Writer's Ask (Again!)

Photo by Zach Lucero on Unsplash

It's been a good while since I've done one of these. I have a few on the blog but they were before my writing life changed--before I got my book published. I wonder how my answers will change now?

This comes from Tumblr (remember that?) from Writcraft. I cannot find the original post anymore as I've held onto a screenshot of this activity for years and only now found it on my hard drive.

Anyway, let's play!

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Tell us about your WIP!

I'm working on the draft of The Name and the Key, the first book in a trilogy that was just signed by Oliver Heber Books. So...I'm not drafting in the hopes of being published--this is a done deal. The trilogy is scheduled for publication in 2026 and 2027 and I feel like I have to keep pinching myself as this is a dream come true.

The Name and the Key follows Lily's story, where, as a young girl, she discovers her mother's body in the marshes, and is haunted by what she thinks is her mother's ghost. It's far more complicated than that--the haunting is not what it seems. The spirit follows Lily through all reflective surfaces: mirrors, glass, and still water, and begs Lily to "open the door" and be let out. Lily has no idea how to stop these visions or save her mother and it plagues her into young adulthood. Her childhood friend Andresh is acquainted with darker magic from his time abroad, and knows a way to save Lily from the curse, but his own secrets may destroy them both.

Where is your favorite place to write?

There is only one place that's set up for me to write, and it's at my desk (I recently got a new one after using a decades-old childhood desk). My laptop is there and that's where I do all my writing. If I handwrite, there's a notebook on top of the desk that I'll scribble in. Basically this desk is home base for creativity and I made it look pretty with fake flowers and a book-themed pencil and pen supply jar.

What is your favorite/least favorite part about writing?

I love coming up with characters and hate plotting.

Do you have any writing habits/rituals?

I used to wear hats while writing (putting on my "thinking cap") but now my new habit is wearing my fancy fingerless gloves to type. I get cold in my room very easily and these gloves keep me warm but allow me to type at the same time.

Top five formative books?

• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (series)

• Daughter of the Forest

• The Ill-Made Mute

• Bad News Ballet (series)

• Sorcery of Thorns
  

Favorite character you've written?

I want to say Lirien from Son of the Siren so badly! But it's going to be Andresh from The Name and the Key. He was a blast to write when he was a part of my graduate thesis, and he's a lot of fun writing the revamped book, too. He's just so charming!

Favorite/most inspirational book?

The most inspirational book for me is one of my formative books: Daughter of the Forest. It's a historical fantasy retelling of the fairy tale The Wild Swans. It was rendered so beautifully and made me feel so many emotions as I read it. It was the book that made me want to give writing fiction a serious try someday.

Do you have any writing buddies or critique partners?

I used to. My friend Jay was a critique partner briefly...but I couldn't keep up with critiquing Jay's manuscript in return, and I wasn't writing my own work fast enough, so I sort of petered out of doing critique exchanges. I still consider Jay a writing buddy, though. And I keep up with some of my fellow writers from Seton Hill, too.

Favorite/least favorite tropes?

My favorite trope is Only One Bed and my least favorite trope is Enemies to Lovers because it's so hard to pull off well.

Pick an author (or writing friend) to co-write a book with.

I think it would be fun to cowrite a book with Holly Black or do a horror manga with Junji Ito.

What are you planning to work on next?

After my trilogy? I honestly have no idea. I would like to give something with unicorns or vampires a try.

Which story of yours do you like best? Why?

I can't say much for my trilogy because I'm still writing it and still figuring the story out. And even if I consider the plays and musical I wrote, I wouldn't pick those stories, either. I'm going with my debut, Son of the Siren. That was a challenge to write because I combined multiple fairy tales into a single narrative, but it's one of the most original stories I've ever told. I never thought I'd be able to write a traditional quest fantasy, but I did!

Describe your writing process.

What does it take for you to be ready to write your book?

So, here's the thing. I never quite feel ready to write a book. As long as I continue to have problems outlining and plotting in advance, I don't feel ready. I just hop in with vague images and snippets of prose and go from there. But to even get my butt in the seat, I have to feel like doing it. This means I can't be exhausted or depressed. The thing is, almost everyone will tell you that if you want to write, you write through the sadness and exhaustion. You're supposed to "do it anyway" instead of only when you "feel like it." I have not been able to work this out yet, but someday I hope I do.

How do you deal with self-doubt when writing?

This is probably the wrong thing to do, but I seek validation of some kind. Positive words about my work can really turn things around for me. Sometimes I just need a good pep talk reminding me of how far I've come.

I have on my PC a "Writing Validation" folder with screenshots of positive reviews of Son of the Siren. I hope to get more with other books. But the plan is, whenever I feel down, I try to reconnect to my readers who enjoyed my writing. That should make me feel better!

Cover love/dream covers?

I just think this is a beautiful, colorful, romantic cover. I would love to have something like this for my books.

What things are you most comfortable writing?

Lyrics and rhymes. I can usually come up with them very quickly and I do a good job with the rhythm/meter so things fit nicely when you read them. I miss writing songs for musicals, so when I wrote Son of the Siren, I got to write rhyming curses and riddles in addition to songs. It was so much fun!

Tell us about that one book you'll never let anyone read.

I wrote a musical when I was twelve called A Gypsy's Tale. I did not know that the word "gypsy" was pejorative. I just became obsessed with them after watching Esmeralda in Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. I wrote every stereotype you could think of into this show, because I didn't know any better about doing research or breaking through those stereotypes. I just thought the Roma were a bohemian, magical people. So....I ended up writing the most racist thing ever and I don't want anyone in the world to see it. I know I was only twelve, but...some of this came up again later in life, like my graduate thesis. That version had a culture based off of the Roma, and even though I did research then, I found out I was still relying on stereotypes to tell my story. I just couldn't shake the Disney influence. That's a huge reason why I decided to rewrite The Name and the Key: no more Roma culture is in the book. There is no Roma-based race in the book. I am not the voice or representative of a heavily marginalized people.

How do you cope with writer's block?

I try to watch movies that take place roughly during the same time period as the book I'm writing. I particularly get inspired by costumes, so I'll watch both fantasies and historical drama for decadent clothing. I will also listen to classical or instrumental music to see if that inspires anything. Usually, though, I end up stopping my writing until I can figure out what my problem is.

Any advice for young writers/advice you wish someone would have given you early on?

I'm going to quote myself from an interview I gave: "Try not to compare your success to others. Publishing is wildly unpredictable and we are all on our own paths in our own time."

What aspect of your writing are you most proud of?

I love creating characters, and if I were to toot my own horn, I'd say a lot of them are fully fleshed-out, realized people.

Tell us about the books on your "to write" list.

I've had ideas for these books (but I'm not going to give you a blurb to protect my writing):

• The Clockwork Prince

• Kill it with Fire

• Stolen Fruit
  

Most anticipated upcoming books?

• A Forgery of Fate

• The Nightblood Prince

• Never the Roses

• Rose in Chains

• House of the Beast

• Hemlock & Silver

• Katabasis
  

Do you remember the moment you decided to become a writer/author?

In third grade I attempted to write seriously--short stories, a "book"--and I wrote my first play in fifth grade, with my first serious play in seventh grade. I thought in seventh grade that I was going to be a playwright for the rest of my life. When I wrote Melancholia in 2006, I thought I was going to be a playwright, lyricist, and composer for the rest of my life. I even applied for an MFA in that field. But there were two moments in my life where I thought about it and decided to write fiction. The first moment was when I was 18 or 19 and finished reading Juliet Marillier's Daughter of the Forest. That book made me want to write fiction. Later, when I was 25, I had a deep think after I withdrew myself from NYU's waitlist for their writing musical theater program...I just didn't think playwriting was sustainable for me, and it was time to move onto something else. That being fiction.

What's your worldbuilding process like?

I select a time period to emulate based on a point in history to get a taste for things like food, dances, clothing, manners, culture, etc. But because I write fantasy, I next look into what kind of magic and magical creatures I want to put into my story. Then I build the world around these observations. I don't want to be a hard worldbuilder, but rather a light worldbuilder who only reveals what is necessary when necessary. This has not proven popular with all of my readers, but that's how I do it.

What's the most research you've ever put into a book?

For Son of the Siren I needed to research what happens when an animal loses a limb. I searched for deer, specifically. After lots of looking around, I came across a YouTube video of someone filming a three-legged deer who stopped by their backyard. Now, this is really interesting: when the deer walked slowly, it limped and moved awkwardly because of the missing leg. But when it broke into a run, it moved so fast, like the limb had never been missing in the first place. I saved the video to my PC and used it for my book.

Where does your inspiration come from? Do you do certain things to make yourself more inspired? Is it easy for you to come up with story ideas?

My inspiration comes from costumes, fairy tales, magic, music, manga and anime, art...and from books or stories that I've read that I'd like to put my own spin on, or borrow an image or motif from. For example, Sorcery of Thorns made me want to write about demons in the new version of The Name and the Key.

How do you stay focused on your own work and how do you deal with comparison?

So, I'm a little bit of a hypocrite because I have a hard time following my own advice and do make comparisons to other writers. Basically I get kind of bummed that I haven't found the same amount of success as other writers. But then I have to tell myself why it wouldn't have been possible for things to go any other way than how it went. I am on my own path in my own time.

Is writing more of a hobby or do you write with the intention of getting published?

I have always written with the intent to get published someday. Although I like writing for myself, I've always written with an audience in mind, and it's really hard to get an audience if you don't publish your work.

Do you like to read book similar to your project while you're drafting or do you stick to nonfiction/different works?

I may read in the same genre as the book I'm writing, but I don't read similar books because I'm afraid I might be influenced too much. I also continue to read outside the genre, too--I'm always reading horror or manga!

Top five favorite books in your genre?

These are some of the YA fantasies that I really enjoy:

• Sorcery of Thorns

• The Folk of the Air (series)

• An Enchantment of Ravens

• Among the Beasts and Briars

• Camelot Rising (series)
  

On average how much do you write in a day? Do you have trouble staying focused/getting the word count in?

I've never been able to get myself to write every day. My goal at one point was 500 words a day, but sometimes I'm just too exhausted to write or have concentration issues. I do have trouble staying focused on meeting my word count goal, and usually I have to use an app like Pacemaker to help keep me motivated. But even then, it doesn't always work.

What's your revision/rewriting process like?

Unpopular writing thoughts/opinions?

I've seen a lot of writers say that when it comes to dialogue tags, the only phrase you really need is "said" and that you should try to avoid other words. I don't agree with this. You don't always need a dialogue tag in the first place, and secondly, if you do use "said," it might get too repetitive and boring. Of course you have to do things in moderation, but people gasp, cry, sob, ask, etc.

Post the last sentence you wrote.

To protect my work, I will not post anything until it is published.

Post a snippet.

To protect my work, I will not post anything until it is published.

Do you ever write longhand or do you prefer to type everything?

I write longhand in inspiration notebooks, where I attempt to plot through bullet points, and write notes to myself on what to change. But when it comes to writing my books, I always sit down and type it on my laptop.

How do you nail voice in your books?

I honestly don't know how to answer this question. I think it's up to the reader to determine whether or not I nailed something. But I do think I'm good at voice--a lot of that comes from the practice of playwriting.

Do you spend a lot of time analyzing and studying the work of authors you admire?

No. I just work with the first feelings I felt reading their writing. I don't analyze or study. I just go, "Wow, I really like this; what if I did a variation of it? How do I make it my own?"

Do you look up to any of your writer buddies?

The SHU romance and mystery writers are really good at what they do--they know their market, pump out work consistently and pretty quickly, and are pros.

Are there any books you feel have shaped you as a writer?

I've mentioned this before, but it's Daughter of the Forest.

How many drafts do you usually write before you feel satisfied?

I draft multiple times while drafting. If something isn't working, I save the writing file, number it, and then open a new file of the same work and make my substantial changes. I think Son of the Siren had eleven different versions at some point. Even then, with the book being published, I still don't feel like it's perfect. I sometimes think about the interactions between Lirien and the Queen and go, How could I have made that better? But I did the best I could.

How do you deal with rejection?

Depending on how badly I wanted something, I usually cry to myself, but immediately run and tell the people I love about what happened so I can be comforted. I really rely on other people to calm me down, help me out, and validate me. My family always makes me feel better.

Why (and when) did you decide to become a writer?

I became a writer when I was a child because I wanted to write things better than what I read. I also wanted to prolong the magic of the books I was reading, to recreate the feelings and emotions I had as a reader and pull them out of my audience. I wanted to write what other people weren't writing.

First or third person?

I like both! Son of the Siren is written in third person, while The Name and the Key trilogy is written in first.

Past or present tense?

I'm slowly acclimating to present tense as a reader, but I don't think I could write in it. I default to past tense every time I write. It's what feels comfortable to me.

Single or dual/multi POV?

Right now I'm for single POV, but this is because I'm still developing my writing skills and haven't worked out how to write multiple POVs yet. The closest thing I've got is with my trilogy--The Name and the Key and The Fear and the Flame are told in first person from Lily's POV, while The Step and the Walk is told from Andresh's POV.

Do you prefer to write skimpy drafts and flesh them out later, or write too much and cut it back?

I like making cuts. I do it all the time. But that ends up with a skimpy draft after all is said and done, and usually I have to go back and add more. For example, Son of the Siren was first wrapped at 79,000 words, but later grew to about 84,000.

Favorite fictional world?

Elfhame from Holly Black's Folk of the Air series. It's beautiful and dangerous.

Do you share your rough drafts or do you wait until everything is all polished?

I share excerpts of my rough drafts with people because I want feedback and reassurance. I know I have a dependency on other people to feel better, and that probably isn't healthy, but it's a big reason why I share some of my WIP. It's hard writing alone until everything is done.

Are you a secretive writer or do you talk with your friends about your books?

I've learned to talk about it less, but I still talk to my friends about my books. I share if I have an idea that really makes me happy or feels inspired.

Who do you write for?

Myself and my audience.

What is the first line of your WIP?

To protect my writing, I'm not going to share anything I've written until I'm published.

Favorite first line/opening you've written?

"Late on the night of Lirien's eighteenth birthday, his father walked into the sea." I thought this was a brilliant opener, but it ended up getting cut based on beta reader feedback. First, although I had always pictured Lirien as 18, I was told by a few people to age him up because of his interactions with the Queen ("make it less disturbing"). So Lirien became 20. Next, there was nothing wrong with "his father walked into the sea," but the lines after it confused readers because they couldn't tell if Lirien was talking about himself or his father, and I couldn't find a way to fix that misunderstanding without cutting the line, sigh.

How do you manage your time or make your time for writing?

When I'm teaching, the best I can do is write on the weekends, because during the week I tend to exhaust myself after class and not want to do anything. Plus, teaching online doesn't mean you do your one class and then you're done--you have to be plugged in all the time for office hours, answering student questions, grading, etc. And the only thing wrong about weekend writing is if I haven't finished all of my grading yet...then I have to grade on the weekend, and writing gets pushed aside. But! I'm hoping my time management will continue to improve based on my most recent term teaching. I taught only one course but it was the best at managing time and grading than I had ever done before.