The Writer's Tag

Hello, everyone! Remember me? Yes, I'm still alive. I've just been too busy to blog or to write much. But my schedule has cleared up for a while, giving me more time to blog...and to write. I've seen The Writer's Tag on plenty of blogs, and most recently saw it on Hamlette's blog. I want this blog to be more than tags, but I've been meaning to make some posts about writing, so this seems like a good way to start. 

Without further ado...

1. What genres, styles, and topics do you write about?

I write science fiction and fantasy, especially fairy tale retellings. I would like to write in other genres, but I find that a story idea has to have a fun worldbuilding element in order to maintain my interest. Even my contemporary ideas have a fairy tale connection for my imagination to seize upon.

I write mostly in past-tense third-person-limited, but I’ve also done past-tense first-person, first-person epistolary, and a fragment of second-person future-tense. My style is relatively no-frills, mostly because I am wordy, and then I get bored rereading it, so I cut out the extra words.

I like writing about royalty, politics, and culture clashes. I love to write about people changing their worldviews and/or moving beyond traumas. I love to write family relationships, friendships, and romances built on friendship. I especially like romances and friendships between a practical, logical woman and a more emotional man. I like to explore questions of morality, philosophy, and religion. I also like to make up silly worldbuilding details. 

2. How long have you been writing? 

I’ve been writing for about twelve years now. (I feel old…).

3. Why do you write? 

Because I want to dig deeper into fairy tales and other stories that I love. Because I have characters and worlds that I want to explore. Because I want to explore questions within my own life. And because if I don’t write these books, no one else will.

4. When is the best time to write?

I get excited about writing in the morning, but I most often write late at night and in the very early morning hours. 

5. Parts of writing you love vs. parts you hate.

I love when story ideas start generating new ideas, and pieces start falling into place, and what started as a single image or concept suddenly becomes a vast new story and world. I hate when I reach that point, think, Yes, this is my next story, and then I start to write and realize that I only have two named characters and half of a plot and writing this story will be a lot more difficult than I thought.

I love when I’m in the middle of writing and unexpectedly come up with a new concept that makes the story more interesting and fills plot holes that I hadn’t even noticed in my outline. I dislike when my story takes ten times longer to write than it should because these new concepts keep throwing me off schedule.

I hate writing first drafts, because the story in my head is grand and bright and layered and the first draft is flat black-and-white words. I adore revising, because it allows me to develop those deeper layers and sculpt the story into what it’s supposed to be.  

6. How do you overcome writers block?

Usually I step back from the story and work on a different idea for a while. Which is why I have about twenty-five stories fighting for my attention right now, so I do not recommend this method. I also find songs that fit the mood of my story and use random things in my life for inspiration.

Since the Pinterest storyboard party, I've started using Pinterest boards more seriously, and it’s amazing. It helps me hold onto the mood and overall atmosphere of the story—so it feels like something I’ve already read and am just remembering. It helps to keep my enthusiasm up and even generates new ideas.

7. Are you working on something at the moment?  

I am unexpectedly working on a space opera retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” (It’s an idea I abandoned ages ago, but last week I started making a Pinterest board and suddenly found myself with an outline. My other stories feel betrayed.) I’d also really, really, really like to work on my non-magical fantasy in my Seafarers universe, but I’ve hit rock-hard writer’s block on that one. Hopefully, if I can finish this story, it will boost my confidence to try that one.

8. Writing goals this year? 

I want to finish at least the first draft of two works, one novel-length and one novella-length. Ideally this will be the space opera “Beauty and the Beast” and my Seafarers story, but I can’t be sure. I might wind up writing a space opera “Snow White” that takes place in the same universe as the “Beauty and the Beast” one, or another one of my ideas might suddenly jump up and demand attention. 

Not going to tag anyone...it feels like everyone has done this tag already! But if you haven't done it yet and would like a turn, feel free to join in the fun!