My Writing Process
I’ve been invited to answer a few questions about my writing process by the inimitable author/blogger Michaela Miles! This particular blog hop is all about authors offering others a glimpse into their work, their work schedules, and perhaps their innermost thoughts.
Click here to find out how she does it! And be sure to explore her blog for her many gems of observation, reviews, and more!
Q. What am I working on?
I’m still editing my latest novel The Value of Vulnerability, a purely character-driven work about how people deal with personal damage - and in the case of my H, rather harshly! So naturally he needs an h who shows him better ways to deal. I’m hoping to have this to beta readers in a couple of days.
I’ll be following that novel with Public Frenemy, a story of two people trying to learn how to love again without fear, ultimately determining that it takes courage and self-confidence. Slated for April 2014 release, it’s probably going to be May instead.
Q. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My first novel, For Those Who Wait, is actually a nod to Harlequin Presents style - that genre that I love so well and inspired me to write romance in the first place. But within it, I broke some clichés, which was both hard and satisfying [That’s what she said!].
My second novel, A Bird Without Wings, is written around a h who is smarter than her H! Talk about breaking clichés! Considering the sophistication and education of the average romance reader, I thought it would be rewarding to read such a character. She’s complex and compelling. I love her. And so do the readers who’ve met her.
The upshot? I’m not out to reinvent the genre - it’s great as-is. But it’s fun for both me and the reader to invert tropes and dispense with stereotypes, so I do so as often as possible.
Q. Why do I write what I do?
Hmm . . . I write contemporary romance because I find the entire question of what makes a relationship work [independent of the ultimate conclusion of an HEA!] endlessly intriguing. What makes two people want to permanently join forces through their lives? How can one person rely on another to that degree? Still single, you can see how that would fascinate me!
Q. How does your writing process work?
I see a scene in my head. I write dialogue in my head. I create a new Word doc and get down as much of it as I can - frequently naming the characters “H” and “h”. Then I ignore it for weeks - sometimes months. Eventually, I drag it out and start poking at it, see what I can make of it, keying in little ideas that occur about backstory, characterisation, and conflict.
I’m a pantser who thinks she’s a plotter. This time, I’m going to write an outline! Never happens. Sometimes to get things moving, I’ll write whole stream-of-consciousness passages to help me get where I want to go. The characters - if strong enough - will write their own story.
Oh, and I drink loads of coffee. Sometimes wine - but there’s a fine line in creativity with wine . . . one point five glasses is my cut off before I lose momentum and focus!
Who will we meet next week?
Check out these authors and their processes:
Renea Mason
Noelle Clark
Anne Lange
And Lan LLP will be posting her processes on blog soon.
Click here to find out how she does it! And be sure to explore her blog for her many gems of observation, reviews, and more!
Q. What am I working on?
I’m still editing my latest novel The Value of Vulnerability, a purely character-driven work about how people deal with personal damage - and in the case of my H, rather harshly! So naturally he needs an h who shows him better ways to deal. I’m hoping to have this to beta readers in a couple of days.
I’ll be following that novel with Public Frenemy, a story of two people trying to learn how to love again without fear, ultimately determining that it takes courage and self-confidence. Slated for April 2014 release, it’s probably going to be May instead.
Q. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My first novel, For Those Who Wait, is actually a nod to Harlequin Presents style - that genre that I love so well and inspired me to write romance in the first place. But within it, I broke some clichés, which was both hard and satisfying [That’s what she said!].
My second novel, A Bird Without Wings, is written around a h who is smarter than her H! Talk about breaking clichés! Considering the sophistication and education of the average romance reader, I thought it would be rewarding to read such a character. She’s complex and compelling. I love her. And so do the readers who’ve met her.
The upshot? I’m not out to reinvent the genre - it’s great as-is. But it’s fun for both me and the reader to invert tropes and dispense with stereotypes, so I do so as often as possible.
Q. Why do I write what I do?
Hmm . . . I write contemporary romance because I find the entire question of what makes a relationship work [independent of the ultimate conclusion of an HEA!] endlessly intriguing. What makes two people want to permanently join forces through their lives? How can one person rely on another to that degree? Still single, you can see how that would fascinate me!
Q. How does your writing process work?
I see a scene in my head. I write dialogue in my head. I create a new Word doc and get down as much of it as I can - frequently naming the characters “H” and “h”. Then I ignore it for weeks - sometimes months. Eventually, I drag it out and start poking at it, see what I can make of it, keying in little ideas that occur about backstory, characterisation, and conflict.
I’m a pantser who thinks she’s a plotter. This time, I’m going to write an outline! Never happens. Sometimes to get things moving, I’ll write whole stream-of-consciousness passages to help me get where I want to go. The characters - if strong enough - will write their own story.
Oh, and I drink loads of coffee. Sometimes wine - but there’s a fine line in creativity with wine . . . one point five glasses is my cut off before I lose momentum and focus!
Who will we meet next week?
Check out these authors and their processes:
Renea Mason
Noelle Clark
Anne Lange
And Lan LLP will be posting her processes on blog soon.
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Loved reading your interview Roberta! "I see a scene in my head. I write dialogue in my head. I create a new Word doc and get down as much of it as I can..." I actually do it like that too! I "see" it in "spurts" write it down and later rewrite and expand and link up(over and over again, sometimes obsessively), and one thing leads to another...and the characters "grow" and so does the story...
I agree it's tricky to get the amount of wine right!
Loved A Bird Without Wings and can't wait to read the Value of Vulnerability! When's it due?
Loved reading your interview Roberta! "I see a scene in my head. I write dialogue in my head. I create a new Word doc and get down as much of it as I can..." I actually do it like that too! I "see" it in "spurts" write it down and later rewrite and expand and link up(over and over again, sometimes obsessively), and one thing leads to another...and the characters "grow" and so does the story...
I agree it's tricky to get the amount of wine right!
Loved A Bird Without Wings and can't wait to read the Value of Vulnerability! When's it due?
Luccia wrote: "can't wait to read the Value of Vulnerability! When's it due?"Um . . . It's looking more and more like April. I rewrote the first two chapters, and hated them, so am now tweaking.
Thanks for dropping by! Let me know if you run a Writing Process Q&A for the blog-hop on your new Wordpress site!
Katerina wrote: "Roberta, I love your work and I loved reading about your creative genius :) Can't wait to read more of what comes out of that one point five wine-influenced imagination!"
*blushing* Thanks, Katerina! Must go drink some wine now, though I could consume a bottle right now rather than the one point five glasses. Must remember - as Luccia reminds above - how tricky it is to get the amount right!
Roberta wrote: "Luccia wrote: "can't wait to read the Value of Vulnerability! When's it due?"Um . . . It's looking more and more like April. I rewrote the first two chapters, and hated them, so am now tweaking.
..."
Will do! Pity there isn't a like button!
Luccia wrote: "Will do! Pity there isn't a like button!"Damn' straight!
Can't wait to read more of what comes out of that one point five wine-influenced imagination!