Recently, the ever-amazing Carolyn Menke asked me to be a part of the My Writing Process blog tour. Everyone who participates in the tour will talk a bit about their writing process, then highlight 3 writers for you to visit next week. This is Carolyn’s post about her process. Carolyn has gotten some book offers in the last months, so sometime soon, she’ll have her first published book!
Here is a bit about my process:
1. What am I working on?
I have so many story ideas, outlines, and novels and stories in various states, I can barely keep track! The thing I’m spending the most time on, though, is my YA paranormal romance novel. It’s in the final(ish) stages of editing (before it goes to the paid editor). I’m also writing my manuscript for my MFA, which is about 3/4 done. I have gobs of shorts in every stage of writing there is—-included published (see post here)!
2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I think this is one thing I’m always trying to improve. Obviously, my me is a different me from anyone else writing in this genre or any others. I hope that my stories, characters, and style is unique, but I’m still working on bringing that out.
3. Why do I write what I do?
Well, because those are the characters and plots that came into my mind. I tend to lean toward weird stuff when I read, so I’m sure that has something to do with it. I like elements of stories that are unusual. That could include dragons and magic, but can also include an amazing character, voice, or plot. What usually intrigues me is some element that takes me into my mental land of what ifs and lets me play there. My stories are some sort of “what if” made into a world with characters.
4. How does my writing process work?
First, I write a word. Then a second and a third, and before you know it, I have a whole sentence! Honestly, just having the discipline to sit down and get some kind of word count in every day is how it happens. I get up early, while everyone else is asleep, and get in at least a half hour of writing. Sometimes I can manage a few more words in the evenings, but that time is usually reserved for family and editing, critiquing, and blogging.
As far as the classic pantsing vs. plotting debate, I’m sort of a hybrid. In non-writing aspects, I’m mostly a hardcore planner. When it comes to laying out a story idea, I usually get the idea and characters and let them play around my mind for a while so I get to know them. I’ll take notes and watch what they do. When they are real enough, I’ll do a basic outline-type thing. I don’t consider it a true outline. It’s more like major plot points. This keeps me on track, but doesn’t nail me down chapter by chapter. I have an idea of where everything is going and what needs to happen, but the details come as I write. I’m also always aware that the initial plot points are subject to change at any time and that’s totally okay.
Here are 3 authors for you to take a look at! They’ll be blogging about their process soon.
1. Thomas R. Manning
Thomas R. Manning is the author of Energize: From the Logs of Daniel Quinn. Born just outside the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Thomas spent his life in the worlds of creativity and imagination, whether through drawing comic books, performing in school musicals, or writing stories. His love of science fiction inspired the Daniel Quinn series, but Thomas is excited to share many other stories in various genres in the near future.
Find him here:
thomasrmanning.com
authorthomasraymann.blogspot.com
facebook.com/authorthomasraymann
twitter.com/thomasraymann
2. Janet McClintock
After 22 years in the Army, Janet McClintock exhaled and settled down in Pittsburgh with her aging Pit Bull. She has completed two novels of her four-part Iron Angel action series, the first of which, Worst of All Evils, is under contract with Black Opal Books. While she edits the second book in the series, she is trying her hand at a paranormal novel before returning to her passion—action.
Action comes easy to Janet. Over the years, she has owned motorcycles and horses and driven a tractor trailer across the country. She has trained in various martial arts over the past 38 years. She is currently training in Kali and Jeet Kun Do and is a certified Edged Weapons Combatives Instructor.
Find her here:
writevsmight.com
3. Susan Sofayov
Susan Sofayov lives in scenic, tropical Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, a tenth grade son, and the most hated dog in the neighborhood. She is the mother of two college students and lives for the weekends they come home.
She formerly held the position of vice president of child care for a large non-profit organization. Now, she works with her husband, which isn’t always a great idea, running their real estate development/management company. She has a BA in English Literature and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and an MA in Teaching from Chatham University.
DEFECTIVE is her first novel—literally, the first one she ever wrote or even tried to write. It broke open her creative floodgates, and she’s been typing like a madwoman ever since.
Get the book here:
Defective the novel
Find her here:
susansofayov.com