Tag: The Big Reveal’
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
What social media do you use?
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
Twitter and Blogger, with a sprinkling of Google+. (Feel I’m pulled in too many directions if I use too many.)
Eileen Cook, Published Author
I have a website/blog and I’m also on Facebook and Goodreads. Hands down my favorite is Twitter. You can’t get me off of there!
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
Well, I have accounts for Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest and Facebook. I don’t really use Pinterest at all. I’m getting pretty good at using Goodreads, and much better at using Twitter, though I know I’m not using it to its full potential. Facebook…still trying to get better at this.
Lara Schiffbauer, Published Author
Sad to say, I’m on most all of them. I blog once a week (and occasionally twice). I try to get on Twitter a couple times a week. I don’t usually do much on Goodreads, despite my good intentions. Pinterest I only go on when I have a lot of time to spend, because I easily get sucked into a time vortex and lose several hours. Facebook has become my daily (bad) habit. I have made some friends on there that I really enjoy talking with/messaging.
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I use Facebook personally for keeping in touch with friends and family. I’m relatively new to Twitter and I use that more for connecting with the wider world, other writers in particular. I wasn’t sure at first, but I quite like it now. I also have a blog which is my main writing presence on the web. I’ve met some fabulous people through blogs and even indirectly found my agent through blogging. I love to follow other writers’ progress through their blogs – it’s a great social tool.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
All of them. I’m a social media junkie. I’d say primarily I use Twitter, Facebook, and GoodReads. I really like Pinterest when I can come up with cool ideas for boards. The only one I’m still not so good at utilizing is Tumblr.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
EVERYTHING! Although being an artist requires that I keep different sites for different things. Tumblr is a huuuugeeeee time sucker, so I try to limit my time spent on that, but I have to admit I love blogging and instagram.
What social media do you use?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
What’s your process for naming characters?
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
I just make them up. They come randomly. Sometimes I see names and like variations of them so much that I stick them somewhere in my brain for later use, even if there’s no actual character behind the name yet.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
As weird as it sounds, some of the characters I’ve created come from road signs… you know the green signs that advice Kirby/Staunton is 1 Mile. The only name I’ve created is Kram Snampook (can you guess why J)
Eileen Cook, Published Author
I’m addicted to those “name your baby” websites. You can do searches by meanings- so sometimes I’ll look for a name that matches with the sense of the character. Other times the name will just come to me and be a perfect fit.
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
Usually I just write and see what name comes to my head, especially for any secondary characters. For my main characters, these come to me long before I start writing the story
Lara Schiffbauer, Published Author
With naming, I usually just pick one that doesn’t have a similar sound or start with the same letter as another character. I have come up with my own place names and made up my own names for creatures. That was kind of exciting, because I looked at old Irish/Scottish and then used those words as the root for my own names. The most fun was coming up with the name Ruafeli as the species of a creature in Finding Meara, because it basically means “fire cat” which is what Frederick is.
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I’ve never made-up a name exactly, but I’ve started naming one character in all my novels after British villages.We have such quirky place names. The villain of a children’t novel I wrote was called Hinton Blewitt and I’ve got a Martin Hussingtree and an Edwyn Ralph in my adult novels – all three are English villages. Mostly I find other characters name themselves, though once or twice I’ve hunted for a name that means something specific.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
Because I write contemporary, I always try to balance “Is this an interesting name for this character?” with “Is this a normal name that sounds reasonable for this setting?” I try to avoid names that have been used a lot in other books I’ve read so sometimes picking a name can take a while. I Google things like “cute midwestern boy names” and “girl names that start with B” a lot. When I get really stuck, I just ask my friend Kelly who is really good at choosing unique and interesting names.
What’s your process for naming characters?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
Where do you usually write?
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
I was told the one thing I have to learn as a writer is the ability to write anywhere at any time. I’m pretty decent at it as long as I can throw on some headphones and zone out. I’d say the one place I have the most trouble writing is in the car because it’s hard to balance a laptop on my knees and be comfortable.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
Anywhere that allows me time to write is where I write. I do love the bohemian, romanticized idea of writing in a coffee shop (which I sometimes do), but more often than not I write on my recliner chair while my cat paws at the laptop cable and my husband is watching Duck Dynasty or something.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
Normally, I write at the kitchen table from 9 p.m. till midnight (‘cos of the kids.) I listen to Trance and Electronica when I want to get into the zone and all sorts of “normal” music for “general” writing. Silence kills me… Ideally, I’d write on a patio that overlooked the ocean – any ocean.
Eileen Cook, Published Author
I am addicted to David’s Tea. http://www.davidstea.com I always have a cup going while writing. My current favorite is Stormy Night which has some coconut in it. Yum. I tend to do most of my writing in my office. If I found myself stuck then I take my laptop and go to write somewhere public- the library, a coffee shop or even down to the beach. In a perfect world I would have a home on the ocean where I could look out my window and see the waves marching in while I wrote.
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
I don’t have a usual writing place. Airport, airplane, hotel room, at work over my lunch hour, on my couch at home, Starbucks with Jessica Sayler 
. The things that are consistent with all of these are that there’s no silence. Silence is creepy. So I need noise.
Lara Schiffbauer, Published Author
I usually write in my living room with a cup of coffee or a glass of Diet Coke. I like to have wordless music on. I have no idea what my ideal setting would be. Two summers ago I wrote in the park, at the library and at Barnes and Noble. It didn’t seem like any one place worked better than any other. I think the main thing I’d like is to not be interrupted. It’s hard for me to be in the flow, get out of it to go take care of something, and then get back into the story when I return.
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I write in a room on the top floor of my house in Devon, which is in the south-west of England. It looks south on to beautiful green fields with the wonderful moorland in the distance. I love it. I write in silence through preference, though I can make myself write on trains and other public places if need be. One day I dream of having a little summer house in the gardens of a beautiful isolated country cottage. It would be all pretty and comfortable inside and have fabulous views too. Oh, and it would always be sunny. Apart from the sunny bit, what I have now isn’t a million miles away from that, so I’m very blessed!
Where do you like to write?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to The Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
Do you have any trunked novels?
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I started writing while doing my science degree because a friend dared me to enter a novel writing competition. Looking back I’m amazed my very short fantasy novel got shortlisted because it’s not very good! But one day I might go back to it. I also have a children’s novel which had some good feedback from agents but didn’t make it in the end. Maybe one day I’ll go back to that too, though I’m concentrating on adult contemporary commerical fiction for the foreseeable future.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
I have lots of trunked novels: one complete one and pieces of about 4 others that may or may not ever see the light of day. From what I hear from other authors, it’s totally normal to have lots of trunked material. There’s one story I hope I can go back to, but I need to let it sit for a while (maybe even a long while) before I do.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
Ha. haha. ha. Yes. A lot of them never make it past 30 pages. I have one that’s been floating about for years, and eventually I’ll be brave enough to tackle it.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
No, I have tons of orphan ideas in what I call The Wordage. The plan is to adopt some of these ideas in WIP#2.
Eileen Cook, Published Author
Yes. I have three books that I wrote before I was published. While I love them, they are clearly books where I was still learning. I think they should stay in the trunk. There are a few others that I may go back to at some point. So many ideas- not enough time!
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
I have three complete trunked novels and two novels half done. Some of these might get reworked again. (Depends if they are screaming louder than the new ones.) I’m actually reworking a previously trunked novel right now. It’s almost a complete rewrite but the original idea is very similar.
Lara Schiffbauer, Published Author
I have a trunked short story that I want to develop into a novel. I also have set aside a scifi/fantasy to write the second novel in the Adven Realm Series. I really need to get writing!
Do you have any trunked novels?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
Do you prefer writing or editing?
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
Hmm, this is a tough one. I really enjoy both. The writing is cool because I have no idea what’s going to happen (as I’m a panster). But since I’m a panster and I write rather fast, my first drafts are crap. So the editing is fun because it makes the story somewhat respectable. And since I don’t edit at all while I write, I forget a lot of the stuff I wrote so the first read through is always cool.
Lara Schiffbauer, Published
I like both writing and editing for different reasons. Writing is so fun because you get to create and inhabit other worlds. Editing is fun because you get to fix it all up and make the story better.
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I feel like a fraud as a writer because I love editing. Writers are meant to love the creative process of a first draft and hate the nitty gritty that follows, but I love finding ways to tighten up every sentence. I do love pure writing too – not sure which I like most – but to take an initial idea and try to find beautiful, unique ways of expressing it, is a huge joy to me.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
I think I prefer editing. There’s something about taking a pile of word vomit and sculpting something really beautiful out of it.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
EDITING! I have a fondness for butchering my bad writing and making it better. Plus it doesn’t feel like pulling teeth like writing sometimes can become.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
I love writing, but I have a real fondness for editing, which stems, I think, from my newspaper days.
Eileen Cook, Published Author
Writing! During the first draft stage I’m not as aware of all the mistakes I’ve made. Once I get to the editing stage I start thinking of all the ways the idea didn’t meet the perfect idea that was in my head before I started.
What’s more fun: writing or editing?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds Before we start back in, I’ve got two thing to mention. Congratulations to both Kelley Lynn and Lara Schiffbauer on the releases of your novels. Kelley’s is Fraction of Stone and Lara’s is Finder Meara. Make sure you check them out if you haven’t had a chance yet.
Welcome to the Big Reveal
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
Do you prefer writing with real or imaginary settings? What do you prefer to read?
Eileen Cook, Published Author
I enjoy writing contemporary books that typically have a blend of real and imaginary. I may make up a specific town or school so that I can have the flexibility to do exactly what I want.
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
Oh wow. I like both. Writing imaginary settings gives you COMPLETE freedom. So much fun. You get to make the rules. Writing in a real setting is, to me, more challenging. But the challenge is so cool as well. I think the imaginary comes easier for me. (Maybe I have a slight complex with wanting to control everything…haha)
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
The two proper novels I’ve tried writing both had imaginary settings – one was a fantasy (for children), and one was an imaginary English seaside village. But that was more because I was worried if I chose a real place I’d get the details wrong! My next novel I’m setting in a city I know well so I’m looking forward to that. I’ve read two books set in a little town I know a bit, and I loved reading them – it felt as if I was in on a secret. I don’t read a lot of fantasy but I think Discworld is fabulous, and I want to live in The Shire with the hobbits.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
I can only wrap my head around real settings—which is why I’m a contemporary writer. However, I’m fascinated with fantasy and sci fi writers. I think it’s amazing how they can world build and create entirely new settings from scratch. I really liked Jodi Meadows’ INCARNATE series, and recently picked up Brodi Ashton’s EVERNEATH and Cynthia Hand’s UNEARTHLY series.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
I always like having a bit of fantasy in any setting I work with, even if it’s already an urban setting. While I love to read straight-out-of-real-life scenarios, the writer in me prefers imaginary settings I can expand upon rather than be constricted by. I truly believe in writing what you know, and I would not be comfortable placing a story in say…Georgia, if I’ve never been there. While research could help with a big part of that, any Georgian would immediately know I’m not from there! So I like imaginary settings, sometimes balanced mixes of both imaginary and real, that allow me to truly stretch the boundaries of what’s possible.
As for a setting I loved, my most recent read was The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, so I am in love with her work for the Nevernever (Faery land!). She did a great job at creating a whole world with its own rules of nature, its own feeling, its own life. Because of her fantastic job, her stories took on a deeper root in my mind and I was able to imagine the place as real, with stories and activity that went beyond just the characters. That’s always a great thing to stumble upon.
Lara Schiffbauer, Published
Imaginary settings are easier, because I just describe what I see in my head. When I have to write a real place, it helps if I’ve been there. If I haven’t, I spend too much time researching the place, trying to get the description right. I also feel handicapped because I haven’t had the sensory experience of the place. For reading, I enjoy either setting and can’t think of any particular setting that I’ve loved more than others.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
I love real, and that’s why I love thrillers and detective stories.
A CERTAIN JUSTICE by P.D. James is a must-read. James has such a delicious way of writing!
Do you like writing with real or imaginary settings? What about reading?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
Is writing your real job?
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
I’m a stay-at-home Dad to three boys (under six) so writing during the daytime is generally never a happy occasion I used to be a print journalist and worked for several local papers for a few years.
I’ve been a Writer since 2003, (it’s on the passport I received several months after I became a naturalized citizen.
Eileen Cook, Published Author
Writing is my primary job. I work a limited number of hours as a counsellor to keep my credentials active and to make sure there are a few days a month that I go out, talk to real people and put on something other than yoga pants.
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
No, it is not. I am a Chemical Engineer by degree. I work as an adhesive consultant for the day job. I’ve been seriously writing since July 2011. My day job has a fair amount of travel which gives me time to do my ‘writing thing’.
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I suppose it is! I was sure writing was what God wanted me to do, but didn’t have the faith to concentrate on it solely. Then a pastor I’d never met before and who knew nothing about me, suddenly said to me, “God wants you to keep writing. You’ve got what it takes.” So, with my husband’s encouragement, I decided to focus only on writing for a bit, which was scary. That was October 2010 and it’s going OK so far! I studied science at university, but I’ve always loved writing. I used to write stories for my big sister for her birthday when I was about 7 or 8.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
By day, I’m a digital media analyst, which means I spend my days crunching data and looking at Google Analytics. By night, I write YA. It’s the perfect right/left brain balance. I’ve been writing teenage shenanigans for six years, and seriously writing in pursuit of publication for three.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
Haha, no. I wish it were, but no. I am an artist first and foremost (painter), and work an 8-5 job at a small family owned business where I wear many hats during the day. I did write as a kid, although the stories were accompanied by bad drawings more often than not. Now I am trying to find a balance between the artist/illustrator in me and the writer in me, and making time for both.
Lara Schiffbauer, Un-agented Author
Writing is my unpaid second job. I am an Elementary School Social Worker by day. I’ve been seriously writing for five years. I did write as a kid, but not like the writers who say they must write or perish did. I wrote poetry, a very short novel and an unfinished screenplay with my sister when I was in high school. I tried to carry it on, but the classes I took had obnoxious writing teachers, and I didn’t want to put up with it.
Is writing your real job?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will
have a new question for them.
Did you choose your genre or did your genre choose you?
What genres do you like to read?
Lara Schiffbauer, Un-agented Author
My genre chose me. I wanted to write mysteries or thrillers. I think I’ve made an Urban Fantasy Thriller with a Cozy Mystery style. Not something you want to put on a query letter! I still enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers. I enjoy the paranormal mysteries that are out now.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
Yes, my genre chose me as I fell in love with the inspiration behind Donald’s story.
WIP#2 will be fiction, not sure what specific genre yet.
I read everything – even the backs of the shampoo bottles if I forget my book.
Eileen Cook, Published Author
I read everything, non-fiction, historical novels, thrillers, murder mysteries, general fiction, science fiction and YA. My first book was an adult romantic comedy, but I fell in love with the YA genre. I love the intensity that comes writing for teens- things matter deeply at that age. I start with the idea first. If I had a great idea in another genre then I would write it. I follow the story and let the genre follow.
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
The first story I ever wrote was YA. So I guess I chose the age group. Since then, I have written many genres within YA. Contemporary, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller. So… I guess I refuse to choose. haha
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I don’t really feel as if I’ve chosen my genre yet! I suppose my current novel (contemporary commercial) chose me because I just wanted to tell the story and didn’t give much thought to genre at all. I purposefully tried to write for children once, and I might like to again. But my guilty desire is to be able to write a really spectacular ghost story. I read pretty widely, but not a lot of “genre fiction” – a bit of sci-fi/fantasy/crime/whatever, but mostly both contemporary and classic general fiction. Which I guess is what I write too.
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
YA definitely found me. Six years ago, I took a creative writing class to balance out my science and technical writing classes for my degree. We were asked to start writing a story and it could be any kind of story we wanted. So I just wrote, and I had no idea I was writing young adult. My teacher actually had to tell me and I think my response was something like, “what in the heck is young adult?” So I went to the bookstore and started reading everything I could get my hands on: Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jessica Warman, Sara Zarr among many, many others. That was the moment I was like, “yes, this is exactly what I’d love to write.”
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
My genre chose me, I think. I decided to write out of my love of reading, and though I’ve read many genres, I am always drawn to Young Adult more than any other. I think there’s a lot that hangs on the line when one is young, and our choices ultimately shape a very big part of who we become later on. All feelings are intense, all tragedies are great, but at the same time all victories are huge and that’s a great feeling. I think people tend to forget that spark and intensity of life as we grow older, and I can hope that my writing reminds others of what it’s like to trust fully, to fight for the things you need to even when it looks like there’s no chance in hell, to remember what it’s like to love completely and without reservation.
The biggest reason why I enjoy reading and now writing YA is because there’s always a sense of escapism and familiarity. I remember myself as a 16 year old thinking the world was falling around me and reading made things better. It showed me that I wasn’t the only one out there feeling that way, and there are always better things. My teenage years were very lonely. I see so many teens in the same place and if I write something that makes them feel less lonely, then I think I’ve done a good job.
Did you choose your genre or did your genre choose you?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will have
a new question for them.
What word(s) or phrases show up way too often in your work?
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
Then, that, sighed, so.
Lara Schiffbauer, Un-agented Author
Too many to list. The good news is I’ve moved on from “that.” It’s sad to do a word search and find that the word you thought you hardly used shows up every other page.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
Just.
Really.
Gosh.
And, (as in the beginning of a sentence.)
Eileen Cook, Published Author
Eye rolling. In my first drafts I people rolling eyes all over the place.
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
Ooo, good question. I don’t think this is ever the same across all stories. One story will be riddled with ‘that’. Others will have too much adverbs. Still others will have a phrase where I’m like, “Where did that come from?”
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I’m having a real issue with ‘that’ at the moment. I use it way too much. I also use the words ‘just’ and ‘like’ too much. Oh, and my characters do a lot of ‘turning’!
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
I have three crutch words I’ve identified over the years: “Just,” “And then” (cue the Dude, Where’s My Car jokes), “looked.” Oh, also “leaned”—that’s a new one I just picked up on. Everyone’s leaning over or leaning against or leaning to look at something.
What word(s) do you overuse?
The Big Reveal
- by Suzi
Welcome to the Big Reveal
I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will have a new question for them.
Pantser, Plannner or in-between?
Valerie Cole, Agented Author
Hello, my name is Valerie and I’m a pantser. Or at least a pantser who is desperately trying to reform myself into a planner. It’s not working very well, so I guess I’m aiming for something in between. I usually draft a rough outline, but once I start writing I try to put it aside and let all the good pantsy magic happen. It’s becoming really apparent how important planning is…especially because I can’t get away with just writing kissing and flirting scenes while sprinkling plot in between anymore.
Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
I’m an in-between type of writer. While I write mostly for fun, I have tried going by the seat of my pants before and it always crashes and burns into the deep abyss of unfinished failures. I get stuck in the swamp if I have no idea where I’m going with a story; I have to have at least a vague idea of what’s going to happen next. I will often write the big keypoints; find ways to tie relationships and plots as best as I can so that there are no giant holes in the dark for me to wander into, and know how my story will end. I don’t plan everything out line by line, though, because then it can take the joy of letting the story develop out of it for me.
Lara Schiffbauer, Un-agented Author
I think I remain an in-between type of writer, leaning a little more toward plotter. I plotted out the Age of Stars, and really liked how easy it was to actually write because the logistics were all worked out ahead of time.
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
Panster and loving it
(But do check in with me post WIP #2… and we’ll see where I stand
Eileen Cook, Published Author
I was born a panster, but have developed into a bit of a plotter. I can’t have too much detail in the outline or I can grow bored with the story before I’ve written it. The outline for me is a very general map, it gets me the bulk of the way to my destination- but not all the way. I have to leave some of the adventure fo the writing process.
Kelley Lynn, Pre-published Author
Panster, all the way. Sometimes to the frustration of my collab partners. Though I will admit that my panstering used to be extreme. After writing with others it is slightly less so.
Chloe Banks, Agented Author
It makes me very un-cool and uncreative, but I could NOT be a pantser. I have to have a clear idea where I’m headed. However, once I’ve got the idea, I feel perfectly free to wander away from it. I don’t often know exactly what’s going to happen at the end, just some of the major points along the way. I let my characters dictate the plot once they’ve got going, I just need that safety net to fall back on!
Pantser, Planner or In-betweener?
