My friend Laurie tagged me in this writing meme that I’ve seen around the place and I thought I would give it a go. Fascinating reading, finding out what makes creative brains tick! My answers are below.
What am I working on now?
I am currently completing the draft of my YA manuscript Back When We Were Immortal. It has been an intense, yet rewarding, experience and I have re-discovered a lot about my process, working habits, strengths and weaknesses. It is the story of five teenage friends who go on an innocent day trip to the beach; this trip quickly turns serious – even dangerous – after they go exploring and need to find their way home again. Told from multiple points of view, each character reveals more and more about what secrets they’ve been keeping, why, and at what cost.
The last time I finished a novel was in 2003 – that one clocked in at 120,000 words; pretty substantial, length wise, but in the certainly ballpark for fantasy novels. It is the sequel in a fantasy trilogy, the first one is also finished. A few family members have read it (these were back in the days when I’d finish something – anything – and be desperate to have someone read it right away, fool that was me) and asked, “We like that one, when will you get THAT published?” So I plan to return to that too.
I’m also working on a non-fiction book proposal, but I’m going to keep hush-hush about that one for the moment.
As ever, because I need to take regular prose ‘breathers’, I have about a half dozen poems that I keep fiddling with to get right. Some of these are more formal, longer poems; others are short poems that I’m doing for my #miscpoetry project. (What’s that, you ask? I’ll blog about that later.) Here’s a little peek, though.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
My work is heavily autobiographical. Does this mean I do things like take all the people I dislike and turn them into villains? No. (Liar! Ha.) But it is informed – like all writing – by my experiences, good and bad. Crying in the Car is an example of this: it contains non-fiction and fiction, prose, verse. It’s a fusion of form because I wanted to see if I could make it work. Plus, I like eclecticism (which isn’t far from miscellany, the word from which this very blog is derived); I like the thought of exposing readers to something they mightn’t necessarily think they’ll enjoy. So when it came to Crying in the Car I’ve had comments such as, “I don’t normally read, or like, poetry, but I read yours because it was in the book and I liked that”. It’s pleasing – and a relief!
Why do I write about what I do?
I write because I’m still trying to figure myself out; my place in the world, my relationship to others, how my headspace affects my mental health, and how much these are a help (or a hindrance) when I try to apply it all, of elements thereof, to making stories or stringing words together.
And not to be dramatic, but I guess I kind of am, there have been periods when writing has made the difference to my still continuing to be on this planet.
How does my writing process work?
What day is it? Joking. Well, not really. Simple fact is my writing process depends on the day, if I’m blogging, or teaching, what family commitments are on, if I’ve been commissioned for other work. Note when I talk ‘process’ I really only mean pure creative work: blogging and freelancing and editing etc. doesn’t count.
So let me lay out what a writing day for me ‘pre-children’ looked like:
7am – 11am: Writing
11am – 12pm: Walk
12 – 2pm: Lunch and errands
2 – 6pm (or beyond):Typing the day’s words onto the computer, editing as I went (I wrote my novels purely longhand back then). Plan the following morning’s scenes. I’d also use this time for research and other kinds of writing, like articles.
OH MY GOD, RIGHT? SUCH LUXURY.
Now, as the kids are in school, I pack what I can in to those hours, but I have been known to do the odd 5am start. I need to get back into those to finish this novel, actually.
Some days it can take me over an hour to get into a flow; others, minutes. And then there are days when you go into your brain and there’s nothing there. Though, I don’t really believe in writers block though – if you’re a writer, you can have a bad day, but precious few of us can afford to wilt and moan; just start.
I now have the pleasure of tagging two people with this writing process challenge. I first came to know Craig online over a year ago, in the lead up to the EWF. He is super smart and whip funny – one of those people you’re selfishly genuinely happy to have discovered because they improve your own experience. And I’ve known Sam for many years – we’ve worked together at EWF, we’re part of the same Facebook writers’ group. I even lined up along Swanston Street to watch her do her graduation march from RMIT. She’s smart, astute and compassionate. Group hugs!! x
Image source: bluestar_tam
