Tess Quinn » writers on writing

Writers on Writing: Skhye Moncrief

tessquinn — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:54:56 +0000

Today we have author Skhye Moncrief with us to talk about her writing life. Check out her story and the great advice she shares!

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

Brainstorming for me used to be by the seat of my pants. I’d just jump in and type. I’m formally educated in geology and anthropology so I don’t have an issue with connecting ideas and creating new ones. It’s kind of a strange thing to grasp. But I once told the “kids” in the creative writing course I took at college that to get some great ideas for stories they should just whip through the titles listed on a CD-Rom of National Geographic (for the 20th Century). My instructor gave me a strange look and asked if I knew what the titles meant. Well, yeah! National Geographic titles are natural and cultural history… Just shoot me for knowing what a Tse-tse fly is. Now that I have a pre-schooler and stay at home with Lyme Disease and Fibromyalgia (the two stray cat children who adopted me), I tend to have plenty of time to think stories through long before I type the first word!

Can you explain your typical work week day?

I’m doing good to answer e-mail or blog interview questions. Seriously. But my 4 year old has been reading since she was 3 and a half years old. And she does addition! If I wasn’t so worried about silent “e”s and early math concepts, I’d probably get more written… Truthfully, that stray-cat Fibromyalgia keeps me off the computer. It’s literally on my back (and neck). But I feel pretty good today. I just might have to write after I finish this interview. I have a Native-American story in my head. If I don’t write it, I’ll lose my mind.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

Gosh, back when a PhD candidate gave me her story to read. I remembered I wrote a novel for 3 years in highschool. So, I started writing again. I was in grad school. Let’s just say writing was more addictive than department politics!

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Never give up. And always attempt to demystify what other writers tell you is wrong with your writing. You may think everyone is nuts and out to ruin your baby. But there’s a grain of truth in each criticism. Part of the game is learning to sift out the objective info from a critiquer’s bias. I found the best aspect of said advice is learn the lingo. In the definitions of the publishing world’s buzz words, you can learn how to write. You’ve just got to be patient enough to let the language come to you. See. We’re back to “never give up.” Maybe I should add that patience is a virtue. Note, I am not patient. I can attest to this advice given my impatience level runs at around 110%, unless I’m asleep…

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

I still need to tweak a were-wolf-space opera, add 35 pages to one of my Time Guardian novels to submit the *&^%$~ thing, and then I’m definitely getting this Native-American story out of my head. As for brainstorming, I just need to decide the cultures from which my Native Americans originate.

A were-wolf-space opera? That sounds so interesting! Thanks so much for joining us today, Skhye! For those of you who want to read more about Skhye’s work, check out her website here.

Writers on Writing: Delia Latham

tessquinn — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:52:34 +0000

Today we have author Delia Latham joining us to tell us a little bit about her writing life. Let’s see what she has to say!

Thank you for joining me today for my Wednesday Writer’s Write series! Let’s get started…

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

Oh, dear … is there supposed to be a process? Seriously, I’m not sure I have one. Usually, once I have an idea, I mull it over in my head until it’s thoroughly “germinated”—meaning I have a basic mental storyline laid out—then I sit down and start writing. The closest I come to actually brainstorming is picking my friend Sally Laity’s brain if run into a snag.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

Out of bed around 9 a.m., get the hygiene thing done, pour a Dr. Pepper over ice (sorry, people, that’s my morning caffeine) and head for my office. I’m there all morning. Afternoons are supposed to be reserved for housekeeping and other non-writing related activities, but many days find me still pounding away at my keyboard well past my “clock-out” time.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

I won an essay contest in third grade, and the result was that I was seriously bitten by the creative writing bug. From then on, I was never without paper and pen. I wrote poems, songs, little stories and articles; I pioneered a newspaper for the private school I attended from 5th grade through 12th; I kept diaries. Writing is in my blood. Always has been. I first got paid to write as a staff writer for my local newspaper. But through all the years of doing these little odd pieces of writing, I promised myself a novel, and through the grace of God, that dream finally became a reality.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Find yourself a writing space: a corner, a room, a closet, whatever, and make it yours. Go to your writing space every day, at the same time every day, and write—for a specified length of time. That’s how habits are developed, and that’s how writers become writers. One other thing: Never, never, never, never, never never, NEVER give up!

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

I just signed a contract with The Wild Rose Press for Yesterday’s Promise. This is a reprint (originally published under the title Almost Like a Song), and I’m very excited to have the story available again.

I’m working on a trilogy based on a Christian dating service called Solomon’s Gate. The first book is finished, and I’m well into the second. Plus, I’m playing with a follow-up to Yesterday’s Promise, and have plans for one other book in that collection, as well.

Wow, sounds great! Looking forward to reading more of your work, Delia! Thank you for joining us! For the rest of you interested in reading more about Delia and her books, check out her website here. Stay tuned for next week’s Writers on Writing!

Writers on Writing: Tina Gallagher

tessquinn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:07:02 +0000

Today we have a good friend of mine and a PLRW chapter-mate with us, Tina Gallagher. Thank you for joining me today, Tina! Let’s get started…

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

I’m definitely what you’d call a pantser. Basically I get an idea and start writing. I do write down character names and descriptions, a little back story, maybe some goal, motivation, and conflict, but it’s not really an organized process.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

My typical work week day is crazy. I get to my day job at 7:00 am…not an easy task because I am NOT a morning person. I work until 4:00pm, then head home. I’m usually out the door again with the kids by 5:00pm, heading to a baseball/softball/basketball game or to some other lesson or activity. We all get home anywhere between 7:30 and 9:00pm. I try to hang out with the kids for a while and around 10:30-11:00pm, I sit down to write.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

I’ve always written. At first it was silly short stories, then when I was around twelve or so, my friend Lori and I would make up our own stories for our favorite soap opera couple. I’ve been writing romance ever since. About ten years ago I sat down and started writing a book, just to see if I could do it…turns out I could. Once I had it written, though, I had no idea what to do with it. Lori told me about RWA and I joined PLRW, and the rest is history. ;0)

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Sit down and write. I can’t tell you how many people tell me they’ve always wanted to write a book or they want to be a writer, but they just don’t have the time. It’s not the kind of thing you learn by thinking about it or wishing for it…you actually have to do it. Yes, you have a job and kids and other responsibilities but it’s not impossible. I started seriously writing with the hopes of getting published when my kids were only two and three years old. Even between work and everything else, I managed to carve out writing time. Since then I’ve had two books and numerous articles published. You can do it, you just have to put your mind to it and make the time.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

Right now I’m editing my completed manuscript entitled Misguided which is about a high school sex ed counselor and an over-protective single dad who have a vacation fling and are then forced to face each other in real life. It’s just about ready to submit, so hopefully you’ll see it on the shelves in the near future.

That sounds great! So excited for you!! For those of you who want to know more about Tina and her books, check out her website linked above. Thanks for joining us, everyone! Until next week!

Tina Gallagher writes Contemporary Romance novels that sizzle with passion and always have a happy ending, as well as informative, non-fiction.
Tina was raised in Northeast Pennsylvania and in-between softball, basketball, and music lessons, she and her best friend would create their own “happily ever afters” for their favorite soap opera couples. After a while, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. She continues to use her imagination to weave stories about heroes and heroines who share deep, lasting relationships.
Tina is an active member of the Pocono/Lehigh Romance Writers, a chapter of the Romance Writers of America. She and her husband live in Northeast Pennsylvania with their two beautiful children.

Writers on Writing: Toni Sweeney

tessquinn — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:58:04 +0000

Today I have author Toni Sweeney joining us to tell us a little bit about her writing life. Let’s see what she has to say.

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

First, get an idea. (That sounds sort of like Steve Martin’s instructions for making a million dollars—“First, get a million dollars.”) To those who are methodical and painstaking in their routine, I probably sound frighteningly haphazard but—there you are!—it takes all kinds, doesn’t it?. Ideas come to me from all sorts of places—something someone says, the last line in a movie, the last scene in a movie, a photograph…whatever, even a dream once. I’ve found if I think about it for three days and can’t make it go away, I may as well give up and write it. So, after I cave in and accept the fact that the next book has successfully lodged itself in my brain, I start filling in the storyline from whatever tiny germ of an idea I have. Since this story invariably involves people of some sort, I begin to fill in the characters and their abilities, physical descriptions, temperaments. If there’s some historical background or facts I plan to use, I start making notes…what to look up and where. In the midst of all this, I’m writing that first draft which may or may not change as I go, and it may take me a few days or it may take months—I finished one book in two weeks; the longest took six months—but suddenly, I’m off and running.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

That “typical” day/week is being a little neglected right now because I’ve been in somewhat of a slump for some time. A year ago, a good friend of mine committed suicide and that so shocked and horrified me (I’d had no idea it was going to happen) that I couldn’t write for nearly a year. Slowly, with fits and starts, I managed to turn out a few short stories (with a great struggle) and edit some novels already written but just when I thought I was bouncing back, another great emotional upheaval caught me unawares and I’m down again. This time, however, I’m forcing myself to get up and forge ahead. Anyway, back to the question…my work day starts with a cup of coffee and turning on the computer. (I need to add that I’m also looking for a “day job” so going through the newspaper classifieds, and checking all the local online employment places comes first before I do any writing. I apply online or make a quick run to the mail box with resumes and applications. After that, I turn to whatever I wrote the day before, read over and edit that, then write another chapter. I check my facts, look up items I made notes on, then check my calendar for any interviews/blogs I’ve scheduled and work on those. By that time, it’s late afternoon and time to stop and get dinner ready.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

You mean originally? Back in the dim, dark beginning of Time? I don’t think I ever consciously made the decision. As far back as the first grade, I was scribbling words under pictures I had drawn. Later, I drew comics—graphic novels—modeled after movies I’d seen. (My mother was a cinemaphile and there were five movie theaters in town so we went to the movies at least four times a week.) In high school, I wrote short stories in English class and was on the school newspaper, and also in college. After graduation, I was secretary to the chairman of the English Department of my university and saw his attempts at novel-writing and told myself I could do that good—if not better. I suppose that’s when I first thought of actually writing. Later, I worked at a clinic where everyone was a reader and I shared what I had written with the others. It was one of my co-workers who asked if I had enough nerve to ever submit anything. (I had five novels written by then.) I decided I did…and the rest is history. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, I wrote approximately fifteen novels, one right after the other. I read once that there is a high incidence of bursts of creativity in emotionally-disturbed people, so apparently, I was very emotionally-disturbed during that twenty-year period because the stories flowed like water from a broken faucet! Since I’ve hit a major writing slump now, it appears I’ve suddenly been stricken sane. The well isn’t dry but I’m writing with a struggle now.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Be accurate: Unless something is part of your made-up universe, be as factual as possible. Sometimes I slip up, but I try to do as much research about a subject as I can before I commit it to print. If there’s one thing I hate (and other writers have heard me rant about this) it’s anachronisms or inaccuracies. I once read a mystery in which a character reminded everyone how Lee Harvey Oswald shot Jack Ruby! (And it wasn’t science fiction!)

Be determined: As the old Mary Tyler Moore theme song went, “You can make it if you try.” Just keep plugging away. Some day, somewhere, there’s someone waiting for your story. You may have to adjust your hopes a little, send it to a smaller publisher and such, but eventually, what you’ve been dreaming of will happen. Besides, there’s always a chance, a larger publisher will acquire your story from a smaller one, or it gets reprinted by a bigger press. Stranger things have happened.

Be thick-skinned: Most editors/publishers are fairly nice and civil but there are a few who have let their god-like power go to their heads and appear to relish insulting and tearing to shreds a writer’s work as well as his ego. Perhaps they’re taking out the past rejections of their own writings on poor unsuspecting would-be authors but they appear to enjoy being mean-spirited when a polite rejection will do. I’ve had a couple of editors who reduced me to tears with their verbal stabs. Then, I “picked myself up, dusted myself off, and started all over again” (sorry to keep quoting song lyrics, guess that’s a hold-over from my movie-viewing days) and sent the story somewhere else. When those same stories were eventually accepted by better-known publishers, I wanted to send those “rejectors” notes, saying “Look here! So-and-so apparently didn’t agree with your condemnations of my story!” But I was too magnanimous to do so. (I did get a warm glow from thinking it, however.)

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

I’ve got so many irons in the fire right now, I don’t know where to start talking about them. Currently, I’m contracted to Class Act Books for a horror novel Serpent’s Tooth and I also have a story in the Chronicles of Riven the Heretic series and one in the Adventures of Sinbad series in the wings. One by one, all those novels I wrote in the ‘70s and ’80 are being printed so one day soon, I may have to force myself to buckle down and finish one of the six WIPs I’m working on. Right now, the one I’ve been concentrating on is The Seventh Mothman, a fantasy set in a medieval France-like kingdom concerning an elite group of soldiers who fight using vehicles similar to da Vinci’s flying machine. I have three chapters done so far.

That sounds great, Toni! I look forward to reading it when you’re finished. And thank you for all of your wonderful advice! For those of you who want to read more about Toni and to see her booklist, check out her website here.

Toni Sweeney was born in Georgia after the War between the States but before the Gulf War. Her actual writing career began during an extended convalescence following an automobile accident. Since her recovery, she has survived hurricanes in the South, tornados and snow-covered winters in the Midwestern United States, and earthquakes, and forest fires in California. She had been associated with the South Coast Writer’s Association, the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers website, myspace, Facebook, and YouTube. She presently has numerous novels in publication, as well as several short stories featured in magazines, online, and on amazon.com’s Amazon Shorts.

Writers on Writing: Macie Carter

tessquinn — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:48:32 +0000

A good friend of mine, Macie Carter is here today telling us a little bit about her writing life. Let’s here what this fabulous TWRP author has to say about the way she works through the writing process.

Thank you for joining me today for my Wednesday Writer’s Write series!

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

As a matter of fact, I’ve just been doing that – brainstorming for NaNo. I think of an idea and then “roll “ it around in my brain. I do a lot of “thinking” and imagining scenes and “what-if’s” even before I start to write. But sometimes a scene (usually an opening scene) comes to me and I write it without knowing where the story’s going. I did that with a short story that was part of the Deadly Ink 2008 collection. I knew I wanted two detectives and I knew I wanted to use an idea from an “X-File” episode then I suddenly found myself combining it with an Amish quilting bee. The story just wrote itself.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

I work at my day-job from 7:30 until 5 or 5:30, run errands if I have to and then collapse when I get home. I’m the Vice President of Nursing for a company that manages nursing homes in Pennsylvania, so the job can be intense. If I have the energy (I AM sixty-two years old, too), I will try to take some time to write after work. I watch little TV at night, usually recording anything interesting for the weekend because I would rather read after work. The weekends seem to be my prime time to write. I write in the morning and read or go to the movies in the afternoon.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

There really was no “decision”. Well, maybe after I read the pivotal scene in Du Maurier’s Rebecca, ( I had to read it several times, I was so shocked by it), that I felt I wanted to be able to do that – to lead a reader down one path and then drop the over a cliff – figuratively, of course. I was writing seriously at twelve when I got my first rejection. I wrote through high school. Even in nursing school, I would write short stories and plays instead of taking notes. My nursing career, marriage, motherhood and then being a single mother interfered with my writing for a while. But losing the man I loved at forty-two made me realize that we all need to follow our dreams before it’s too late. After his death I decided to go back to writing seriously – for publication.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Read, read, read, write, read and read some more. Read out of your genre. Write out of your genre. That’s how I got a contract with The Wild Rose Press – I wrote an erotic romance. I usually write mystery, paranormal or a combination of both. Don’t be afraid to stretch and to test yourself.

One book that I consider necessary for every aspiring writer is Stephen King’s On Writing. I have the audio version and I listen to it at least yearly. I love hearing his story in his own voice. And it’s good, solid advice for writers working in any and every genre.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

Write now I’m doing the final edits on my erotic romance, Teasing the Muse I’m working on a second erotic novella for them. I’m also rewriting an Arthurian time travel. I have too many projects at times and have to set priorities – which is hard when you’re interested in everything.

I will be doing National Novel Writing Month – NaNo – and working on a vampire paranormal set in the Civil War or maybe a coming of age story (an older woman’s coming of age), or maybe…I better quit while I’m ahead.

That’s fabulous, Macie! So looking forward to ‘Teasing the Muse!’ For those of you who want to know more about Macie’s book and her release date, check out her website here. Thanks for joining us on WonW!

Writers on Writing: Jana Richards

tessquinn — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:24:24 +0000

Today we have author Jana Richards telling us a little bit about her writing life. I hope you enjoy her knowledge and humor as much as I did!

Welcome Jana!

Thanks for inviting me. I’m glad to be here.

Let’s get started. What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

I usually start with a situation or a question like, what if an old man is given the opportunity to go back in time to find his lost love? I’ll catch a snippet of conversation, or perhaps I’ll read a story the newspaper that sparks an idea. Then I think about the kind of people who will inhabit my story and what motivates them. I do what I call a “synopsis” that lays down the plot, although it’s nothing I’d ever show to an editor! It’s more me telling myself the story, getting down key scenes, and even bits of dialogue. And of course, I’ll run ideas past writing friends for their input.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

Well, once I walk my dog, I lock myself in my writing cave (aka the spare bedroom) and work till about noon. I take a short break for lunch and then go back at it until about three. After that I check emails and maybe participate in chats or do some promotion-type work. Of course, there are very few “typical” days. I work part-time about three days a weeks and then there’s always things like going to the gym and laundry that I have to fit in somewhere. I do so like clean underwear!

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

I’m not sure it was actually a conscious decision. I read some romance novels and they really spoke to me. I thought “I could write that”. Famous last words. The best writers make it look easy, but it’s anything but. Writing just sort of took over my life after that and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Don’t do it! No, just kidding. But seriously, unless you feel really strongly about writing and you can’t not write, think about another profession, because this is not an easy one. If you really want, no, need to write, take the time to learn your craft by taking classes, joining writing groups and reading books on the subject. And write everyday. You learn to write by writing.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

In the near future my novella “Burning Love” will be released from The Wild Rose Press. Here’s a blurb:

After causing three cooking fires in her apartment, Iris Jensen finds herself homeless. She lands on Riley Benson’s doorstep, looking to rent a room in the beautiful old home he’s restoring. It’s

only for six weeks until Iris leaves Portland, Oregon for her new job on a cruise ship. Firefighter Riley knows exactly what a bad tenant she can be. But he needs money to finish the work on the house he loves. And something about Iris pulls at his heart…
Meanwhile, in Heaven, two angels watch over the young lovers. Angelica and Hildegard work in Heaven’s Relationship Division, where angels match mortals with their soul mates. The angels believe so strongly in Iris and Riley’s love that they break Heaven’s rules to help them. Can the the angels convince them their love will last a lifetime before time runs out?

At the moment I’m hard at work on the further adventures of Angelica the angel. Student Angel Angelica’s class project is to give a mortal a second chance at love. She chooses Frank Brennen, a survivor of World War II, who, through misunderstandings and jealousy, lost Claire, the love of his life in England in 1944. Angelica takes him back more than sixty years to uncover the secrets that tore them apart.

Great answers, Jana! Thank you again for being a part of my blog! For those of you who want to know more about Jana and her work, as well as where you can pick up a copy of her books, check out http://www.janarichards.net

http://www.myspace.com/jana_richards

http://prairiechickswriteromance.blogspot.com

Writers on Writing: Autumn Jordon

tessquinn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:15:52 +0000

Today we have a really good friend of mine joining us, Autumn Jordon! Let’s listen to what she has to say about writing. I promise you, she’s inspirational!

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

First, Tess. Thank you for inviting me to your place.

My, process is totally whack! It’s totally different than anyone else’s, as far as I know. Honestly, I tend to come up with first lines. I get all excited over that first line, I’m like a kid standing in front of the candy wall at Wegman’s. My mind reels with possibilities for the hook and I get this picture of who has had the thought or made the statement. Then I play what if, developing the basic GMC of that character and soon I have a first scene.

Next, I’ll free write maybe two or three chapters where I’ll flesh out a few other characters. Then, I’ll stop and write a synopsis. I know I need a HEA since I write romantic suspense so I’ll plot out points which will lead the story through twists and turns finally ending with a heroine and hero triumphing over evil and in love.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

I do work fifty plus hours a week at a fulltime position but since we’re talking writing, I write every day. Monday through Friday, my day begins at six. After, sending husband out the door, I write for an hour and then I’m off to work. Saturday and Sundays, I’ll write at different times depending on my family’s schedule. During the evenings, I’ll work on editing and the business side of my writing career. Since my actual writing time is limited to about fifteen hours a week, I try to stay focus on putting crap on paper. Remember I edit at night so I fix the crap then.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

No decision there. Being a novelist is who I am and have always been for as long as I can remember. I penned my first novel in 3rd grade and sold two copies; one to my best friend and the other to my mother. The work was a best seller on the East Penn Elementary list.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Believe in yourself. This business is harshly fickle and can rock the most prolific author’s confidence. However, if you trust your talent, study and work every day, you will succeed.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

I’m so excited. I have two books coming out from The Wild Rose Press in early 2010. One was a 2009 Golden Heart Finalist— a romantic suspense titled Evil’s Witness . Think 24’s Jack meets girl next door. I love this story. Here’s a blurb:

Witnessing a blood bath crashes Stephanie Boyd’s world. To escape the wrath of the Russian Mafia, she has to help the FBI uncover the mafia’s mole inside the U.S. Treasury. While on the run with the handsome agent who is willing to die for her, Stephanie learns the meaning of love.

Agent John Dolton’s break in solving the case that cost him everything is a couple of kids and a beautiful widow. But keeping them safe seems impossible when their every move is foreseen by their enemy. Stephanie and her children soften the loner’s heart and John vows not to fail to protect the family he loves.

The second, Obsessed By Wildfire, is a fun, sexy contemporary western, with suspense elements of course. I had a ball writing it. Below is the blurb for Obsessed By Wildfire.

Isabelle Trinidad is her own woman. No man was going to rope her to a humdrum life of housewife and take away her dreams of becoming the National Barrel Champion like her father had done to her mother. Her mind is set, until a handsome Yankee comes to town and upsets everything she has believed.

Arson brings State Fire Marshal Warner Keyson to Wayback, but a wildfire of a woman stops him in his tracks. Intrigued by Issy’s fire, he contrives ways to keep her close while conducting his investigation. What they create, which neither of them bargained for, is the blaze of a lifetime.

A trailer can be viewed and a exempts can be read at my website www.autumnjordon.com I hope you stop over.

Presently, I’m polishing my next romantic suspense and hope to submit it soon. To keep up with me, your readers can sign up for my quarterly newsletter also through my website www.autumnjordon.com or visit my blog weekly at www.autumnjordonsnotes.blogspot.com

I’m so excited to hear about all the new stuff that’s coming out and all the great things that are happening for you, Autumn! For readers interested in knowing more, Check out AJ’s Notes (her blog) for up to date information on her books. For a fun bio and interview about Autumn, check out her website also listed above. Thanks again for joining me, Autumn!

Writers on Writing: Becca Simone

tessquinn — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:27:43 +0000

Today, we have author Becca Simone joining us to talk about her writing career. Thank you for joining me today for my Writers on Writing series, Becca! Let’s get started.

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

Now, to your question. It depends if I’m brainstorming a short story/novella or a full novel. For a short work, which is what I write as Becca Simone, I usually start with a premise. Then I figure out what types of characters would work with that premise. After I have my characters—I may just know their names and professions at this point—I figure out their GMC’s (goal, motivation and conflict). Then I write the first draft as quickly as I can. If anyone ever read one of my first drafts, they’d think I was a horrible writer. They’re just awful. Here are a few sentences from my WIP first draft so you can appreciate just how simplistic they are. “He walked up to the railing. The wind blew through his hair. The air was cold, but his temper was hot.” Basically, all I’m trying to do in the first draft is get the idea out of my head and onto the computer screen. I write down the basic actions, some emotions, some dialogue. That’s it. Really, really bad. It’s kind of stream-of-consciousness writing. Once I get to the end, I’ll know who the characters are and will go back to page one and rewrite completely. My first drafts are more like a glorified outline than a true first draft. All telling, very little showing. Then, to borrow from the brilliant Cherry Adair, I start “layering.” I layer in the setting, the emotion, the action, etc. until I have a readable first draft. Then I go back and do it again and again and again until it’s ready for my CPs to read.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

Basically, I just fit in writing whenever and wherever I can. I used to need at least two uninterrupted and quiet hours to write. Now that my kids are older and my husband works out of the house, I’ve learned to write with constant activity going on around me. When I’m in the middle of a steamy love scene though, I’d prefer to be alone. I should clarify that to say, “when I’m in the middle of WRITING a steamy love scene, I’d prefer to be alone.” LOL.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I read my first romance at age 11. Before that, I wanted to be Nancy Drew—that obviously didn’t work out, but maybe someday I’ll write a mystery… But back to your question. From the moment I read my first romance, a Harlequin, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I loved how I felt while I was reading it and when it was done. I was really shy at the time, and loved imagining myself as the heroines in these books. As I got older, and was still pretty shy and not dating, I would imagine and write down detailed stories about the popular boys in my class being interested in me. My fantasies (rated PG at the time), had a beginning, middle and end. And they always starred ME as the heroine.  I set aside my writing aspirations until after the birth of my firstborn. By then, I had all these stories in my head, starring fictional heroines this time, that just had to get out.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Write every day, whether you feel like it or not, whether your brain is working or not, whether the words are flowing or not. Sometimes, when forcing myself to write, I’ll type, “This is dumb, this is dumb, my characters are stupid, they’re not doing anything interesting, I have no idea what dumb thing they’re going to do next…” Then all of a sudden, it’ll hit me what comes next in the story. Sometimes, it’ll take just a paragraph or two of drivel, but I’ve been known to write 3-4 pages of total crap before my muse comes out of hiding.

My second piece of advice to aspiring writers: read voraciously. Read books you wouldn’t expect to enjoy. Read non-fiction. Read anything and everything you can get your hands on. But mostly, read in the genre you want to write in.

Last but not least, never give up. I wrote on and off for almost 15 years before I sold anything. It would have been so easy to give up in year 14, but then I’d have never been able to call myself a published author. You never know when you’ll get your break. It could be tomorrow, so don’t quit today.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

I’m working on two short stories and a novella. (As you’ve probably gathered, I never work on just one story at once. It’s probably the Gemini in me.) The first one is Mel’s story—she’s a secondary character from MIDNIGHT TREAT. She’s a nurse and the hero is her patient whom she thinks is temporarily disabled from an accident. But as this is an erotic romance, he’s obviously not too disabled. LOL. I’m also working on a story that’s based on the night I met my husband, except that our first date didn’t involve wild, passionate sex on the hood of his sports car. That was our second date… My novella is a Cinderella story about a shy heroine who wants to go back to her class reunion a more confident woman, so she asks a complete stranger to teach her the wilder side of life. I’m a very slow writer, so I have no idea when these stories will be ready for submission. Soon, I hope.

Great interview, Becca! Thank you so much for your great answers and responses! For those of you who would like to purchase Becca’s work, please visit The Wild Rose Press Website for more information. Until next week, everyone!

Becca Simone’s short story, MIDNIGHT TREAT, released September 18, from The Wild Rose Press. It’s her first published work of fiction and she can’t be more excited. Just don’t tell her mom!

Writers on Writing: Lynn Romaine

tessquinn — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:35:12 +0000

Today, we have author Lynn Romaine visiting us to answer a few questions about her writing life. Welcome Lynn! Let’s dive right into the questions…

Thank you for joining me today for my Writer’s on Writing series!

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

It starts as a story I work on at night before I go to sleep. I run one scene for a week or two and then add another scene and pretty soon I have a plot for a book. I usually start writing the next one as I’m finishing up the current one, adding chapters whenever I want a break from the editing. The title has to come first or very early on, as well as the characters names. Without those two things, I can’t proceed very far into the story.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

I am very lucky to do creative financing – I work at home doing p.r.n. medical transcription which means I can work as much as I want. I usually work four hours in the afternoon and write at night. I never write in the morning – not in the mood and can’t imagine how I’d get in the mood. Rarely but once in a while I may get up in the middle of the night, especially if I need to write a sex scene.

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

I always dreamed of writing fiction (I wrote academic essays) but thought I had no stories in me, which is very funny since I’ve been telling myself stories since I was five to comfort myself; I just never wrote them down until seven years ago. I was in a course about intimacy and we were supposed to write down something we never told anyone—mine was that I wrote stories in my head. The seminar participants suggested I write it down. Within four months I had a whole book. A month later, I had a book contract with a small press.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

Write-write-write – treat it as something one masters over thousands of hours rather than a gift – and keep writing. But only if you love it. Take risks and submit even if you think the writing is no good. And finally, join a critique book.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

My third book, Long Run Home, comes out on September 18, 2009 – in a week, with The Wild Rose Press. I am also in the midst of contract discussion of the rewritten 1st book (I’m much better now with so many more hours of writing), my 2nd book is being submitted for recontracting and my fourth book, Night Noise, is being edited and I’m in the midst of querying agents. Finally, the fifth book, The Reckoner, based in Canada, is in the early stages (about 80 pages). And then, of course, there is marketing to do on Long Run Home. I’m setting up 10 book signings around five states and getting my PR materials ready.

What a great interview. Thanks again for joining us, Lynn! For those of you who would like to purchase Lynn’s work, please visit The Wild Rose Press Website. Stay tuned until next week!

Lynn’s Bio: I started writing fiction later than most in that some friends encouraged me to write after I shared my secret world of making up continuing stories in my mind since I have a little child – to keep my mind busy when I was afraid. Hence, while I’ve written quite a bit of nonfiction, I’ve been writing fiction only for seven years. I live in Bloomington Indiana, have a master’s degree in information science and have created an organization, Red Pants for the World, to promote and support young girls in difficult circumstances (especially Afghanistan) living created lives and pursuing their dreams.

Writers on Writing: The K.M. Daughters

tessquinn — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:02:46 +0000

This week on Writers on Writing, we have the K.M. Daughters. Thank you for joining me today for my Wednesday Writer’s Write series!

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?

Aside from actually writing each book, brainstorming is the lengthiest process phase for us. And the most fun. We accomplish this first phase of book creation entirely through conversations while in motion; we walk and talk. One sister lives on the east coast and the other resides in the Midwest. We write while apart, but we always brainstorm in person, just about anywhere. Our first book plot emerged while taking early morning walks around the huge perimeter of a hotel parking lot at one RWA national conference. Another took shape on vacation in Orlando. The idea for our first inspirational romance captured our imaginations on a pilgrimage in Bosnia Herzegovina! Have sneakers will brainstorm.

Central characters’ development comprises the first ingredient in the mix. Who are our heroine and hero, what do they look like, what do they do, what have they experienced before the story action opens. We envision life histories and lengthy back-stories, family relationships, prior romantic entanglements, which may or may not merit mention in the novel. This process forms the elements of internal conflicts for each character and predicates the external conflicts between the hero and heroine as the story opens.

What happens next? That question is posed a lot as we brainstorm the story line, consider twists, turns and the events that shape and threaten the romance. Now we’re concerned with the couple as a whole as the action proceeds. What role do secondary characters play in influencing outcomes? Depending on the sub-genre, are there villains at work, criminals to apprehend and tangible or intangible threats?

Once satisfied that we have a story to tell, we create a scene/chapter outline – sitting, thankfully, in one place. Depending on the place we may be scribbling on paper or typing on a laptop. This last phase of the brainstorming process can proceed rapidly or painfully slowly as we commit our ideas to paper. With the written word glaring at us, we’re forced to scrutinize prior conceptual discussion and develop a concrete map to guide the writing itself. We function as pure “plotters” now to facilitate team writing. Because once we have our outline, we divide the chapters evenly between us on an alternating basis. Then writing begins and we happily operate as “pantsers”.

Can you explain your typical work week day?

Wow what a loaded question! Since K.M. Daughters equals two women, we juggle two separate schedules around to squeeze in beloved author time. Neither of us writes as a full-time career yet – a shared aspiration. Depending on which of us is “up” to write a chapter in our WIP, the other typically works on line edits for a finished project, proofreading, promo, etc. Kathie runs an appraisal management firm virtually, so whether she’s writing or working the day job, she works entirely in her home office weekdays. Pat heads several corporate relocation management firms, virtually from home, at a local headquarters office and occasionally flying somewhere or other. For both of us, have laptop will write. The ideal typical workday as K.M. Daughters includes early morning writing without distraction and 9 to 5 squeezing author time in, averaging two-three hours writing per day. Quitting time at the computer is 5PM CST, period. Evenings are reserved for family time and unfortunately involve fixing dinner. 

Tell us about when you made the decision to write.

Kathie decided to write her first novel when her two sons were pre-school age. Pat completed her first manuscript over ten years ago. We both dreamed about publishing them and submitted without success. Kathie came up with a book title about five years ago and shared it with Pat during a walk – we’ve always been consistent with this walking “thing”. Equally consistent with our talking “thing” we brainstormed the title into a rough book concept. It was so much fun, the light bulb blazed and, voila, K.M. Daughters. By the way, the next sentence from Kathie’s mouth after we agreed to write the book together suggested our pen name dedicated to our parents, Kay and Mickey.

What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

No matter the stumbling blocks you encounter, never, ever put the word “pipe” in front of your dream.

Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.

We’re writing the fourth book in our Sullivan Boys romantic suspense series and loving every minute. “Spend sleepless nights with the Sullivan Boys” is our new slogan. We have a very rough concept for book five, the conclusion of the series. Book 3, Capturing Karma should be in galley form shortly and hopefully will release from The Wild Rose Press this year. We just released our inspirational romance sequel to Jewel Of The Adriatic, entitled Rose Of The Adriatic from White Rose Publishing and we’re thrilled with this book. Sr. Editor Nicola Martinez is our cover artist and she produced a stunning cover that heightens how personally special this book is to us. This sequel may be the end of the “Adriatic” inspirational stories…or not. We have a title in mind for a third inspirational romance set in the fictional village of Valselo along the Adriatic for possible brainstorming.

What fabulous answers and advice. Thank you, guys! For those of you who want to purchase books by the K.M. Sisters, their novel ‘Rose of the Adriatic’ is available from White Rose Publishing. You can find more information, contests, recipes, and book lists on the KM Daughters’ website.

Thanks for stopping by, everyone! Check out ‘Writers on Writing’ right here next week!