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Today Seeing Night Reviews has author Brinda Berry as a guest talking about her quirks when writing. Dont forget to enter the tour giveaway and read my review of Whisper of Memory!
Who Are You Calling Quirky?
Everybody has quirks. These preferences and habits may be visible to the public or only noticeable by the most observant person. For instance, when I eat a meal in a restaurant, I hate it when my tablemates pick food from my plate. If my friend's hand reaches across to grab one of my french fries, my throat closes up and have to tell myself that it will be alright. When it comes to sleeping, I can't go to sleep with the bedroom door open or without being under the covers. So now you know two of my hidden quirks.
Likewise, I have found I have preferences when it comes to writing. I write best very early in the morning. My mind is fresh and I can get more accomplished in one hour predawn than I can in three hours at night. I prefer to do all my serious writing before noon. Piping hot coffee is also a requirement.
When I have a problem with a plot in a manuscript, I won't be able to solve it at the computer. There are several places far more conducive to working out the kinks. I will have to work ahead and skip the problem until I can think while in the shower, bed, or car. These are the ideal locations for the great epiphany to hit.
When I start a new manuscript, I am bothered by the lack of a name. I cannot wait until the
end of a work to stick the perfect name on it. I will be plagued by names popping into my head during the first stages, so I might as well put a title on it. It feels like having a dog that you spend time with daily and calling it "dog."
I use the computer for most of my work, but I will write outlines on paper. That's the prewriting stage. There are a couple of small journals I carry around for this very purpose. During editing, I also like paper. I can catch mistakes better when I read them on paper than on the computer screen.
To keep my writing on track, I love schedules, timelines, and calendars. I make schedules for myself on an online calendar and refer to it constantly. And although I don't always meet all those deadlines I set for myself, I know what my goals are. So, now you know some of my writing quirks.
Do you have any quirks? Sure your do!
Do you have any quirks? Sure your do!
BLURB for Whisper of Memory:
Weapons training and winter formals — a deadly combination.
Mia's always had a plan to be ordinary and blend in at Whispering Woods High. Being a portal-finding synesthete who dates a guy from another dimension sort of ruins that plan. Then she discovers that her missing older brother is involved in some interdimensional drama. Between learning about weaponry, getting formalwear, and catching the bad guy, who has time for ordinary?
BIO: Brinda lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She’s terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality.
Tour Wide Giveaway
Kindle Touch and 20 Romance Trading Cards
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Whisper of Memory sounds like a great read. I'm adding it to my list. Your quirks are a lot like mine, except the eating off my plate. My kids broke me of that one. I do my best writing in the morning and if I'm having trouble working out an issue I sleep on it. The only problem is the solution sometimes wakes me up at 3. :{ I learned to keep a tablet at the bedside so I can jot down my thoughts then go back to sleep.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Lynda
My best ideas usually come while I'm driving, or worse, while I'm walking the dogs. I haven't quite figured out where in my workout clothes I can store a notebook, let alone how to write things down while holding three leashes. I have turned around and headed home early several times to try to capture my thoughts before I forget them. I'm thinking about carrying a Sharpie so I can write on myself. Best of luck with Whisper of Memory.
ReplyDeleteThank you LKF AND Ally Im always interested in the writing quirks of authors and how they keep track of all the ideas/thought for their novels :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
Morning is my writing time, too. I'm notoriously bad at titles. I usually bug my husband and crit partners to help me.
ReplyDeleteIt would take me all day to write down my quirks, but they are part of me. I can live with them.
ReplyDelete