What's My Writing Process?

My site's blog is relatively new. What better way to populate than by participating in the My Writing Process Blog Tour?

I give BIG THANKS to Helene Kwong, a good friend and an equally good writer! And I'm not just saying that. Having edited her first novel from NaNoWriMo 2007, Writing the Past, I know the chick has writing chops!

Because Helene invited me to this blog hop, I'm going to jump right on in. The goal of this hop is to answer four simple questions about my writing process and then tag three writers to hop along on the tour.

Here we go...

.:WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?:.

Lately, I've been doing only academic writing (writing/editing/revising my dissertation) and the writing of short fiction at a site I run with three other authors, SNAPS 1000 Words.

I have, however, kicked my own butt recently and told myself to pick a story and finish it, so right now, I am working on INSIDE, book one of the TAKEN trilogy. Though the trilogy involves three separate stories, what ties them all together is the theme: the effects of a young girl being abducted, whether that's the effects on the girl upon being found or on the family waiting to have their daughter return.

In INSIDE, we meet Kennice Lucinda Crum, an obit writer who cannot break the chains of a childhood abduction that took her innocence and every good memory. It's a rather dark story, and I have to admit, it scares me to write it, but I know I have to do it.

.:HOW DOES YOUR WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?:.

I don't find myself really in any ONE genre. I like to consider myself a "life writer," with the genre coming as a new story idea takes hold. I've published two mysteries, some literary short stories, and a sexy rom-com, so like I said, I don't fit one genre. The thing that binds all my work together and may separate me from others is that I'm very attracted to the broken woman made whole theme. It doesn't matter what genre I write in, this theme follows me.

.:WHY DO YOU WRITE WHAT YOU DO?:.

It depends. With the latest story, there was a curiosity and a need to write the story. I have seen so many stories, whether in the news or through documentaries, of women found after being abducted as a young girl. As outsiders looking in, we often see the antiseptic version of the end of these stories, but my mind was constantly thinking about those dark places we don't learn about, those places these girls' minds go to because of what they've seen and experienced. Aside from the TAKEN trilogy, sometimes, I write stories because they go against something I would do or think or feel, so writing the story challenges me to deal with those actions, thoughts or feelings. And other times, I write stories about things that scare me.

.:HOW DOES YOUR WRITING PROCESS WORK?:.

My process typically starts in my mind. Characters will start talking to me, I'll hear conversations between characters, I'll see scenes unfold, and eventually, I will visually piece together the story in my mind, editing and revising as I go along. This step doesn't have a time frame. I'm "done" this step when I have a finished story... or at the very least the vast majority of a story.

Once I have a story developed in my mind, I draft an outline and sometimes, I put together dossiers of main characters, complete with character charts and pictures of the characters and their homes and luxuries to inspire me.

From there, I write, write, write wherever the writing strikes, whether that's at my desk or a coffee shop, or while I'm out walking (then I voice record on the phone while I walk), or in between classes in my office.

But I can't stress enough that for me, the visual storytelling is vital. If I jump straight into outline, oftentimes, I end up with half-finished stories. If I jump straight into writing the story because of a spark, I end up with things not worthy of being called half-finished.

[-------]

Next week, be on the lookout for three wonderful additions to this blog tour, three authors I am proud to say are dear friends of mine beyond writing:

My bestie, Samara King, who is the author of eighteen multi-genre works within romance fiction in novel and novella lengths as well as poetry. [website] [Twitter] [Good Reads] [LinkedIn] [Amazon]

Julia Press Simmons, who keeps me laughing with her silliness, is the author of The Strawberry Mansion series and the Fornication series. Although she is known for writing chic friendly street lit, she will be releasing sci-fi fantasy this summer. [website] [YouTube] [Amazon]

Makasha Dorsey, my go-to person for any information on PR, is an award-winning author, motivational speaker and publishing industry publicity. [website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Instagram] [Pinterest]