Ask the Author: Desiree Span
Answered Questions (31)
Desiree Span
I've always loved stories. After reading one romance novel too many, I thought, I wonder if I could write one? I opened my laptop...and accidentally started a second career.
Desiree Span
Success, to me, is connection. If a reader tells me they felt something, if a scene stayed with them, made them cry, laugh, or see themselves in a character—that’s everything. Of course, I won’t lie, seeing my books out in the world and reaching more readers is part of the dream. But at the core, success is knowing my stories meant something to someone.
Desiree Span
Most of the time, it starts with the characters, but there’s always a core idea of what I want them to go through. I need to know them before I can write anything meaningful. Once I understand who they are—their wounds, their flaws, what they’re running from and what they secretly want—the idea really starts to take shape. From there, the plot kind of builds itself around them… and usually takes a few unexpected turns along the way.
Desiree Span
Write the story you want to read. Not what’s trending, not what you think will sell, but what comes naturally to you, what excites you...in other words: write what you're passionate about. And don’t wait until it’s perfect. It won’t be. Ever. Finish the messy draft. Fall in love with your characters. Then go back and make it shine!
Desiree Span
It really depends on the day (and my energy levels), but I aim for consistency over perfection.
Some days it’s a solid writing session of a few hours, other days it’s squeezing in words between life, teaching, and everything else. My goal is usually 3–5 pages a day… and a little delusion that I’ll “just write one more scene.”
Some days it’s a solid writing session of a few hours, other days it’s squeezing in words between life, teaching, and everything else. My goal is usually 3–5 pages a day… and a little delusion that I’ll “just write one more scene.”
Desiree Span
No—and honestly, I don’t know if I’d want it to be completely. I love teaching high school. I love that I get to play a small part in my students’ lives and help shape young minds. It makes me feel like I’m contributing to something meaningful. Also, they make me laugh, challenge me, keep me on my toes, and keep me updated on all the trends I apparently need to follow on TikTok (haha!).
That being said… I do wish there were more days in the week. Balancing teaching and writing isn’t always easy, and sometimes I’d love a little more time to get lost in my stories.
That being said… I do wish there were more days in the week. Balancing teaching and writing isn’t always easy, and sometimes I’d love a little more time to get lost in my stories.
Desiree Span
Yes… and no. I wish I could say I’m one of those super-organized authors with color-coded outlines, but I’m more of a chaotic creative with a plan. I usually have the big emotional beats, the tropes, and a few scenes I’m dying to write. And apparently, my brain doesn’t believe in “off” hours, because even when I sleep, I stay in author mode. I constantly dream up scenes or entire story ideas. And right before I fall asleep? My mind suddenly decides it’s storytelling time. I’ve learned the hard way that if I don’t write it down immediately, it’s gone within three minutes. So yes… my notes app is chaos.
Desiree Span
As a contemporary romance author, my books don’t require the same level of world building as, for example, fantasy or science fiction novels. That said, setting is still important to me. I pay close attention to small, purposeful details that give readers a clear sense of where my characters are. My style isn’t about flooding the page with description, but about offering just enough so readers can fully immerse themselves in the characters’ world.
Desiree Span
I’ve been fortunate not to struggle much with writer’s block, but there are times when I feel stuck, usually when I am unsure how to move the story forward. When that happens, I take a short break and let the story rest. Coming back to it with fresh eyes often brings new ideas.
Desiree Span
Since forever. But I’ve been writing seriously since 2015, when I started working on my first novel, Oliver and Erica.
Desiree Span
I’ve been fortunate not to struggle much with writer’s block, but there are times when I feel stuck, usually when I am unsure how to move the story forward. When that happens, I take a short break and let the story rest. Coming back to it with fresh eyes often brings new ideas.
Desiree Span
I try to separate helpful feedback from opinions that just aren’t for me. Constructive criticism helps me improve my writing, while the rest I’ve learned to let go.
Desiree Span
One word: the internet. It’s my starting point for almost all of my research, whether that’s background details, locations, professions, or small facts that help make my stories more realistic.
Desiree Span
When I develop my plot and characters, I rely heavily on my romance beat sheet. I start with a rough outline that marks all the key story beats, and then I weave in the emotional arcs the characters need to go through to truly earn their happy ending. The rest of the story often takes shape while I am writing. I usually have a plan in my head to move the characters from one beat to the next, but more often than not I end up deviating from it, and the story seems to develop a mind of its own.
Desiree Span
Receiving poor reviews is simply part of being an author. Our stories will never please everyone, and if a review includes helpful feedback, I see it as part of my ongoing learning process as an indie author. What I do find unfair are poor reviews from readers who choose to read my book even though the genre isn’t really for them. To me, that’s like ordering a pizza Hawaii and then giving it one star because you don’t like pineapple on your pizza.
Desiree Span
When I’m writing emotionally heavy scenes, my main focus isn’t so much on how it affects me, but on whether I’m able to convey those emotions in an honest way. I want readers to feel what the characters are going through without it ever feeling forced, or like I’m adding emotional moments just to manipulate a reaction. For me, it’s about letting the emotions grow naturally out of the story and the characters, and trusting that if it feels real to them, it will feel real to the reader too.
Desiree Span
To be honest, there isn’t a real process for me at all. Sometimes a title just pops into my head while I’m writing. Other times, it comes to me so naturally that I immediately start doubting myself and wonder if I’ve heard it somewhere else before. As a result, I often spend more time scouring the internet to make sure I’m not accidentally stealing someone else’s title than actually coming up with one.
Desiree Span
I kind of grew into it. As a child, I loved to draw and would add dialogue to the characters, creating my own comic strips. In college, I took a narratology course and wrote my first film script and short stories.
I started writing my first full-length novel in 2015, but at the time I had no intention of publishing it. It wasn’t until my sister-in-law read it and told me it was too good to keep hidden that I found the courage to release it. And that’s how my journey as an indie author began.
I started writing my first full-length novel in 2015, but at the time I had no intention of publishing it. It wasn’t until my sister-in-law read it and told me it was too good to keep hidden that I found the courage to release it. And that’s how my journey as an indie author began.
Desiree Span
When I have an upcoming release, readers are naturally more engaged and excited. They’re always kind enough to wish me good luck, tell me they’re looking forward to reading it, or congratulate me once it’s out. In between releases, things do quiet down a bit, but that’s just part of the rhythm of being an author.
Desiree Span
The subsequent novels are definitely more challenging for me, because even the tiniest details in the first book can have a huge ripple effect later in the series. One throwaway line can suddenly become very important three books down the road. So as an author, you’re constantly keeping track of timelines, character choices, and hidden connections to make sure everything still fits.
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