The Write Method by Kristen Reed

Kristen Reed

The journey to publication includes hard work and some planning. Author Kristen Reed shares her process and gives us a glimpse of behind the scenes of her new release. 

~ Dawn Kinzer

The Write Method

Fairy tales.

Something about the world of royalty and romance has captivated our society for centuries. Whether it’s the ongoing struggle between good an evil or the chivalric love stories people love them!

I’m no different.

Early last year, I decided to rewrite these classic tales with new twists, and switching to more methodical writing practices has helped me write the first three books in The Fairetellings Series. In this blog, I’ll share my process so you can get a glimpse into how my mind works plus some behind the scenes information about this month’s release, Ingrid’s Engagement: How A Beauty Tamed A Beast.

1.      The Idea: Every book starts with an idea. This month’s release, Ingrid’s Engagement is based on Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s Beauty and the Beast. The twist is that it’s a magic-free, Christian story of spiritual transformation instead of the tale of a cursed man.

2. The Preparation: When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Here is what my prep/planning looked like for Ingrid’s Engagement.

a. Setting: Ingrid’s Engagement takes place during a war in the late nineteenth century, so I did research on camp life and weapons that would have been relevant for that time period.

b. Name: I love giving characters and places names that are relevant to their stories. A few from my new book are below.

i.  The Beauty Character: Ingrid means“Ing is

beautiful.”

ii.  Beast Character: Viggo means“war.”

iii. Viggo’s Kingdom: Villriket comes from the Norwegian words “vill” and “riket,” which mean “wild” and “kingdom.”

c. Plot: Before starting my first draft, I write out a list of plot points that take the story from start to finish. This sometimes changes as I’m writing, but it really helps me stay on track. Several events I wrote in my initial outline didn’t make it into Ingrid’s Engagement, but I won’t spoil the story by saying what they were!

3. Writing: At this point, I create my first draft. No real explanation

      needed here.

4. Editing: This is my least favorite but most rewarding phase of the process. I use the editing software AutoCrit, read the entire manuscript out loud, and send each book off to a professional editor.

5. Design: Since I’m a graphic designer I create my own covers. I usually run several potential designs by my friends before deciding on a final one.

6. Final Proofing: At this point, I get a printer proof of my book as well as an ebook file and check both for correct formatting. Once everything looks good, I give the files my final blessing and get ready for the publication date!

With thousands of authors creating amazing works these days, I’m sure you’ll find just as many different methods of taking a story from an idea to a book you can hold in your hands or scroll through on your Kindle. Whether you’re a writer, reader, or just plain curious, I hope you enjoyed reading about my process. I also hope you’ll love reading Ingrid’s Engagement just as much as I loved writing it! Happy reading!

Ingrid’s Engagement: 

Ingrid’s Engagement

How A Beauty Tamed A Beast

When King Viggo marches through the kingdom of Schlagefilde in a relentless quest for retribution against its wicked king, the Count of Anselm attempts to make peace with him. As the two strike a deal that will protect the people of Anselm, the King of Villriket becomes enthralled with a portrait of the Count’s oldest daughter, Ingrid. The vengeful king vows that he will leave Edmund’s county in peace if he will allow him to marry Ingrid. To prevent her father from incurring the sovereign’s wrath, the young lady hastily agrees and enters into an unforeseen engagement with the grim ruler.

Ingrid’s Engagement tells the enchanting tale of a beautiful young woman who softens the hardened heart of a beastly king with nothing more than her quiet wisdom and gentle spirit.

Kristen Reed, a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas, is an artist, filmmaker, and author from Dallas, Texas. As a Christian, her faith heavily influences her writing and is the driving force in her life.

Learn more and connect with Kristen at these sites:

Website: http://www.kristenreedauthor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kristenreedauthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kristen-Reed/e/B00A1OX9H6/

 

 

Two Kinds of Writers by Valerie Comer

Valerie Comer

Hey, writers! Annette here. Last week, our guest discussed pantsters vs. plotters. This week, let's look at the writing process from another angle entirely, shall we? Welcome Valerie Comer with her insightful perspective on two types of writers and the effectiveness of critique groups for each type.

Two Kinds of Writers

by Valerie Comer

There are two kinds of writers in this world, and I'm not talking about plotters and pantsters! 

I mean those who are natural storytellers and those who instinctively know how to craft good prose (hereinafter known as writers—which, yes, I know is confusing…) 

I hear about people who rewrote their first novel twenty times and then sold it. This is a foreign thought to me. My first novel had lousy bones. Sure, there were some really good scenes and dialogue in it, but it wasn't worth saving. 

Any guesses on whether I'm a storyteller or a writer? Yup, writer, through and through.

I theorize that most of those who rewrite the same manuscript dozens of times to get it right are primarily storytellers. They may or may not know their entire plot before they start. Either way, they instinctively apply cause-and-effect as they write. Their stories may be camouflaged by stilted dialogue, stifling description, and lengthy soliloquies, but the core is solid. The craft of writing can be learned and applied. 

If all you have is pretty words and no story? The outlook is different. I'm a good writer. If all you read is a few paragraphs or a scene I've written, you'll probably agree. But if you sit down to critique a first draft of mine, you'll soon find that the story just doesn't hold together. Characters act against their personalities. Logic may fly clear out the window. 

Are you familiar with the art of M. C. Escher? Relativity is one of his most famous drawings of impossible reality. Go have a look at it. I'll wait. 

This drawing perfectly represents my first draft writing and, I suspect, that of others who are not storytellers. How so? Each segment of Escher's work, taken by itself, makes sense. It's only when you put them all together that you find it implausible. 

To take my theory one step further, let's talk about critique groups, which seem to be standard for aspiring writers. Each submits a chapter a week (or month), often during the first draft phase. If you're a storyteller, this may work for you. The bones are there. You simply need help polishing the prose. 

If you're primarily a writer, this exercise is futile. Each scene (or chapter) looks relatively good on its own. What you need help with is the over-all picture, which is difficult to gain when your reader gets small chunks over a long period of time. The best situation for you—and me—is a critique partner who will sit down and read your entire novel (second or third draft—fix what you can, first) in just a few days and comment on the whole project as well as inevitable line edits. 

Which are you, a storyteller or a writer? Does my theory resonate with you?  

~~~~~

Raspberries and Vinegar

Valerie Comer is an author with a dedicated writing site at To Write a Story. She teaches the basics of planning, plotting, writing, editing, publishing, and marketing fiction through blog posts as well as a free course via email. She writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her novels. Raspberries and Vinegar, first in her Farm Fresh Romance series, released in August, 2013. 

Learn more at: 
Website: http://valeriecomer.com 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/valeriecomer.author  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/valeriecomer

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What it's Like When You Have Author ADD by James L. Rubart

James L. Rubart

Hey, writers! Annette here. Have you ever read an author's novels and wondered if their technique is similar to yours? Even if they don't write in your genre, you might wonder about their method, especially if their finished product impresses you. 

I've recently finished reading James Rubart's latest book, Memory's Door, which is the second in his "Well Spring" series (following Soul's Gate). I enjoy his books and find myself wondering about his method while I read. And, quite honestly, I've used this same technique over the years (though my current method has morphed over time). Read on to learn how he pens his novels, and see if you can relate.

What it’s Like When You Have Author ADD

by James L. Rubart

Are you a plotter or a seat-of-the-pants writer (a “pantster”)?  

Me? I think I’ve taken the pants, ripped them to shreds, and tossed them in the air like confetti with no idea where the pieces will land. 

Why? Here’s how I write my novels: 

1. Come up with a premise that intrigues me. What if you could walk into the rooms of your soul? (Rooms) What if you could find God’s book of days where the future is recorded? (Book of Days). What if Jesus made a chair that lasted until today and had healing powers? (The Chair) What if we could send our spirits into other people’s souls? (Soul’s Gate)

2. Start writing. Anything that pops into my mind is fine.

3. Shift direction like a cheetah chasing a gazelle. If a new idea appears in the middle of writing a description or smattering of dialogue, drop said scene and start writing the new scene.

4. Repeat step three over and over again.

That can be a Problem

I never finish a scene or a snatch of dialogue or a description because I can’t focus on it long enough to get it finished. So I end up with bits and pieces of unfinished prose strewn all over my Word document in no chronological order, no coherent thread, and I have no idea where the novel is headed.

I write by simply watching the movie playing in my head and transcribe the visuals. The problem is, my movies cut from one unfinished scene to the next without warning.

Bringing Order to the Chaos

When I reached 60,000 words in my third novel, The Chair, I hit a wall. Why? I had no idea what the story was about. I had my premise, but I didn’t know my theme, the heart of the story.

So I stopped. I grabbed a handful of 3 x 5 note cards and wrote a headline describing each scene (or start of a scene) and pasted them to the wall of my writing room. Then I arranged and rearranged the cards till they started making sense. I tore up cards, rewrote them, and added additional cards as more scenes came to mind.

Finally I moved all the scenes around in my laptop till they matched the cards on my wall. (I have serious doubts I’d be published if I lived in the age of typewriters.)

It’s the way I’ve written all my novels.

What you Already Know but is Worth Repeating

Part of me wishes I could start from the beginning of a story and write straight through. Or outline the whole thing before I start. But that’s not me. It’s not the way I’m wired, and it would stifle my creativity. I’ve given myself permission to have ADD when I write.

And I’d encourage you to give yourself permission to write how you write. Whatever method that is, it’s okay. Plotters can be passionate about the pros of outlining. Pantsters often believe writing off the cuff will bring surprises you can’t get any other way. Both are right and neither are right.

Allow yourself to be you.

And if you don’t mind, could you hand me another stack of 3 x 5 cards?

~~~~~ 

Memory's Door

The prophecy brought them together. But the Wolf has risen, and now their greatest battle begins.

The four members of Warriors Riding have learned to wage war in the supernatural, to send their spirits inside people’s souls, to battle demonic forces, and to bring deep healing to those around them.

But their leader Reece is struggling with the loss of his sight. Brandon is being stalked at his concerts by a man in the shadows. Dana’s career is threatening to bury her. And Marcus questions his sanity as he seems to be slipping in and out of alternate realities.

And now the second part of the prophecy has come true. The Wolf is hunting them and has set his trap. He circles, feeding on his supernatural hate of all they stand for. And he won’t stop until he brings utter destruction to their bodies . . . and their souls.

James L. Rubart is the best-selling, Christy award winning author of five novels, including his latest release, Memory’s Door, the second book in his acclaimed Well Spring series. During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing which helps authors make more coin of the realm. He lives with his amazing wife and two sons in the Pacific Northwest and loves to dirt bike, hike, golf, takes photos, and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman. More at www.jameslrubart.com

Visit James at:

Website: http://jameslrubart.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLRubart

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jameslrubart

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