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On Saturday, July 12, I braved the Hills of Hollywood to meet Stephanie Kuehnert and Alexa Young. (Yes, I got lost even with directions. I HATE driving in Los Angeles.) Anyway, Stephanie and Alexa are both on tour for their recently published YA novels, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone and Frenemies, respectively.
They both gave fabulous readings and fielded questions from the audience after their excerpts. It was interesting to hear about their writing processes.
Alexa works very closely with her editor. She was hired to write this 4 book YA series so her vision largely comes from what the editors have in mind for the length of the series. Stephanie, on the other hand, originally started her first novel as a series of short stories and does not work with a tight outline like Alexa.
I find that, like Stephanie, I do not write using an outline. Don't get me wrong--I usually write one but never stick to it. The outline exists mostly to make me feel like I'm ready to quit procrastinating and start writing the novel. The outline isn't a crutch. It's simply a step in my process in getting started to write a novel. A list of possibilities, rather than a promise. Once I release myself to the writing, everything that happens after wards is organic.
Stephanie also talked about how she does not write in a linear fashion. It always makes me feel good to hear other writers admit this. I may start out writing what I think are sequential chapters but suddenly, I get taken in a different direction. Writing out of order helps me figure out what needs to happen to the characters.
I liken it to a dance between me and my characters. I am the drummer and they are the dancers. Sometimes, I become the sole dancer listening to many beats. Either way, we both follow the rhythms of each other.
I am intertwined with these characters and their thoughts. It's also why I hesitate to tell anyone what the book is about. Don't you hate those random questions from friends/co-workers/etc.? I've gotten to a point where I'm finally comfortable telling people that I just can't talk about it.
Lately, I've been worried about my beginning but I really shouldn't stress about it too much until I finish my first draft. I just hope I can do that by the end of the year. That's my goal. I must be the drummer. If I play faster, will my characters follow my lead or will I have to slow my rhythms to their pace?
No one holds the control forever. Again, isn't that the fun of it? Writing can feel like losing it all. I hope to enter that space everyday.
We all have to blaze our own trails. It's helpful to assemble all the writing advice we can but how I apply it and how another writer applies it will be different. We all have unique voices and I think that's part of the joy of picking up a new book--finding something fresh.
I always try to keep this quote by Bette Davis at the front of my mind: "Attempt the impossible in order to improve your work."
In the end, that's what we're all trying to do and there's nothing easy about it!
They both gave fabulous readings and fielded questions from the audience after their excerpts. It was interesting to hear about their writing processes.
Alexa works very closely with her editor. She was hired to write this 4 book YA series so her vision largely comes from what the editors have in mind for the length of the series. Stephanie, on the other hand, originally started her first novel as a series of short stories and does not work with a tight outline like Alexa.
I find that, like Stephanie, I do not write using an outline. Don't get me wrong--I usually write one but never stick to it. The outline exists mostly to make me feel like I'm ready to quit procrastinating and start writing the novel. The outline isn't a crutch. It's simply a step in my process in getting started to write a novel. A list of possibilities, rather than a promise. Once I release myself to the writing, everything that happens after wards is organic.
Stephanie also talked about how she does not write in a linear fashion. It always makes me feel good to hear other writers admit this. I may start out writing what I think are sequential chapters but suddenly, I get taken in a different direction. Writing out of order helps me figure out what needs to happen to the characters.
I liken it to a dance between me and my characters. I am the drummer and they are the dancers. Sometimes, I become the sole dancer listening to many beats. Either way, we both follow the rhythms of each other.
I am intertwined with these characters and their thoughts. It's also why I hesitate to tell anyone what the book is about. Don't you hate those random questions from friends/co-workers/etc.? I've gotten to a point where I'm finally comfortable telling people that I just can't talk about it.
Lately, I've been worried about my beginning but I really shouldn't stress about it too much until I finish my first draft. I just hope I can do that by the end of the year. That's my goal. I must be the drummer. If I play faster, will my characters follow my lead or will I have to slow my rhythms to their pace?
No one holds the control forever. Again, isn't that the fun of it? Writing can feel like losing it all. I hope to enter that space everyday.
We all have to blaze our own trails. It's helpful to assemble all the writing advice we can but how I apply it and how another writer applies it will be different. We all have unique voices and I think that's part of the joy of picking up a new book--finding something fresh.
I always try to keep this quote by Bette Davis at the front of my mind: "Attempt the impossible in order to improve your work."
In the end, that's what we're all trying to do and there's nothing easy about it!
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