Big thanks to Sophie @ Sophie’s Corner for tagging me on this one! Sophie has a great blog where she discusses a great many things. Do yourself a favour and go check it out when you’re done here.
What genres, styles, and topics do you write about?
I tend to be all over the place. I get an idea, and I write it, no matter the genre. The only genres I haven’t done are romance, erotica, and westerns. And I don’t think I’ve done Steampunk, but the lines between a lot of genres are pretty blurry. Speaking of, there are probably a bunch of genres that I haven’t even heard of, which I’m now claiming to have written. So, maybe I should specify.
Most of what I’ve is probably considered plain, old fiction. Literary? Mainstream? Commercial? I don’t know. I’m bad with deciding genres. What I’m really enjoying writing (and reading) at the moment is Sci-Fi & Fantasy.
How long have you been writing?
As long as I can remember. My Mom always tells me that when I was little I used to rush through my homework so I had more time to draw comics and write stories. I remember stapling printer paper together and trying to make my own comic book. HYPERMAN! His powers came from coffee and all his hair stood on end. Why? Because of how hyper he always was. Duh!
Why do you write?
Pfft. I don’t know. Why do we breathe? I’m still trying to work out why everyone else DOESN’T write.
When is the best time to write?
At night. Sometimes I try to write during the day, and it’s so hard. That’s my mental block. For years now, I don’t get the chance to write until work is done and the kids are in bed.
What parts of writing do you love and hate?
I love…
Outling
World Building
Writing Dialogue
I hate…
Re-writing
Waiting for feedback
NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO WRITE 10,000 WORDS A DAY!
How do you overcome writer’s block?
I don’t get writer’s block since becoming an outliner. Outlining is almost like having a point form draft of your story. Anytime you’re stuck, you just look at your outline and go, “Oh, yeah. That’s where I am.”
Distraction blocks, I still get. Thanks, Twitter and Netflix.
Are you working on something at the moment?
Always. It’s set in a world where the human race has evolved into various sub-species. Three youths, each from a different sub, are forced to work together on a heist that could mean their freedom, or their deaths.
I guess I would call it fantasy, though, as I said, I’m really bad at assigning genre. It deals with a bunch of different societies coming together and each one kind of comes from another genre. Sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy, etc, etc.
What are your writing goals this year?
Oh, geez. I don’t know. World domination? Is that a thing writers do?
Since it’s November, I’ll assume 2018 goals. I have a manuscript with beta-readers at the moment, which I hope to have feedback for in early January. So I’ll have another draft of that to do, and then I may begin talking to some literary agents about it.
If I don’t finish this multi-genre-fantasy story by the new year, that’ll also be on my to-do list, as well as working on its second draft.
And, hopefully, there will be time to work on a couple short stories and see if any literary magazines are interested.
Last, but maybe most importantly, I’ll be keeping up with this whole blogging business. It’s the one writing-related thing that is currently packed with the most fun.
Okay, writing buddies, you’re tagged.
That means you…
Christa
Julie Holmes
Lauren
MN Bernard
Lynn
Jason
Jeanne
James
Don
Ariel
tellingstoriestogether
Steph
Omg that’s so funny about Hyperman! It reminded me that for a brief time I did the SAME thing and used to draw comics about Lucky the Worm and the Evil Penguin hahaha. I couldn’t tell you what their super powers were but Lucky wore a hat with a four leaf clover on it. The story you’re working on now sounds really awesome. Good luck with that!
Thanks Elizabeth. Hmm… never heard of an evil penguin before, unless you count the Batman villain. Lol
Great post! Outlining is a really important part of writing, I agree with that. Still don’t know when I’ll finish my story.
If you really want to finish it, you’ll find a way. You’d be surprised how quickly things come together if you carve out a little time to write each and every day. Just 500 words a day equals a first draft in 6 months.
Thanks for the tip. I definitely have to try again.
The premise of your current project sounds so interesting!! I also agree with you about writing at night- if I write in the day, the words come so much more slowly. Maybe it’s something about the dark and feeling more isolated from the world that makes writing easier at night?? Tim feels less real?? Or just that the imagination always seems more active at night?? I’ve been trying to figure this out for years.
For me, I just thought it was habit. That was only available time I had, so I practically trained myself that way. But maybe you’re right… maybe there’s some kind of nocturnal beastie to attaches to our brains once the sun goes down and air drops stories to us. The Muse is always viewed as angelic and beautiful, but maybe it’s more like the hatchlings from Aliens!
And it can be so inconvenient when I’m inspired but too tired to form words!!
Ha ha. Been there, too. I think I struggle most with distractions. I love my XBOX. And Netflix is just a rabbit hole of destroyed time.
By the way, I wrote this before I realized you were a scribbler, so now you’re officially tagged! AHhahahahahahahahahHAahHAHA! no pressure, though… hahahahhaahhahaha
Lol thanks!! I was like hmmmmmm do I want to be tagged for this one, forced to write about my writing??? Buuut I think I’ll do it!
Yay!
Hello JW!
Thank you for your kind words! And I am glad to see your answers for this tag! I absolutely know what you mean in that there is never enough time to write. Honestly I wish I could just sit and write all day!
Outlining has the opposite effect on me actually. If I know exactly what is going to happen in a scene, I get bored by it and… it makes me not want to write it :’) Usually at this point my characters end up doing something unpredictable and it throws a wrench into my story.
Love the answers! Have a great weekend!
I get it. Outlining isn’t for everyone. Writing is one of those weird things where there are a million ways to do it and none of them are wrong! Just one of the reasons why it’s so great!
Thanks again for the tag and for stopping by.
“I’m still trying to work out why everyone else DOESN’T write.”- hahaha love it!