Ask the Author: Leslie Calderoni
Answered Questions (4)
Leslie Calderoni
Being a writer is like having total permission to let my imagination run wild and share what I create with the world. It's thrilling to come up against a challenge in the plot or characters’ lives and write my way through it. I celebrate whenever my story takes a new and exciting turn, and even more so when I finish a first draft!
Leslie Calderoni
I just finished writing the first draft of Conjures, the second book in the Tempest Trinity trilogy. Because I'm writing a series, I wanted to take the characters to a new place, out of their comfort zone, to explore how they navigate a new location and interact with new characters. I chose New Orleans because it's one of my favorite places in the world and offered amazing opportunities for describing its beauty and magic.
Leslie Calderoni
I'm working on the first draft of the second book in my Tempest Trinity series, Conjures. The story takes place in New Orleans, with the Tempest sisters being drawn there to retrieve something precious that was stolen from them, and to understand a family secret. This book has been so fun to write because I love the French Quarter, and outside the city, the natural beauty of the swamp. New characters have emerged and it's always a lovely surprise when new storylines appear and take me with them. It's exciting to see the story reveal itself as I go along writing and I can't wait to share it with readers.
Leslie Calderoni
For me, writer's block feels like being on one side of a river, needing to get to the other side, with no bridge in sight. It's a feeling of being stuck, but having the pressure to keep going—continually on. I don't have a specific trick for unblocking; if I did I'd patent it. But I have a few methods to getting my creative mojo back.
Music. Like a lot of writers, I listen to music when I work. But when I get stuck, I look for new songs, and genres, to open up a different path in my mind. Depending on the scene I'm writing, I'll check out the "Mood" section of Spotify and find a playlist that matches the emotions I'm trying to convey. For Conjures, I listened to playlists that included songs like “Devil’s Daughter” by Vaudeville Etiquette and “Moonlight” by Hanni El Khatib.
Imagery. To help “see” a way out of writer's block, the internet and magazines are a big help. I use Google image search and look for pictures related to my writing. You can Google theme, location, people, etc. to jump-start creativity. Magazines are great, too, because actively holding one and flipping through the pages fires up different areas of the brain. You never know what you'll find.
Movies. I love movies and get great inspiration from them. If I'm truly stuck, I will walk away from my computer and either watch a new movie or an old favorite. Focusing on something else for an hour or so frees my mind up to create while I'm not actively thinking about my story.
If all else fails, a walk outside, a nap, or reading another author I enjoy can also help tremendously.
I’m able to produce a lot of work when I’m under a deadline and I’m highly motivated when the deadline is fast approaching. I’m working on finding a better balance and pacing myself so I can create quality over crunch-time quantity.
Music. Like a lot of writers, I listen to music when I work. But when I get stuck, I look for new songs, and genres, to open up a different path in my mind. Depending on the scene I'm writing, I'll check out the "Mood" section of Spotify and find a playlist that matches the emotions I'm trying to convey. For Conjures, I listened to playlists that included songs like “Devil’s Daughter” by Vaudeville Etiquette and “Moonlight” by Hanni El Khatib.
Imagery. To help “see” a way out of writer's block, the internet and magazines are a big help. I use Google image search and look for pictures related to my writing. You can Google theme, location, people, etc. to jump-start creativity. Magazines are great, too, because actively holding one and flipping through the pages fires up different areas of the brain. You never know what you'll find.
Movies. I love movies and get great inspiration from them. If I'm truly stuck, I will walk away from my computer and either watch a new movie or an old favorite. Focusing on something else for an hour or so frees my mind up to create while I'm not actively thinking about my story.
If all else fails, a walk outside, a nap, or reading another author I enjoy can also help tremendously.
I’m able to produce a lot of work when I’m under a deadline and I’m highly motivated when the deadline is fast approaching. I’m working on finding a better balance and pacing myself so I can create quality over crunch-time quantity.
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