Last week, Heather McCubbin invited me to join her in the “My Writing Process” Blog Hop. I was flattered to be included and said, “Yes, I’m in!” Heather is a published author who blogs about her works in progress and bookish thoughts, and writes book reviews. You can visit her here at Pushing the Pen.
The idea of this blog hop is to write about how we write. What makes the creative juices flow? Then we introduce three more writers who will talk about their processes the following week. So, on with the show!
* * * * *
I write best in an empty house with complete silence. No people, no phones, no other distractions around me. I know some people listen to music when they write, but I’ve never been able to do that. Music has a powerful effect on me and takes over my brain, drowning out creative thought. Even conversations in other rooms tug at the threads of my thoughts until the scene I’m trying to build unravels. Happily, though, my kids have gotten good at doing quiet things for the few hours I snatch during the summer weeks when they’re home on school vacation. As much as I enjoy having them home, I have to say I’m much more productive when they’re in school.
When I do get a quiet moment to sit down to write, I start by reading the last few pages from my previous session to get back into my character’s mind. Usually I have a general idea of how the next scene should go, but sometimes I don’t. Either way, I let my character lead me through it. When I’m on a roll, it’s like watching a movie in my mind and the words tumble out of my head so fast I can hardly write them down fast enough.
I don’t use an outline. I know the beginnings of my stories and the endings and some of the major points in between. The rest I create as I go, following the paths of my characters as they live out their adventures. I also love drawing maps of the fictional worlds my characters inhabit. I have a sketchbook full of maps and timelines and illustrations of places that help me visualize the various settings.
My stories are always in my head. I plot scenes while doing mundane chores like washing dishes, doing laundry, and mowing the lawn. I think about them all the time, no matter where I am. Creating stories is almost as integral to my life as breathing. When I can’t write for a few days due to whatever circumstances, I go through withdrawal and get REALLY cranky. I’m blessed, though, because my family is tolerant and encouraging of my need to write. I couldn’t imagine living any other way.
* * * * *
The Blog Hop continues with these awesome writers — Melissa Janda, N. J. Magas, and Sonia Lal. I met them during the April A to Z Blogging Challenge. Melissa’s blog, A Time to Write, overflowed with great writing tips and advice. N. J., in her blog Diary of an Aspiring Writer, wrote amusingly about the books in her library, while Sonia’s Story Treasury entertained with short fiction and bookish topics. I enjoyed their posts and, as a newbie blogger, very much appreciated their support of mine. Here they are in their own words:
Melissa Janda: After two decades climbing the proverbial corporate ladder, I “retired” to spend more time with my kids and pursue my dream of becoming an author. I discovered my passion for writing while composing a short story for my husband. I had no idea how profoundly the process would affect me. I was transported to another place where hours ticked by like minutes. I found it puzzling how a collection of sentences or even a solitary phrase I wrote could evoke such emotion. I’m sure it had a lot to do with the subject, but my love affair with writing began that day.
I completed my first novel in March 2013 and after a series of rejections, I realized I had much to learn. I started blogging that same month and have been honing my craft ever since. I’m currently working on a YA series I started during NaNoWriMo 2013.
I live in central Texas with my husband (the love of my life and greatest supporter), my son and daughter who continually floor me with their perspective on life (seeing life through their eyes is a gift), and two dogs (a Lab mix we rescued from the side of the road and a Maltipoo that came special delivery one Christmas via Bella the elf).
When not writing, I feed the muse by spending time with family, reading, or doing something creative (decorating, scrapbooking, crafting, drawing, party-planning, and photography). To combat writer’s block, I run, bike, swim, or do something physical. It works every time.
I’ve recently caught a severe case of wanderlust and will be visiting Ireland with my family in the fall. Hmm…it might just be the setting of my next novel. http://melissajanda.wordpress.com/
N. J. Magas: N J Magas lives in Kyoto, Japan where she writes fantasy, science fiction, and horror. When she’s not hunched over a keyboard flushing out the voices, she’s practicing kendo, or kyudo or any number of other, non-weaponized activities. http://njmagas.wordpress.com/
Sonia Lal: Sonia Lal has been an avid reader her entire life, but she only became a fantasy and science fiction reader sometime in junior high. This, oddly, is the same time as she started to write and her first stories were fantasy. Her fiction is still mostly fantasy. On rare occasions, she will write pieces in other genres.
When she is not writing or reading, she may be found gazing out the window and listening to music, or watching TV (and by TV, she means a real TV or Netflix or YouTube or some other video). http://storytreasury.wordpress.com/
Melissa and N. J. will be posting about their writing processes on Monday, July 7th, and Sonia will post in a couple of weeks when things quiet down for her. Hope you enjoy their blogs as much as I do!
I loved reading about your writing process Lori! There are definitely some similarities to mine. And thank you for the kind words. So glad to have met you during A to Z!
LikeLike
Thanks, Melissa! I’m really glad, too, that we met, and I’m looking forward to reading about your writing process.
LikeLike
I knew I loved your blog; we have the same writing process (except I can listen to some music while I write). When I was writing back in high school, I’d go through the Sears and Penney’s Catalog and cut out the models I thought looked most like my characters so I understand what you mean when you have visual stimuli to help you write. Thanks for participating in the Hop!
LikeLike
Ha – My sister and I used to glue the catalog models to cardboard, but out the other clothes and voila – paper dolls. We spent hours on our stairs with our cousins playing with those dolls. Only one cousin could afford the real paper dolls (Lennon Sisters).
LikeLike
That’s great! I applaud your creativity!
LikeLike
What a great idea! I didn’t think to try that. Thanks for inviting me to do the Hop! It was fun!
LikeLike
Congratulations on being part of the Blog Hop. I follow (and enjoy) Melissa, and look forward to reading your other two recommendations.
LikeLike
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the other two blogs as much as I do.
LikeLike
Ah, this is so much the way I write, too. Except that I can listen to music as long as it doesn’t have lyrics. I can’t imagine life without characters in my head. You explained this very nicely!
LikeLike
Thanks, Kari Jo! I’d like to listen to music when I write, but even instrumentals create images in my head that distract me. I see stories in the music, which is fine, except that it keeps me from making any progress on the story I’m supposed to be working on.
LikeLike
Hi Lori, thanks for sharing your process! I’m a “write in silence” person, too. 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, good, there is another one out there. 🙂
LikeLike
Pantser! I totally identify.
I can’t listen to anything with lyrics. Music doesn’t move me as much, when they aren’t saying anything. But if they’re speaking to me, then my mind derails.
LikeLike
Yes, a pantser through and through. I don’t know what there is about it, but the power of the melody just takes over my mind to the exclusion of most everything else.
LikeLike
I can’t write with music on either, but sometimes I go for piano instrumentals 🙂 I used to write with a clear beginning and ending of my story and just let the events in between flow by itself too, but I realize I went way out of hand, so now I write with a rough guide for every chapter to keep my writing in check. Heh.
LikeLike
It’s funny how stories go in unexpected directions sometimes. I’m glad you found a way to keep your writing where it needs to be.
LikeLike
My process is actually very similar to yours, Lori!
LikeLike
Are you a pantser too? I’m looking forward to reading all about your writing process!
LikeLike
I am! I finally wrote the post!
LikeLike
Great! I’m heading over there now.
LikeLike
I also can’t listen to music when writing. Music takes me to different places than story-land. And thinking about stories while doing mundane chores is some of the best thinking time there is. I’ve had some of my best ideas either while cleaning, or while drifting off to sleep. 🙂
LikeLike
I so agree!
LikeLike
Pingback: In the Black Abyss Without a Light or My Writing Process | Diary of an Aspiring Writer