My Writing Process Blog Tour…Yep, this is how I roll!
I’ve been tagged by two of my favorite fellow authors, Carmen DeSousa and Synithia Williams (at two different times!) to participate in a blog tour where I share a little bit about my writing process. This is nothing new to me since I’ve blogged about it in the past. But, hey, there’s always something new to share! So, here we go!
What am I working on?
I’m taking a brief break from writing after publishing the third novel in The Butterfly Memoirs Series, Lonely Heart, on March 6, 2014. That doesn’t mean I don’t have the next book on the table! Before I start that manuscript, I actually have a teaching series that will be shared on my YouTube channel in the next few months. I’m putting the finishing touches on it now, so stay tuned for the release date!
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Good question! First of all, my writing isn’t found in just one genre. My stories are Contemporary Romance, but can also be found in Women’s Fiction and Interracial Romance. While I follow the rules of the genres, I also bend them, yeah; I’m a real bad girl! LOL! Instead of focusing on the female leads as the center of the story, I bring in the arm candy, the men in their lives, and give their journey just as much attention as the heroine’s. I prefer readers to watch my characters grow as individuals pursuing their own dreams and then as a couple. I focus on the reality of life, love, and relationships and not just the fantasy of falling in love. My characters relationships are organic, growing slowly over time, and are not love at first sight. And while each story has a satisfying ending, the journey there isn’t full of rainbows and happy moments. Love and relationships are tested. And when it’s all said and done, you feel confident that they will stay together.
Why do I write what I do?
Simply put, I write what I want to read. Before writing romance novels, I read Science Fiction, Mystery, and Action. I stumbled into reading Romance, and while I found stories I liked, I felt there was always something missing. When my journey to becoming an author began, I realized writing fantasy stories or whodunit’s weren’t for me. Real life, or Reality Romance, as I like to call it, is what came to mind and it’s what my stories are about. My goal is to entertain readers with characters they can relate to in stories that provide encouragement. I touch readers emotions…they laugh, cry, curse, and cheer for the characters, and in the end are satisfied with the journey.
How does your writing process work?
I’m meticulous and very detailed when creating my stories. I plot, a lot! There are specific steps that are taken to build the layers of not only the story, but more importantly the characters themselves. If you don’t put in the work needed to develop your characters, regardless how great of a story you may have, flat characters will kill it. Follow this link to find post I’ve shared over the years as I’ve developed my writing process, and stay tuned for the YouTube series where I will go into more depth about what I do.
So, that’s a bit about me. Now…who will I tag in this wonderful writing process game? *insert evil laugh….*
Tia Kelly, Chicki Brown, and Nia Forrester, you’re it! Look for post from these wonderful authors next week!
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Thank you for stopping by! I love to make new friends. Got questions or comments? Leave a comment, or connect with me online! If you’ve enjoyed this post, sign up for the monthly newsletter and follow this blog!
MJ
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