How Would You Describe Yourself as an author?
I think that I would describe myself as an eclectic author. I have a tendency to read and write in multiple genres. Sure, this is frowned on by the general writing industry due to marketing difficulties and audience building, but, for me, writing in different genres and styles keeps me honest. Creative juices flow when I don’t feel restricted.
Where’s your favorite place to write?
It used to be Starbucks, but the way COVID-19 came in and shut the planet down… I’d say I love to write on my back porch. I have a covered porch with an acre of land to gaze into. There’s not much noise and I’m close to the kitchen for snacks!
Would you say you are a “pants-er” or a “plotter?”
Oh, I’m definitely a pants-er! I have tried doing both and found that the outline tended to make me feel like I had to have all of the exact answers in that moment. I even found that I was spending more time on a “perfect outline” rather than mapping a guideline to get the story written. When I pants my way through, I set rules. Certain questions need to be answered and I never end a writing session without knowing where I’m going next. I have also studied story structure. The stories I write must follow certain highs and lows to achieve the balance I need to ensure I really throat-punch my readers with all the feels at the right time. So, I write where the story takes me and plot the next step before I’m done with that writing session.
Coffee or tea drinker?
Coffee. I may even have a mild addiction to the black elixer. Matter of fact, if you decide after checking out my site today that you really want to patent some type of over-the-counter Caffeine IV, let me know. I might be your first patron.
NaNo WriMo: Yes or No?
Yes! I mean, No! Well… maybe. I tend to push harder in November to meet certain goals that I tend to find myself postponing into the future date of never. I usually set “Get this done” goals for my writing during that month, but as far as deep diving into the NaNo WriMo craze, I tend to opt out. But who knows? By the time November gets here, I may be ready to be all in.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
That’s a tough one. Maybe mimicry? Basically when I come across a superpower that I really like or even need that day, I can tap in and “borrow” it for a short time. Running late to some engagement and run across someone with super-speed? Yes. I will be borrowing that from ya. I really don’t know, though. I feel like there was a certain “spider dude” that said something about “power” and “responsibility.” Saving the planet and all that jazz. And I’m not ready to make that kind of a commitment just yet.
What kind of music do you listen to when you write?
I actually really like instrumental music. It’s a “be productive” trigger for me. I believe that I may have trained my mind like Pavlov’s Dog. Hear the music, get some words on the page, get a treat. Every time it comes on, it triggers my mind like “show time” *Pops fingers. Skims fingers rapidly across keyboard. Getting it done.* Songs with lyrics tend to distract me. I grew up dancing so I would get really into the musicality of the song and forget I should be writing. That’s how I ended up falling in love with instrumental music as a writing companion.
Let me know on social media if you have any other questions that you would like for me to answer and you may see it added to this page! Enjoy the rest of your tour of my site!
Who is your favorite author?
Well, this is hard. I actually think that this has changed over time due to how I have grown as an author myself. I can say that Karen Marie Moning may have been the author to upend everything I thought I knew about the fantasy genre. Legit had me SHOOK. I pride myself on guessing exactly what would happen next – some times I’m excited I figured it out, while other times I’m disappointed that it feels predictable. I could not guess a SINGLE thing in her Fever series. It was layered and well crafted and had me on the edge of my seat. I go back to that series when I hit a reading slump and need to read something that I KNOW will be complex enough to keep me engaged. I have a few others I really like, but KMM nailed it on so many levels for me.
What do you do when you get writer’s block?
Well, I’m about to say something that will probably trigger a ripple in the author space-time continuum, but hear me out. I truly believe that “writer’s block” is not real. GASP! SHOCK AND AWE! SURPRISE! In the words of Kevin Hart “She wasn’t ready!!!” I’m going to ask the author Nazi’s standing at my proverbial door with the grammar pitchforks and counter-argument stones to consider this. Why is it that there is no other profession with an excusable “block” that will let the employee get away with a day off to recover? “I’m sorry, Mr. Manager. Today I have ‘builder’s block’ and I won’t be able to ‘construction work.’ May I be excused?” Not. Going. To happen. With that being said, I think that writer’s block is just the evidence of depleting the creative well. Serious writers have to make writing a priority, not a “thing that I do some times when I am not feeling blocked.” That’s the difference between a “writer” and an “author.” Make writing a habit and never end a writing session without an idea of where the book is going next. At the end of the day, this is YOUR project and this “block” could very well be you simply procrastinating. Writing is HARD and it is the author’s job to problem solve how to get your character in and out of sticky predicaments. That’s kind of the whole point of being a writer. So stop complaining, suck it up, and write the book! (Says the author still struggling to stop procrastinating, but that’s a story for another time.) Whew! That was long-winded response. To sum it up, I stop procrastinating and just write it, even if I have to use a placeholder for thought or two.