Sunday, May 25, 2014

BLOG TOUR: THE WRITING PROCESS IN FOUR QUESTIONS



I’ve done this once before, so forgive me if it seems silly.  But when Susan Goodman asked me to join her team for this round of THE WRITING PROCESS BLOG TOURS, I couldn’t resist.  Susan sent me to David Elliott’s blog to remind me of the four questions, and he reminded me that lots of other great authors, like Carmen Oliver, and Sara Zarr, are also taking part. 

So here’s my latest take on THE WRITING PROCESS, in four questions.  I hope you’ll also explore my friend’s Claire Rudolf Murphy and Kenn Nesbitt as they offer their points of view on the same four questions. 

Onward to excellence.  

Kelly

What am I currently working on?

For a writer who has written more than 40 nonfiction books, it’s amazing for me to admit, I’m working on three 12,000 word novels – fiction inspired by true stories – for Andrew Karre at Darby Creek/Lerner for the first time in my life.  And while I’ve written several fictional YA short stories, this really is a first for me.  A challenging, exciting first.  So I’m pretty excited about it. 

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

On the fiction front, we’ll have to wait and see to answer that question.  On the nonfiction, it’s easier.  Most writers of young reader nonfiction search for “award winning” topics to document.  I wouldn’t mind winning awards, but that’s not my niche.  I look for topics that will draw kids into the books – especially kids that might not otherwise love to read.  I was a reluctant reader growing up, so I write for those kids now.  Topics like Bigfoot, aliens, sea monsters and ghosts carefully researched and presented set my work apart from other nonfiction writers.  When it comes to my animal stories, they are usually laced with human drama, which might set them apart, too.  I hope so. 

Why do I write what I write?

I write what I write because these are the books I would have wanted to find in the library as a kid – books I never did.  I write for the child in myself, and for children everywhere.  I write to my passions, hoping the work will shine with that enthusiasm. 

What is my writing process?

My process is unconventional.  The research isn’t.  Like all writers of nonfiction, I read a whole lot about my topic – articles, books, academic papers – and do interviews with prominent experts.  I do field trips to explore the places or subjects about which I’m writing.  All that is fairly typical.  But how I tackle the actual writing process might not be. 

I wake up in the morning, tackle my email, play a few video games, then write for as long as I feel excited about the topic.  Then I clean house, walk my dog, play more games to break the day up.  Once that’s done, I’m ready to write again.  I write as long as I feel the work is fresh, then break again.  All the while, I have the television in the background, usually MSNBC – I’m a liberal news junky.  I cannot write if it’s too quiet.  I think that started when I did magazine features as a single mom with two kids.  I had to learn to write amid happy chaos, and now I can’t seem to manage without it.  

So my process is a little scattered and seems random.  But it’s not.  It is a pattern that works FOR ME.  And if I can convey any one thing in this blog, it’s that there is no WRONG process, as long as it works, as long as it helps you produce your finished product.  

Don’t try to copy any other writer.  Try they’re styles on if you’re just beginning – if you like.  But feel sure the process you adopt, the one that fits your life and rhythm will be just as good as anything you read about anywhere else.  The main objective is to keep writing.  Do that, and it all falls naturally into place.

4 comments:

  1. I love reading about other people's writing process. I too break the writing day up although we seem to do it in different ways. Since I'm heading into summer swim team, mine will be -- to pool, to the other pool, and on some days, to a third pool. Obviously, on those days I won't accomplish much although I do hope to write a new book this summer.
    --SueBE

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  2. Thanks Kelly! My own blog tour post is now up at http://www.clairerudolfmurphy.com/writing-process-blog-tour/

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  3. Have fun at the pools, SueB! We'll both find the energy to write, summer or not, right? Right.

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  4. Claire, thanks so much for joining the blog fun! You rock.

    Kelly

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