The idea of the #MyWritingProcess blog post is to get to know how other writers do what they do. I thoroughly enjoyed reading others’, so I’m doing my own (if anyone cares or wants to do one too). I stole this from The Brazen Bibliophile and The Write Shadow. Both awesome bloggers and tweeters, so check them out! Here is the quote that’s supposed to be included with the blog post:

“We writers share these things, but informally during workshops and at conferences (and, for a handful of established writers, in printed interviews), but not so much through our open-forum blogs. With the hashtag #MyWritingProcess, you can learn how writers all over the world answer the same four questions. How long it takes one to write a novel, why romance is a fitting genre for another, how one’s playlist grows as the draft grows, why one’s poems are often sparked by distress over news headlines or oddball facts learned on Facebook…”

What am I working on?

Writing curriculum for seventh grade World History! Oh, that’s not what they meant? Well, it’s still what I’m currently writing and a good example of what gets in the way of writing novels! I haven’t written anything new in nearly six weeks, which is rather depressing for me…

Right now I’m doing a third round of edits on my Native Fairy story. I did the first round (spelling, punctuation, and grammar only), while writing. I did the second round in the months after I finished (word use, continuity, added needed scenes or lines, description, etc.). Now it’s my editor’s turn! I’ve actually been avoiding them; bad writer! I keep telling myself it’s to give myself some space from the story, but really I think I needed a break after five months straight of writing and editing and querying… You get my point! Also adding 20-40K to my Timekeeper novel. Will finish edits by next week hopefully so I can start one of the dozen plots I have waiting!

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Native Fairy centers around Native American Folklore, with Gaelic and Faerie myths as well. I tried to weave in History and mythology from around the world with thoroughly modern characters. I’ve been told it is a Native American YA Percy Jackson! I have always loved mythology, especially when an author took it and made it unique. But there is a serious lack of Native American stories in writing, let alone any diversity in YA. Its urban fantasy, but minus magic wands or vampires and werewolves. 

Why do I write what I do?

Growing up, I preferred female authors and main characters, but they rarely go on adventures or are relegated to being the sidekick. Ender and bean went into space to fight Aliens. Harry fought Voldemort and many other adversaries multiple times while also growing up and doing well in magic school. I want my girls to be strong and smart, but also good friends and fall in love. I want them to be the “chosen one” without ever mentioning prom or getting married. I want them to seek revenge through violence, rule a country without needing a man, and generally kick ass even though their name is Genevieve or Elise. I want them to grow as people, so my readers can learn form them.

How does my writing process work?

An image in my head is almost always first, followed shortly by a character. With The Timekeeper Trials, I saw a young woman standing at the window, overlooking a desolate land as she is told she was chosen. Then I plotted out the world and the supporting characters and started writing. Research is also a huge part. I want to see images of clothes and places. Love hotel tours and google maps! With Native Fairy, it was a scene. I saw my main character as a young girl cutting the tips off her ears after being adopted. That scene became a memory in the first two pages of the story. With the next book I want to write, it was a concept. What if all the fairy tale characters were really crazy and lived in a mental ward? 

I prefer to write in the afternoon, when the light is great for typing without a lamp on, and I’m well fed and fully awake. I have never written anything down on paper. When an idea comes for a scene or line, I use my voice recording app on my phone. It takes me two-three months to write a whole novel, then another month or two to edit it. I edit as a I go, usually a chapter or two at a time, but also make sure my editor has them as soon as they’re done. She’s great at seeing plot holes. So it works, when I have time to sit for hours on end!

I hope you enjoyed my writing process! Share yours in the comments or post your own!