Thank you to JoAnne Kenrick – www.joannekenrick.com – for inviting me to this Blog Hop. This particular hop was and is being circulated by word of mouth, which I think is awesome. And I love when a lot of writers come together to share experiences, thoughts and readers can get different points of views and techniques about writing from diverse individuals. It’s always interesting to learn how others writing process works for them, and gives me so much to think about as far as what might not be working for me at the moment, and I can try something else. So thanks again, JoAnne! *g*

All writers were given four questions to respond to, and here are my responses.  Enjoy!
1)      What am I working on?

I am working on the first of a cowboy series. It is all outlined and plotted, intricate details all worked out – in my head! – and while I have never written cowboys before, I am very much looking forward to completing the whole series. The heroes are a handful and definitely know what they want. It’s a push and pull battle a little bit between them and me, but overall it will all work out in the end. I enjoy a good battle.

2)     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think it is the characters that differ from others. In my opinion, each author sees their characters different. I mean, in real life, no two people are alike. And the same can be said for Fiction. We all have different views on what makes heroes/heroines wonderful, what their values and such are, and how they handle themselves. As well, my voice and writing style are my own. I’m diverse in the genres I write, as well as the elements in the stories.

3)     Why do I write what I do?

I have always loved Contemporary Romances. I started reading them at a young age and they’re always the go-to stories when I need a break from day to day stuff. And the Muse finds Contemporary stories a lot more pleasing! She is the driver of this ride, though I try to take over, but she keeps me coming back to it again and again. While I do dabble with a bit of the Paranormal, and have plans for a Wolf series, the Contemporary genre gives me peace and comfort the other genres don’t. As well, I know my strengths and weaknesses. I’m not a huge fan of Sci-Fi or Historical stories/movies. I do have a very small few authors that write in those genres that I like, but the list is very small. Those two genres are ones I will never write in. I know I wouldn’t be comfortable or be able to excel at it. I think it’s very important for authors to write what they are comfortable in.

4)     How does your writing process work?

Sometimes I’m a plotter, other times a punster. It really (for me) depends on the story. If it’s a short story, I hit the ground running and hard. Fuller/longer pieces I map them out and hope I stay on course. I never write without having a clear picture in my head – like a movie reel – with the plot, the setting and location. Sometimes I don’t even know the character’s names and use *** or +++ as place holders to come back to later. I try to get the first draft at least written then spend a couple weeks going back through it, adding the intricately woven pieces to the puzzles, details and enhancing the plot. As well, I like to go back through each MS and dig deeper into the characters, pushing their boundaries and strengths.

No story is complete without multiple read throughs, additions to all the points I mentioned above. And quite often I can get sick of the story because I have read it so many times. But by the time it’s time to go through edits with my Editors from any publisher, I fall back in love with the characters and story.

For me, and it probably is a too long process sometimes, it’s a long process from first draft to complete because I like to go back through each story so many times and try to perfect every aspect. But it’s a process that I love and wouldn’t change for anything. Each author has their own way of accomplishing each story but it’s always a circle of hard work, blood, sweat and tears, as well as immense love for what we do.

 

Check out some of my friends below over the next week or so. Learn what they do differently than I do, and get to know them.

May 11 — Elise Marion
Elise Marion is a lover books and has a special place in her heart for sweet and sensual romance. Writing about love across all walks of life is her passion, as is reaching people through the written word. The Army wife and stay-at-home mother of three spends most of her time taking care of her children. Her second job includes writing stories about characters that people can fall in love with. When the Texas native isn’t caring for her family or writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, singing loudly, or cooking up something new in the kitchen.

May 14 — Layna Pimentel
Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Layna discovered her love of reading at an early age. When she isn’t devouring salacious romance novels or writing, she enjoys losing herself in researching ancient history and mythology, weaponry, and hiking. She lives in Northern Ontario, with her husband and two daughters.
Layna is a member of the Romance Writers of America, creator of the Romance Author at Large blog, and is a monthly contributor at 69 Shades of Smut. For updates on her upcoming releases, or to leave her a comment, you can find at:

Blog/Website: www.laynapimentel.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LaynaPimentel

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorLaynaPimentel

Want to be the first to catch some sneak peeks into my upcoming releases, subscribe to my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/FOPP1

A Gentleman Always Finds Out will be releasing later this month with Secret Cravings Publishing.

 

May 15 – Jessica E Subject
Jessica E. Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. And if you’re looking for something really steamy, check out her erotica stories written as Paisley Brown.
When Jessica isn’t reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.
Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers.

 

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