Hope everyone had a splendid holiday. If it was anything like mine it was filled with decorating, chocolate bunnies, plastic eggs, and baskets in varied shapes and sizes.
SWEET!
The rabbit hopping, sugar high should have you completely hyped, jittering with overwhelming excitement for this post. I know you’ve been waiting all week!
My brilliant friend and fellow writer, Diana Beebe, tagged me in this fun blog tour about my writing process. And like her I love writing so I agreed to play along. Isn’t that exactly how you wanted to celebrate the holiday? Diana is a hoot! Dive into the waters of her mermaid lair and wade, or paddle, through her fun and entertaining posts. I suggest you start here, briefly skinny-dipping in her writing process, getting to know her better.
If you haven’t hung out at Diana Beebe’s Blog, Mermaids Don’t Do Windows, I highly recommend it!
Let’s dig in, shall we?
What am I working on?
Such a loaded question. What am I not working on? There are actually a lot of projects on my plate. My first little horror short, Perceptions, is due to be released in The Dark Carnival Anthology in October. Dark Perceptions, both an expansion upon the original story and a tie-in to my upcoming novella is close to completion. Yay! The aforementioned novella, The Moorigad Dragon, is almost ready for publication. The editors returned her to me with all their notes, now if I would stop working at a snails pace. The second novella (name top secret!) is already written in barf draft form.
There are other projects in process I could mention, but there is only so much white space and so many words you want to read.
How does your work differ from others of its genre?
I’ve developed a clear and distinct voice that comes through when one reads my stories. Plus, many of my stories deal with life and death in such a manner and in some form that will make the reader think, feel, and reach deep within themselves. Each story being unique in age and style, from a mild touch to a rip-your-heart-out and bleed on the page. That’s what will build my readership. That and the horde of cats and gnomes included in each story. 😉 Real? Nah.
Why do I write what I do?
I don’t think I have a choice in what I write. The muse cracks the whip and I follow her command. And let me tell you something about my muse, she is a busy, demanding little dictator. I have years’ worth of work ahead of me. Not that I’m complaining. She does, however, have me working in multiple areas, all the way from Adult (where the pieces mentioned above fall) to picture books and everything in between. When I explore and eventually expand into the world of children’s literature it will likely be under another pen name.
How does your writing process work?
It usually begins like this: I draft out my idea, pass my points of research to my enslaved trolls for the grunt work. Once they’ve completed the hard stuff, I add my fluff and shine and it’s ready to go!
Fiction? You’re probably right. I tend to follow one project from start to finish. Although, I have broken that rule once or twice. As a hybrid author, I work somewhere between plotting and the pantser method—making it up as I go. I have major plot points figured out before I begin and allow the characters to develop the fine points as we write the story together. Tightening and adjusting is then accomplished in the edits. I tend to have a bit of OCD and I’m a very thorough planner, so it has worked out for me—so far. Sometimes I use boards, other times I don’t want to lose time to setting them up when I already have the information organized in my head. That’s me―everything trapped in my head. My story vault.
There you have it, my writing process. Compare me, or don’t, when fellow writers share their process as the blog tour continues.
Today check in with author extraordinaire:
- Tameri Etherton Ι A Cup of Tea and Sorcery ~ Tameri Etherton loves a spot of tea, walks on the beach, dragons, and diamonds, but mostly she loves to get lost in a story.
Monday, April 28th catch the wave of enthusiasm crashing in at the internet addresses of:
- Elena Dillon ~ Elena Dillon writes YA romance with suspense, sass and swoon.
- Marcy Kennedy Ι Science Fiction and Fantasy Author ~ Marcy Kennedy is a speculative fiction writer and a freelance editor who believes there’s always hope no matter how bad the situation seems.
Are you a writer? How does your process differ?
Thanks for stopping by! I truly appreciate your support.
Until next time, immortally yours.
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Debra, you are so amazing! Thanks for the very kind shout out! It made my day that you wanted to join me in this little blog hop. You keep me sane, friend!
You’re welcome!!! It was fun and I took a note out of your handbook when putting this together. 🙂 I’m glad I do some good – keeping you sane, that is. 😉
What fun! Your process is very multi-dimensional! I’m always so amazed at how many stories you have going on, and how you keep them all straight! Thanks for being a part of the blog tour with me!
Hehehe. My stories will be the death of me. They will crush my brain before I have the chance to get them all out! 😀 You know I love doing things with you!! It’s one of my favorite pastimes.
Your process sounds very similar to mine – including the snail’s pace part, and having years’ worth of ideas queued up. Your books sound great, too!
Wow, and we are both challenged to be vocal on social media. It benefits both of us to have an extrovert at our side, someone to make lots of noise, force us out of our shell. Now if we could only overcome that snail pace part, right? It’s great to find a sister in the process. 🙂
Barf draft form? That’s a new one for me. 🙂
Happy Easter, Debra.
I picked that one up from my husband. Industry lingo? Those script writers out of Hollywood. What do you expect? 🙂
I want some of those trolls! 🙂
Sounds like you’ve found a process that works well for you. And good for you about having so many irons in the fire … and for so many genres, too. I’ve always figured that we don’t read one genre, why should we be stuck writing just one. 🙂
My thoughts exactly, Kristy. I know you dabble about in the same manner. If we don’t follow the muse she tends to get rather insistent. Doesn’t she?
Haha, I hear you on the idea of ‘what am I NOT working on?’
Glad to hang out with such a productive lady!
Yeah, now if I could only get something all the way to completion. That would be beyond FABULOUS! 😉
It’s coming. Love hanging with you Nikki. You’re awesome!
I am amazed that you can write more than one story at a time! You have an amazing muse! LOL Can’t wait to read Perceptions when it comes out!
Thanks Tracey. I have an army of journals that house all my ideas. So many of them waiting for the day I start moving quick and strong on their story. Until then, I stick to a few, rather different or intertwined pieces. It could possible slow my process. LOL.
Fun stuff Debra. Best of luck with the upcoming projects. I can’t stay too long and look around, as I have a very busy week, but wanted to pop in and say “hello.”
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
I hear ya, Patricia. Thanks for stopping by. It was a crazy week for me, hence the late reply. Hope all went well. 🙂
Be sure and keep us posted on your horror short when it comes out! That’s awesome!
How fun to hear about other writers and their processes. Thanks for sharing yours. I’m off to check out Diana’s too. Hope the writing at the laser tag venue went well! 😉
Thanks, Jess. I’ll be sure to keep you posted. Hm, laser tag and writing – not the best mix. But it was fun while it lasted. Pretty soon summer will be here and many of my days will turn the way of laser tag days, or pool days, or who-knows-what days. What will happen to my writing? :O
Wow, do you ever have a balancing act going on Debra. That’s a lot of projects. But I am excited for you. Sounds like you’re getting ready to release some cool stuff. I have to say that I understand snail’s pace. And I thought I was the only one. I am still plugging away. I would like to finish one of them before I die. lol. It can be so discouraging sometimes. Glad that you are finding your way through all the muddle. You’re doing great girl. ((Hugs)) 🙂
Yes, the closer I get the slower I seem to move. What’s up with that? LOL. Cold feet? I’ve been reading a book that’s made me think about all those discouraging things you mention. Do they pop up in our way as road blocks when we are on the right path to success BECAUSE we are on the right path to success? Keep working at it, keep trudging away. We’ll get there. I have faith. Thanks for the hugs. You are sooo awesome, Karen. (((hugs))) back-at-cha!