Things I Know About My Writing Process by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries (2012) for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink. She blogs daily at Mystery Writing is Murder, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers in 2010.  Her next release is in June--Finger Lickin' Dead, part of the Memphis BBQ series.

 As the mother of two, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles duties as Girl Scout leader, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips.

Elizabeth Spann Craig (Riley Adams)
http://mysteryloverskitchen.com
Twitter: @elizabethscraig

 

Things I Know About My Writing Process

by  Elizabeth Spann Craig

As hard as it is for me to believe, I’m about to start working on my eighth manuscript.  I used to be a lot shakier when I started out on a project—it was almost like I was trying to remember how to do it all again.

I guess writing is one of those things that gets easier as you go. Well….no, I’ll take that back. But I do think the writing process is something that gets easier, simply because you have a better understanding of what will happen as you write.  The process is completely individual to each writer, of course.  This is what I know about mine:

Before I start, I’ll make a Word folder labeled with the working title of the WIP.  I’ll also go ahead and make several files to go in that main folder:  one will be “characters,” one will be “random ideas,” one will be “brainstorming,” and one will be the actual first draft.

I’ll start out with my characters.  Actually, I’ll start out with my victim, to be exact.  This victim will be an amalgam of various unpleasant types that I’ve had personal contact with or seen on the television news shows. J

I’ll think of all the possible reasons why someone would want to kill someone like my victim.  This gets me started with my suspects.

I’ll come up with a list of traits for my protagonist.  I’ll also come up with ways I want the character to grow.

I’ll start writing and will write half a chapter a day, if possible, and I’ll work straight through the manuscript (leaving out descriptions, settings, and subplots)…unless I get stuck.

If I do get stuck or don’t feel like writing a particular scene, I’ll skip ahead to a different part of the book and write it, instead.

I’ll add the character descriptions, setting details, and subplots after the first draft is finished.  

I’ll frequently talk to myself as I write.  If I’m in public at the time, people will stare. J  If I’m at home, my corgi, Chloe, will look concerned. 

I’ll reach a point in my first draft where I feel absolutely ecstatic about my story, characters, and subplots.

I’ll reach a point in my first draft where I consider starting over with a different idea. 

At some point in my first draft, I’ll be surprised by where I am in the story—either that I have fewer words or more.

I’ll read a book while I’m writing my book and wistfully think that I’ll never write that well.

I’ll choose a different book to read while writing my book and feel confident that I could have written it better.

When I get really into the writing groove, one of my cats (Mr. Smoke by name), will inexplicably choose to walk over my laptop keyboard.  He will only do this when he observes me in the writing zone.

I won’t want to stop messing with my manuscript and will continue tweaking it right up to deadline.  My misguided sense of perfectionism will put me on top of a deadline every time.

I’ll feel an intense feeling of satisfaction and joy in both the writing process and then in seeing the finished product. 

How about you?  What have you learned about yourself and your writing process?

Adapting Our Writing Routine...and How to Survive Our Kids' Summer Vacation by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Elizabeth Spann Craig  writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin as Riley Adams, the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink (under her own name), and blogs daily at http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com,  which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers in its current issue.

Delicious and Suspicious releases July 6, 2010. 

As the mother of two, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles duties as Brownie leader, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips.

Adapting Our Writing Routine…and How to Survive Our Kids’ Summer Vacation

By Elizabeth Spann Craig

I have a week and a half until my children’s schools let out for the summer.

This time last year, I was completely horrified at that realization.

This year? Not so much.  Because I managed to write the better part of a novel over summer break last year.  It had to be done…I was under a deadline.  I developed my own routine last summer.

Now I’ve got a routine for every occasion, not just summer break:

My routine when writing at home isn’t working for me and I need to escape:

Yes, sometimes writing at home isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.   That’s because when you’re faced by a dog that sleeps a lot

and cats that hang off the side of small tables while they sleep,

 sometimes it can make you feel a little bit sleepy.

Or sometimes the house is too interactive.  The dishwasher stops running, the dryer buzzer goes off, a table sassily says “dust me.”

So I go out and write where the background noise is there but means nothing to me.  

• I’ll write at the library, the coffee shop, or a diner. 
•  If the background noise starts edging into the foreground, then I put headphones on and listen to music I’ve downloaded to my computer while I write.

The I’ve-only-got-15-minutes-to-write-today routine:

• I make it count by planning the writing the night before. 
• What am I going to cover? 
• Where am I picking up the story? 
• What’s the point of the scene? 

If I know ahead of time that I have a really, really limited timeframe to write in (I’m travelling, it’s a holiday, etc.) then I make every little minute count.

The it’s-a-beautiful-day writing routine

• I go to the park after school with the kids. I take a laptop and a folding chair (and, yes, I look nerdy as heck and don’t care a bit.)
• I write in the hammock
• I use a notebook and pencil if the sun is glinting too much on the computer screen.

And now, for you parents out there, my routine for surviving the kids’ summer vacation (and still get a book written): 

Go completely with the flow.  There is no routine over summer break…that’s how summer break works! But I do have tips for you: 

Go on an outing—the kids and your manuscript. If your kids are older, the park, skating rink, bowling alley, swimming pool, etc, work out well. If they’re younger, try one of those indoor playgrounds with inflatables. 

Bring a friend for your child. Or more than one. They’re much happier if they are on outings with a friend or two. And they’re more inclined to let you get some work done. 

Plan some dedicated time with your child to play one on one. This time can be either before or after the time that you need to get some work done. Here’s the deal with this time: you need to be completely focused on your child. No thinking about anything else. You play Monopoly, read a few books, whatever they want to do with you---and then you explain you are going to spend X amount of time writing. 

Quiet time works for everyone. Even my older child (12) needs time to unwind in the afternoon. My kids unplugged for a while with a book or played quietly in their room while I worked on my laptop. When I had a toddler, I’d put her in her room and give her books. The rule was that even if they couldn’t sleep, they had to “read” (look at pictures.) 

Host playdates. I know—this sounds like more trouble than help. But usually (this depends on your kid and the kids you invite over), my children disappear to hang out with their friends. It’s the perfect time to write. 

Remember that the more adaptable we are, the more writing we can get done!  Best of luck, everyone!  And Happy Memorial Day!

 

 (My corgi, Chloe, desperately wanted a cameo in my post because she’s a huge admirer of Kaye’s Harley. So excuse the gratuitous corgi photos. :) )