The Writing Process Blog Hop

Recently, I was asked to participate in a speculative fiction writing process blog hop. Having never done one before, it seemed like a great opportunity to not only learn about some talented writers but to take a few moments to reflect on myself, my writing, and what I’ve been up to.

To start things off, be sure to check out last Monday’s post from Travis Hill on his blog, Angry Games. Also, I’d like to thank Elle Chambers (you can check out her blog here) for asking me to join in the fun.

As part of this blog hop, I’m supposed to answer a set of questions about my writing. I hope that by the time you finish reading my responses, you’ll have a little better understanding of me as a person and a writer, as well as gain some insight into how I write.

What am I working on?

I have two books in progress. One, entitled “Whispers” – a NaNoWriMo novel about a young couple, their son, and a secret that’s spanned the generations – is complete but is in the middle of the revision process. The second, entitled “The Last Descent” – an apocalyptic story, one of those “end of the world” books – is about 2/3 finished. I wrote it back in 1989/1990 while I was waiting to hear back from publishers about my first book, The Light. (I talked about this way back here). It’s got a lot of potential and I’m excited about trying to finish it. My biggest obstacle so far has been trying to get my mind wrapped around the story as currently written so I can figure out exactly where I was trying to go at the time I originally started it. It’ll be a challenge, but if I can get it done I think it can be a great book.

I’m also putting together a short story collection entitled “Night Terrors”. Along with a number of stories already completed, I have two new stories undergoing revision and one story, written quite a few years ago, that I’m rewriting.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I’d like to say that my writing is unique, but I’m not sure that it really is. While I think both what I write and how I write have been heavily influenced by Stephen King, I in no way consider myself anywhere near his level of writing. I do, however, aspire to write some great stories with wonderful characters, all with the hope of taking the reader on a trip through the darker side of life.

Why do I write what I do?

Perhaps because in my world, when life is serene and wonderful, and it seems like things just can’t get any better, all I can think about is … uh, what’s wrong? Something bad is waiting to spring itself on me. I guess, in a way, when I’m writing or thinking about writing, it sort of starts out like this short short film:

Bambi Meets Godzilla*

In a humorous way, this short film demonstrates where I go in my writing. Almost everything I write takes a dark turn, no matter how lighthearted or innocent the setup might be, because somewhere, off in the corner, in the shardows, just out of sight, something awful … something horrible … is waiting to reveal itself.

(*) If interested, here’s Bambi Meets Godzilla (redux … inspired by the original)

How does my writing process work?

I am, at least so far in my writing, a complete and total pantser (or, if you prefer, a discovery writer, which sounds way better … read about it here).

What happens? I get an idea. I think about it, along with all the other ideas flowing around through my brain. I write all of them down in a wonderful Mac product called MacJournal, then mull over the ideas once again. Eventually, one works its way up to the top until I pretty much can’t stop thinking about it. At that point, whether it’s a short story, a piece of flash fiction, or a novel, I fire up Scrivener (best piece of writing software ever!) and type away. I know many people frown upon hearing the word “pantser”, but for me it’s just the way things happen. So far I haven’t been disappointed with anything I’ve written, so as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

 

Next up on the blog hop is Nicolas Wilson. Be sure to visit his blog next Monday to learn more about what he’s up to.

Nicolas Wilson is a published journalist, graphic novelist, and novelist. He lives in the rainy wastes of Portland, Oregon with his wife, four cats and a dog.

Nic’s work spans a variety of genres, from political thriller to science fiction and urban fantasy. He has several novels currently available, and many more due for release in the next year. Nic’s stories are characterized by his eye for the absurd, the off-color, and the bombastic.
For information on Nic’s books, and behind-the-scenes looks at his writing, visit nicolaswilson.com.

 

–dp