The Writing Process

The Writing ProcessK.N. Lee

In this article I will describe the writing process, what I do when I get stuck, whether I prefer to kill a character, and how I determine if a book is YA, NA, Romance, or Paranormal.

Writing has always been my greatest pleasure in life. I have been doing it since childhood and plan on continuing until I am too old to type or wield a pen. There is a process when it comes to writing, and it is quite magical. 

For me, it all begins with a dream. My eyes close and I drift into a parallel universe of my subconscious. There characters are crafted and fantastical stories are viewed like a film in a theater. When I wake up it is my job to translate what I witnessed in my dream, so that I may share the wonder with others. Rarely am I ever in my dreams. Characters take center stage, and so they are the ones truly in control. I start the first sentence, and let them lead the way. I am always amazed by the way the characters flesh themselves out with their own unique personalities and desires. I create characters that were formed by my mind. It is this fact that makes me realize that each character has a very special piece of my own true self. 

Koa in The Chronicles of Koa series is this tiny girl that no one would ever think could have any power, but she surprises those that doubt her with her strong resolve and ambition. I believe she is a nod toward who I want to be. Lilae, from my Rise of the Flame series is timid and withdrawn from others, too afraid to even look into someone’s eyes for fear that she will be judged. She is my most cherished character, for she depicts my struggles with shyness and insecurities as a child.

Since it is the characters that lead the way through a novel, I let them help me when I hit a snag. Whenever there is a chapter or scene that I continuously stumble on, or it keeps me from reaching the finish line, I consult with my muses. A walk through nature seems to help, music, or picking up another book I enjoy, and read for awhile. My greatest aid is the moments before I drift to sleep. I will focus on the scene that troubles me, fall asleep, watch these issues become resolved, and wake up with a smile. 

Voila. I am back on track.

To kill or not to kill a character?

I tend to go with the latter. However, death is one of the most primal of fears. Killing a character's loved one can make a dramatic shift in their character arc. Seeing them persevere makes them real to the reader.

When it comes to determining which genre my book is in, I simply analyze the overall theme, and determine which audience it will appeal to most.

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An Interview with Author, Stephann Ibrahim

An Interview with Author, 

Stephann Ibrahim

Where are you from?

I was born in St. George’s Grenada, in the Caribbean. However, I grew up in Frederick, Maryland  

When did you start writing?

I started writing at about the age of five. I began to keep journals in composition notebooks after an elementary school teacher gave me a notebook. Since then I haven’t stopped!

What is your favorite part about writing?

My favorite part about writing is having the ability to express myself and create a world through words.

What have you learned from writing your books?

That it’s not as easy as I thought it would be, getting all of your thoughts and ideas or a story plot into one book can be tough. Sometimes I get new ideas and I’m more than halfway through writing a book so I have to find a way to insert that idea. But the main thing I’ve learned is that sometimes a story evolves into more than you initially imagined and you just have to roll with the inspiration that comes your way.

How long does it usually take for you to complete a novel?

It takes me about a month, sometimes a few weeks if I dedicate all of my time to it. I originally wrote the first chapter of Hearts of Larceny years ago but it wasn't until last February I decided to start where I left off and complete it. It took me about three weeks to write. However with my upcoming novels there’s a longer time frame because the word count will be larger.

What was the inspiration for your book, Hearts of Larceny?

  My main inspiration for this book came from the main character I created, Jordan Thatcher; the rest came from my obsession with the Investigative Discovery Channel. I love watching shows that have a good scandalous mystery and I thought since I love mysteries so much why not write one? I developed the characters based on people I have encountered in real life and Jordan is based off of a combination a different women. She ultimately the woman that every female loves to hate and I based the majority of the book off of that idea.

Are you working on any projects right now? Can you share a snippet with us?

  

  I am currently working on Part 2 of Hearts of Larceny as well as another book, Diary of a Femme Fatale. I’m creating a series called The SIN Series and Hearts of Larceny is the debut book for that series. Here’s a small snippet for Diary of a Femme Fatale:

      

June 1

     

     The blistering sun covered my forehead as my auburn eyes hid behind the shades of my over-sized sunglasses. I could feel it already; this summer was going to be a scorcher. After taking a much needed sip from my water bottle, I picked up the shovel that lay next to my right foot and began to dig. The hole was not yet large enough, at least not large enough to fit a body…

If you could choose any actress to play the main character in Hearts of Larceny, who would you choose?

I would choose Michelle Trachtenberg, because she is great at playing a mentally unstable bad girl. The main character, Jordan Thatcher, has bad girl written all over her.

Do you have any advice for other authors?

If you have an idea for a story just start writing it down even if you think it’s silly. It’s a great way to brainstorm. Sometimes the lack of inspiration can get frustrating, but once you get it hold on to it and see where it takes you.

Is there anything that you want to say to your readers?

The main that I want to say to readers is that I hope that they get the same experience I get from reading. As a child I loved to read because reading took me to another world. Being able to give someone else that experience is the reason I wanted to become an author.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I hope to be an established author with a large reading base. Ideally I would have wanted to become better at my craft by then. Call it dreaming big but in ten years I can see myself on a best seller list if I work hard enough for it. 

Purchase Links

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Social Media Links 

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Website

Author Bio

Stephann Ibrahim is a writer of many genres including mystery, romance, fantasy, and children’s literature. At the young age of five she knew that writing would be her calling. After ghost writing for several small publications and pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in English, she decided to follow her dream of writing novels and novellas. Her goal is to captivate the mind of readers and allow them to get lost in another world just by reading. It has been a long term aspiration for Stephann to give readers the same wonderful reading experience she received not only as a child but also as an adult. She believes that everyone needs a mental escape even if it is just for a few hours. When’s she not substitute teaching, she spends her days writing. Stephann currently resides in Maryland with her husband.

The Wizard's Writing Tip: Let Your Manuscript Rest

The power of letting a manuscript rest gives you the ability to cut and scrap large chunks of what you once thought were necessary. 

I learned this in Stephen King's book, On Writing, and from personal experience with various manuscripts. When you're working on a novel, you're so close and attached to it, that the thought of parting with any sentence is out of the question. 

 

You simply cannot keep everything. 

You must tighten, revise, and polish your work. Putting your manuscript in a drawer, or taking a time out to work on something new lets you separate yourself and revisit it with fresh eyes. 

So, give it a try, take out that red pen, and get to work! 

Find more writing tips here.

Video Tutorial on Writer's Block

Today author, K.N. Lee goes over her favorite tips on getting rid of the dreaded writer's block! Take a look!

For the article, Defeating Writer's Block by, K.N. Lee, click the link!

Rainy Saturdays

Tis a glorious thing to wake up to the sound of gentle rain. You open your eyes and stretch out as the melodic sounds of crystalline water pattering against your window bid you good morning. Today I experience this glorious treat. 

With it comes unbridled creativity and grandiose ideas for what I can do with my day! 

Being a writer calls for balance. Sure, staying in bed and watching TV with a cup of hot English breakfast tea sounds absolutely divine. 

Alas...I have a manuscript to finish!

Let's return to this idea of balance. Of course to be a writer, one must write. But one mustn't neglect other areas of life. My 2014 New Year's resolution was to find balance in all areas of my life. 

That means I will spend more time with my cute little doggie, Raven.

Read more!

 Spread out my travels throughout the year.

Make more time for friends. 

Family.

And relationships.

Get back into a fitness routine. A writer must stay fit!

Interviewing fellow authors!

Kirstin Pulioff

Ksenia Anske

Thomas Ray Manning

Greg Smith

Asya Pekurovskaya

Erren Grey Wolf

Emma Carolan

Zachary Katz-Stein

Brandon Ellerbe

K.M. Rice

David Revilla

Morgan Jane

Lucy Adams

Terry Maggert

Karl Larsen

C.S.R. Calloway

Rebecca Lacy

Margo Bond Collins

  

Colleen M. Albert

James Newman

Dr. Bob Stout

Allison Rekker

Andrew Saxsma

Whew! That was A LOT!!!!

And of course, sit down at my desk EVERYDAY and hit my word or time limit quota.

Ah, yes, balance makes for a happy life and creative writer.

Oh wait!! I almost forgot. I can't neglect my vampire slaying duties...

An interview with author, Emma Carolan!!

Meet our guest, Emma Carolan!

Good afternoon, Emma. Where are you from?

Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland.

What inspired you to write your first book?

Not really sure if I am honest.  It was something that was in my head and needed to come out it was driving me mad.

I know what you mean. Sometimes the words just demand to be written! So, do you write full-time or part-time? How do you balance your writing life with your family/work life?

Part-time.  I have a full time job. I see my family at the weekend and I write mostly in the evenings and at night time.

What jobs have you held that influence your stories?

I worked in a company called Dunnes Stores for a while when I was 17 and then when I was 18 I worked in the Vodafone call center for 5 years. I was made redundant in January 2012 and in March 2012 I worked for a company called Emerald Isle Collections, they are a debt collection company, in January 2013 I started with a company called Arvato and I worked in the debt collection team there and Currently I am working in a call center for eBay. I have only been there for about 4 weeks now.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I just go with the flow and see what comes out if I like it I keep it if I don’t I delete it.  If I don’t know what’s going to happen next hopefully my readers wont either.

How did you come up with the title?

Well for ages it had the amazing tile of ‘Working Title’ and then I called it ‘Green eyes’ (You’ll have to read it to see why lol) and when I was going over it and editing it ‘Leap of Faith’ just seemed right. I seemed to fit with the story.

It's a great title! Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

 Life is not easy.  You don’t always get what you want.  Just because someone looks happy and smiles does not mean that they are happy and most of all money is not everything, money is nothing without love.

 

How much of the book is realistic?

I would say about 80%-90% of it is, hopefully.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

No way! Really my life is nothing like that at all. I have had a really good life and if it was based around my life it would be all sunshine and rainbow and its not at all. There is a big romance in it but its not all sunshine!

What books have most influenced your life most?

This is going to sound a bit silly, but I started to read them when I was 13 and before they got popular, Harry Potter,  I loved J.K Rowling's writing and I loved been taken into a different world  one where magic was a real thing and not just something in my minds eye.

That's not silly at all! Harry Potter is quite addictive. Tell us, if you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

W.B. Yeats. I love his poems and his works, I actually have a collection of his poems in my  hand bag right now. Lol

What book are you reading now?

Well at the moment I have not started one as I am waiting for one to come in the post and I don’t want to start one and have to put it down.  I am waiting for the new Sylvia Day book Entwined With You.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I like Sylvia Day’s style of writing.

What are your current projects?

Book two of ‘Leap of Faith’ is in the works.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

A friend in America that I emailed random notes to, Elizabeth, She seemed to enjoy my randomness and the fact the she did not know me too well made it that bit better because she was not just saying that she liked my work to be nice, she really liked it.

Do you see writing as a career?

No. The day that I write for money (as a career) is the day that I will stop writing, I write because I love to write I don’t want it to become a chore.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I don’t know if I would have the courage to do it again, I mean send it away for someone else to approve of it.  I suppose I would try and get a bit more sleep and not sit up until 3am typing most nights.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I always had an interest in writing, when I was 7 or 8 years old I entered a writing competition in primary school, I remember it was a story about my family and I had to draw a picture at the back of it, well I won that competition and the story was on display in Trinity College in Dublin for a week, its probably in the archives now, I can’t remember what I wrote in it.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Well here is a poem that I wrote a few days ago, its just a little something that popped into my head:

The Muse Whispered in my ear.

The muse whispered in my ear, she sways my thoughts, persuades my dreams

The muse whispered in my ear, she showed me what I could be

She showed me that I could float above a sky and shin like a star

She whispers in my ear to tell me how great I can be.

If only I could believe in me as much as she believes in me

If only my fear was not greater than by belief 

The muse whispers in my ear, she sways my thoughts, persuades my dream

She can see beyond my time, she can see how great I could be

She sing like an angel in my ear, she sings like an angel in the night

If only I could show her to the world, she could show them what I could be

If only I could show her to the world she could sway their thoughts of me

The muse whispers in my ear, she sways my thoughts, persuades my dreams

She is part of me, if only I did not hide her from the world, then they could see how great I could be

If only I did not lock her in a cage as soon as people saw  she was me 

If only I could set her free, she could show the world what is inside of  me 

She stays by my side, day and night, never leaving my sight

The muse she whispers in my ear, she sways my thoughts, persuades my dreams

She show my what I could be, if only I could believe in me as much as she believes in me

She sings like an angel in the night, she soars high above the sky, she shines bright in the dark of night.

If only my fear was not stronger than my belief, I could be what I am meant to be

She is part of me, if only I could free her from the cage that she sits patiently 

If only I could show her to the world, she could show them what I could be 

She could sway their hearts, persuade their minds

The muse she whispers in my ear, sways my thoughts persuades my dreams.

The muse she is part of me. She is me.

Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Emma. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Yes. Stopping when I start. I forget that I need to sleep sometimes.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I don’t really have a favorite, but I like it when an author can take me into their world and get me to think the way they think. When I am glued to a book and can’t put it down, Love that.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

At the moment no. Not at all.

Who designed the covers?

The team at Creative Flight Publishing and I worked together as team to come up with the cover. 

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Finding the time to write it.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Yes. That I love writing.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t give up. Keep going. If at once you don’t succeed try, try, try again. Never give up on your dreams. 

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Hopefully they will enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it, hopefully they will fall in love with the characters as I did.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

Well to be honest it was all just in my head and it needed to come out, I did not not do much research at all.

What do you think about e-publishing versus technical publishing?

I think its good to have both the options, but I love having a really book in my hands, I love the smell and fell of new book and the first crack of a new spine is just so divine.

Do you have an agent or publisher? How did you go about finding one?

I have a publisher, no agent, I done a search online and I came across a few and I sent the book to a few places in Ireland and a few places in the U.S.A and Creative Flight Publishing got back to me and said they were interested we talked via email, I liked what I heard and then they sent me over a contract I printed it out and sent back and here we are today.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Miami.  Sunshine all the time. 

That's funny! I'd like to live in Ireland. Let's switch! If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Read peoples minds. So that I could know liars and fakes from the real people in this world

Thanks for visiting Write Like a Wizard this week!