WRITING SURVEY

It’s been close to two weeks since I last posted, but at least I’m more or less caught up with Christmas. I still have things to finish up, but I thought I would take some time out and answer these questions about writing. My crit partner sent them about a week ago and I've been thinking about the answers ever since.

Thanks, Brenda, for sending them and stirring up some creative thoughts!

1. What's the last thing you wrote? What's the first thing you wrote that you still have?

Last Thing: Wrote an article for our December church newsletter. Sadly, that was a whole month ago. The next one is due in two days!

First Thing: I started a story when I was in nursing school that I had forgotten about until I ran across the old notebook I wrote it in. That was way back in the day before computers. Guess I didn’t even have a typewriter then because this is written in my almost illegible handwriting.

2. Write poetry?

Actually, I do sometimes. You can find two of them on my “Patti’s Writing Stuff” page. Years ago, I submitted a poem to some contest and was told that it would be published in a book called “A Nightfall of Diamonds”. I bought the book for $50.00 just to see my poem in print. Of course, I realized after the purchase that the only people who probably ever bought that book were those who had poetry printed in it!

3. Angsty poetry?

Not really.

4. Favorite genre of writing?

Historical and contemporary western. I am now editor to a magazine for youth, so I’m thinking of doing some writing for that age group. Don’t think I can get into the fantasy stuff, though. I’ve been reading some (James Patterson’s Max and Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight), but can’t see my creative efforts running along those lines.

5. Most annoying character you've ever created?

John Lexington Andrews, a secondary character in my novel “Magic Moments in Time”, a story about a pack trip in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. He’s affluent, opinionated, and looks down on everyone who crosses his path.

6. Best Plot you've ever created?

“Magic” is still my favorite. Here’s a real short synopsis of that story line.

A young woman from the east coast takes a pack trip into the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Suffering the heartache of a broken engagement and the tragic death of her parents, she seeks direction in her life in line with God’s will. A Colorado rancher agrees to guide for the trip to help out his brother. He is unexpectedly thrown together with his estranged son and also encounters a man from his past who holds a grudge against him. The young eastern girl and the rancher, while nurturing a growing attraction for each other, become entangled in western drama that puts them both in danger.

7. Coolest Plot twist you've ever created?

Hmmm, can’t think of a good answer for this one

8. How often do you get writer's block?

Too often. I can write a scene right down to the last letter in my head when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, but put me in front of the computer and the words get all jumbled in my brain. Think I need to sneak a tape recorder under my pillow!

9. Write fan fiction?

Definitely. Gunsmoke fan fiction to be exact. I’ve also thought it would be fun to do a Cold Case fan fic. Even did some research for the story I have in mind, but haven’t gotten to the point of getting the actual story on paper yet.

I wish I could write my own stories the way I write fanfic. It comes easy because I already know the characters so well. My internal editor takes a snooze and I don’t worry near as much about “all the rules” because I know only fans of the show will read it. All they care about is the story and they accept it with head-hopping, lousy grammar, and all the other writing “no-nos”!

10. Do you type or write by hand?

Type. My handwriting is terrible, so I have a difficult time reading it. I have deciphered some of my hen scratching from years past, but it takes me forever and I have to get back into the mindset of what I may have been thinking back then.

I don’t know if this modern technology is good or bad, but I find I’ve become terribly dependent on my computer. I usually don’t write unless I have it. Once in a great while, if an idea comes to mind, I’ll jot a note or two on paper, but nothing lengthy.

11. Do you save everything you write?

Unfortunately, yes. That’s why my bookshelves, desk drawers, and heaven knows what all else, are full of old notebooks, print outs of works in progress, and notes about what I intend to write some far off someday.

My computer has way too many files on it. I need to delete some of them, but I always have this fear that I’m going to wipe out some scene that I will desperately need someday. There is never enough time to actually go through and read all that I have saved so I can weed out the unnecessary stuff.

12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?

Sometimes I come across something I wrote ages ago and have forgotten about. When I read it, it jogs my memory about what I had in mind at the time and I work on developing it.

13. What's your favorite thing you've ever written?

I would say I enjoy my fanfic stories the most.

14. What's everyone else's favorite story that you've written?

My Gunsmoke fanfic “Festus’ Secret”. I got a lot of positive feedback on that one.

15. Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

All of my stories have a touch of romance. I’d like to try my hand at the teen drama, especially since I work in a psychiatric residential child care facility. In my work setting, I’m surrounded by plenty of teen angst!

16. What's your favorite setting for your characters?

I like to use rural settings. Two of my current novels in progress take place in Southeastern Colorado and one in the San Juan mountains of Colorado. I’d like to write a story set in New York’s Adirondack North country someday.

17. How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Up until the holidays, I was submitting 5-6 pages to my crit group on a weekly basis, but we’ve decided to take a break until the new year. I will be responsible for our church newsletter in 2010 and am now editor of a magazine through Written World Communications called Starsongs. I’ll be doing an editorial piece for the magazine on a regular basis. I’ve also been approached about writing for the quarterly newsletter that my place of employment sends out every quarter. As an editor, I also plan to polish and submit some short pieces to markets in the hope of establishing some writing credits.

Okay, I guess I really didn’t answer the question accurately. As for what I’m working on right now, I’d say there are three I need to accomplish by the end of December. 1) newsletter article 2) a story for Written World Communications 3) I’d like to complete another couple of scenes in my novel before I lose sight of where the story is going.

18. Have you ever won an award for your writing?

I finaled in the Genesis contest for ACFW in 2006 (I think it was ’06), but didn’t win. Received an award for innovation for an article I wrote a few months ago for my place of employment.

19. What are your five favorite words?

I guess I like words that describe beauty or nature. Let’s see if I can think of a few: grandeur, vastness, glisten, meander, glinted

20. What character have you created that is most like yourself?

Probably Anne in “Magic”, who came from New York to take a pack trip in the Colorado Mountains. Her background is fictitious along with the events that make up the story plot, but some of the incidents related in the story are based on my experiences when I took the trip.

21. Where do you get ideas for your characters?

People I observe in my daily life experiences, people I have known in the past, characters in other books or Tv/movies with my own attributes added in.

22. Do you ever write based on your dreams?

I know a person has six dreams a night, even though most of us don’t remember them. I seldom remember mine, so no, I can’t say I have ever written a story based on a dream.

23. Do you favor happy endings?

Yes, but not unrealistically happy. I can’t stand to have everything turn out “right” against impossible odds.

24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Yes, my internal editor hounds me constantly. I can’t hardly even send out an email without double checking it to be sure spelling, grammar, and sentence structure are correct.

25. Does music help you write?

Not really, but interestingly enough, I often write in front of the TV, usually reruns of episodes of my favorite shows. (For example, Gunsmoke is on right now! I’ve probably seen this particular episode a half dozen times at least.)

26. Quote something you've written. Whatever pops into your head.

Why did her thoughts keep returning to that man? She shut her eyes tight, trying to block out the image of Frank Pride’s smile, but his light brown gaze managed to slip even behind her closed lids.

She fell asleep wondering how he liked his eggs.
- From my work in progress “Desperate Dreams”

Thanks for reading my blog!