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Thursday, March 10, 2011

The 12 Question Writing MeMe



On my glorious strolls through the Internet land, I come across some interesting things. One recently is a bunch of Writing MeMe's. This one I liked because it helps show what type of writing style you have.



What’s Your Writing Style?

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”
I'm both. I will know the basic plot of a story, know everything about my characters and what is supposed to happen to them. I will sometimes even know my ending. But, so far I never continue with what I originally planned. My characters change, more are added. The plot thickens, or fizzles to nothing. Even a thought out ending can take a turn to an unrecognizable story. So even with all my planning, I never end up with what I started with.



2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as a I
write”?
I have to have a full out bio on my characters. But not necessarily before I start writing. Sometimes I need to feel out my characters before I even give them full life. Despite the fact that I completely suck at naming my characters, there are times where I just don't even want to give them one yet. It's like they have to find their own names. It's kind of amazing how that happens. How they come to life for us.


3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you
start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing?
That depends. Like I said in the previous question, there are times where I have them figured out before I even begin the first sentence. Then there are times where I don't know much about them except that they are male or female and usually a teenager. I think I feel that if I have some sort of order about my characters and plot that it will help me move along better. Even if I change them and or the plot 100 times later on.


4. Books on plotting – useful or harmful?
I think that is a "to each his own". Some people, like myself need guidence sometimes. Helpful books can just open a door to something you didn't realize you already knew, or make way for you to branch off from those ideas with your own.


5. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit
down and work?
This is a definite 50/50 for me. Once upon a time I had the itch to write so bad that it completely consumed me. Everything I did, everyone I talked to reflected on whatever I was going to write later on that day. Even my dreams were filled with whatever story I was working on. Everything was about those stories. Then for too long a period of time, I was the biggest procrastinator. I kept telling myself everyday, "oh yeah.. I'll write tomorrow." Well tomorrow never came and I went over a year without writing. A whole year! I had legit excuses, but they weren't anything but excuses after time. Now, I'm just trying to get back in the writing game and find myself again. I love the writing itch!


6. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write
for hours at a time?
Unfortunately as of right now, it's mainly short bursts of creative energy. I used to sit for hours and write. Now it's whatever's floating around in my mind gets pushed out onto the computer and when my brain is empty of any recent thoughts, the writing is done. I hate it. It sadens me terribly. But some is better than none.


7. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?
Neither. I'm a late at night writer. Which completely sucks because I need to be up early every morning. But that is my only peace and quiet time. I need to try to train myself to write early in the morning and while all the kids are in school. Also write at night before I go to bed, but not all night like I usually tend to do if I get in my writing mode enough.


8. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting,
or do you need complete silence to concentrate?
I need background noise. Mostly music. But I can handle having a movie on. Sometimes it inspires me. I could definitely write in a cafe or Barnes and Noble. In my case though, I'm 90% of the time trying to concentrate with 3 kids being kids around me.


 9. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)
I'm all computer. I have at typewriter that was my bff for the longest time. I chose that over the computer for many years. But I've been spoiled with technology it seems. Longhand wont work because I can't write as fast as I think. Typing I can at least keep up.


10. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One?
Sometimes. But like I said earlier, it almost always changes. I think I like having that foundation though. Something to work with and mold into something better.


11. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?
It does. But what's good is that a lot of what sells now [in YA] is pretty much on the same page of what I always wrote myself.


12. Editing – love it or hate it?
I must love it. I seem to do that more than actual writing. I spend more time fixing than I do anything else. Instead of just writing everything out that comes to mind, I'm looking back on what I just wrote 5 minutes before and fixing it until it sounds perfect. Takes up way too much time. I think this is a bittersweet subject for me.



3 comments:

  1. Our writing styles sound pretty similar. I both plot and allow the story to develop as I go and I'm big on having my characters fully fleshed out before I even start! While I love editing though (it's my favorite part) I don't touch the story until the first draft is done.

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  2. That's awesome! It’s nice to know I'm not the only one. A lot of authors I see just sit and let everything gather together as they write. I really can't do that lol. And... I WISH! It's like I critique every paragraph I write as I write them. It takes up way too much time and makes me very frustrated. I need to teach myself to not do that.

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  3. :) It's fascinating to read this. I'm also a mix of plotter and pantser myself, and think that it's amazing you can write through the night. That's dedication.

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