Randy Anderson's Blog - Posts Tagged "road-trip"
Virtual Road Trip
I’m participating in a virtual road trip where different authors answer the same four questions. May answers are below. Then, stay on the cyber-highway and read Tiffany Dyer Bird’s Answers. Then, take a moment to answer them for yourself. We’d love to hear what you’re up to!
What am I working on/writing?
I’m currently writing the first book of a new time traveler series called INEKE. Since I’ve just released my novel CAREFUL on May 1st of this year, I’m also working on marketing that book. Like every other author, I’d love to just focus on writing the next book, but the reality is that half the job of being a writer is promoting your work. Just like my abdominals, it’s my weakest muscle and my least favorite thing to work on, but there’s only one way to getter a flatter belly and more sales, so I work it as hard as I can.
How does my work/writing differ from others of its genre?
Right now I don’t know if I can say that it does. I’m heavily incorporating politics, religion and sociology into the story, but I can’t think of any good science fiction that doesn’t rely on at least one part of that trinity. Plus, as you’ll see from my answer below, I’m not necessarily after writing something different. For this series I want to write a really solid adventure story using time travel as the plot’s propellant. The mechanics of the time travel are pretty unique, but I can’t divulge that without spoilers. But in the end, I want to write a series that is exactly what people are expecting: action, romance, mystery, and thrills. The twists and turns will be exciting and hopefully unique, but I’m following a formula, so making this book similar to others in its genre is the point.
Why do I write what I do?
I love writing and telling stories. When I started writing in earnest, I followed the “write what you know” rule pretty closely and stuck to ideas, places and experiences that I was familiar with. I’m moving away from that now and exploring situations and places from my imagination. But, ultimately, if we’re talking about why I’m writing what I’m writing right now, I’d have to say, for the money. I want to try my hand at a more commercial piece. Yes, I decided to write my time travel series because that kind of story sells better than literature, which better classifies my first two works. So, the honest answer to that question, right now, is…I want to write a series that will replace my day job. Is that too much to ask?
How does my writing process work?
I keep an ever-evolving outline of my story on my desktop. I collect notes on my iphone, the modern-day notepad. Every few weeks I’ll dump those notes onto my computer and sift though then and incorporate what I like. A few times in the process I’ll lay out notecards. Each card represents a scene and I walk around the notecards placing them in order, then changing that order. While all this is going on, I’m writing 5 to 10 thousand words a week. Starting from the beginning. I like to write from the beginning because then I can discover things that inform the rest of the book. Then I reorder the cards, update the outline, and keep plugging away. The creativity, it should be noted, is fueled by walking and running, the engines of my ideas.
Take a virtual road trip over to Tiffany Dyer’s website where she answers these same questions here.
http://believehopedream.com/writing-a...
Tiffany Dyer Bird is author and illustrator of several books including the Fall of 2014, Happyful, a 52 week whimsically illustrated companion to awaken a more bliss-filled way of living, with special focus on healing, forgiveness, radical self love, practicing compassion & gratitude, sparking adventure, curiosity, creativity, and wonder. Through her blog, podcast, and workshops she emboldens individuals to live passionate (and compassionate) lives that are joy fueled and heart-directed. She speaks internationally on the potency of happiness, of doing good, and the power of love.
What am I working on/writing?
I’m currently writing the first book of a new time traveler series called INEKE. Since I’ve just released my novel CAREFUL on May 1st of this year, I’m also working on marketing that book. Like every other author, I’d love to just focus on writing the next book, but the reality is that half the job of being a writer is promoting your work. Just like my abdominals, it’s my weakest muscle and my least favorite thing to work on, but there’s only one way to getter a flatter belly and more sales, so I work it as hard as I can.
How does my work/writing differ from others of its genre?
Right now I don’t know if I can say that it does. I’m heavily incorporating politics, religion and sociology into the story, but I can’t think of any good science fiction that doesn’t rely on at least one part of that trinity. Plus, as you’ll see from my answer below, I’m not necessarily after writing something different. For this series I want to write a really solid adventure story using time travel as the plot’s propellant. The mechanics of the time travel are pretty unique, but I can’t divulge that without spoilers. But in the end, I want to write a series that is exactly what people are expecting: action, romance, mystery, and thrills. The twists and turns will be exciting and hopefully unique, but I’m following a formula, so making this book similar to others in its genre is the point.
Why do I write what I do?
I love writing and telling stories. When I started writing in earnest, I followed the “write what you know” rule pretty closely and stuck to ideas, places and experiences that I was familiar with. I’m moving away from that now and exploring situations and places from my imagination. But, ultimately, if we’re talking about why I’m writing what I’m writing right now, I’d have to say, for the money. I want to try my hand at a more commercial piece. Yes, I decided to write my time travel series because that kind of story sells better than literature, which better classifies my first two works. So, the honest answer to that question, right now, is…I want to write a series that will replace my day job. Is that too much to ask?
How does my writing process work?
I keep an ever-evolving outline of my story on my desktop. I collect notes on my iphone, the modern-day notepad. Every few weeks I’ll dump those notes onto my computer and sift though then and incorporate what I like. A few times in the process I’ll lay out notecards. Each card represents a scene and I walk around the notecards placing them in order, then changing that order. While all this is going on, I’m writing 5 to 10 thousand words a week. Starting from the beginning. I like to write from the beginning because then I can discover things that inform the rest of the book. Then I reorder the cards, update the outline, and keep plugging away. The creativity, it should be noted, is fueled by walking and running, the engines of my ideas.
Take a virtual road trip over to Tiffany Dyer’s website where she answers these same questions here.
http://believehopedream.com/writing-a...
Tiffany Dyer Bird is author and illustrator of several books including the Fall of 2014, Happyful, a 52 week whimsically illustrated companion to awaken a more bliss-filled way of living, with special focus on healing, forgiveness, radical self love, practicing compassion & gratitude, sparking adventure, curiosity, creativity, and wonder. Through her blog, podcast, and workshops she emboldens individuals to live passionate (and compassionate) lives that are joy fueled and heart-directed. She speaks internationally on the potency of happiness, of doing good, and the power of love.
