A writing meme! Talking about me with the authoring thing will cheer me up!
Ganked from betacandy! Whee.
1. Do you outline?
Yup. I have the memory of a goldfish, people! How else would I remember my chronological genius? (Though, do I always stick with said outline? No. I often swap things around, add/subtract events, or completely disregard sections. But really, isn't that what you're supposed to do with an outline?)
2. Do you write straight through a book, or do you sometimes tackle the scenes out of order?
90 percent of the time I go from start to finish. The only exception is with my djinn book, where I have scenes written anachronistically all over. Of course, the djinn novel is my baby. It's what got me started on the writing biz in the first place. Hell, maybe one day I'll even finish it!
3. Do you prefer writing with a pen or using a computer?
Depends on my mood, really. I'd say for flow purposes, I like the computer. That way I type out as fast as I'm thinking. But when I'm stuck on something or want a scene to have a certain flare, I'll pen it.
4. Do you prefer writing in first person or third?
First. Writing first-person is easy-mode. You have one person's thoughts to keep track of at all times. And sure, as an author, you have to keep tabs on all of your characters, but it takes less energy with me. Or maybe the djinn book (3rd) was just exhausting because I put too much pressure on it being perfect...
5. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, do you create a playlist, listen randomly, or pick a single song that fits the book?
Depeche Mode songs on repeat got me through writing my first novel in 30 days (Nano). After hearing the songs over and over, the words no longer distract and the mood set by the music was perfect. I do like music when I write, but I have to be very selective, due to the lyric distraction factor. (Also? If I'm writing a sexy scene, I like popping in Enigma.)
6. How do you come up with the perfect names for your characters?
They normally come from my head without much brain-storming. Names have a certain feel to them. A certain character, and so it's pretty easy for me to go, "Well, this person is clearly ___." But there's some tough ones that require a baby dictionary, sure. And sometimes you just need to talk about what kind of name you're looking for and someone will just spout a name out and it'll click. (That's what happened with Inari.)
7. When you're writing, do you ever imagine your book as a television show or movie?
Eliza Dushku is SO playing Talia.
8. Have you ever had a character insist on doing something you really didn't want him/her to do?
In RP? All the time. In novels? Eh, not as frequently. Now, there'll be times a character will do something I wasn't expecting and I'll balk for a moment... but usually I like what direction that caused things to turn. Otherwise, I'd fire their ass! Yeah!
9. Do you know how a book is going to end when you start it?
No way. I mean, unless I have the outline done and start the novel... but otherwise, no way. But then again, the idea of just starting a book from scratch sans outline... *Shudder*
10. Where do you write?
It seems work has become my main place... which is probably why I hardly get any done! Stupid phones constantly ringing! My computer at home works too, but that hasn't happened in a long long time. I've written at restaurants before too; Starbucks, the library...
11. What do you do when you get writer's block?
Swap projects. Currently, I'm editing one novel, writing on another, and outlining a third. Yeah, I'm covered.
12. What size increments do you write in (either in terms of word count, or as a percentage of the book as a whole)?
Gods, this is such an epeen question. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I've been getting only a paragraph or so done a day of late (if that). Really, I don't have a set pattern. Sometimes I'm in a zone, and I'll get a thousand or more done in a sitting. And sometimes I have to force 750 words out after a penning here and there all day. And sometimes I type a sentence and say, "Hey, that's a pretty sentence!" and then leave it at that.
13. How many different drafts did you write for your last project?
Pfft, you make it sound like I've finished something enough that it's OUT of the drafting process. PFFT. Drafts were definitely my downfall with the djinn book. I got too obsessed with perfection. My Nano novel went much better due to not re-reading what I wrote until I finished. Talia is inbetween. I'll write out a chapter and then edit it for grammatical errors (or any inconsistencies I noticed), but ignore blatant awfulness of prose or what-have-you. When it's all done, I'll edit it again, and then either have an editor read it over for another draft... or maybe just me again. *Shrug*
14. Have you ever changed a character's name midway through a draft?
Nope. An outline? Yes. But after I've started a story in prose, it kills me to change their name. It's a part of them. I can't just poof a different name on them. That'd freak me out.
15. Do you let anyone read your book while you're working on it, or do you wait until you've completed a draft before letting someone else see it?
wondervixen is my cheerleader! rune_karidan needs to get his ass in gear and start writing again so we can do our coffee/writing chat sessions again! :P Otherwise, I don't normally let people read a book until I've at least finished a second draft.
16. What do you do to celebrate when you finish a draft?
Sugar and distance.
17. One project at a time, or multiple projects at once?
Multiple! The ideas, they don't let up!
18. Do your books grow or shrink in revision?
Grow. I'm one of those weird authors that despises detail. I let dialougue explain scenes more than anything. So when I edit, I have to deal with the fact that I really should describe more.
19. Do you have any writing or critique partners?
rune_karidan abandoned me. ;_;
20. Do you prefer drafting or revising?
Drafting. Dear gods, there are people that prefer revising over drafting?? UGH.
The first draft is the most fun, IMHO. You get to fling out your characters and plot with everything new and fresh! But revising... is just beating things out so that they're shiny... like an armor-smith! And, well, they get all sweaty and worn out from it! *Beat* Okay, maybe I don't get sweaty...
1. Do you outline?
Yup. I have the memory of a goldfish, people! How else would I remember my chronological genius? (Though, do I always stick with said outline? No. I often swap things around, add/subtract events, or completely disregard sections. But really, isn't that what you're supposed to do with an outline?)
2. Do you write straight through a book, or do you sometimes tackle the scenes out of order?
90 percent of the time I go from start to finish. The only exception is with my djinn book, where I have scenes written anachronistically all over. Of course, the djinn novel is my baby. It's what got me started on the writing biz in the first place. Hell, maybe one day I'll even finish it!
3. Do you prefer writing with a pen or using a computer?
Depends on my mood, really. I'd say for flow purposes, I like the computer. That way I type out as fast as I'm thinking. But when I'm stuck on something or want a scene to have a certain flare, I'll pen it.
4. Do you prefer writing in first person or third?
First. Writing first-person is easy-mode. You have one person's thoughts to keep track of at all times. And sure, as an author, you have to keep tabs on all of your characters, but it takes less energy with me. Or maybe the djinn book (3rd) was just exhausting because I put too much pressure on it being perfect...
5. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, do you create a playlist, listen randomly, or pick a single song that fits the book?
Depeche Mode songs on repeat got me through writing my first novel in 30 days (Nano). After hearing the songs over and over, the words no longer distract and the mood set by the music was perfect. I do like music when I write, but I have to be very selective, due to the lyric distraction factor. (Also? If I'm writing a sexy scene, I like popping in Enigma.)
6. How do you come up with the perfect names for your characters?
They normally come from my head without much brain-storming. Names have a certain feel to them. A certain character, and so it's pretty easy for me to go, "Well, this person is clearly ___." But there's some tough ones that require a baby dictionary, sure. And sometimes you just need to talk about what kind of name you're looking for and someone will just spout a name out and it'll click. (That's what happened with Inari.)
7. When you're writing, do you ever imagine your book as a television show or movie?
Eliza Dushku is SO playing Talia.
8. Have you ever had a character insist on doing something you really didn't want him/her to do?
In RP? All the time. In novels? Eh, not as frequently. Now, there'll be times a character will do something I wasn't expecting and I'll balk for a moment... but usually I like what direction that caused things to turn. Otherwise, I'd fire their ass! Yeah!
9. Do you know how a book is going to end when you start it?
No way. I mean, unless I have the outline done and start the novel... but otherwise, no way. But then again, the idea of just starting a book from scratch sans outline... *Shudder*
10. Where do you write?
It seems work has become my main place... which is probably why I hardly get any done! Stupid phones constantly ringing! My computer at home works too, but that hasn't happened in a long long time. I've written at restaurants before too; Starbucks, the library...
11. What do you do when you get writer's block?
Swap projects. Currently, I'm editing one novel, writing on another, and outlining a third. Yeah, I'm covered.
12. What size increments do you write in (either in terms of word count, or as a percentage of the book as a whole)?
Gods, this is such an epeen question. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I've been getting only a paragraph or so done a day of late (if that). Really, I don't have a set pattern. Sometimes I'm in a zone, and I'll get a thousand or more done in a sitting. And sometimes I have to force 750 words out after a penning here and there all day. And sometimes I type a sentence and say, "Hey, that's a pretty sentence!" and then leave it at that.
13. How many different drafts did you write for your last project?
Pfft, you make it sound like I've finished something enough that it's OUT of the drafting process. PFFT. Drafts were definitely my downfall with the djinn book. I got too obsessed with perfection. My Nano novel went much better due to not re-reading what I wrote until I finished. Talia is inbetween. I'll write out a chapter and then edit it for grammatical errors (or any inconsistencies I noticed), but ignore blatant awfulness of prose or what-have-you. When it's all done, I'll edit it again, and then either have an editor read it over for another draft... or maybe just me again. *Shrug*
14. Have you ever changed a character's name midway through a draft?
Nope. An outline? Yes. But after I've started a story in prose, it kills me to change their name. It's a part of them. I can't just poof a different name on them. That'd freak me out.
15. Do you let anyone read your book while you're working on it, or do you wait until you've completed a draft before letting someone else see it?
wondervixen is my cheerleader! rune_karidan needs to get his ass in gear and start writing again so we can do our coffee/writing chat sessions again! :P Otherwise, I don't normally let people read a book until I've at least finished a second draft.
16. What do you do to celebrate when you finish a draft?
Sugar and distance.
17. One project at a time, or multiple projects at once?
Multiple! The ideas, they don't let up!
18. Do your books grow or shrink in revision?
Grow. I'm one of those weird authors that despises detail. I let dialougue explain scenes more than anything. So when I edit, I have to deal with the fact that I really should describe more.
19. Do you have any writing or critique partners?
rune_karidan abandoned me. ;_;
20. Do you prefer drafting or revising?
Drafting. Dear gods, there are people that prefer revising over drafting?? UGH.
The first draft is the most fun, IMHO. You get to fling out your characters and plot with everything new and fresh! But revising... is just beating things out so that they're shiny... like an armor-smith! And, well, they get all sweaty and worn out from it! *Beat* Okay, maybe I don't get sweaty...