Monday, June 16, 2014

"My Writing Process" Blog Tour

Krista Van Dolzer tagged me last week in her post, so I'm going to answer some questions about my writing process.

What am I working on?

I'm splitting a YA fantasy in two and adding two more POV characters. There are three main characters, and I think that giving each of them a voice will eliminate inconsistencies.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I haven't read any other ghost stories with sea serpents. Have you?

Why do I write what I do?

I write different things for different reasons. I'm still revising THE BINDER'S WEB because I want to understand the characters and find out what happens. Basically, I'm in love with the world and the characters. If I could visit, I totally would. But I'd want to schedule that visit before or after the events I'm writing about take place.

How does your writing process work?

I have to have a character and an idea before I start, and I always think I know how it will end. Ha! The story always comes out differently than I think it will. Characters come and go, and everybody evolves as I revise. In other words, my first draft is an unsightly thing that bears little resemblance to the finished product. I don't usually let anyone see my work until the third draft.

And maybe I shouldn't admit this in public, but I use gimmicks to get through tough drafts. The first draft of a novel I ever finished, I put up a post-it note every 1,000 words to show how far I'd gone. I wish I'd taken a picture those post-its when I finished. For the draft I'm working on right now, I used Excel to print out a bunch of plain (painfully boring) calendars. For every hour I spend working on TBW*, I get to put a Sandra Boynton sticker on my calendar*. I love Sandra Boynton.



This tour has been going around for long enough that a lot of people have already been there, done that. If you haven't been tagged, and would like to participate, let me know in the comments. Thanks!

* Just writing doesn't count because I write nonfiction almost every day for work.
**Laini Taylor has a sticker calendar. Only, if I remember right, she has to write 1,000 words to get a sticker. Anyway, I found the idea on her blog.

4 comments:

  1. I love Sandra Boynton too, Myrna. And no, I've never heard of other ghost stories with sea serpents!!! Good on you.

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    1. Thanks, Michael! I think Sandra Boynton is the favorite author of babies (and parents of babies) everywhere.

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  2. Sandra Boynton really is the best, isn't she? Good luck with your revisions! :)

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