The Four-Part Writing Special / / Part 4: Writing
Le Questionnes
(For a similar post click here.)
1. What do you do to get yourself into the story?
Basically I sit down and start writing. I can write pretty much anywhere if I convince myself to focus, so it's a matter of just GOING FOR IT.
I also spend months and even years getting to know my characters and their stories before I've started writing. I can't write if I don't know my characters front, back, up, and down. It's a requirement for me.
2. Do you do anything extra - art, covers, character journals, glossaries, playlists, etc. to help you with your story?
Well...
I draw lots of character art. Here's some of that.
Not sure why, but all of these for some reason are for the Pentegreen series. That must be because I've done the biggest amount of planning for those books. (They are my babies.) And the second one is really ridiculously emotional, so... hence all the sad weeping broken songs.
3. What is your writing process?
Barf a bunch of words onto a computer screen or a notebook and then bury it someplace where I will never have to look at it again.
Heh. Since I've never really gotten past the first draft, this is about accurate.
4. Anything you learned about yourself or your writing you'd like to share?
You want something? Fine.
I have learned that I'm definitely a plantser, but a weird variety. Like I said above, I have to really spend a lot of time getting to know my charries before I can write their story, and I usually write out the majority of their scenes in my head. Then I write the story pretty quickly, comparatively (if I really want to I can write a thousand words in twenty minutes--I don't force myself to do that much, though) and never touch it again.
I have so many issues.
5. What keeps you going when you start to worry you'll never finish?
Sleep, prayer, reading, music, my family telling me that how dare I give up, and sheer grit and refusal to stop writing.
Moving on...
6. What inspired you to start writing?
I wanted to see my book on a real shelf somewhere. I wanted people to like it and genuinely call it their favorite book. There were a lot of reasons, but I think the biggest one is that I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Then I also wanted to make sure the story didn't murder me. Because believe me, if I didn't write it, it would.
7. What author is your writing style similar to?
I'm... honestly not sure.Having read my stuff, what do y'all think? Tell me in the comments!
8. What writing goals do you set, and how do you reward yourself for reaching them?
I tend to be very productive in April, July, and November for the three NaNo events, because I have a set goal and am very driven to reach it. Most of the other months out of the year (Ouch! There's nine of them!) I tend to piddle around and accomplish very little. I work on setting goals for myself but always go overkill, and it destroys me when I can't reach the goals.
So... for 2018, we're going to set real writing goals. One of them might actually be publishing a real novel by the end of the year, if self-publishing is the path I choose. But they're going to be doable, and real, and I'm going to be proud of myself when I finish them. That's my reward. :)
9. What does a regular writing day look like for you?
Write a few words, piddle around with a blog post, surf Goodreads and Facebook, write some more words, set a timer and really buckle down to it, say "I'm going to get in a thousand words before dinner!" and then get distracted by the internet... Yeah. I need to get rid of internet, somehow. In a way that doesn't destroy my Spotify connection. Because what is writing without Spotify. (see playlists above)
10. How many ideas do you currently have saved on your computer/flash drive?
First of all: I am computer exclusive. I have everything backed up in two separate drives. If I had a flash drive, I would lose it in five seconds. I would lose my own head if it wasn't attached, as they say.
Anyway: How many ideas? Let's look:
21 Ideas! Would you look at that!
(And note: Those are just the recorded ones. I have a lot more. XD They just haven't been recorded yet.)
NUMBER OF THOSE IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OR DRAFTED OR SOMETHING:
A depressing 2. (Plus Hurricane Ink and a couple other projects that aren't in that list. :P)
An embarrassing 7. I have a problem. A severe problem.
NUMBER OF THESE IDEAS THAT I GENUINELY LOVE AND WOULD WRITE IN A HEARTBEAT IF I COULD:
13. I mean, I love them all, but those ones...
If I write those and share them with the world I will die happy, I think. ^_^
So this is my writing life! As well as the sad end of the Four-Part Writing Special! Be sure to check out everyone else's posts today. We're sad to see it end, but excited to get into writing these stories that we've shared with you!!
What do you think of my writing process? My art? My gifs? My playlists? What's YOUR writing process, if you're a writer, and do you draw? Tell me all the things!!!
31 comments
Awesome!!! I love it!!! I can't believe we've all done four posts already and now its over. Its been really fun!
ReplyDeleteI love listening to music while editing. I usually use YouTube or Iheartradio. Can you tell me more about spotify?
Great post!
~Ivie
iviewrites.blogspot.com
I was in a rush this morning when I commented earlier, but your drawings are awesome!!!
DeleteSpotify is awesome! If you get it for desktop, that is, which I would assume you would. You can make playlists, listen to plain artists, and it's free (there are some ads, but those are usually for harmless things like McDonald's or insurance companies. Every now and then they'll give me one for a nasty movie, but they don't really show anything and it's easy enough to hit the mute button.)
DeleteI know, how is it already done?!!
Thank you! Some of them are better than others, but I love them all. :)
I'll have to look into it then. If its free, that makes things a lot easier to gather playlists for my books. No wonder everyone keeps talking about it. XD
DeleteDefinitely don't get it for mobile phone -- it stinks on there-- but for desktop it is legit the best invention known to man. <3
DeleteI've soooo enjoyed reading your answers to all these questions. It's really sad it has come to a close. Getting a peek into your story and writing life has been a joy!
ReplyDeleteI love that you like to draw your characters! Your drawings are so fun! I was noooot given any sort of skills when it comes to drawing. Lol. I'd love to do it! I just...can't even make stick people look good, so. XD I just stick to making pictures with words. Hehe.
"Barf a bunch of words onto a computer screen or a notebook and then bury it someplace where I will never have to look at it again." <--- That sounds like me! XD I can sooo relate! I'm really, REALLY bad about never getting around to editing...
Oh my goodness, Faith, that'd be AH-MAY-ZING if you published something!!! I love how you're setting purposeful goals for 2018. That is just wonderful! :D
That's so cool you have a whole list of ideas! I'm not NEARLY as organized with my story ideas. And I have SO many. I really need to list them out like that!
Thanks for sharing with us! Keep pursuing your dream. It's going to be wonderful. ^_^
I know! I'm so glad you enjoyed it-- I've liked having purposeful things to post every week. XD
DeleteI had to learn using YouTube. It's not as hard as you might think--I recommend DramaticParrot and MarkCrilley as really great YouTubers to follow if you're interested in picking up some drawing skills. They're pretty awesome. But drawing pictures with words is definitely important too! I mean, I try to do that too... XD
Heh, I think a LOOOOOOTTTT of people are bad at getting around to editing. I mean, I've been writing for eleven years and I've never actually really finished a book. Blargh. You can do it! I know you can!
I want to publish so badly. I would really like to get something out there by the end of 2018 (Watched, perhaps?) But that would have to mean I had concrete ideas for the sequels, and that... will be hard. But I am setting goals and planning to really work hard at accomplishing them this coming year-- I'm not proud of how little I've gotten done in the writing world this year.
You really do. It's an amazing way to keep track of them. That file is a lot more complicated than the screenshot I posted-- I have synopses and character ideas and other such things for EVERY. ONE. OF. THOSE. STORIES. It gets overwhelming to go in there sometimes... but I know I'm going to get around to writing all of those stories someday. I can do it.
Thank /you/ for reading them, Christine. :)
I saw Andrew Peterson on that playlist, anything with Andrew Peterson is bound to be good! XD
ReplyDeleteAlso you have great music taste I adore all of those songs and artists. :P
Your drawings are great!
Your first statement=Truest thing ever. XD
DeleteThat's awesome! Are you on Spotify?
Thank you :)
I was, but then accidently deleted my account and the app, I stick to google play now.
DeleteACK. Your drawings. I can't even. *slams head on desk* *spits out car hair because cat was there on desk* Is facecat a thing?
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I wish I could draw. Even a little bit. But I can't. So instead I just flail when I see other writers able to draw their own characters. AUGGGHHHH!!!! I LOVE IT!!!
I haven't checked out spotify, tbh. I use SoundCloud, which again, I can listen to songs, create playlists, upload my own music, and so on. I'm pretty happy with it, but maybe, when I'm bored, I'll give Spotify a try. It seems to be the cool thang.
FACECAT!!! Yes, I love it! So accurate! We need to make this a thing okay?
DeleteI'm really not that good. I love character drawings, though, and I always have. I used to make paper dolls all the time. XD
Spotify is terrific. I've never heard of SoundCloud, I might have to check that one out :)
SoundCloud is more for artists. It has a lot of unknown people putting their own songs or covers up. But again, you can make playlists and such.
DeleteAlright. Facecat is now a thing. Use as often as you wish. :)
You draw! Your characters look awesome!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a good idea to draw your characters. I might start doing that.
Love your process ;)
Lol, thank you! You should!
DeleteThe drawings (which, btw, MARVELOUS), and the gifs, and getting a greater peek into your writing life made this a wonderful post. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and liked my pictures :)
DeleteWriting about strangers is hard. I too have know my characters (or at least their story. If they would stop changing it every time, that would be nice...)
ReplyDeleteAnd churning stories do have a tendency to wreak havoc.
*Gasp* Really!! I hope that book does hit the shelves (cause I'll probably snatch it up!)
I agree with you on the internet...we need a Spotify connection that doesn't require internet (or paying for it. Or taking up storage on the phone. just something....)
Catherine
catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com
It is so hard. I'm obsessed with really getting to know them... it makes things easier. (But yes! Why do they have to do that????)
DeleteI hope it does! I'm planning to work VERY hard on it next year ;)
I think that's called iTunes. XD But yes I AGREE.
I loved your artwork. I also love just about any playlist that has NF on it! I forgot my phone on my outing today and wasn't able to listen to any of his music! *pouts*
ReplyDeleteThis is a really great post! Loved it!
Aw, tragedy! *pouts along with you*
DeleteThanks, Sarah!
Okay, I'm going to have to listen to some of those songs. XD
ReplyDeleteAnd YOUR DRAWINGS = AWESOME. I'm still on stick-person level, haha. Me ≠ Artistic.
But... Me = LOVER OF YOUR DRAWINGS. I need to know more about Pentegreens now. XD
Yes, you do. Listen to them yesterday.
DeleteThanks, Lila :) Yeah, I need to write the Pentegreens' story-- they're my favorite brainchild, which also means that every time I try to write them = epic fail. I'm planning on working on them a little bit in the not-so-distant future ;)
Great way to finish off Julian's tag! I loved the drawings (particularly the second to bottom with all the people in it BECAUSE THAT'S HARD TO DO, GIRL! You start one character, and things are all hunky-dory until your next person comes out WAY SMALLER, or you mess a person up and now you've got this HIDEOUS SMUDGY-MONSTER-THING in the middle of your picture with all your other ~beautifully drawn~ characters!
ReplyDeleteThat escalated quickly. My apologies. You did a great job with that picture. <3
P.S. Nice playlist!
I KNOW! Normally that does happen to me--it's a miracle that that one came out as nicely as it did. Argh. But I'm so glad you liked them!!
Delete(By #4, we've all abandoned any effort of writing an intro... ;P)
ReplyDeleteI'm productive in NaNo months and piddle around the rest of the time too! (Bad Jem. No. Very bad.)
Your art is amazing! My characters are jealous... xD
- Jem Jones
(Yes. There's nothing else to put, we've already said ALL. OF. IT. XD)
DeleteI know! Why does it have to be so hard?!
Thank you! Do you make character art, too? I must see that.
yes to sheer grit and refusal to give up!!! Every writer needs this. But I really liked #3. Barfing it up...haven't heard writing called that before, but it's pretty accurate!
ReplyDeleteIt does feel accurate, doesn't it?
DeleteHey, I really liked these posts! Your writing style is definitely more organized than mine. :-Z :-D Your playlists look super cool and I'm going to have to listen to them sometime! XD I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR WIP IT SOUNDS SUPER COOL!!! XD Also, love the pictures; great job!!! :-D One of my friends told me to get a whiteboard and write down all my ideas for my WIP on it with different colored pens. I think it's a good idea. :-) Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XD
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks! XD I really like that idea-except then everyone who walks in my door could read my story ideas. Yikes. Thanks!
DeleteHello, friends! Do make yourselves comfortable and stay for a while--I'd love to chat with you! I simply ask that you keep it clean. :)