Thank you so much Eve @ Edge of Night for tagging me for this! It's a lot of fun.
You should definitely go check out her blog, people! She post some awesome poetry.
1. What current story or book are you working on?
I'm editing Oddball the First.
2. What is your favorite genre to write in?
Fantasy. Anything not normal. Anything that can be funny and loaded with dialogue.
3. Have you been published? If not, do you plan to be?
I do plan to be a published author, yes.
4. Which aspect of writing are you best at (mood, theme, plot, etc.)?
So these are hard questions.
Characters
Dialogue maybe
Awkward scenes [not that I have real life experience in this, never]
5. Which part could you improve upon most in your writing?
Plot
Not adding too much dialogue
Endings
Not making sad things funny
Titles
There could always be more dragons. Always.
6. Do you prefer to write fiction or nonfiction?
What is this nonfiction that you speak of?
7. Do you remember the title of your very first work?
Story length
The Surprise.
[It was a stupid, predictable story about a rainbow, if you care to know. I was probably 7.]
[It was a stupid, predictable story about a rainbow, if you care to know. I was probably 7.]
Book length
The Sandy Series
I promise it's a fantasy and not some MG school drama.
[Yes, I know. The title burns your eyeballs. Just run some cold tap water over them. That's what I do.]
8. Are you typically a planner or a panster?
I'm a bit of a hybrid, but I lean heavily on the pantsing side.
9. What is your definition of a "successful" writer?
Gee, this is subjective. Sure, by nature of the question of course. But don't go away thinking that what I consider "a successful writer" to be is the firm and immovable definition of a successful writer.
Success is different for everyone. [So by nature, subjective?] Figure out what it means to you. Go on now. Be free!
*cough*
So for me? Gosh, I know, but I don't know. Like I don't want to tell you.
I hate telling people my "plans." My plans are always subject to change, and they will most assuredly change if I tell them to people. Plans are funny like that. They're like secrets. You tell them to people and everything blows up in your face. End of action movie.
10. What would you say to someone wanting to be an author?
Write a lot, man. Write everything. Read a lot. Read everything.
Experiment to your heart's content.
Experiment to your heart's content.
You don't have to use big words to talk about deep stuff.
Make 'em laugh. [That's a song, by of way.]
Make it worth your time by having fun with it. Have so much fun other people get jealous.
Steal the tag if you'd like!
Do you make a mean outline? Or are you a panster through and through? And what is the title of your first work? Do your plans turn on you when you tell people about them?
I love your answers! I've written several poems, and few short stories, but only one novel (and I'm really procrastinating editing it)! I pantsed the novel, so it's kind of a mess :-)
ReplyDeleteI totally get what you mean about plans turning on you when you tell people about them! That's why I always wait before telling anyone anything.
Thank you! That's pretty awesome! Even just writing a first draft is a big deal. It's hard to finish things sometimes, you know? I hope you get around to editing it! Keep going with the writing. :)
DeleteUgh, yes. It's awful. XD
*starts singing Make 'Em Laugh obligingly* And oohh I like your answers to this! Even though I'm opposite for most of them (like MASSIVE plotter here, hehe, I think you pansters are genius wizards!!) and I love that quote by Picasso at the end. <3 Also "Have so much fun other people get jealous." is legit the best thing I've heard and I so so agree!!
ReplyDeleteYOU KNOW THE SONG!! *joins in* *trips over something* I do kinda look up to plotters though. I "secretly" want to be one because I think it'd make life so much easier or at least the editing process. I really just want to adopt that quote as my writing philosophy, please and thank you.
DeleteThanks!
*sings along with Cait*
ReplyDeleteNot making sad things funny... Same. Same. I can't write something sad without it being funny, too. Oops.
MORE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE SONG! We shall have a choir soon. ;)
DeleteHaha, I'm glad I'm not the only one. But I do wonder if it takes a certain kind of skill to make something sad into something funny, yes? Oh, well.
The first (and only, actually) book length thing I ever wrote was totally a MG drama-filled thing about abuse or something. I mean, I was *in* middle school at the time, so I get some slack for that, right? It was titled, I believe, "Goodnight, Sweet Dream." Yeah. I think I thought I was Sarah Dessen.
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, me? I'm a plotter. In fact, all I seem to do is write outlines lol.
(Btw, Singing in the Rain is one of my favorite movies!)
That's great though! And an interesting topic, particularly if you were in middle school.
DeletePlotting is good though. At least you have a plan before you begin and you know where you're going. XD Just turn those outlines into books! You got this! ;)
(One of mine too! Also, An American in Paris.)
That gif of Spiderman is everything!
ReplyDeleteYeees, just about every Spider-Man gif of Andrew Garfield's is my fav.
DeleteI think it's absolutely adorable that you wrote your first story when you were seven. Do you still have the story? I used to write a lot when I was younger, but ended up getting rid of everything and it's something I deeply regret.
ReplyDeleteOh, well thanks. . . XD Um, I think my mom has it stuffed in a photo album somewhere.
DeleteAhh - so sorry I'm just now seeing this, it's been forever since I've gone around and commented anywhere!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about plans just flying out of the window whenever you tell someone about them. It's cruel lmao. It's like the universe is just trying to make you appear unreliable. "Success" is most definitely a subjective term.. I loved your answer to that question, though. I'd say a large part of my definition of success is that you're enjoying what you do. I'm totally a hybrid, too. Used to be almost a pure pantser, but I've come to appreciate basic outlining... Bullet points are my best friends. I don't think you can have too much dialogue, honestly! If it's done well, that is. There are stories out there that are literally dialogue and nothing else - no descriptions, nothing. And they're great! Plotting is the scourge.
Great answers, Ashley! :) Thanks for participating!
I know? What is it with plans? Why can't they behave themselves? Ah, success, yes. I do hate it when people try to project their own idea of success onto others. It makes for unhappy, discontent people. Hm, I might have to try this bullet point thing. It sounds promising. Really? I LOVE dialogue! It's great if, like you said, it's done well. So there's hope for us yet. ;)
DeleteThanks!
Heya pal! So I am going round everyone's blogs like "OH MY GOSH HIIIIIII", but here I don't feel the need because you have heard me cap-locks long and loud enough in emails. Speaking of emails, I got yours, it was a delight, I'll reply soon. One thing I can say is, I APPROVE OF THE PLAN. YOU KNOW TO WHICH PLAN I REFER. I AM SO EXCITED!
ReplyDeleteSo, your blog is black now! Who knew? How long has it had it's new look? I'm a fan, it's very clean and simple.
"Make it worth your time by having fun with it. Have so much fun other people get jealous." I love this. Because writing can be utterly horrific, but it also squeezes so much love from my heart, and it really is the best fun. Nothing beats it.
(I'm redrafting TCATT at the moment. Ungh.)
Looking forward to emailing you, my friend! And it's fab to read your blog. It's been too long.
AAAAAAHHHH! YOU HAVE RETURNED! But of course, I already know this. ;)
DeleteUh, maybe a few months? I really like it though, so I'm glad you think it looks good and clean and such. Although I am considering changing the title. *cough* Just remind me to tell you about it later when you know.
Exactly, so many people bemoan how hard writing is. And it is stinkin' hard, but it can be fun too. It's not all torture.
(Oo, really? I hope it's going well!)
Thanks!
I absolutely love your writing advice! Be addicted to writing, read, write, write and write some more :D That is totally perfect. I'm afraid I haven't been writing much lately due to uni, but I'm trying. I have to ask though, I cannot guess where a story about a rainbow would go. That sounds totally unpredictable. Does the rainbow destroy the earth? Is it sad and wants friends? EXPLAIN ASHLEY!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Oh, I know what you mean about trying to write during the uni semester. It so hard to fit it into your schedule. It drives me crazy when I can't write. It's like I'm missing a part of myself. Haha, well the story was about girl who was sad that it was raining because she wanted to play outside. So one of her parents said that there'd be a surprise after the rain stopped, and it was a rainbow. . . yeah, that was it. XD
Delete