#TheWritersTag

We've got another fun series of questions and answers all about my writing--styles, topics, struggles, and more, courtesy of Paper Fury. I'm not good at offering writing advice, but I like to do these writer tags to show you how I write. Maybe we have something in common. Maybe it makes you not feel alone. Maybe I'm weird and you have a better way of doing things. No matter what, I always hope these tags help you out. Onward, friends!

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1. WHAT GENRES, STYLES, AND TOPICS DO YOU WRITE ABOUT?

GENRE - fantasy.

STYLES - I don't know if I write like other people. I recently did comps in a query letter and I boldly stated that my book is for people who like Holly Black, Ashley Poston, and Elizabeth Lim. I was thinking more about subject matter though, and not style. Hmm...maybe I write like a rambling Victorian wannabe. I certainly use long sentences, em-dashes, and semicolons a lot! I also always write in the past tense, and I've used both first person and third person. I like them both.

TOPICS - magic, fairy tales, romance, ghosts, demons, journeys, curses. Maybe I'll expand my tastes in the future, but this is what I've written so far!

2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?

Since I was a little girl. Definitely in elementary school. I was writing little books and short stories in 3rd grade and writing plays by 5th grade, and musicals by 8th grade...but my first full-length novel wasn't until grad school!

3. WHY DO YOU WRITE?

I feel like I was born to. It's who I am. I don't know how to be anything else except a writer. I need to do it--it's like breathing. And I love the people I create; they're like another family to me.

I also hope my writing helps people in some way. I want people to see themselves in my work. I don't want them to feel alone.

4. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO WRITE?

It used to be late at night when I was younger, but now it's during the weekends from like 10am to 8pm. I'm getting old and it's just not easy for me to do the crazy manic night owl style of writing.

5. PARTS OF WRITING YOU LOVE VS PARTS YOU HATE?

Love - Coming up with characters!

Hate - Coming up with plot!

6. HOW DO YOU OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK?

I try to read or watch things related to my book somehow, whether it's the same subject matter, style, or setting and time period. I also listen to music that evokes imagery from my novel.

From my experiences getting blocked during the drafting of Son of the Siren, though, this hasn't always worked. The blocks for that book were psychological, dealing with trauma and memories, fearing my audience...I had to talk through it in therapy to work that stuff out.

I block the most when I'm plotting, so I write in a little notebook things that I think need to happen. I do a Q&A with myself and have full-on conversations to get me to work through problems. This has helped quite a bit, especially with revisions.

7. ARE YOU WORKING ON SOMETHING AT THE MOMENT?

I am currently doing revisions on Son of the Siren with the goal of submitting to Author Mentor Match January 12. If I don't get picked for that, I'll be sad, but then I'll start querying agents anyway. But I prefer the help of a mentor before I set off on my querying journey. I think I need more eyes on my book, including further revision help. I don't expect to win, though. The competition for AMM is fierce and I'm quite nervous about it.

8. WRITING GOALS THIS YEAR?

For 2022, I want to...

Finish revisions for Son of the Siren in early January
Submit to Author Mentor Match (and hopefully get to participate in it!)
Start querying agents and secure representation for Son of the Siren
Start working on, or at least planning, another book to write, whether it's redoing The Name and the Key or starting something completely new
Get better at plotting and outlining from the beginning
Practice self-love and self-care while writing - try to calm down! I get so emotional while writing, it's exhausting. So I need to take better care of myself while I write.