Monday 10 July 2017

Beautiful People #26 (my first time participating!)

Me: I should do a Beautiful People link-up post! talk about my characters to all the people who read my blog because apparently they have nothing better to do!
Me: *waits for post that isn't about family because my characters are all orphans*
Me: hooray new questions!
Beautiful People: today we're talking about you writers.
Me: ...
Me: close enough.

http://paperfury.com/beautiful-people-26-author-writing-process/


1. How do you decide which project to work on?


I shuffle through my folders and see which story captures my interest.
This may be the reason for the answer to Q2.


2. How long does it usually take you to finish a project?


Forever, apparently. At least - if we're talking novels - I haven't finished any yet. THIS WIP WILL BE THE ONE. (or not.)


3. Do you have any routines to put you in the writing mood?


Sit at my desk, open laptop, stare at wall, rearrange desk so everything is lined up and at right angles, stare at wall, listen to Owl City, stare at wall, switch to Pinterest tab, don't write.


4. What time of day do you write best?


I would love to be a morning writer. Not early morning, but after breakfast. I could get my writing done, then move on to other important things. Like Life (let's just pretend I have one).

Instead, I procrastinate and then have to stay up until eleven at night (that's REEEALLY LATE, okay guys??) and get my writing done then.


5. Are there any authors you think you have a similar style to?


I don't think I've been writing long/intensely enough to have developed a style. I do love the dry, understated humour of some classic children's books... but I don't think I have that in my writing.


6. Why did you start writing, and why do you keep writing?


BECAUSE AUTHORS ARE INCONSIDERATE AND HAVE NOT WRITTEN THE BOOKS I WANT TO READ.


7. What’s the hardest thing you’ve written?


Psychology assessments for university (I'm so glad I didn't continue that course)

Not to seem like a bad writer or anything, but if it's hard I kind of - leave? work on something else? or more likely forget writing altogether.


8. Is there a project you want to tackle someday but you don’t feel ready yet?


I have a heap of projects I started and then abandoned, with the intention of finishing them one day... that might count?

There was one I started and really loved the idea of, but it required more knowledge than I had about police procedure + hospital procedure + how do comas work? + how does amnesia work?? (If anyone has information about any of these, please comment and tell me!! It's set in Australia, though, so telling me about your sheriffs and PDs will be fascinating but unfortunately unhelpful.) It isn't exactly that I didn't feel ready; I just couldn't 'pants' my way through it, during NaNo, when important points rested on things I didn't know. (E.g. If a cop's girlfriend is under investigation for multiple murders, he's probably put on some temporary leave-thing, right?? But he had to be working on her case [up until she murdered his sister] because #plot more like #noplot. And what's the procedure for holding an amnesiac murder suspect in hospital?? Would they believe she has amnesia?? How severe can amnesia get, anyway, and what's that like??)


9. What writing goals did you make for 2017 and how are they going?


I didn't make a list of goals (maybe I should, next year? I might actually get something done??) But participating in April and July's Camps was certainly good... I think I'd like to finish the draft of Three Sisters (my WIP for both Camps) this year? Hopefully it will be going a lot better after July (and November, if necessary).


10. Describe your writing process in 3 words or a gif!


[I apologise for the grammar error. It wasn't me.]


So that's me + a few details of my writing life + my first time participating in the Beautiful People link-up! Want to talk about anything? Do we share any writing habits? (I hope not, for your sake.) Do you have some helpful advice or some information about comas or amnesia??

25 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. SSSO INCONSIDERATE OF THEM XD

      Thanks for understanding, Gray!!

      Delete
  2. Come on, girl! You can finish a WIP! *does cheerleading dance* *falls over feet because is not coordinated enough to do any kind of dance*

    I would love to be an early morning writer just like what you said, because it sounds so professional (and then I don't have to worry about it the rest of the day). However, I'm also sharing a room with a complete night owl who could care less if I'm trying to sleep. So I've become a night writer. But it's a good way to wind down the day, IMO, so I'm pretty happy with it, in the end.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Julian! I think my previous WIPs just haven't had enough body to them, if that makes sense? But I believe this one might! *tries to help you up* *ends up sprawled beside you*

      I wouldn't mind so much about writing at night if my parents didn't walk past my door going "Wow, isn't it late?? Good night! I'll see you in the morning! Sleep well!!". And then turning all the lights off. XD It's good you've got things worked out; I'm sure it can be hard sharing a room with a night owl!

      Delete
  3. The gif was the best thing ever. My goodness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought it was a particularly apt GIF, Faith ;) (His facial expressions, though! Gold!)

      Delete
  4. Yay you did Beautiful People!!! I've been looking forward to this. XD
    Unfortunately I don't know much about Aussie police or the way they work, sorry! Maybe there are a couple videos on Youtube...? :)
    Great post! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading, Melissa! Are you doing Beautiful People this month?

      I didn't think to try YouTube - thanks for the suggestion! (My list of options had sort of been whittled down to 'talk to a police officer', which was of course my LAST OPTION because it would involve talking to strangers?? so I'll definitely try YouTube first! ;)

      Delete
  5. That answer to #6 is beautiful- and I can relate!

    When I need medical information for stories, I go to redwoodsmedicaledge.com, or scriptmedicblog.com. They can help if you want to know about comas, but I don't remember if they have anything about amnesia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found that GIF and thought, "yusss..." xD

      Ooh, I'll check out those sites! Thanks, Blue; I'm sure they'll help!

      Delete
  6. I totally understand the agony of having a great idea for a story, but lacking the research (or the energy to DO the research) to actually make it make SENSE. I have a plot bunny about soldiers who crash their plane in the middle of enemy territory -- I have like a whole plot structure planned out, but I don't actually know ANYTHING about the army, or wars, or PLANES. *hands* That idea's going to have to stay on the back burner for a while, I guess!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely sympathise, Christina! Research requires energy and time that could be used writing, but without it, that story we really want to write will NOT make sense.
      I'm actually a bit afraid to research too intensely? because I might find a fact that makes my entire 'plot' no longer applicable, and I don't want it to die ;) Thanks for reading and commenting, and I hope your soldiers/planes story works out eventually!

      Delete
  7. Yes the Sherlock gif basically sums up my writing life too! That's a stupid idea! Whose idea was that! (And that's where my family wisely says nothing). Anyway, I enjoyed reading your answers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Family members usually know when NOT to answer, don't they! ;) I'm glad you enjoyed reading my answers, Chelsea - thanks for stopping by my blog!

      Delete
  8. I have said this before, I know, but dude, I think we are twins!! I have never finished a project either... it is so sad. BUT THIS TIME I WILL!!! TOTALLY!!! DEFINITELY!!!

    Also that story you wanted to write sounds... intense????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to hear it! - uh, I mean, that's very sad... but it's nice to know I'm not the only one who's never finished a full draft! But YOU CAN FINISH THIS ONE, Kate! *cheers you on*

      The story with the coma and the amnesia was going to be quite intense (if I could manage to write that), yes... I was looking forward to torturing them all, too. :'( [EMOTIONALLY... torturing them emotionally. I don't usually hurt my characters physically.]

      Delete
    2. You're definitely not the only one! We can totally do this!!!

      I can imagine. ;) I DO BOTH. No shame. :)

      Delete
    3. We CAN do this! *passes motivational lamingtons around*

      Delete
    4. ...WHAT'S A LAMINGTON HALP???

      Delete
    5. Lamingtons = squares of sponge cake coated in chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut. Sometimes we put two together with jam in the middle. They're really good xD

      Delete
    6. THEY SOUND DELICIOUS until you mentioned coconut. I'm sorry to say coconut is very yuck. But otherwise I think I would like.

      Delete
    7. Oh, well, without the coconut they're cake + chocolate icing, and no one could object to just those two ingredients ;)

      Delete
  9. You've reminded me that I was planning to do this linkup this month. I am also an after breakfast writer! At the moment I'm trying to do 2000 words a day for my second novel. (and avoiding thinking about the first one which I don't want to have to Deal With haha) I guess I'll say that so that I can Just Write, I leave a lot of things blank like [research this later] [come on shanti you can think of a name for this character] and then I go back and fix it ~later~ whenever that is.
    Shanti@Virtually Read

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2000 words a day is pretty good, Shanti! (way better than me, haha) Are you doing Camp Nano?

      I definitely have a list of projects I don't want to Deal With! And even the ones I AM working on, my writing tends to look a lot like: [name I should probably have thought of by now] entered [village that is barely going to be on two pages but still needs a name, how self-centred??]. I dread the editing stage!

      Thanks for visiting my blog, Shanti! :)

      Delete

rule 1: comment. or the owl will judge you
rule 2: no inappropriate language. or the owl will judge you.
rule 3: have fun. or the owl will judge you.
((rule 4: feed the owl, he likes cake))