My Writing Process Blog Tour

   
Today, I opened my Facebook account and found my name tagged in a post by a fellow writer and blogger. Her challenge? To join her in the writing process blog tour. At first, I didn't know what on earth it was. Then I read another person's blog entry on the same topic and found myself very much liking the idea of following suit. So, here I go. For those of you who know me personally, please enjoy the glimpse into my writer's mind. For those of you who don't - if you're a writer, you should consider writing this out for yourself, even if you don't have a blog, just for the fun of it. And to get a clear view of what you're doing, how you're doing, and (most importantly) why you're doing it.

What am I working on?

     This week, I finally picked up the pages of my printed manuscript and began editing yet again for the third rewrite of what I hope will be my first published work. The book is a novella (short novel). Genre: fantasy - or more specifically fairy tale. It takes the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale Little Golden Hood (a variation of the well-known Little Red Riding Hood) and expounds on it, adding life to the characters and depth to the story. I'm about halfway through the manuscript right now. And after I finish this rewrite, I will begin the final editing stage.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

     The first thing that is different about my novella is that, while all modern fairy tale retellings alter the story, characters or themes in some way, this one doesn't. Like, at all. I literally took the original story and just elongated it. I like to call it the extended edition. Do I add to it? Of course! The original story, while fascinating, did what all fairy tales do - left out the details so as to get the main story across. I merely fill in the details to help tie all the loose ends together. 

     For instance, why does Little Golden Hood not get freaked out when the wolf talks? For that matter, how can the wolf talk? And why would he go all the way to grandmother's house to eat her first when he could have eaten Little Golden Hood right then and there and saved himself the trouble? I also add names so that I don't have to overuse the pronoun system. And I add subplots to a) explain the unexplained and b) make the story more interesting to audiences that expect that sort of thing.

     This novella also doesn't seek to impose post modern fairy tale tropes on the audience or follow the most recent character stereotypes. Little Golden Hood isn't a rebellious teenager or a curious college kid. The wolf isn't really a human in disguise and he has no romantic interest in the main character. And the main villain isn't a parent or (who'd a thunk?) a religious leader. Furthermore, the main character isn't seeking desperately to alter her own future (or if we're going Disney, to 'follow her heart' and 'find her destiny').  Nor is she the only one who can change the course of events because of something that's just different about her. 

     Overall, this novella will be pretty by-the-book (literally) and will be very classical in its telling. (Note to anyone interested: classical does not mean boring; just ask my sister-in-law who couldn't put this book down:)

Why do I write what I write?

     This question is really too complex to answer in a short blog post, but I'll do the best I can. The first thing I have to clarify is WHAT I write. That is - well, everything. While fantasy is my favorite genre, I also indulge in a good deal of historical fiction, the occasional modern fiction, and even come up with some half-decent science fiction once in a while. Recently, I dove into the very popular dystopian/apocalyptic genre and had a lot of fun. So to answer the question? I write all of these genres and the stories in those genres because God gave me an overactive imagination that simply can't help itself when it comes to inventing stories. 

     I write fantasy first and foremost because it is the closest we will ever come to the spiritual world outside of the Bible. (The Pilgrim's Progress IS the most widely-read book among Christians after the Bible, you know.) Fantasy gives us a glimpse of the supernatural, heightens our sense of moral conflict, and illuminates the ultimate battle between good and evil that will one day culminate in the victory of Christ over Satan. Add to that the fact that when it comes to fantasy, you're options are quite literally limitless - why wouldn't I want to write fantasy?

     It is something that has become a part of my soul, and, I believe, has drawn me closer to God. In writing fantasy, I encounter myself in a setting where the petty problems of a materialistic world are outweighed by the great moral peril. Allegories abound, even when it is unintentional. Spiritual truths unfold as we never see them in other genres. And we can feel the magnitude, catch a sense, of the true war - the spiritual war of which we are a part, we mere mortals.

     Okay, so maybe I get a little carried away when I talk about fantasy. But when it comes to writing, fantasy is my first love. So let's move on to other genres.

     I write historical fiction because I love history. I love reading about other times and places, events that really took place, heroes and villains who really lived. I like to look at something and imagine myself there - and historical fiction does that. It gives us a chance to wear the shoes of people from a world that has passed us by and is now only memory. (Sorry for the sappy sentiment; I get a little romantic sometimes.)

     Other genres I love for the same reason - imagining myself in other places, other situations, other people groups. It's something that not only stimulates the imagination but leaves me feeling deep respect for people who actually live those lives. 

     And all of it I write for the glory of God - because He's the one who gave me the imagination, the inspiration and the ability to write in the first place.

How does my writing process work?

     The writing process is different for many people. Some are able to set a time each day to write a small amount and then just walk away when they're finished. Not so with me! I write when inspiration hits me - and that in itself is an extremely unpredictable occurrence. Sometimes it happens when I read an article; usually with historical fiction it happens as I read through history textbooks or come across interesting documentaries and movies about a specific time frame. Often I am struck by a theme, a character, or a plot line in a film (most likely a poorly written screenplay that just begs me to write something better). And sometimes I just see something or someone in real life that inspires me to ask the question "what if". 

     Once the idea has formed, it's like a disease (in the best possible sense) that takes over my mind. I think on it; stew over it; play out different scenarios in my head. Then eventually (as soon as possible really), I sit down and write out a summary, a character list, and a title. The next part of the process is filing those papers away while waiting to decide if I really want to focus my efforts on that story or one of the other six dozen all waiting for me to pull them out and write them. Usually I stick with a story that I've been working on for a few years and write it up around NaNo time. 

     Depending on what's going on in my life, I may or may not get it finished; I may or may not get around to the revision, the rewrites and the editing. But once I do, the book will finally be completed and I'll send it off to CreateSpace.com and have it printed! (This last part has only happened twice, and both times it was just for me or for a friend. We'll see how it goes this time!)

     

     Well, there you have it, folks. And there I put it! It's good to be reminded on occasion of all of those things, see myself go off on tangents, etc. I think all writers should do it at some point every year (or even every season). If you are a writer, you know how important it is to always keep inspired, always keep on writing. Well, this little challenge - this tour - has helped me to do that. I suggest you try it, too. And if you have a blog? Post it! Nothing like knowing other people will read what you write to make you double check why you're writing it. This is a great way to do that.

     Until next post, I remain,

              Yours Truly