Q&A Friday!!
This week we've dished on what we love about beaches and which ones we like the most, we've shared pool games and a mojito recipe, and we discussed how to balance writing research and vacation time.
Today, we'd like to pose this question: What story came easiest to you as a writer?
Labels: writing
posted by Mo H @ 8:49 AM
11 Comments:
My first published book, Where There's Smoke, just flowed for me. I think part of the reason was that it was a straight romance, no mystery or anything involved. And I "knew" the characters so well. I loved writing that book. They are certainly not all that easy. The one I just contracted with Samhain was practically written in blood, it was so hard.
My experience is much like MJ’s. My first book, The Man for Maggie, was completely different from anything I’d written before and was so much fun to write.
My current project has been started and stopped (due to personal health issues) too many times. I'm doing revisions right now and it’s brutal, but I’m committed to having it in my editor’s hands by the end of July.
MJ,
Isn't it great when the story just flows? I think you're right about subplots slowing us down at times.
Lee,
It is fun to write something different. Sometimes when we give ourselves permission to do that the writing just seems to flow. When I set out to write a YA, I let myself go, first person, etc. The first draft flowed out of me, but it needed revision. I didn't sell it until I'd revised and polished it. Haint Misbehavin' will be out in June 2010. My point is that sometimes the writing doesn't flow because we aren't having fun.
My first and second manuscripts flowed SO easily, but I'ts been been like pulling teeth ever since. Sometimes I feel like I've got an abundance of ideas but no clue how to turn them into sequential scenes.
Me, too, MaryC. I've a dozen partially written MSs, with only one finished. I did seem to write more freely before someone suggested I try to sell my stories. It's been more difficult ever since.
That's easy. The one that's still under the bed and will stay there. That's because I knew the plot very well but I didn't know I didn't knw how to write.
Most of my books have given me all kinds of darkest place stuff. But I think Fire Dance and Lady Wicked were at least books where the concept was clear to me from the beginning. Odd since both of those are essentially historical romantic suspense with complex, twisty-turny plots.
I just signed a contract for two connected short stories. They're straight detective stories, not romance, written in 1st person, and they were not only a lot of fun to write, but it was like I was channeling the protagonist, a detective.
Judy, I can totally relate to your situation. I love starting a new project, getting to know the characters, etc. Those first three chapters flow like warm honey.
I am not a plotter, though, and midway into the book the writing gets a lot tougher. I often write scenes, even whole chapters, that have to be cut or seriously revised because they’re not working.
Now I’m going to give you an oh-so-gentle nudge and suggest that you pick one of those partial manuscripts—one that you really love—and challenge yourself to finish it. Dangle a carrot. Maybe tell yourself you can’t start anything new until you’ve completed that one.
If publication is your goal, you’ll most likely need a complete manuscript to reach it. Some writers do make a first sale with a partial, but it’s not all that common. The bonus in your case will be having that inventory of partials ready to go.
So consider yourself nudged. With affection, of course ;)
Terry, congratulations on the sale of those short stories! Where and when can we expect to see them?
Lee, Thanks -
The stories will be in an anthology from Highland Press. No details yet, but I'll definitely be keeping my blog and website updated as things move forward.
LOL!! Thanks for the nudge, Lee! I'll take it, as soon as I've transitioned from my PC to my Mac. I'm seriously stressing.
As to those chapters or scenes that don't work in one story, where do you think those other stories started? ;-)
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