Summer Reads! One-Day-Only Discussion Group discussion

I know this question is somewhat cliche, but I'm sure many in the group would like to know. For the authors in the group, what is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Do you have a set schedule? And is it harder or easier to write during the summer?

I just finished the first draft of a young adult novel for Random House, and, since I have another deadline this year (a women's fic book for HC/Morrow still to write!), I definitely had to work everyday. Weekends, too. My hands were beginning to cramp and turn to pins and needles at night! Who says we don't suffer for our art? ;-) When I'm writing, the story is always bubbling in my head so it's pretty much all I can think about. I don't outline but I do make lots of notes, often in a notebook but sometimes just on random papers on my desk. I write full-time so I'm at the computer on and off all day (and often late into the night when my hubby has recreational league hockey games). For me, it's easier to write during the summer! I am not a hot weather girl (I am as pale as any vampire). So when it's 100-degrees out, it's much easier to want to stay inside with the AC and work. I can't wait to hear what Kristina, Susan, and Shilpi say about their writing process!

I'm in the midst of writing my second novel, and I find my process is evolving. I usually start with a kernel of an idea about a character being in a certain kind of bind, and I write freely as much as I can until I come to a point where I need to think it out more. By then I have a strong sense of the main characters, and I write a detailed outline of the rest of the plot. Then I keep writing until I have a solid draft. And then I revise, revise, revise. (I also revise while I'm writing the "first" draft. I definitely spend much more time in revision than in fresh writing.) I generally have a sense about what the ending should feel like, but usually play with a few different versions until I get to the right chemistry. I try to write nearly every day (5/6 days a week), a few hours at a time. I love hearing about how different every author's process is.

My mother was actually the first person to recommend your books, Ms.Phillips (By the way, my mother shares your name. Why the heck is everyone's last name Phillips? It's impossible to find her Barnes and Noble Membership discount with a last name). We revel in holding inside jokes about the Chicago Stars over my father's head. Anyhow, my mom had originally recommended the series because I'm an aspiring author. What stuck out the most to me were your plots. You implant the smallest details that seem so irrelevant at the time (which, incidentally, is why I notice them) and then pull them out at the very end to wrap things up. It's a common strategy, typically done sloppily, but you do it so well. Even your subplots are amazing! So I have to ask-- do you plan everything ahead of time, or do you just start and everything works? I have a feeling it's the first, but I want to know to what extent. I would like my plot to include some similar aspects as yours, but I barely know where to begin. I've only finished short stories, and my writing style is too sarcastic to become the equivalent of a Daphne book (Ha-ha. Not that I don't love bunnies and badgers). I'm writing a novel and I've started with an idea, but I want to make sure I'm going in the right direction with it. I want to make a career of writing. Any advice?

((Posting ahead of time.))

In reply to Susan's comment....I understand what you mean completely....I've been writing for a while now....every time I get a new idea or an inspiration. Sometimes I find that when I write in like the notebooks and journals I have, my hand just doesn't seem to move fast enough. I tend to like to re-read the stuff I write down and I sometimes add to it. I also type everything up on the computer. Summer is definitely the best time for me, because then I can let everything roam free and I know what you mean about choosing to stay in rather than go out. I find that when I'm writing something new...it's all I think about. As a successful author...what's your advice to an aspiring one????

I am just starting out, nothing published yet, but I generally start out with an idea, an character or something, and I just keep turning it over and over, also jotting down notes here and there, and everywhere as I go. Sometimes I change the notes before I've even had a chance to sit down and organize them! There are certain things I know I want to happen, but getting from Point A to Point B is all organic for me. Sometimes it comes right to me, and other times I have to force myself to move on and focus on something else until it comes back to me. I wish I could outline, but it leaves me feeling a little too restrained and gives me writer's block because I feel I have to follow the outline.

Here's some advice to Fenestra: join a writer's group! There are local ones, national ones, and online groups. I've been seriously writing toward publication for close to 12 years and have now been published twice. The first thing I did was join Romance Writers of America, but join whatever group fits your genre. Take as many workshops as you can, follow editors' and agents' blogs, and polish your craft. There is no easy road to publication, or else there would be a million authors on the bestseller's list! Hope this helps.

My writing schedule is about 2 to 4 hrs a day with more on days off. I recently quit my "commuting job" which saved me 2 hrs I would normally have spent in my car and now can be devoted to writing! I write like a fiend when I'm on deadline but otherwise, I don't kill myself. I urge writers who want to seriously pursue their craft to consider their daily activities and distractions. I have to decide between watching a favorite tv show or writing a chapter. Quitting my job of 11 years was a very difficult decision, but now I'm working from home. It's a matter of priorities, and writing fulltime has become my goal. I tend to write in the evenings when kids and hubbby are in bed, and I'm always thinking of my stories no matter where I am.

Shilpi wrote: "I'm in the midst of writing my second novel, and I find my process is evolving. I usually start with a kernel of an idea about a character being in a certain kind of bind, and I write freely as muc..."
Thanks for sharing Ms.Gomaya. I enjoyed The Secret Daughter immensely and so did all my friends! I love the intricate relationships you created and how they evolved over the course of the story. I am trying to do the same thing with my characters but find the minutiae of actual conversation and situation sometimes seems boring to me or I get tired of the scene. I ask myself if this is because I'm working on it too much or perhaps there's something inherently wrong with the scene, the characters, etc. Does this every happen to you? And what do you do?

I try to write six days a week, if only for a few hours. That means concentrated writing with my headphones on playing nature sounds, no phone calls, and no e-mail. (Very hard for me!)I have a beautiful office. You can see the photos on my web site. But I frequently end up carrying my laptop to our screen porch or the beat up Laz-E-Boy in our upstairs guest room. Laptop doesn’t connect to Internet. ‘Nuff said.

Oh, dear... We have 2 Susan's, so you'll have to pick us apart by the photos. I, alas, am the one with the bunny ears. Susan Elizabeth Phillips

SEP, your bunny ears rock! :-) I love that the laptop you work on has no Internet. I have two towers I toggle between (left brain and right brain, as my husband calls them). My right brain has no Internet 'cause that's the one I work on. I wouldn't get anything done any other way!

I'm writing a book. A Christian romance. I'm a busy attorney, so I pretty much have to write whenever I have a moment (about once a week). I'm about 3/4 done with my manuscript, and I'm starting to look at getting it published. My question is HOW do I go about that? Do I send it in to a Publisher via snail mail? email? Do I self publish? Will publishers really take the time to read a manuscripts from an unknown author? Somehow I doubt it. My question is for everyone...but, if you've been published before, I would especially like for you to explain how you went about achieving success.

Autumn wrote: "Shilpi wrote: "I'm in the midst of writing my second novel, and I find my process is evolving. I usually start with a kernel of an idea about a character being in a certain kind of bind, and I writ..."

Hi Autumn, you've touched on one of the great challenges of writing, which is how much of the story to actually tell. Of course, your characters need to get from point A to point B, but reading about each of the steps along the way is often not terribly interesting. This becomes a larger challenge if your covering great periods of time (like decades) in novel.

For a new writer, I might suggest writing the story as it comes to you, and then going back and doing significant cuts. You can edit out the uninteresting parts, or boil that content down into a short description.

Alternatively, you can sketch an outline of the whole story and pick out the most critical scenes (the turning points of the plot and the characters). Write those scenes, even if you're hopping around -- then you'll have the bones of the story and you can add the connecting bits later. This way you can save yourself from a lot of overwriting than you'll have to edit out later.

Good luck!

For all the participants posting her with questions on how to get published, a fantastic resource is the blog of Allison Winn Scotch. You can research agents by using the Publishers Literary Marketplace, available in libraries or online.

Good morning!

I write, typically, four mornings a week, though that's going up to five mornings with the start of my youngest in preschool. (Bittersweet!) I have always had part-time day care since I've been a writer, because I started when my son was just a few months old (having quit the day job for a host of professional and personal reasons). I used to support the day care costs through freelance work. I still do that occasionally, but now I have books under contract so I'm able to -- thank goodness -- focus more of my writing time with writing my books.

When I'm on a tight deadline or I get behind, however, I will write whenever and however I can manage. Early morning, late evening, longhand at the table while eating lunch...

As far as the creative process, mine is similar to Shilpi's. I come up with characters in a bind, think of the main obstacles, and go. I will then have to resort to an outline later because I usually have so many characters to keep track of I will forget to deal with them unless I write things down.

My dad jokingly complains to me about so many characters. He always keeps a list of my characters as he reads written on a piece of paper he uses as a bookmark. (At least, I think he's joking.)

SEP wrote: "I try to write six days a week, if only for a few hours. That means concentrated writing with my headphones on playing nature sounds, no phone calls, and no e-mail. (Very hard for me!)I have a beau..."


I love that you write without any internet...it's something difficult to crack...I remember once my internet went down and it actually helped me get more done...but it wasn't easy...I'll try uploading some more peaceful music and even some Celine Dion...
I have a question for you about one of your books...
In "Honey Moon" had you planned from the start for Honey and Eric to end up together?

I'll add a few sites to TK's recommendations for aspiring authors re. helpful advice. I think Kristen Nelson (a literary agent) has some wonderful tidbits and archived advice at her PubRants blog (http://pubrants.blogspot.com). A fellow author suggested this site: http://fictionaddiction.net. I group blog with about 35 female authors, and we talk about the writing process and the business lots: http://girlfriendbooks.blogspot.com . I wasn't even on the Internet when I was first published! It's so much nicer now to be able to find info online quickly and to connect with others who share your passion for words.

Susan wrote: "I'll add a few sites to TK's recommendations for aspiring authors re. helpful advice. I think Kristen Nelson (a literary agent) has some wonderful tidbits and archived advice at her PubRants blog ..."

Kristin's my agent! And I was reading her blog LONG before I was her client...

Ah, very cool, Kristina! I love Kristin's blog! (And I'm glad you spelled her name correctly since I didn't that first time! Oy!)

Thank you for the useful advice. I will pass this along to my writing group as well. I will await your next novel and keep passing The Secret Daughter around!
Good luck

Shilpi wrote: "Autumn wrote: "Shilpi wrote: "I'm in the midst of writing my second novel, and I find my process is evolving. I usually start with a kernel of an idea about a character being in a certain kind of b..."

Susan wrote: "I'll add a few sites to TK's recommendations for aspiring authors re. helpful advice. I think Kristen Nelson (a literary agent) has some wonderful tidbits and archived advice at her PubRants blog ..."

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked them out and added a couple to my reader for future articles.

I write every day. Maybe 8 to 5. I don't plan or plot, I just start with a few basic ideas and run with them. I've had twenty books published so it must work for me though I envy writers who can plot things out beforehand. I find it harder to write in the summer because it's too tempting to spend the time outdoors. I live in the UK and we get so few nice days it's important to make the most of them!

Agnes Kristina wrote: "I'm writing a book. A Christian romance. I'm a busy attorney, so I pretty much have to write whenever I have a moment (about once a week). I'm about 3/4 done with my manuscript, and I'm starting to..."

I have some Writing Tips posted on my website. Maybe they'll help. http://www.susanephillips.com/tips.html

Susan, that tip page on your web site is awesome! I'm making note of it so I can direct folks there when they email with questions. Thanks for the heads-up!