Challenge - Writing

A Challenge Has Been Accepted

"Okay, it’s sort of a lame-sounding game, but we’re writers and writing the answers to big long lists of questions about not only us, but our WRITING, is what we do best."
- S. Hunter Nisbet
 @ShunterNi on Twitter challenged me to do this "game" so let's get down to it... :-/ {Here is her blog post, if you are interested in what she had to say.}

When did you first start writing?
I first started writing when I was in elementary school. We had a quiet period where we were suggested to write some in a journal. I ended up jotting down ideas and coming up with a plot line here or there. I would have to say that I really "started writing" was around 5th grade - 1996/1997 ish. That's when I started the first piece that I actually remember working on. [See answer further down to here more about that.]



Was being a writer something you always aspired to?
Being a writer was not something I "always aspired to" but it was something that I always have enjoyed doing. I love telling tales and coming up with new places that are not in the real world. Writing allows me to do tell the tales, invent places, and connect with others. It has gotten harder lately since I realize that writing is not just about putting "the dog sat down on the rug" together but actually making a plot that is conclusive and makes sense. The 'makes sense' part is always the hardest for me. What 'makes sense' in my mind might never make sense to the readers out there, so it is hard to quantify if the tale is told correctly.





What genre do you write? 
I prefer to say that I usually deal with fantasy works. I have a tale in my mind that is a fantasy/supernatural/horror tale that I definitely want to bring to light, but the idea is still simmering on the mental stove top. I have always loved working with dragons, fairies, and mystical creatures. I also love to delve into mythology - Greek, Roman, Tolkien, and my own. So I would have to say that my favorite genres to write in are varied. Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Science Fiction. One of my current pieces, however, is changing from a Sci Fi Fantasy to a Romance.  ....all because the plot line has two characters that are going to eventually get together, the plot screams at me saying "I AM A ROMANCE" (though I don't like reading romance novels...).



Can you tell us a little about your current work in progress? When did you start working on this project?
I have three Works In Progress (WIPs).
The most prevalent one is The Vala Wing - see #TheValaWing on Twitter to get glimpses of that one. It is set on a living forest planet named Hejkerba, species Savbri. The wing is a habitation wing on said planet and has eleven occupants. The Main Character (MC) is Kitrik Veran. He used to live on Gaia [previously dubbed "Earth" by the inhabitants] but was bought out of his family farm for development purposes. So he came up to Hejkerba so that he could have a quiet life. Obviously, Kitrik never realized that Gracie Mae DeLunac is not a "have a quiet life" kind of writer... So, I'm currently plaguing him and torturing him. Mainly through an old colleague of his from when they were at the university together, 15 years ago. And then there is the problem with trying to make one's own life and find a meaningful relationship, all while wondering if the neighbor is going to go INSANE on you. :-P  [This is what being a writer is about!] Oh, I started this one for a National Novel Writing Month [NaNoWriMo] challenge back in 2009/2010? Had to scrap the whole bit {20,000 words?}, pick up the characters, throw some characters out, redo the plot, and try again. I've been typing this version since spring of 2015 and am currently at 59,000 word count total. I wanted to call it Sci Fi/Fantasy but this is the one screaming that it is a Romance.

The second WIP is CS. Haven't done much writing on this one.Try 260 words total? Started thinking on this one back in August 2015 and just started typing on it in October 2015. Main points will be the concept of beauty, the view on female role in society/household, and feminine problems {That are downgraded and not understood by men!}. Yes, I do have some experience in these topics so it will be interesting....  Set in the future - DNA modification in utero and all that. Sci Fi? Maybe. A bit of Romance.

The third WIP is CtD. Also haven't written any on this one but I have been thinking about this for a few months now. The main topic in this one is rental issues. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get some sleep with a crying child next door or a drunkard who comes in at 2:15 AM every morning after bar close? ... I don't have to deal with the crying child nor the drunkard right now, but I have been there and heard that. It is annoying and my MCs are a family who want to get away from that. They are going to get into a house, for rent, that will have more issues than they want to deal with. I want this one to definitely be supernatural Horror. :-D




What was your first piece that you can remember writing? What was it about?
The first piece that I started writing was about a school bus that was like the Magic School Bus {I loved that show!} but could change the dimensions inside of the bus. The family, me of course being the mom, could have three bedrooms, a playground, a yard, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a few other things all inside of a bus. All we had to do was push a button and the rooms would change to include/not-include a room. :-D  [This was before I knew of Doctor Who, mind you. But maybe that means that I am a Timelord that has a TARDIS shaped like a school bus!! *squee!*]





What’s the best part about writing?
The best part about writing are my colleagues/friends, especially on Twitter. There are times that we just bicker about who is going to get a certain amount of words first. Other times, we are bouncing ideas off each other. I couldn't begin to mention the awesome people on Twitter because I would feel like I  am leaving someone out if I did.





What’s the worst part about writing?
Writing. No, seriously. The worst part about writing is trying to write when the words aren't there to help you tell the tale. When the characters and the plot line are not giving you any ideas on how to move forward with the story, it can be very frustrating. I ended up working on two other tales just so I could keep writing....






What’s the name of your favourite character and why?
Right now, my favorite character is Kahlen Nrio Zhe, from The Vala Wing. I can't say why. ;-)




How much time a day/week do you get to write? When is the best time for you to write (morning or night)?

It depends on the day, when I have to work, and how I am feeling. Sometimes the headaches and the feminine issues don't let me write much.
Night time is the best time for me to write because I can actually think without light. Brittany @scribalreverie says I'm a vampire for that. Maybe so.





Did you go to college for writing?
No. Spanish and Accounting. Not worth a penny, though.


What bothers you more: speeling errors; punctuation, errors, or errors for grammar?
Depends. Probably spelling the most, with punctuation right behind it.






Part two of challenge will have to wait as the library is ready to kick me off of the computers. They're closing for the night. :-P Laters!