I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

                                  

WRITING PROCESS BLOG HOP!

I’m so pleased to be participating in my first blog hop as my good friend, Vashti Q Vega, tagged me for the Writing Process Blog Hop. Vashti is the successful author of a brilliant book, The Basement, and writes a popular blog, which I highly recommend you check out.

Here are the Writing Process Blog Hop rules: 

1.) Link back to the person who invited you to this Blog Hop.

With pleasure – here’s the link to Vashti’s blog: 

http://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com/author/vashtiqvega/  

2.)Name four writers who will continue this Blog Hop and notify them.

Here are my four nominations:

Squid McFinnigan is a brilliant short story writer with a unique voice who brings his characters to life so vividly, they take up residence in your imagination.

Paula Pencarrow is a storyteller and writer whose musings and reflections on her writing journey, and on life, are expressed with clarity and precision. Her posts are a great read.

A. Long, is a talented poet and generous soul who has a great sense of humour, and a good word for everyone. You can read his beautiful poems on his blog where he posts short stories, poetry and writes on various topics.

Alys Daniels-Creasey, is a young poet on a writing marathon,who posts her poems on a daily basis. Alys's poems address many topics, and she has a distinct voice. She is definitely a poet to watch, and I love reading her poetry.  

3.) Answer the four questions below:

What are you working on?

I ’m working on a paranormal romance written during last November’s NaNoWriMo, and just finished the first edit. At the moment I’m letting it rest for a few weeks - with difficulty because my imagination won’t let the story go!

It’s the first supernatural tale I’ve written, and I’m thoroughly involved with my characters’ struggles – it’s my twist on the eternal triangle. I have a title but waiting to be sure I won’t change my mind. 

How does your work differ from others in the genre?

Whew! That’s a tough question. Um... because I’m an individual and my stories reflect my unique perspective. (Does that sound convincing?)

Why do you write what you write?

Because I enjoy answering the question of what if, by delving into other, different lives. I think emotions – expressed or repressed – rule our behaviour and I want to explore how this impacts people’s lives. I don’t write in any one genre. My last novel (promo alert) An Unstill Life falls under the commercial women’s fiction banner, and is more character led than the current work, which contains more action.

How does your writing process work?  

Basically like this: 

   INSPIRATION: an idea hits me, and I fall in love with either the character or the premise.

   INCUBATION: Once I have the heart of the story, I incubate the concept for a while,

   returning to the idea over time, thinking about what I have so far, and pondering ideas. 

   I do this alongside whatever I’m currently working on, letting my subconscious share some

   of the work. 

   For example, my WIP is a trilogy and I’m incubating ideas for the second book in the 

   series. The characters are established and I have the basic plot, an notion for a subplot 

   and the conclusion, but the plot outline isn’t clear in any detail yet. Similarly I know how 

   the third book in the series opens, and how it needs to end but the rest is still hidden.

   PLANNING: Writing is a journey of discovery and I’m learning, that for me, the clearer  

   the outline, the freer I feel to expand and enlarge on it when I start writing the story. And 

   I’m discovering that what worked for my writing in the past, doesn’t work for me now, 

   and what works for me now, may not always work in the future. 

My writing process is not orderly; ideas come in bursts and I grab and expand them. One aspect or another is always churning around in my mind, and I jot down bits and pieces on scraps of paper or in various notebooks, so I'm a bit disorganized. Sometimes I think writing is similar to participating in an extreme sport – lots of hard work and discipline are necessary, but the thrills and the results are worth the effort. 

Writing Update

While I rest the WIP, I have a ton of plans to execute – first being to catch my breath, have a day off, and do nothing but read...the rest can wait! On the list is: research on background details for the current novel, see if I can get the WordPress site up, sort a few pieces to put on Wattpad - writer with GSOH seeking friendly readers etc., etc. It’ll be interesting to see how much I accomplish...

Today’s Haiku

past melodies lead

down hazy tunnels of time

to places I’ve lost

Useful Links: Check out these amazing bloggers – you're in for a treat!

http://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com
www.squidmcfinnigan.blogspot.com 

http://paulareednancarrow.com/

http://ajwrites57.blogspot.com/

http://80000words.blogspot.co.uk

I’ve hit a glitch in the 100 Happy Days challenge, as my laptop is moodily refusing to upload my pics, but please join me on Twitter and check out the ones I've posted at: teagankearney@modhaiku 

Thanks for visiting my blog, and please do leave a comment.

To all story lovers out there, good reading, and to those of you who write, good writing.

CONSTRUCTING CHARACTER

Some writers feel that characters are found, and, as with new friends, we discover their personalities in stages. I know mine are definitely incomplete at the beginning of a story. Generally I have an idea of the characters, setting and plot, but the protagonist’s inner conflicts emerge as I write. I find it takes time to know and understand the individuals I’m creating.

People often present different facets of themselves depending on who they are interacting with; a man is subservient to his boss, dominating with his wife, and is a Jack the Lad in front of his friends.

I came across an interesting exercise recently which is helpful when constructing characters: 

       

       Find a place, the post office, a restaurant, the ER, where people are gathered and 

       scrutinize their faces. (Don’t do the bug-eyed stalker thing; be circumspect as 

       you've no desire to end up explaining your actions to the security guard.)

      

       Look for distinctly asymmetrical faces  - most people’s are to some extent, so this 

       shouldn’t be too hard.

      

       Study the two halves separately - as best you can - and assign a separate identity to each 

       half. 

A wee warning as this isn't the easiest writing exercise I've ever tried, but I went to my local library yesterday and gave it a go. I did spot several faces which I thought had the following attributes: melancholic poet/friendly shop assistant; disinterested teenager/helpful nurse; intensive journalist/outgoing tour guide. 

This assignment isn’t a guessing game, but an aid in constructing distinct aspects of a personality that demonstrates how someone can be in conflict with himself, and/or at odds with the world. For example, a man becomes an accountant because he is excellent at math, yet he’s frustrated as he wanted to be an engineer. You create a pressure cooker situation - he puts up with his circumstances till the day comes when he decides he’s had enough, and walks out on his life. What happens to him, and to those he left?

Fiction revolves around, and loves, conflict. A writer can create as much tension in a nervy newlywed anticipating a visit from a critical mother-in-law as in a fighter facing an opponent. If you add the unfortunate ability to burn anything the young wife cooks, you have inner and outer conflict, plus the opportunity for tragedy, or comedy - or both. Make the fight for a title which the older man wants to retain against an up and coming challenger, and you’ve heightened the stakes for your protagonist.

Having both internal and external conflicts are crucial. Readers become emotionally involved with characters, and how your character perceives the threat is what draws readers in - and keeps them captivated.

Writing Update

Editing continues and my plucky heroine is battered and bewildered, but like all true heroines, keeps going despite adversity – and the worst hasn’t even happened yet... 

Sometimes when editing, and I’m unsure of my choice of words, I leave the word in place thinking that if I need to change it, I'll do so after the next read. Other times, I’m correcting one thing, notice other points, and follow that chain no matter how long till I’m satisfied.

I have four and a half chapters to go – starting to get excited now the end of this edit is in sight. 

And my head’s buzzing with plans to keep me busy while I rest the story. I’m itching to move An Unstill Life closer towards publication, which means working on the cover; I want to plan part two of my supernatural trilogy (I have the main outline in my head - the devil will be in the details); hoping to make progress with setting up a WordPress blog, which I did start, but it slid down the list. Bottom line at the moment is as long as I’m writing, or planning about writing, or thinking about writing – life is good.

Today’s Haiku

tip of finger buds

stretch from skeletal branches -

Persephone comes

Useful Links

An interesting article which I’m still digesting:

http://shahwharton.com/2014/03/why-i-suck-at-book-marketing-why-you-do-to-indielife-iwsg-amwriting/

I’m participating in the 100 Happy Days challenge, which I find a genuine mood lifter, so please check out my happy pics, and join me on Twitter: teagankearney@modhaiku 

Thanks for visiting my blog, and please do leave a comment.

To all story lovers out there, good reading, and to those of you who write, good writing.

RECIPROCATION

Writers sometimes speak directly to readers, generally using the term, ‘Dear Reader.’ Why? Well, because as a writer you are incomplete without a reader, and use of an endearment demonstrates warmth and gratitude. Think of it as an equation. Writer + reader = satisfaction (which can be interpreted as appreciation, or cultural/monetary success, and fame).

Writers without readers are pretty much like one hand clapping...a lot of movement and effort expended without much of a result. (I’m not disparaging diary writing in any way as a diarist's intent is generally different to that of a novelist.)

Although the desire to write comes first, without the reciprocation of readers to enjoy the work, the story may be still be valid, but remains incomplete. Writers need readers, who, like shy blushing maidens must be wooed with attentive devotion.

AWARD ALERT

                                                           

  

 

Thank you, Inger, for nominating me for the Lighthouse award. This is reciprocation – the essential component of the agreement between writer and reader – that a writer offers something of value, and the reader recognizes the merit of the offering.

As part of the award, I must nominate a number of people in turn. So as everything comes in threes, here are my nominations (drum roll, please):

Vashti Q Vega: one of the kindest, most supportive people I’ve met online. Always upbeat and generous in her exchanges with others, her blog is an example of variety where you can find everything from delicious cup cake recipes to horror stories.

Christine Campbell: a genuinely positive person, Christine is a writer whose attitude shines through her posts whether she’s fighting the plumbing or making video trailers for her books.

Zenobia (Zee) Southcombe: a cheerful kind individual whose friendship and supportive words encourage me and many others.

(Bows and smiles from candidates, accompanied by vigorous clapping.)

Receiving the award also requires sharing three ways you like to help others which meant I’ve had to think really hard ‘cos I’m as selfish as the rest...but here goes...

 

When an old lady tripped and fell right in front of me in the mall the other week, I was one of three women who helped her up and into the nearest shop. None of us knew the woman, but I think we all understood that this could have been our mother, our grandmother, or even one day - us. We stayed with her till the ambulance arrived, because we wanted the reassurance of knowing she would be taken care of properly.

I feed birds over the winter. One place I lived, I’d hide the feeder in the bushes so the smaller birds would have something to eat. One cheeky robin once sat on my wing mirror when I got into the car – as if to say – hey, where’s the food?

The unnecessary suffering children experience in parts of the world, whether from war, economic greed and exploitation, or lack of  basics like clean water has been known to make me cry. This may mean I’m only sentimental, but my favourite charity shop is Dr. Barnados, and I try to support such causes in whatever way I can. I’d like to see a youth club offering music, art, dance, sports and all sorts of opportunities (extra tuition where needed) to youngsters – on every block on every street. Dangling the carrot of material success as a formula for happiness in front of deprived people doesn’t work; and not properly investing in the creative development of children results in a loss to all of us.

(Whew! Stepping down from the pulpit now.)

Here are the Lighthouse Award rules in full:

     Display the Award Certificate on your blog.

     Write a post and link back to the blogger that nominated you.

     Share three ways that you like to help others.  

     Nominate as many bloggers as you like.

     Inform your nominees of their award nominations.

     Have fun!

And thank you, Inger, for – most important - reading my blog in the first place!

Today’s Haiku

TRUTH

you declare your love

your hands eyes language tell me -

you know how to lie

Useful Links:

Follow these links and discover four amazing people:

http://mrsingerannajones.wordpress.com/author/ingerannajones/

http://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com/author/vashtiqvega/

http://cicampbellblog.wordpress.com

http://zeesouthcombe.com/ 

I’m participating in the 100 Happy Days challenge, which I find a genuine mood lifter, so please check out my happy pics (and join me) on Twitter: teagankearney@modhaiku  

Thanks for visiting my blog, and please do leave a comment.

To all story lovers out there, good reading, and to those of you who write, good writing.