Ask the Author: Renee Bernard
Answered Questions (6)
Renee Bernard
How do you not? If I can't get to the computer and work, I get very testy, very quickly. It's a compulsion, creativity, for most of the writers I know. The rituals and silly habits, the prep and preferences are all so peripheral to the driving, relentless need to get those stories OUT and find the balance we need to make sure that the craft and the labor involved never snuff out the joy of just "letting it happen". Inspiration is not a thing I worry about running out of. It's time that makes me nervous.
Renee Bernard
I think there's a lot of "best things" but at the end of it all, it's probably the thrill of making order out of the chaos in my head. When you write, you are master of whatever universe you're creating, for better or worse. Hopefully, that process doesn't just quiet the "voices" but also gives birth to some memorable moments for your readers and allows them to escape their own world for a few hours.
Renee Bernard
Creative freedom is fantastic and these days, there's nothing holding you back. But don't forget to slow down and really focus on the craft and artistry of writing. It isn't a race. So write. Re-write. Edit. Study. Read. Pay attention to your mentors and at the end of the day, give yourself permission to work, to strive, and even to fail. This isn't painting in the lines, right? This isn't something anyone can do. This is YOUR work and YOUR stories, so guard the quality of your efforts and take pride in saying, "I'm an author."
Renee Bernard
Best method for me is a "mental conference" with my characters. We sit, we talk, we figure out what I'm doing wrong and why they don't want to cooperate. It generally comes back to a plot issue and the characters are usually right in digging in their heels, so I tend to let them win. The best plots, in my opinion, are character driven and when I'm getting in the way--it's a short cut to writer's block and to all kinds of problems.
Renee Bernard
I'm finishing out the Black Rose Trilogy with "Lady Triumphs", working on a new contemporary paranormal (Very Comic, no blood splatter) series starting with "Devil to Pay" and I'm also about to tackle two big projects: "The Concubine's Daughter" (a stand alone historical romance set in Meiji Restoration Japan and Victorian London) and "The Imbalance" (an Urban Fantasy/Dystopian novel). Let's just say, I'm definitely not putting my feet up these days. ;-)
Renee Bernard
We've all had those helpless, frustrating moments in life and in the midst of a "where are the heroic females in romance?" discussion, I had that push. I wanted to create a Very Strong character without the usual forced constructions of "spy" or "girl posing as man/highwayman/thief for a cause". I wanted a woman in the context of Victorian London who would do whatever it took to achieve vengeance (or justice depending on your seat) and who would never apologize for any of it.
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