Writing Process Blog Tour – How Do I Write?

 

First off, I’d like to thank High Fantasy author, Court Lynn, for asking me to participate in this author blog tour; although, it is certainly a different take on what is normally called a blog tour.

I love the idea of a round robin to see how different authors write, what their process is, etc. Just sounds fun. But, then again, I’m a writer.  We are not quite like anyone else are we? As most writers, I tend to live a great deal of my life in some fantasy world or other that I created myself. It is, to me, a perfect life!

So, without further delay… On with the show!

What am I working on?

Currently, I am in the midst of three – count ‘em, THREE! – projects.

The first is the final processes of publishing steps for the latest Dark Red press anthology: 4RCHETYPES – Modern Interpretations of Classic Horror. The four founding members of DRP like to get together and produce annual (or very near to annual) anthologies wherein we take a given subject or theme and each of us writes something tied to that. 2014 brings four modern takes on those monsters and ghosts that permeated the classic horror films of the 30’s and 40’s. I.e., Dr. Jekyll, Frankenstein, ghosts and vampires. Fun! Look for it on April 30th!

The second project in which I am knee-deep is the second novel in the Progeny series of Young Adult adventures. The first novel, The Weight of Night, was released in early 2011 and readers have been all over me about follow-ups. Well, later this summer, you’ll get to drop back in on Alexis and Keats, the demigods, and see how they are faring in their search for the Red Tome with their new friend, Lily. Lots more mythology in this one – you’ll meet new gods, demigods and beings out of Greek mythology, as well as getting a taste of some familiar ones (Greer is back in action!).

The last project for this year will be the second novel in the Valence of Infinity series of tales. The Moon Also Rises is the story of modern day vampire, Brianna Van Demir and her friend Daphne. The story takes place along the same timeline as The Blood of Others and will end at the same place (and with the same folks) as did the previous novel. There is a third novel in that series which is in the works for 2016.

 

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Wow. I guess a lot of writers will have a lot of wildly varying answers for this question. I suppose my answer would be that my writing evolves from the voices of the characters. This may also affect the manner in which the story unfolds. I like to think of each piece of work as a momentary lapse of reality. The reader gets to sink into the worlds of the characters, to see what they see, feel what they feel. Experience everything. After all, a book is a journey, not a destination.

 

Why do I write what I write?

I heard a comedian – I want to say it was Bobby Slayton – back in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, state that his wife once asked him why he was watching the movie The People Under the Stairs. This, because she wanted to watch a film about love, family and relationships.

Now, if you don’t know what that film is all about, it is basically about people who live within the walls of a family’s home and eat other people.  Uh-huh.

Bobby’s response is the same one I would have had and the exact same one I can use to explain why I write what I write. He said, “We’ve got love, we have a family. We have a relationship. What we don’t have are people in the walls eating other people!”

So, to put it another (less gross) way: I write about the things that I would love to experience, that fall outside the normal everyday life that we each lead. I want what we don’t/can’t have: crazy adventures, magical abilities, terrible creatures and wondrous worlds.  (Come to think of it, we may actually have all of those things in this insane world of ours…but, you take my point.)

To me, writing is escapism at its most base. From that moment of creation evolves a new and wondrous adventure, a fabulous world of strangers and new friends, of beasts and horrors and moments of glory and honor. It is what I live for, as a writer.

How does my writing process work?

Heck, I don’t know if it does! I seem to take myriad of paths to complete a novel. I do tend to combine a lot of methods to get to where I want to go. In most cases, however, I will begin with the idea. What is it I want to say? Who is my main character(s)? Who’s the bad guy? The why’s and wherefores are extremely important to any story. Once I get those things percolating around in my brain, I take the time to lay out a really loose outline/timeline of the tale at hand.

From here, I will begin building the story. I will take each outline bullet point and determine if it works, if it needs to be expanded, etc. and begin firming up the foundation of the book.

Then, I get down to business with the rough draft. I will do the necessary research as I go along, since I never know what the heck my characters may wind up getting themselves into. There have been multiple occasions where they took me a vastly different direction than where I intended them to go. Blast those pesky characters!

Once the rough draft is complete, I begin – chapter by chapter – the flesh it all out and create the first real draft of the story, as it will stand. That is what gets sent off to my proofers/beta readers. They are the ones who get to see the story in its formative stages. After I take all of their feedback into account, I then send it off to my editor(s). Honestly, there is usually more than one editor who touches the finished draft.

Last step is to review all of the edits, do a final read-through and prep it for the publishing. (This last step is really a series of steps, but that is a tale for another day!)

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I’m sure that is more information than you expected and, yet, not nearly enough!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little glimpse into my writing world.

Next week, on March 31st, you’ll have the pleasure of reading all about the writing processes of these fine authors, who keep me inspired and on my toes every day!

Jonathan Black – author of the paranormal crime thriller, Jester, and several other wondrous novels (as well as being a founding member of Dark Red Press!).

JoAnna Grace – JoAnna is the author of Divine Destiny and Pride Before the Fall, she has been published by both PRP Press and Dark Red Press!