Back by popular demand!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to my
blog. I am so excited for today’s post! After receiving such an overwhelmingly
positive response to Part I of my blog post on how to write, publish and
promote your book (CLICK HERE if you missed that), I have reteamed with my good friend and fellow author VJ
Allison to further discuss our book writing processes. We’re delving deeper and
covering things like genre selection, writing from the heart, meeting deadlines,
beta readers and much more. So grab a snack, kick back, and enjoy!
Welcome back to
the blog, VJ! I’m so glad to have you here once again. I think now is a great
time for us to chat about our writing routines and share useful tips considering we’re both
actively working on projects.
First off, let’s
talk about genre selection and book length. My current WIP, which is a
contemporary romance/chick lit novel, started off as what I thought would be a
steamy erotic novella, and the first of a four-part series. But as I began
writing, the story took on a life of its own and suddenly became a fairly sweet
second chance romance. On top of that, I decided to make it a standalone novel;
total opposite of what I’d initially set out to create.
Has this ever
happened to you? When you begin writing a story, do you always know the exact
genre and write within that realm, or do you let the story tell you as you
write? And what are your thoughts on novel versus novella writing? Do you set
out to write one or the other before beginning your story?
VJ: Thanks Denise,
it’s always fun to participate in something like this!
This happens to me
all of the time. I think the story is going to be one type – think just a
regular contemporary romance – and it turns out to be a lot more. Most of the
time, the story winds up being so much better in the end. I go with the flow,
and if it works, it’s awesome. If it doesn’t, I’ll do a rewrite.
I like both
novella and novel writing. I don’t set out to write either or as I go. If the
story can be told in under 50,000 words, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine too.
Some people prefer novellas, because it’s a short read. Others prefer the
longer stories in a novel or super long novel. As a reader, I like both, as
long as they are well written and have amazing characters with a wonderful
storyline.
DW: Since I just made
mention of this briefly, let’s discuss
standalone versus series writing. Have you ever written a novel or novella with
the intention of it being a standalone, only to later realize that you’d like
to develop a series based on the story?
I experienced this
when I wrote my contemporary romance novella A Naughty Jolly Christmas for eXtasy Books. That story was initially
written as a standalone, but after turning it in to the publisher, I realized
that I wasn’t done with Sasha and Drake, my two main characters.
There were more
stories to tell, holidays to celebrate, and dramatic experiences to be shared
between the fiery couple. That’s how the series “The Holiday Chronicles” came
about, along with the second installment, My Unconditional Valentine. What are your thoughts on standalones versus
series?
VJ: YES. My first book, Stricken, was supposed to
be a standalone novel, even though I had written a “sequel” for its original
incarnation in 2013. That sequel was scrapped, because it was downright awful,
and it didn’t make any sense – not for Nova Scotia, and definitely not for Ewan
and Marti!
However, my best friend Heather mentioned
something about an event that is briefly mentioned in Stricken as part of its backstory. Her comment wound up turning
into a plot bunny – and a possible sequel to Stricken. It’s dubbed Stricken,
Book 2 for public use right now, and features a new couple with an entirely
different set of conflicts and journey. It features Ewan’s cousin, Joshua
Campbell, as he makes a few discoveries about himself, his life, and their
grandfather, Viktor Campbell, as he falls in love with a Nova Scotian woman
named Lauren. I’m not sure if this will ever be finished, or if it is,
published. It’s still in the early stages of its first draft. I’m only in the
middle of Chapter 5. It’s been slow going, even if it is steady.
I think that if
you, the author, wants to do a standalone, that is perfectly fine. Sometimes
having it all wrapped up in one neat package is perfect. Other times, it’s best
to have those loose ends tied up. I always said I’d prefer to do standalones,
and look at me now.
It’s really up to
the author in my opinion, and whatever works best for them. Just make sure it’s
well written, edited almost perfectly, and has a great storyline with strong
characters and plausible events before you send it in to a publisher, or
publish it as an indie author.
DW: When you’re working on a project, do you create timelines and deadlines for yourself? If so, how strictly do you adhere to them?
In order for me to
remain on track with my writing goals, I do create timelines and deadlines.
Doing so makes me accountable. With some projects I’ve had to stick with the
publisher’s deadlines, which is what happened with The Holiday Chronicles. Since those storylines revolve around
specific holidays, I have to get them to the editor so that the publication date
will coincide with the actual holiday. I was under a really tight deadline for My Unconditional Valentine, and getting
it done in time was stressful! But I made it.
How do you create,
manage and adhere to timelines and deadlines?
VJ: Good grief, if I did any of that, I’d
stress myself out to the point where I wouldn’t be able to work. I’m more of a
free bird when it comes to writing. I do what I can and if I don’t get a
certain word count, I don’t stress it. Writing only one or two days a week is
tough as it is, adding deadlines to it means extra and unneeded stress for
someone like me.
The only deadlines
I really follow are the ones I set myself for edits, and letting a story “perk”
for a week or two between going overs. I’ll finish a manuscript, put it away
for a week or two, then go over it by a certain deadline. I give myself a few
days for that.
DW: For many writers, dealing with distractions while
working on a project is a big issue. From work to social media to personal or
familial situations, carving out time to write can be difficult.
I’ve found myself
writing in hospital rooms, on my mother’s couch in the middle of the night, in
cars, etc. As they say in Hollywood, the show must go on, and these books
aren’t going to write themselves! So as busy as I may be, I force myself to
find the time to write. Late nights are best since that’s when my ideas usually
come to life. It’s also quiet, because everyone who needs something from me has
gone to bed. When I’m taking a breather from writing, I’ll post to social media,
blog, guest blog, etc. I also plan and create posts in advance so that I’ll
always be prepared and won’t get stuck, struggling for content at the last
minute.
How do you stay on
task with your writing, especially when life is continuously throwing
distractions at you?
VJ: I have ultra-limited writing time – one
day a week on average, and two if I’m lucky. That’s only during the school
year, and not during school breaks like Holiday Break, Summer Vacation, and
March Break. My son is special needs and creates a lot of noise, distractions,
and likes to chase the cat the instant my fingers hit the keyboard. So actual
writing while he’s home is out. I write on
Fridays, when he’s in school and Hubby is working day shift. It’s really the
only “alone” time I get unless I want to write late at night… That’s not good
for someone who has to get up early with their child to get them off to school.
My husband works odd hours, so it’s a case of get it when you can!
I will squeeze in
an hour here and there if I can, like when Hubby is shopping and takes our son
with him, or if he’s having something done on one of the vehicles and stays to
hang out with our mechanic for an hour or two.
As for online
distractions, I shut off the browser, and have been known to unplug the
computer from the internet router to be extra safe.
DW: What are your
thoughts on creating character profiles before you begin writing a book?
Some people feel
as though you shouldn’t even put pen to paper before developing profiles for each
of your main characters. I don’t follow this rule. I’ll take notes on my
characters when I’m outlining, but I don’t create full-blown profiles. Usually
when I’m writing, I already have a good idea in my head of who my characters
are, how they look, their various interests and traits, etc. Plus I like to get
to know them as I write, and things about my MCs will oftentimes pop up and
surprise me as I go.
What method do you
use when building your characters? Do you create formal profiles, or follow a
more casual approach?
VJ: For me, that’s a huge necessity. If I
start a book without even a general idea of what my mains are like, it’s a
train wreck waiting to happen. I always do at least the bare minimum first –
their names, how they look, and anything else that comes to mind – but I prefer
having a full one by the time I get down to actually writing. Sometimes things
will change with the character as their story evolves, but for the most part,
it’s pretty close to the final product.
Readers notice
things like inconsistencies in a character’s looks – green eyes in the
beginning and it’s blue on the next page. Things like that always spell
disaster in my opinion.
DW: I’ve spoken with
several authors who have said they tend to shy away from reading books while
writing for fear they’ll subconsciously be influenced by the author’s voice. I
can relate to this, and just to be on the safe side don’t read books when
actively writing so that my focus is solely on my own voice.
What are your
thoughts on this? Are you able to read and write simultaneously, or do you avoid
reading others’ work while writing?
VJ: For me, it depends on my mood. When I was
writing the version of Stricken that
is published, I didn’t read much at all. I was too involved in actually writing
to do much other than write and do my housework in a zombie like state. However,
when I was writing the novella (that needs a full rewrite), I was able to read
other people’s work and not have it influence me.
I’m writing now,
and I’ve read at least three books in the last month, all by fellow authors at
my publisher. It’s not affecting me. In fact, I think it’s helping more than
hinder right now. I’m getting a better sense of who Joshua and Lauren are, and
all of it is reminding me how my publisher loves their books written. Things
may change as I get deeper into writing this story though… I may suddenly take
a break from reading because these characters will be too deep in my mind to
let others in, even temporarily. That can happen. It’s not a bad thing though!
LOL
DW: As writers, it’s
easy for us to just close off the rest of the world, sit down in front of our
computers and write whatever/however our hearts desire. But if you’re looking
to publish traditionally, that technique doesn’t always fly. I’ve learned that
in this business, you must continuously study the craft and marketplace, and
remain open to learning/incorporating new trends, techniques, etc.
How important is
it to you to keep your finger on the pulse of the literary industry when it
comes to your writing, and what are some of the ways you go about doing so?
VJ: For me, it’s extremely important to keep
an eye on the industry. I am always watching trends, and what’s new at my
publisher and others, along with what’s happening for my fellow authors in the
romance genre, as well as other genres. If something isn’t working for us as an
author, we do have to learn to adapt and learn new ways of doing everything.
It’s the only way we’ll be successful as an author in my opinion. Get out of
that rut, and keep moving, or you’ll sink is how I see it.
I hang out in
writing forums, writing groups on Facebook, talk to my fellow authors at my
publisher via Facebook and Twitter, and listen to what the readers are telling
all of us. This is why reviews are so important to authors. We learn from those
who take the time to give us feedback – positive or negative.
DW: Beta readers seem
to be more popular and in demand now than ever before. I actually became and began utilizing one for my latest
project. How important are beta readers to you, and how do you select them? Is
trust a big factor?
VJ: Trust is a huge factor for me. You have to
trust the person will read the entire manuscript, and give you some sort of
feedback, even if they hated it. You have to trust they will be professional in
their critique too.
I used to pick
them out of my friends lists, but lately I’ve discovered that not many of my
old betas have the time to do a quick read due to real life problems. I’ve had
a lot of help from fellow authors, and I’m now trading services with them as a
beta or critique reader. Sometimes having a non author look at your work is a
huge boon too, but sometimes they prefer to see it published first! For an
inexperienced author, I highly recommend it. You’ll learn a lot – what works,
and what doesn’t.
I am a member of a
few writing forums, and I recommend that all inexperienced/newbie authors joint
at least one, that way they can talk to people with more experience, and do
trade-offs – give a critique or two for one received, and so on.
DW: In Part 1 of our
book-writing post, we spoke a lot about various ways to promote a book. Since
then you’ve hosted several book tours, and even motivated me participate in an
upcoming month-long tour (more info on that coming soon). Can you tell us a bit
about how they work and whether you think they’re an effective promotional
tool?
VJ: Book tours bring a lot of positive
feedback for both the host and the featured author. I love hosting book/blog
tours, and yes, I think they are an effective tool in promoting one’s work;
especially if the hosts have a lot of followers who love to read.
What is awesome
about hosting is that you don’t have to do it full time, and you don’t have to
be an author to host a tour. I host tours only on Mondays and Tuesdays, which
leaves the rest of the week open for my own entries (writing updates, coming
events), and guest spots for authors who are not doing tours.
I don’t host only
romance authors either… I host YA, horror, mystery, everything under the sun.
Hosting is a great way to expand your horizons as a reader, and I’ve discovered
a few amazing new authors – which is a boon for them because it increases their
sales.
DW: One thing I’ve learned is the importance
of connecting with other authors. Some may look at fellow writers as
competition, but I believe that we’re all in this together to help teach and
motivate one another. There is such a strong community of writers on social
media, and since I’ve become a part of it, the overwhelming amount of support
I’ve received and knowledge I’ve gained is amazing.
The marketing
director at one of my publishing companies even told me that one of the best ways
to promote your work is to cultivate genuine relationships with other authors,
where you can exchange ideas, cross promote, provide moral support, etc.
How have your
relationships with fellow authors enhanced your writing career?
VJ: I am so darn lucky
to be surrounded by such amazing people! My fellow authors at eXtasy
Books/Devine Destinies and elsewhere have been a godsend to me. I wouldn’t be
here if it wasn’t for all of you!
I think being a
part of a community like this is a huge boon to any author, aspiring or
experienced. We all need the connection with others in online communities,
especially if we don’t have any real-life author pals.
It’s helped enhance
my work to the point where I’m out of the non-writing slump I was in for over a
year, and helped me learn a lot about writing, and myself as an author.
I tell all
aspiring authors to get into a writing forum (or two!), join Facebook groups
for authors, talk to other authors on Twitter, and all kinds of social media.
You’d be surprised how much your writing will improve, and how much you’ll
learn in even a week!
Thanks again for
having me Denise!
DW: Thank you for once again joining me, VJ!
It’s always a pleasure. Your friendship, input, advice and encouragement are
invaluable. I look forward to hosting you again, and can’t wait for your next
release!
CLICK HERE to check out Part I of our blog post on how to write, publish and promote your book!
Shop Denise N. Wheatley’s collection of books and connect with her here:
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About V.J. Allison:
V.J. Allison was born and raised in southern Nova Scotia, Canada, and her work reflects her strong Maritime roots. She is a stay at home mother to a son on the autism spectrum, married to the love of her life, and “mama” to a cat named Marnie.
She has been writing various stories of novel length and short stories since her school days, and sees writing as a vital component to her life.
When she isn’t writing, she loves to read romance and science fiction novels (notably “Star Wars”); listen to music; watch various crime and forensic dramas; watch science fiction television shows and movies; and spend time with her large family and many friends.
She is also an advocate for Trigeminal Neuralgia, Occipital Neuralgia, Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia, writing with disabilities, animal rights, and No More Wild Pets.
Denise, that was so much fun! Thanks again for having me!
ReplyDeleteIt is always a pleasure, VJ! Thank you for stopping by, and I look forward to your next visit!
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