research all the story elements.
- Develop your characters.
- Write a point-by-point story outline/synopsis.
- Develop a detailed outline.
- Fill in any missing research elements.
- Start writing.
- Review, edit, rewrite.
- Review and edit the final version.
- Take a holiday!
If you are like me, when I pluck a
book idea from a pool of other potential ideas, thinking about it, that idea
generates a cascade of images. What I am doing is breaking down the idea into
scenes. It is all rough at this point and the scenes may not have any coherence
or logical sequence, it doesn’t matter. I am starting the plotting process.
What I do is write down bullet sentences for each scene idea. At this stage, my
head is buzzing with action images. Wearing a satisfied smirk, telling myself
this one will be a blockbuster. I need that confidence booster to charge me up
and keep me going through the inevitable dark patches. Another thing that can
work is to write each scene on a slip of paper and keep them in a file or
shoebox. Or you can use a spreadsheet. Again, it doesn’t matter what you do
with them as long as you keep them somewhere. Inevitably, I reach a point when
I cannot think of anything else and I am staring at a blank sheet of paper.
At this point, what I do is pull out
all those scenes and start putting them into some order: the sequence in which
the book will be written. Some scenes will fit and some won’t. Having built the
initial skeleton, I identify more scenes until I have a beginning, as many main
story elements as I can think of, and an ending. Getting an ending is
important, as it will define the flow of the book, and it must not be a
letdown! You must leave the reader satisfied, not disillusioned. What do I do
with all those scenes that never make it into the skeleton? I keep them until
the entire book skeleton is completely built, then I discard them.
Completely built? I may have the
main story elements identified, but that’s not usually enough to wrap a book
around, unless it is something short. So far, all I’ve done is work on the main
subject of the book. It is time to add smaller bones and drape some flesh over
everything. Remember the outline points: identify the characters and the human
elements? I need to know who does what to whom and who gets paid…and why. Every
book is about interaction between characters and their environment, whether
natural, family, political, workplace, whatever. If you are not writing about
characters, you’re writing a user manual.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Stefan-Vucak/e/B005CDD1RY/
Rival Gates - Author of Epic Fantasy
Hello, I am Rival Gates and I have
been honored with being asked to write a piece on “What does your writing
process look like?”
Writing is like a fire. You need a spark and then you need
to feed it bits of fuel until you have a flame. The trick is to have the proper
wood to build it from there or the fire will go out. I was so sick of the
“Superman Theory”. In essence someone was invincible unless you had kryptonite.
I wanted a strong hero but I wanted his powers to drain him so he had to make
the most of them. Once they were gone he would be exhausted and nearly
helpless. That was a spark. Then I needed to add kindling. I needed to surround
the idea with more ideas before I forgot about the spark. So the natural next
question is, “Is he a wizard?” No, wizards have been done to death. He needs to
be someone who can fight without his power. So he needs something to give him
that power. As long as each answer leads to another question you’re building
that fire.
VERY IMPORTANT…You need total silence where you work so you are not
distracted from the fire and you must write down your ideas, even if it’s in
bullet form. Otherwise when you return to it in a few days you will have
forgotten what you created.
Once I’m well into the writing
process I keep a 64 once glass of water by my side. Writing makes me thirsty. I
plot out my stories but sometimes I need more detail and it stumps me. Usually
I pace back and forth and work it out in my head. If it’s really bad I go to
church and sit in one of the pews. The answer always comes to me right away. It
could be religion or it could be the complete removal of all other stimuli.
NEVER listen to music or watch T.V. to “Take a break.” It cements that problem
and makes it harder to overcome because you have to get back to that mood in
the story.
Keep on writing…
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1f8PJNr
K.C. Sprayberry - Author of Young Adult, Romance, Western,
Military, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Paranormal Fiction
What does my writing process look like?
I
have to say many people might run off hearing about this. My writing process
depends entirely on what my characters are doing or saying every day. I may
have attempted an outline—major huge emphasis on 'attempted'—but I can guarantee
you that by chapter three I’m struggling to stay with the outline and by
chapter five, it’s out the window. Although, I will keep important points on
mini legal pads that tend to stack up on my desk in droves.
I
rarely work on a single story at a time. Once I hit a sticking point, another
story’s characters are always ready to jump and wave their hand, screaming
frantically, “Me next!” I must oblige or be subjected to hours and hours of
pouting characters, who can and have interrupted my concentration to the point
where I’ve often yelled, “All right, already. I’m coming!” Kind of reminds me
of when my kids were toddlers and tearing up the house when they wanted their
meals.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/K.C.-Sprayberry/e/B005DI1YOU/
Rebecca L. Frencl - Writer of Romance and Fantasy
Calling it a “writing process”
actually seems to legitimize it and make me sound slightly professional. So,
I’ll take that. In the grand scheme of writing processes there are plotters and
there are pantsers—those who meticulously outline their stories and those who
come up with scenes on the fly. In spite of how I teach my students to write,
I’m an amalgamation of both. I usually start with either a theme or a character
or a specific scene that I can’t get out of my head.
I’ve tried just making stuff up as
I go along. Those stories kind of limp along and eventually die a horrible
death fraught with inconsistencies and confusion. I’ve also tried to outline
everything. I’ve gotten bored with those stories before I finished the
outlines. I realized that I needed to have some sort of flexibility that
obsessive plotting erases.
So, I see writing like planning
a road trip. You know where you’re starting from and you know your ultimate
destination. You have a few really important stops you are going to make along
the way. For example, you know you’re going to check out Niagra Falls on the
way or take a ride up to the top of the Sears Tower. (I’m from right outside
the city of Chicago, it will always be the Sears Tower to us.) However, as you
drive along you see the attractions signs on the side of the road. A lot of
them you ignore. They’d be a waste of time, but one or two look really
interesting. You know, I think I do want to go see Mammoth Caves. That’s how I
see writing. I know the beginning and the end. I know there are certain scenes
I need to have in order to keep the story moving along, but those little
detours are what really make the story interesting.
For
example, Ascent of the Fallen, the first in my Ascended series of books
was supposed to be a short story about a magic tattoo and an angel who regains
his wings. All right, it was probably really going to be a novella since I
can’t write short. It’s a running joke that my short stories get away from me.
However, I knew Rue, the main character was going to meet Serafina and she was
going to show him how wonderful and miraculous humanity was. He’d regain his
compassion and his wings, the tattoo he’d had meticulously inked onto back
would peel away and he’d ascend back to the ranks of the heavenly hosts. Nice,
right? Good, sweet little story about regaining your faith in mankind and
realizing things aren’t always what they seem. Well….I gave the demon Asmoday a
walk on part to taunt Rue and got an idea. It was an idea that twisted the
story away from my original map and down a few more roads. I had to redo my
route.
After I’ve
written the initial scene or after I get to the part where I’m going to leave
the original plan, I sit down and take a little bit of time to figure out what’s
going to happen from then on through to the end of the story. Under the actual
text I jot down all my ideas in all capital letters and as I get through those
plot points I erase them. It’s what works for me. It’s enough of an outline to
give me an idea of where the story is going and how much I have left. It’s a
place where I can keep track of names, dates and characters so there are fewer
plot holes in the long run, but it also affords me the flexibility to go off
road if I want to.
I tell all
my students that they have to find their own writing process. They need to
discover what works for them. I encourage outlining, particularly for novice
writers. It’s less likely that their stories will circle and die with
outlining. However, we all have to decide what’s best for us.
Pardon me,
I actually have to go edit about forty student stories right now…
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-L.-Frencl/e/B00EQDG5C4/
P.I. Barrington - Author of Crime Thrillers and Science
Fiction
When I write, I’m writing the movie
that’s playing in my head at any given time. And that show almost always starts
with a name. Like credits rolling up the screen at the beginning of any
film made anywhere and almost always made in Hollywood. They’re pretty good at
that, my old friends in film land and they’ve taught me a lot usually via
osmosis and I remember most of the good, important parts like credits.
And so it begins with a name. I have
at least 19 baby name books. I started keeping them when I was about thirteen
or so and I still have the very first tiny book from that time, its pages
tearing like fragile leaves whenever gently touched. Depending on the gender of
my main characters (a hero and heroine) I start looking for a name, the given
or the first name. My current main character, Alekzander Brede, is like his
name and the way it sounds: hard, edgy and aggressive. And he is. So is his
surname or last name if you will. There was a reason for that in my mind. When
I saw the last name, Brede, the meaning of that name is “Ice” or “ice-like” and
I knew they fit together and sounded right. That’s how he became an anti-hero’s
antihero. I was sick of the usual six-pack studs with little or no face and
body hair who beats up everybody around for his ridiculous lady-fair. No, I
wanted somebody even I could hate. That way, he’d have to really work hard to
get my approval and it wasn’t going to be easy for him or anybody around him.
Like Elektra Tate. If you’ve ever read any modern or ancient playwrights like
Eugene O’Neill and Sophocles, you’ll know the name. I didn’t pick it this time
though, it picked me. She told me her name and gave me her surname as well just
like the impudent child I’d always pictured her to be. I even have a picture of
Elektra at about age 3 wearing a frustrated, unhappy frown, blonde hair swirled
in a wild nest across her little face. Yep, that’s my girl. Elektra Tate. And,
I saw her in Pitch Black, as Carolyn Fry. Only I didn’t know who Radha Mitchell
was since I only saw that movie a few years ago. She was younger then, but not
too young to be Alekzander’s wannabee girlfriend in The Brede Chronicles.
Pretty much everyone else in the book save Colin Factor and Brede and Elektra’s
son Zander, have either forgettable names or the type of name that instantly
exposes their personality flaws.
There you have it, my writing
process in the form of moviemaking, complete with setting, major characters,
and storyline.
Oh, yeah, and my new official office
is a big change from sitting at a heavy, black monster desk stuffed into a
corner of my massive living room, to a monster office. I even have
a geared clock and a few Steampunk accessories to keep me in line and on time
as much as possible.
Oh, and of course, my custom shelf
to hold all those names:
Amazon Author
Page: http://www.amazon.com/P.I.-Barrington/e/B0032UWIA0/
Natalie Silk - Author of YA Science Fiction
Oh, the irony of it all! I
love science fiction. I love new and shiny things called
technology. I love technology to the point where I invest in tech
stock! Yet, I'm soooo painfully an old-school writer. I need to buy
a brand new little notebook and write my story down. Yes, that's correct.
I take pen to paper (which is really writing) and not typing. Writing
connects me to my story.
Then I go to my trusty old laptop
and write (er, I mean, type) my story.
Why do I write? Because a day
without art in all its forms is a day not worth living!
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Natalie-Silk/e/B00EA8VY76/
Devika Fernando - Romance Novelist
I’m stuck somewhere between being a
pantser and a plotter, and it’s a nice place to be stuck in. LOL. First,
there’s the story idea for another romance novel – sometimes it will just pop
into my head, sometimes it’s inspired by a photo or writing prompt, at other
times (when writing a series), I sit down and brainstorm. After the idea, I
take notes and write a rough plot outline, divided into chapters or scenes. I
familiarize myself with the characters and give them their names, looks and
basic background. I also write a first draft of the blurb (longer and more
informative than the final version) so I don’t forget the bigger picture. And
then? Then I write!
When I started out as a romance
novelist some years ago, I stuck to the order of the story and wrote in one
continuing document from the beginning until ‘The End’. However, I discovered
along the way that it’s better for my brain and writing if I type whatever
scene is foremost on my mind. So now, I write the important scenes and the
chapters that really want to be told first, not necessarily in order. Each has
its own document. (For my 2nd Royal Romance THE PRINCE’S STUBBORN
BRIDE, for example, I wrote the 3rd and 4th chapter
last.) As soon as the whole book is finished, I’ll add in what I call ‘fillers’
– small scenes that link what I’ve written together or that I omitted the first
time around. Once that is done, I embark on my first round of edits. Then the
book is sent off to my beta readers. After their feedback is in, I go through
my second round of editing. Last comes the formatting so that I can upload the
manuscript to various e-book retail sites.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Author_Devika
Mark Conte - Author
I have a notes section on my
computer where I have anywhere from two lines to two pages of a story I am
thinking of writing. Not all of them become books. With my book Five
Days to Eternity, I saw a news clipping of a leader of a new religious cult in
Arizona. He looked like Jesus. I wondered what would happen if he
came back today and what ethnic background he would chose. The idea kept
running around in my head for several months. Then I read the story of a
California team of explorers who found a tribe in the Amazon jungle that was
supposed to be extinct. That was it. I had him born in the Amazon
jungle. When I began writing, everything came to me so fast I could barely keep
up with the images. But not all books were like that. A Friend of the
Family, due out in December 2017, took 12 years. I wrote four
chapters, got stuck, worked on another book, wrote another four chapters,
got stuck, etc. until it was finished. All my books need a lot of research. Research
is very important to the book. The Ghost was a serial killer book
of a prisoner I interviewed many years ago. It took me a long time to
decide to write it because it was a scary book. However, it only took 10
months to write. My other books were written with whatever idea I had at
the time.
The best time for me to write is in
the morning when my mind is clean of the day's clutter and I have more
energy. However, when I am near the end of the book, I write
all times of the day because I am rushing to the end. I usually have
a loose plot so that I know where I am going, but I may change some parts
so that it fits the story. On two books, I knew how it would end and I
wrote the ending first. Then I had to write the rest of the novel.
It is always best for me to write on
my computer. I am comfortable there and if I have to do a quick research I
just switch to the internet. When I create I try to make them as real
as possible, giving them every detail a real person has. After
that, I can't make them do something that character would not do. They
push me all over the page and tell me what they want to do. After a while, they
become like my children. I laugh with them and enjoy all their successes and
cry with them at tragic lives I give them and I feel the guilt of putting
them there. I love all my characters.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Randolph-Conte/e/B003U4ULJ8/
Linda Lee Williams - Writer, Blogger, Contemporary Romance with a
Paranormal Twist
My writing process emulates John
Irving’s:
“I don’t want to write that first
sentence until all the important connections in the novel are known to
me. As if the story has already taken place, and it’s my responsibility
to put it in the right order to tell it to you.”
When the seed of an idea is planted
in my mind, I let the idea germinate. Some ideas grow and thrive; others
wither and pass away. Before I begin writing, I have intimate knowledge of the
main players in my book—more about their backgrounds than the reader will ever
know. When my fictional people are persistent—when I can silence their voices
no longer, I’m compelled to tell their stories. I feel as if I’m taking dictation
while my characters bare their souls to me. Of course, then it’s up to me to
make sense out of everything they’ve revealed.
My characters drive the plot; I go
where they go, not vice-versa. They set their courses, and we travel
together—although not always comfortably. When we reach the end of the journey,
we’ve made it by hook or by crook. All of us are exhausted and relieved we’ve
arrived.
I don’t pretend to understand this
part of the writing process. One action leads to another, triggering consequences
for the characters. We hit potholes, have flat tires, get lost in the dark on
the road of life—find our way back into the light and chart a new route.
As for me, the lowly author? I’m
grateful I was invited along for the ride.
Amazon Author
Page: http://amazon.com/author/williamslindalee
Olga Núñez Miret - Writer, Translator (English-Spanish and vice
versa), Blogger, Author of YA, Romance, Psychological Thriller, Literary
Fiction
"What does your writing process
look like?"
It depends. I don’t stick to a
method, and as I write in different genres I find that works out best. For my
YA series Angelic Business I knew from the beginning I’d be writing a
trilogy, and had some ideas as to the general content of each one of the books,
but not the full details. I wrote a plan with the chapters and a summary of
what would happen in each one of them, but some crucial scenes developed as I
wrote. For the last book in my psychological thriller series Escaping
Psychiatry (Escaping Psychiatry 2. The Case of the Swapped Bodies) due for
release soon, I dreamt a story that ended up becoming a story within a story in
that book, and I built the rest of the story around it, with the main
characters in the series joining in. I like to experiment but sometimes one
gets stuck and with this novel, after writing the original story I didn’t know
how to incorporate it into the book until then I had the idea for another
story, the prequel, and once I wrote that one everything became clear. I’m not
sure I believe in pure inspiration but sometimes it works that way.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Olga-Núñez-Miret/e/B009UC58G0/
Laura Ranger - Author
My writing process used to be as a
pantser, but when I saw the value in outlining to complete a 100k novel in 28 days,
I’m reformed. I have a boatload of ideas for various stories. Doing as I do
allows me to avoid ever having writer's block. As well, I can jump between
stories easily if a thought comes to me on a story I’m not currently writing.
It may be just to add a particular chapter to my outline, or I may have a whole
scene come to mind.
I use Microsoft Word to create. Some
like to write everything down and then transfer, but I find I have so much more
freedom if I can change, alter, correct, and move things around in a word
processing setting. I take my book idea, split it into three Acts. Since I
generally aim for 100k words per novel, I then break each act into 10 chapters.
I jot notes on each chapter in my outline, assign chapter names if they come to
me. Some are more fleshed out than others. As I write, I may rearrange the
chapters to better suit the flow. Since I fully allow my characters to direct
the story, I have to be flexible to changing things up when necessary. While
constructing a story, I turn my outline into the best concordance/resource. As
characters take shape and reveal their names, descriptions, backstory, I add
that to whatever chapter of my outline it belongs in. As a new place is added,
that goes into the concordance as well. Then when I need to recall something
it’s so simple to find and know exactly what chapter that happened in. As I
complete a chapter, I just strikethrough the chapter and number. That way I
know it’s complete and can still see my notes. Also, when a fully completed chapter
needs to be moved to another section of the story, I can easily see it’s done
if I work up to it.
I actually go so far as to put
Chapter One, insert page, Chapter Two, and so on when I begin a new story and
set up my formatting. Not often, but at times, I may see a chapter so clearly
that I jump ahead to that and blend it once the surrounding chapters are
completed. Working this way, I keep focused on driven to where the story is
going without being too rigid. I highly recommend outlining.
I have a full-time day job. My
daughter and three young granddaughters live with me. I share parental
responsibilities for the girls with my daughter. They are home schooled and I’m
the Math teacher. I co-own my own publishing company with my fiancé too. So, to
say I have little time to write, which is my passion, is an understatement. I
have to fit minutes in throughout my day to get more of my story down. By
keeping an outline/concordance, I can do that without blocking hours at a time
to accomplish chapters all at once. It’s important to write daily, even if it’s
just ten minutes.
I know someday, this too shall pass. I’ll be glad I
disciplined myself to write in this way. Just imagine the number of novels I’ll
be able to accomplish then!
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Ranger/e/B001KML74K/
Dianne Hartsock - Author of M/M Erotic Romance,
Paranormal/Suspense, Fantasy Adventure and anything else that comes to mind...
Like any artist, each writer has
their own unique writing process. For me, it could be a strain of music, a
laugh heard from across the room, a snippet of conversation, almost anything
can give me that spark of inspiration for a story. I’m usually working on
another project, so I start to plot out the new story in my head, though it
might be months before I put anything down on paper. I’m also a visual person,
and will make a Pinterest Board and start adding character and atmosphere
pictures that mirror what I have in mind. 
Once I start writing, I’m a linear
writer, meaning I need to make each scene as perfect as possible, capture the
emotion I’m working for, before I can move on to the next one, each scene
building on the one before, leading to whatever dramatic conclusion I have in
store for my guys. Yes, I do like to make them suffer. But you can be assured
all my stories have a happy ending.
Amazon Author Page:
Doc Krinberg - Author, Doctor of Education
I rolled this around in my head
about the process and remembered an old stand-up routine these ancient comics
did where one was the greatest comedian in the world being interviewed.
The straight man asked the greatest comic ever ‘to what do you owe your
success? And in the middle of asking the question the greatest comic
interrupted with ‘timing.’ The joke being he had none. I feel it’s the exact
thing I can point to because if anything about process, it’s timing.
There are in writing many starts
& stops. We venture down one road and find we’re on another and then
something comes up and once again we’re swept away. For me, with kids, an
active wife in the military and my own career teaching, finding the time is the
major part of getting started and staying started. Once that timing is
established, the rest is like a cat navigating a wrought iron grated fence; once
your head is through the body follows.
I write contemporary fiction. I have
lived since the 50’s so I confine myself to places and dates I am familiar
with. I admire people who can sift through minute details in history and build a
frame around it. I can’t. I don’t wish to. My characters exist in the now and
surrounded by things that identify their time in space; popular songs,
consumables, events and clothing. They say write what you know, and I agree.
The two novels I have out deal with
people who are damaged either in relationships or their professions while
trying to figure it out how to live in that time and space. Music helps. I use
Youtube to skip around and add a background soundtrack to the time and mood of
the writing. Bob Dylan from ‘65’-’67 is employed a lot as are many different
artists from the 60’s and 70’s. The music may not reflect exactly what the
action is but it helps me stay fresh in that time and remember more things.
It’s as if the music is a key and opens my memory, locked up and dusty, to a
new day.
I have learned from reading others’
comments in places like LinkedIn that they are subject matter experts in
regards to writing (most are self-published) and they take umbrage when told
everybody is different and has their own style. These were the kids who made
the rules when you played and if they didn’t like it took their balls and went
home. This works for me, what I have illustrated. And maybe only me. But when I
can master my starting point, and know I have the timing right I can work
tirelessly. I started one book in the 90’s and had to put it aside as we had
two kids then. It was only finished last year as I finally had that time. Like
Lennon says, life happens when you’re making other plans.
Amazon Author
Page: http://amzn.to/2fBWYOF
Tina Donahue - Amazon and international bestselling
novelist in Erotic, Paranormal, Contemporary and Historical Romance
Whether I’m writing to category,
genre, or an idea simply grabs me, my writing process is pretty much the same.
I consider scenarios in my head, almost like a film, of the heroine and hero
meeting or interacting. From there I determine their careers, choosing those
that readers would find interesting and would provide great conflict for the
story. With those pieces in place, I then do my research.
I’m a plotter, not a
pantster. I’ve found that having the major story milestones in place gets me to
the finish more quickly. As an example: if you want to drive from California to
New York, you can jump in your car and head east. You’ll eventually get there.
However, if you map out the route, you’ll get there faster. Research brings up
more questions and ideas for me that flesh out the story.
If I’m stuck on a
plot point, the issue usually resolves itself while I’m exercising, driving,
hanging with friends, or whatever. For some reason, being engaged in other
activities frees the logjam and solutions flow. The most important part of my
process is that I don’t give up. I forge ahead until the novel’s finished. Then
I revise, revise, revise.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Donahue/e/B001IZPJXO/
Celia Kennedy - Author of Women's Fiction/RomCom
To be honest, my writing process has
evolved enormously over time and I am still trying to decide if that has been a
good thing. I have told many people that it literally never occurred to me I
couldn’t write a book, and looking back I am sure part of my confidence had to
do with the fact that I had no idea how hard it would be to get it published.
With time and practice I think some of my effortlessness has been lost, but I
have found missing purposefulness.
When
I first started writing I would write scene by scene by the seat of my pants,
perfecting it before I moved onto the next. This would probably be a good time
to interject that I am a freakishly visual person. I get images in my head and
I write them, so in a way it is the reverse of screenwriting. I see, then
write. Consequently, my concept must be fairly developed and I have to keep
myself on track. However, I let myself “free-write” because I believe that the
unconscious mind takes over when you get deep into your writing process, and
that is where the magic lies – the magical sentences, the emotional scenes, the
barbs and banter, the feel of lingering lips unwilling to part.
When
I wrote my first book, Prosecco & Paparazzi, I would begin each
writing session by editing an arbitrary number of pages I had written the previous
day. At the time I had two young children at home and I wrote in the kitchen
amongst the mayhem. My writing time was interrupted and chaotic, and to some
extent I think it added to the fast pace of the book. By the time I wrote my
second book, Venus Rising, I had taken some writing courses, worked with
editors and beta-readers, and so I approached the book very differently. I
still had the reverse screenwriting experience happening, but I wrote it from
beginning to end without editing along the way. The result was that there were
many more inconsistencies in the book when I read it the first time from
beginning to end and the revisions were painful.
I
should throw in that I do a ton of research. No restaurant, road, park, shop,
outfit, song, or car goes unknown. I don’t make that stuff up. So, mid-sentence
I might have to stop and search, “most popular family car England 1999,” and
decide whether I want it to be white or grey. I generally go with white since
that is my favorite color for a car. It boggles even my mind why this is
necessary. How is it that I can come up with a story concept, create fictional
characters, imagine a whole life for them – from conversations to sexual
preferences – but I cannot let their car be some fictional machine?
Since
I started writing full-time my writing process has become a little more
informed. I now have one notebook just for story ideas (which I immediately
start creating Pinterest Boards for). Ideas generally come from real life, but
my goal is to make it unique. For example, I am currently writing a book where
two lovers from the past meet again. Given this is not a new idea all by
itself, I spend time journaling, diagramming, and talking to people about how
can I make my version as interesting as possible. Ultimately, I think all
authors do this. Like fashion which is reinvented in new ways with new
material, authors take ideas and spin their voice and experiences into the
subject matter to create something that is fresh (hopefully). I have a notebook
for each book I am working on. I literally write these. I find pen to paper a
very creative process. I write backstories for each character, I write outlines
of possible interactions/interconnections, I write why they do or don’t work, I
write notes about where research needs to be done, and get started.
Once
I am into the writing process on my computer I type notes about where to go
back and plug holes. This goes back to the visualization and unconscious mind.
I think while I am literally writing I am more purposeful, less relaxed. When I
write on the computer, I relax, and stuff roles out of my imagination that I
never considered but is good, and needs contemplation and refinement.
This
process happens however many times it needs to or I can stand. Generally, I
would say I write ten revisions. Somewhere around revision six I give the book
to beta readers and use their feedback (or not) in the following revisions.
Once my editor gets a hold of it, we might go through two or three more revisions.
All
the while this is happening, I try to keep to a schedule. I still have kids who
need me, I still have other responsibilities. I like to get in at least five
hours of writing per day. More if possible. I generally write from 8am to 1pm,
then go to the gym (cause by then, my bum is numb), and then when I get home,
my kids are there, we hang out, I cook dinner, and then if the stars align, I
might get another hour or two of writing time in before bed. Now that my
children are teens and busy, I write on weekends too – often with fewer
interruptions.
Thanks
so much for following Marie Lavender on her epic journey as author, blogger,
and all-around lovely lady. I’m a huge fan of hers. Thanks, Marie, for
including me.
Website: http://www.celiakennedybooks.com/
Amazon Author
Page:
Mark H. Newhouse - Author of multi-award winning Welcome to
Monstrovia and The Case of the Disastrous Dragon
Monsters can strike at
any time. So do ideas for my stories. As a child, I ate up every Sherlock
Holmes, Perry Mason and Edgar Allen Poe story I could find so it’s natural I’d
love writing mysteries, but ideas can be wily prey so you need to catch them
before they get away.
Ideas usually attack
just before I wake up. But sneaky devils, almost anything can hide an idea. A
newspaper story about an elderly woman forced from her home by a city
government triggered The Case of the Disastrous Dragon. With the magic
of imagination, I turned the old lady into a fire-breathing dragon, forced to
leave his ancestral home. The humorous plot introduces children to the life of
lawyers through the eyes of Brodie, a boy whose divorced parents sent him to
live with his uncle, a lawyer in Monstrovia, where anything can happen. And it
does.
Ideas fly away, like
butterflies, so I hop onto my trusty computer, (the one with worn-out letters),
and stomp on the keys for several hours straight. Once the entire draft is
done, I take plenty of time to edit, re-edit, and re-re-edit. I also share it
with critique groups and early readers.
With mysteries, I usually
think of the ending before I write. Sounds backward, but it gives me a target
for the plot. Sometimes that target shifts as the story unfolds, but a good
solution makes it easier to set up the clues. In Welcome to Monstrovia,
my award-winning first book in the Tales of Monstrovia series, I knew the wacky
clue that Brodie discovers to win the court case before I even knew the
characters.
Once I have my target, I
create the heroes. I want them to be kids that kids will like, but also
unique. Sometimes the names pop up, like Jasper Doofinch, aka Doofinch the
Defender. The problem is once I use them, they may be difficult to change. In
the Rockhound Files, I looked for other names for my teenage dog
detective, but it was as if he was a real being, stubbornly refusing to let me
change it. And characters do come to life. Some even try to take over the plot.
I control the rascals by setting up a Bio page for them. I jot down individual
characteristics around a drawing or newspaper photo, as I write. Remember, my
characters are fantasy monsters and brave and resourceful teenagers, both a bit
unpredictable so I do have to keep tabs on them. I hope you enjoy my young
heroes and thank you for your kind support.
Website: www.markhnewhouse.com
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/markhnewhouse
Carole McKee - Contemporary Romance Author
Well, Marie, I may just be the most
scatter-brained, disorganized writer you know. If I have a writing process, I
haven’t figured it out yet. Seriously. You’ve heard the expression, “when the
spirit moves me.” Right? Well, that’s my mantra. I think. Or not.
My day starts with a shower, then
breakfast, then house-cleaning. Or not. Depends on whether I feel like it. Then
I answer emails, take a couple of surveys, and check out
Facebook…sometimes…most of the time…always.
After that, I play a couple of
computer games. While I’m playing, my mind drifts to my current WIP novel. The
games put me in the mood to write, or they don’t. If they do, I go to MS Word
and read over the last chapter that I wrote, and begin to write again. More
than once, I will just not write anything, but instead, I’ll read the entire WIP
to see how it flows so far. I’ll do this at least four times with any book I
write. When I’m “proofreading” I make changes, but I mainly do this so I’m
being consistence with the facts of the story. When I decide the book is done,
I read it all again. Then I send it to my editor. When it comes back, I make
the changes, and read it again.
I believe most of my stories are
character-based. I always develop the main characters before I develop a story.
And I love dropping characters from prior books into the stories of new books.
If a detective is the main character in one book, he arrives on the scene in
another book. That’s because I love my characters. I gave birth to them, and so
I don’t want to let them go.
I’ve noticed something about my
stories that I actually didn’t plan, but just happens: There is an animal in
every story. A dog, or a cat, or a horse, and even cows and chickens manage to
work their way into my books.
Well that’s about all I can add.
What do you think? Too much time alone?
Website/Blog: http://author-carole-mckee.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author
Page:
Isobelle Cate - Paranormal and Contemporary Romance Author
dabbling occasionally in the Historical Fiction genre...
So what does my writing process look
like? It looks like this…
My desk…well the dining table is
messy with all of my stuff. :)
To the left are my notebooks that have the plots, which by
the way can change midway when the pantser in me takes over. I have my music
thus the earphones. I lurve Imagine Dragons, Nickelback and The Script. I think
they are some of the more intelligent bands I’ve listened to. They are
wordsmiths themselves so that’s inspiring! The day I took this photo, I had a
glass of Apothic Red. It’s the only red wine that agrees with me, though I had
coffee earlier. I can’t do without coffee. Again on this particular day, I decided
to take a break by painting my nails. Ha! Sometimes when the scene is too
intense I just stop writing. Why? Because my fingers can’t type or write as
quickly as my mind wants it to, so I need to slow down. You’d have think I’d
keep on writing. Sometimes I do, other times I don’t. On occasion, when a
thought pops up that will help with my writing, I jot it down. A quote,
something I heard in the news, how the day looks like outside. It can be
anything.
Because anything and everything is
an inspiration.
What about quirks? Hmm…okay here
goes…
Pens: A Cross pen, one which I bought as
a gift to myself. I finished my first manuscript writing longhand with a Cross
pen. Call me superstitious. Ha!
Coffee mugs: I have a fave mug. It was a
Starbuck mug I bought a long time ago that said “Edinburgh”. As readers of my
books know, I love Scotland. But my heart belongs to Manchester so I have that
mug too. When I use those mugs, the ideas flow.
Thank you so much, Marie, for having
me once more. :)
Website: www.isobellecate.com
Amazon Author
Page: Author.to/ICatePage
Belinda Y. Hughes - Author, Blogger, Editor,
Proofreader, Reviewer and Unit Study Developer
My most recent project was my first
literature-based unit study. A Baton Rouge homeschooling mom friend, the Rev.
Jan Floyd, suggested I try my hand at it. Before I realized what was happening,
I had chosen my initial series (Halcyone Space by LJ Cohen), researched the
market, confirmed an underserved niche (LGBT unit studies) that the series and
I were well suited for, and everything fell into place from there, with a few
learning curve glitches in the publishing-marketing phase.
Since the first book, DERELICT,
is an absolute favorite of mine, it was a pleasure to re-read it, this time
extracting the vocabulary and summaries, chapter by chapter. Then I put on my
teacher hat, scouring the web for interactive resources to bring the book to
life in fun and meaningful ways with useful information. Jan had also shared
with me homeschooling parents’ common desire for unit studies to lead kids to
think and encourage reluctant readers and writers. I matched activities and
questions to chapter content, pared the vocabulary to about twenty words each,
cleaned it all up and added a letter to parents and students as the foreword.
Then, I did something different.
Instead of just plastering my own
cover design on the unit study and publishing, as some developers and educators
do under the umbrella of “educational purposes,” I approached the author. Not
only is she a fun-loving indie author colleague, she takes the craft of writing
and the business of book marketing very seriously. Also, having observed her
process via social media, I knew she had paid good money for the cover art.
Plus, the unit study technically being a derivative and variation of her work,
I felt it was the right thing to do. So I contacted Lisa with the completed
unit study, featuring her book’s cover art below my unit study header, and
asked for her permission to go ahead with publication. She was astonished,
honored and thrilled, all at once! Bonus: she granted me exclusive rights to
continue developing unit studies on this series!
Amazon Author Page:
Mika Jolie - Author of Women's Fiction and Contemporary
Romance
“What’s
in a name?” Shakespeare asked in Romeo and Juliet. “That which we call a rose /
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
The title of the book is essential.
The process of naming a novel is painstaking, agonizing, delicate. A perfect
example is when I was writing Tattooed Hearts. I had a pad filled with
notes on my expanding story: character histories, timelines, plotlines—plus at
least two sheets of possible titles. At least two pages were cramped with a
dozen possibilities. As the novel developed, several contenders were
eliminated, and stronger ones thrusted themselves forward. In the end, it came down
between Away We Stay and Tattooed Hearts.
Away We Stay was a strong competitor, Claire and
Forrest’s desire to stay away from each other. However, there was something
about Tattooed Hearts that resonated with me, with both protagonists. The staining of their youth, the marking
they’ve left on each other’s hearts.
Because my two protagonists were
forever linked, an unending continuum, no other title felt right. When people
read my novels, I hope some might contemplate their names, perhaps discuss them
with friends, possibly perceive extra shades of meaning because each one
captures the meaning of the story and all the stages that the key characters
confront throughout the novel.
Website: http://mikajolie.com/
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mika-Jolie/e/B00NA74B6E/
Grey Francis - Paranormal Erotic Romance Novelist
There’s no question I’m a plotter. Once a story begins to
form in my head, I write a detailed outline. As characters begin to come to
life, I include extensive dialogue so I don’t forget it. My outlines are like
mini books, sometimes as long as 80 pages. Writing the book is about fleshing
out and expanding my outline. However, there’s also an organic aspect to my
process.
As I write, new scenes and characters
take me in unexpected directions. For instance, when I started book one in my
Into the Dark Wood Series, Bound to a Vampire, Alastair was a secondary
character, only meant to appear periodically throughout the book. However, once
I started to write him, I fell in love and he became one of my main characters.
That’s one of the hazards about writing romance: you fall in love. It also
means you’re doing something right.
I do my best thinking in
the car, listening to music. I will often have to pull over so I can write down
ideas and dialogue. The same holds true for cooking. I have no idea why. Either
way, my characters have loud voices and they talk to me at the least convenient
times! However, despite where my inspiration comes from, I choose to do my
actual writing and creating at an antique writing table in my bedroom in front
of window looking out into my garden, usually with at least one or two cats
sitting on the desk or on my lap.
Website:
Book link: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00TKOBMDQ
Marie Lavender - Cover Designer, Blogger and Multi-genre Author
I
am a hybrid, both pantster and plotter. I’m often inspired by life experiences
or something I’ve read or seen on the news. At other times, ideas come to me
out of the jumble of chaos that is my brain, or perhaps from the mysterious
phenomenon that is the muse.
In
the beginning, I let scenes drift randomly to me, seemingly out of order at
times. When I’m ready to focus on a project, I try to get organized and string
a plot out of these scenes. From that point, I can decide what I should write
next. Of course, research is a big part of writing as well. With novels that
require more detail or heavy research, I do hard plotting with outlines and take a lot of
notes. Part of my research process entails compiling pictures that remind me of
the characters, plot elements or the setting. I am a very visual writer. I
often need to see something or have a true grasp of it in my imagination in
order to describe it. Of course, I always keep an open mind for when a
character knows better than I do where the story should go.
A
majority of my work is done in my bedroom, on the sofa while relaxing or when
I’m at the dining room table. I can also write outside if the situation is
ideal enough. I usually need peace and quiet when I’m writing, though some
types of music can inspire creativity. I also spend some time composing on my
desktop computer or laptop.
I
absolutely love being in that moment when the scene is flowing naturally, when
the characters are talking to me and the plot is playing out on the page. It’s
the greatest freedom I’ve ever experienced, and I am so fortunate to be the
conduit through which those characters’ stories are told.
Website:
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/
Cleo Scornavacca - Adult Romance Author
The question of my writing process
is probably the single most asked question that I get at any author spotlight,
interview or takeover. It should be simple, right?Never….
When I made my writing official, the premise and the story of my first series, Miss Identity, was already written, but because it was started in part years before; I had to not only re-write it for current times (cell phones, text messages etc), I also had to re-arrange it and re-characterize the main players in the story, due to their strengths and weaknesses.
At first, I wrote by the seat of my pants; thereby I was a Pantser, but as the books moved forward, I began the infamous outline, and now I was considered a Plotter.
I think I'd have to say after finishing my first series, I’m a little bit of both….Pantser and Plotter. The best of both worlds.
Many times a story can just come out of nowhere for me. I see something; hear something like a song, that has nothing to do with writing and “POOF”…an idea emerges. Now, I will say I always carry a journal with me for just those times…and I'll sit down immediately no matter where I am ( I've been known to pull over in traffic to take down a few notes), so as not to forget something that could be important later. As I stated, I also use it for songs that I hear, that may or may not be for a specific book, but could be for a specific mood or a future story.
Anyway….back to the process.
Once I have an idea I do write an outline/timeline which involves character names, ages, birth dates and the relationship to other characters…….these are my basic plotting tendencies.
Yet, when I write, it’s usually the character's voices that take me through the story. Even if I want to go in one direction, many times they steer me off that course and for the most part, they are absolutely right.
The one thing I’ve learned is that the characters tell me their story, not the other way around. I’m just the vehicle.
I actually learned this the hard way, after scrapping the third book in my series twice. I was adamant, but their voices thankfully won out and the book finally received it’s HEA.
I remember watching a clip of Sylvia Day (one of my favorites), where she gave new authors advice. She said, "You have to get out of your own way. Let the characters tell the story. When you force it, that’s called author intrusion; don’t do it." She couldn’t have been more correct.
So…
Once the idea, the notes, and the formal outline are done, this is where I fly or type without a formal thought in my head. Much of the time, I prefer little narrative in the novel. I like more conversations from the characters, so I try my best to write that way.
I always make sure that no matter what I'm doing with the current WIP, I write every day, even if it's just a chapter or only a paragraph…I just write. If the current book is not speaking to me, then I work on something else that is.
Just write…..is good advice, just write every day…even better.
Once the book is almost complete, I contact my editor and my cover artist, so they are prepared to put me in their schedules.
I try to write early in the morning hours before work and late at night after everyone has gone to sleep. Yes, you’re thinking I barely sleep and you would be right….sleep is not a word in my vocabulary, but it's worth it. I’m sure most authors don’t sleep, so I’m in good company.
During those times, my drink of choice is coffee……light and sweet. I need the energy from the caffeine and the sugar. When I write on the weekends, I don't skip meals, but they are usually something quick to cook. My go-to food is chicken tenders; much to the dismay of my family. I think after three years of writing professionally, they’ve seen enough chicken tenders to last them a lifetime. This is why recently I invested in a crock pot. Now I can cook all day without lifting a finger….well, except when hitting the keys of my computer.
Finally, when I hit THE END, I read and re-read and then it’s off to the editor and the betas, to read and read and read.
With all of this going on, I’m also working at my day job, taking care of my family and marketing the books that are out in the book world, as well as preparing the new book for the readers.
Now…. after a manuscript comes back to me from my editor and betas, with their advice and edits, I read and add more…..yes, add more, I have a tendency to do that.
The completed manuscript is sent to my formatter and then off to be published.
Once it goes live, that's when the fun begins……..even when you hit publish, you're never truly finished.
You’re always on to your next story.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Cleo-Scornavacca/e/B00FW92ILS/
Jim Cronin - Science Edutainer and Author of Science
Fiction
What does my writing process look
like?
Interesting question. I suppose I
start by generating a general outline of the overall story I have in mind. Who
the main characters will be, what is their objective, who or what will oppose
them… that sort of information. This is when it gets kind of strange. As I sit
down to write, I decide what this particular chapter will be about, but then I
start to focus on my characters. I ask them what they would do in this
situation. Then I start to write.
In almost every case, whatever I
thought I had in mind for the chapter is changed by the characters in my head.
As I am writing new ideas and solutions pop into my mind and before I know it,
what is on the screen is pretty much nothing like what I had envisioned. It is
much better. I guess talking to the voices in my head turned out to be a good
thing as an author.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Cronin/e/B01C1V5OF6/
Jill Marie Denton - Contemporary Romance Author
Most of my books began with a
thought, a dream or an idea focused around a character. I see the 'person'
before the words can come to me, and from there, I work to inject the type of
romance that feels natural to that character. I don't let a person's race,
socio-economic position or past situations affect that, either. I treat the
romance, the proposed relationship, as its own entity, something both
protagonist and antagonist have to build like a piece of Ikea furniture.I have an idea of where the characters will end up but not how they'll get there until words start flowing. I seek wit and anger, heat and chill, denial and admittance on the road there, so the reader's in for a real journey.
Website:
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jill-Marie-Denton/e/B01D3HTLVA/
Amber Daulton - Blogger and Romance Author
Hi, all! My name is Amber Daulton. I'm an author and
blogger, and I write in several romance sub-genres. Contemporary, Historical,
Western, Time-travel, Sweet, Erotic, you name it!
Most of my stories start out as
daydreams or actual dreams. I have a very active imagination! When I can’t stop
thinking about a plot or an idea, I write it all down—either on paper or on the
computer, doesn’t matter—and give my mind a chance to relax.
I definitely like to plot a story
from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, before I start writing it. Sometimes
I follow my notes to the word. Other times the characters take over and steer
my story in another direction.
I plot really well when driving alone.
I talk to myself (or rather I have two-sided conversations and debates like a
crazy person) without my husband or cats walking in on me and giving me funny
looks. I usually edit as I write but lately I’m trying to just write the whole
book first and edit it later. In doing so, I realized it takes me longer to
finish the book if I edit as I go along than if I just write it all at one
time. My desk is awesome! I painted strands of ivy and flowers on the legs, the
base color is country white, and it's very whimsical.
I write as often as I can and I
definitely wouldn't be me without a pen and paper in my hand, or a
computer at my disposal.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Daulton/e/B00ALQITWY/
Laura Vosika - Author
My writing process, when
speaking of the big picture, is generally to write a book from start to finish,
go back to the beginning and start editing--which in the first several drafts
invariably involves realizing there are scenes missing to explain how someone
got from one point to another. These get filled in, as does any layering of
character to add depth, or description, or any necessary explanation that
suddenly jumps out to me as lacking.
When it comes to the
individual scenes, I usually plunge in headlong, to write what I feel, and as I
visualize it, to stop and research as needed. How far are they riding? What
town might they stop in? I stop and research it, pulling up Google maps and
information on the towns in between their starting and ending points. I realize
I don't know what the room they're in looks like? I go online and look up amazing
indoor pools and begin to create the setting. I double check the floor
plans online for the house Shawn lives in (yes, it's based on a real house) and
figure out how the amazing indoor pool I chose is going to be added onto
his house when he builds it.
One thing I've really
struggled with over the years is distractibility. Years ago when all my kids
were home, I actually seemed to focus quite well with lots of action and sound
around me. These days, they're all at school, and I've never done well at
sitting still. I have a portable 'exercise bike' below my chair at the kitchen
counter – this is just a short frame with bicycle pedals on it. I've found that
as long I'm 'in motion' – my legs going on the exercise bike, I am much better
able to focus.
I try to take breaks,
but for me, once the focus comes, it's hard to stop.
Miles Rothwell - Author
My process (if that’s
what you can call it) has changed over the years. When I started it was very
spontaneous, stream of consciousness and surreal as this is what I enjoyed.
I’ve always liked Monty Python, Surreal films, Zappa and Dali. Creative people
who satirized and glorified at the same time. Our minds see things as a whole
and the Universe is more than one dimensional so artistic endeavor at its best
should always try to push and challenge what has gone on before.
As I have written more
books I have become more involved in editing and refining my work and it is no
surprise my early books were generally longer and very descriptive. The later
novels are shorter and more direct.
I find inspiration in
the strangest ways; my first book, Nightwatchers, came from a dream
whereas Genius Remote came from watching a Brian Cox documentary.
I am interested in where
humanity is going so my process is more attuned and focused on directly looking
at the issues we face today – all of which can be related back to people’s
minds becoming attached and focused on their wants and desires. Greed and
poverty are direct symptoms of ourselves; we create these issues, they are not
forced upon us, so my writing is directed at highlighting the need for
mindfulness, contemplation and silence.
Margaret Egrot - Author
When I first decided to be an
‘author’, I went up to my ‘study’ and wrote 1,000 words every day for three
months. I completed a novel that I have never had the heart to re-read, edit,
or attempt to get published. But I had proved to myself that I had the stamina
to write a novel (something I’d had grave doubts about till then).
I subsequently embarked on a
correspondence writing course, attempting all the non-fiction and fiction
exercises and fitting it round a job that involved quite a bit of travel and
living out of a suitcase in various badly lit hotel rooms. During this time I
wrote a number of short stories and one act plays, and was pleased to pick up a
few prizes along the way.
I have learned that planning helps,
but can be stifling if stuck with rigidly. I will sketch out the scenario for a
play, but it ends up as a YA book (And Alex Still Has Acne). A novel for
adults about a social worker, only comes to life when the teenage Courtney
enters each chapter – so that becomes a YA novel too (Girl Friends).
Going the other way, a short poem about a woman’s refusal to cook Christmas
dinner became a full length play (Making a Meal of It).
At the moment I write on my laptop
on the settee with the dog alongside. I tend to do revisions, research, blog
and update my social media in the morning, and do proper writing in the early evening.
Sleeping on what I’ve just written is a good way of working out what needs to
be revised, and where to go next, without any conscious effort. I keep a
notebook and pencil by the bed.
Blog:
Amazon Author Page:
Uvi Poznanksy - Award winning, best-selling Author
I strive to make the story as direct
and accessible as I can, which I do by using present tense, so you can
experience the story moment to moment. Also, I write in the first-person
narrative, which makes the story telling an intimate exchange between the
character and you. Here is how my writing is described (in a review of Apart
From Love) by Dolores Ayotte (a top Amazon reviewer):
“In my opinion, Uvi Poznansky writes
like a painter. She starts with a clean canvas and dabs a little paint here and
a little paint there as she develops her characters and creates her
masterpiece. Her strokes then become broader, more passionate, more vivid and
vibrant as she continues to let her characters' stories unfold. She draws you
into a deeper level than you might actually want to go as she ignites the fire
to your own love, passions, and fears.”
My art and writing are closely
coupled. I paint with my pen, and write with my paintbrush.
Also, I avoid big words. I go
through what I’ve written and actually count the rhythm of the words.
Anything containing three syllables or more is a candidate for replacement,
which triggers an immediate search for saying the same thought with
a syllable or two. I find that the simpler words are more direct and
invariably, they hit home.
The only exception to this
self-imposed rule is when a character is overbearingly verbose, which is when I
do the reverse rule, to replace simple words with overly complicated
expressions.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Uvi-Poznansky/e/B006WW4ZFG/
Branka Čubrilo - Multi-genre Author
My
own experiences and experiences of people around me direct me mostly in my
writings. I have a good capacity to remember and I do use sketches and
vignettes from my life and my travels. Certainly, if I write about some
historical events, there is a need for research. In 2002 I obtained a
scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to go to Andalucia,
Cadiz, to research historical and cultural settings for my trilogy Spanish Stories.
That was the most substantial research that I had enjoyed greatly.
Writing
is in my blood, it has never left me: subtle conversations I hear in the rain,
the rustling of the leaves, the wind… those subtle whispers took me to the
various trips around Europe and led me to various interesting people. The
knowledge of languages, my curiosity and adaptability helped to easily
penetrate into the cultural settings of Italy, Spain, England and Australia.
Location
influences my work absolutely. That’s why writers travel – in search of
original characters or plots. In all of my novels (I have written 8 novels, and
have published 6 so far) I travel throughout the world. I start my story in a
certain location with its cultural and historical settings and I take my
characters across Europe, the UK, the USA and Australia. My characters are
well-traveled people, always in search of a ‘greener grass’, ‘better
opportunity’, ‘bigger love’, or purely more extravagant adventure.
Sometimes
my writing is structured and has routine but sometimes it is completely wild,
as my inspiration doesn’t come on demand. Often, I get up in the middle of the
night urged to ‘jot down just a few sentences’, then it carries on until late
afternoon.
Amazon Author
Page: www.amazon.com/Branka-Cubrilo/e/B0052Y00I6/
Nina Soden - Author
“What does your writing process look
like?”
I've been asked this question at
every author event I've ever attended and my response often makes people look
at me funny. Honestly, I listen to the voices in my head!
Now let me say, I'm not crazy. I
know it sounds that way but I'm not. My stories usually start with a single
character that came to me either in a dream or as an observation through people
watching. Once I've committed to a character, the brainstorming begins. I do my
best brainstorming while I'm in the shower or during long drives. I never know
where my story is going to go or better yet, where my character is going to
take me. Sitting at the computer I focus on the details of the character I've
created and let him/her guide the storyline.
I know there are some authors who
would scoff at my style and say you have to plot everything out, outline the
novel before typing, but for me, it works better to just move through the story
as it happens in my head. The best way to describe it is to say this…"I
write my stories as if I am watching them happen on the big screen." I
think it is because I started as an actress, so I still think in screenplay
format.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/ninasoden
Tanya Newman - Author of Romantic Fiction
I don’t typically have a specific
process that I follow when writing, but I do have things that help me
along. Here are some of the things that work best for me:
Music is great for getting me in the
mood to write. I draw a lot of inspiration from songs I randomly hear on
the radio and I’ll make a list of ones I like best on my phone. Then,
when I sit down to write, I find them and play them or other songs like them to
get me into the frame of mind I need to be in to write and create.
Having something to eat and/or some
coffee is a requirement for me whenever I start to write. I have to have
something to occupy my hands or go back to when I’m not writing. That
actually frees my mind to think and continue focusing on whatever it is I’m
writing. If I don’t have something like that, I can feel ideas stall or
fade away.
I typically like to write earlier in
the day. I’m fresher and more motivated during that time of the
day. I used to like to write late at night or even wake up in the middle
of the night to write, but being a little older, that’s not so much the
case. By the time nighttime rolls around, the day catches up with me, and
I’m too tired to do anything but collapse.
The chair in our living room is my
favorite place to write. I have terrible back pain and so a cushion
behind me in that chair is my favorite place because it’s comfortable. I’ll usually have the television on but muted because I like to have a little
something in the background going on. Too much silence for me can
actually interfere with my thoughts.
Well, that’s what works best for
me! All writers are different and what works for one person is not
necessarily going to work for another, but one thing I always try to impart to
my students is find the time, place and context in which you write best and the
ideas are sure to come about.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tanya-W.-Newman/e/B01E1LG26E/
Rita Plush - Author, Educator
When
folks ask me where I get my ideas, I tell the folks I get them from what I see
and what I hear. From someone I might spot on the street, or on a train gently
rocking over the subway tracks. The sound of someone’s voice might trigger a
long forgotten memory. The odd gesture of a passenger on the bus might one day
morph into a character. Characters drive my stories.
In
my mind’s eye, I see them. I hear them speak. I know what they’re wearing and
where they buy their clothes. I give them little quirks and habits, all the
details that make them unique and recognizable so my readers can experience
them as I do.
As
for plotlines, they often center on families and the relationships within. I’m
intrigued with family life and all its messy complications. Its secrets and
dramas. Its loving and sometimes mysterious bonds that hold them together. The
little missteps that can drive them apart.
The
aching need for family is at the core of Feminine Products.
Pregnant Rusty Scanlon is a gal with an eye for fashion and a gift for messing
up her love life. She loves Walter but worries if he’ll make a good husband and
father—her own dad ran out on her when she was 6 years old. I worried
too. But I found the answer. Not with an outline or preconceived plot. But by
listening to Rusty and Walter write their story.
Website: http://www.ritaplush.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ritaplush
Jane Riddell - Author and Editor
I’m a mixture of plotter and
panster, predominantly plotter. I devise a chapter table incorporating bullet
points of chapters - where and when action takes place, who is involved, and
miscellaneous comments. Sometimes my characters go off the main road and I give
them free rein for a while before redirecting. I like it when this happens,
when they take the initiative.
Being self-published, the editing
process is where I become nerdy. The first part involves checking overview
things - structural aspects of my novel. Then I tackle line-line-aspects which
essentially is about making every word justify its presence on the page. It’s
hard work and tedious at times but the reward comes when rereading a paragraph
and seeing an improvement. Editing takes infinitely longer than writing and can
also include adding or deleting paragraphs.
I love the stage of negotiating with
a cover designer. This is when I’m reminded of my fussiness. The original
nebulous comment, ‘I’ll leave it to you,’ rapidly changes to, ‘Actually, what
I’d like is this kind of background, this style of illustration.’ And when we
reach decisions on typeface for book title and author name, suddenly it’s as if
my life depends on making good choices.
As for discipline in my writing day,
I simply don’t have it. My alarm clock isn’t set for 6 am, if I’m writing at 3
am it’s because I can’t sleep not because I feel under pressure to write. I
experience no qualms about taking time off to have lunch with friends, swim or
see a movie. I will never write a book a year, nor would I wish to. Writing
venues vary: a desk area in the corner of our sitting room where I’m surrounded
by mature yuccas and rubber plants, and a lava lamp to distract/inspire me;
desk space at a social enterprise where I like the other deskers and the
ambience. Sometimes I go to our local café, aptly named Nom de Plume, which is
sunny in the summer and cozy in winter, and which serves delicious cheese
scones and chocolate cake.
Finally, there are a few quirky
places where I write: I can perch my laptop on the handlebars of my exercise
bike and combine a workout with writing. If we’re traveling and it’s dark or
the scenery is boring, I’ll sit in the back of the van and edit.
I would never leave home for even a
short journey without taking my laptop.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Riddell/e/B00B9E4ABQ/
Marianne Petit – Romance Author
My books are sparked by an idea from TV, or an article, or a
conversation and sometime from a dream.
For example, my first book, A Find Through Time, was born
when I had a conversation with a friend about a TV documentary. A skull was
found at Custer’s battle site. I started writing my second book, Rebecca’s
Ghost, after I heard my mother’s friend play her glass armonica. The sound was
so different and eerie I could imagine my heroine playing that instrument and
all the problems that would arise for her. My latest book, Behind The Mask, was
inspired by stories told to me by my family who lived in France during WWII and
many scenes actually happened.
Then somehow I also get the title before the story is even
started. In fact, I know the title of a future book called Timeless River and I
only have the idea for the story.
Another interesting thing that happens before I start, is
the ending. I can always picture the ending scene. Now, I know a romance ends
with a happy ending, but there are times I know the last line. It’s the middle
that is always a challenge.
Sometimes I set up a character chart that helps me know who
my characters are. I haven’t done an outline, scene by scene in a long
time, but I will tell you that I have pages upon pages of notes. Notes that
have landscape images, or historical facts, anything pertinent to the book I am
researching. I will jot down lines of dialogue I hear in my head for a scene that
isn’t written yet.
While I am working on a story I may sit at my computer all
day and not even realize I, one, didn’t eat, and two, that it got dark out. I don’t feel guilty if I am not writing. As long as I am
thinking about the story and those ideas are jotted down, I’m happy.
I am not very organized, I must admit. I am trying a new
writing program that lets you organize files, plot lines, etc. and I’ll see how
that goes.
Since I mainly write in the historical genre I do a lot of
research on the time period I am writing about. I do my research online,
thank god for the internet and have a nice library in my office of historical
reference books. I will also do my best to travel to the area. Since my first book was a Native American time travel, I went on a Native
American weekend where I learned how to build a teepee and sweat lodge. For my
second book I flew to Virginia, since that is where the book takes place and
yes, I did go to France to the town where my latest book takes place. If you are
wondering about my third book, The Amulet Of Darkness, visiting the area would be
a little difficult since it is a fantasy!
I find that printing out a chapter and reading the actual
paper copy is important for me since I see things that I missed on the computer
screen.
I guess I am a purist, I do not head hop. For those of you
who don’t know what head-hopping is, it’s jumping in an out of different
character’s thoughts in the same scene.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep editing a chapter or
you will never finish the book. Editing when a book is finished gives you
a better idea of what needs to be added or fixed because you will see the
entire picture. I will put the finished book away for a few weeks and then go
back and edit it.
Some of my books have been professionally edited, which, if
you can afford it, in my opinion, is the best way to go, since you are so
familiar with the storyline that it’s easy to overlook misspelled words or
missing words, etc.
Being in a critique group is a plus for me; it’s important
others grasp what you are trying to get across in your scenes and in your
character’s mind. If a scene or dialogue is not clear to them, I will go back
and re-evaluate.
I have designed my own covers, but it’s always nice to have
someone in the business create one for you.
I also format my own files for both print and e-books.
I guess that about sums up my writing process. It is
not a very structured one, but it works for me.
Website: http://www.mariannepetitbooks.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/
Monica DeSimone - Author
I have always been a character
driven writer. My characters often consume me completely until their story is
told. They are my friends, my family, often talking non-stop and never letting
go until what they have to say is said. Being an English Literature major, I
have done all kinds of writing; creative, research, free-form, etc. In all
forms of writing I fall back on my characters. Whether I have invented them
or am reciting a story that intrigues me, my imagination takes over and the
voices start up.
I have tried to plot and outline my
way through a book but I ultimately toss both and write free-form. Although I
may have an idea as to where I want the story to go my characters drive the
story line. I find that to be more enjoyable for both me as the writer and for
the reader. As a reader, I love when I think I know where the story is going
and then “Bam” it takes a left turn that surprises me. It’s like “What? Huh? I
didn’t see that coming!” Those are the stories that I enjoy the most.
I try to set specific time aside to
write, it doesn’t always happen, however I do try. Working sixty hours a week,
maintaining my friendships, going to the gym, and taking care of my three dogs
I often get side tracked. I find that a set time helps me focus more. But I do
get easily distracted. It also depends on whether the characters I’m writing
about are talking to me. However, I have been known to be late for work because
one of the characters are talking to me so I pull over on the side of the road
and send myself text messages so that I don’t lose what is being said.
Thanks so much for reading!
Amazon Author
Page: http://amzn.to/2epiLco
So there you go. I hope we’ve
inspired writers in all stages of their careers, perhaps even enlightened our
readers in some small way. For isn’t that the goal of writing books as well? To
reach people? Hope that our words, and the worlds we’ve created have affected
someone?
Take care, everyone. Have a great
rest of your November!
Happy upcoming Holidays! And, as
always, happy reading! :)
An introduction to some great new names in the writing field. I enjoyed reading all the posts, and happy to see P.I. Barrington on hand. We know each other from a publisher we're both involved with. Also, I was absolutely fascinated by David M. Mannes' THE TUNGUSKA ENCOUNTER, something I'm definitely going to want to read. So many new books and writers that I need to get to know. Thanks for sharing these interesting writers with us, Marie.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tom! Always a pleasure to work with you! :)
DeleteThanks Marie for having me as one of your guests today!
ReplyDeleteBless you, Marie, for including me in such amazing company - and Happy 350th post! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful array of writers! Thank you so much Marie for inviting me to meet all of them.
ReplyDeleteThis is so fascinating. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.
ReplyDeleteHappy 350th! Thanks for including me in your post!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, ladies! :)
ReplyDeletenice
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post thanks for sharing it
ReplyDelete