TAGGED!

Bish over at Random Thoughts tagged me just before we left on vacation with a bunch of writerly questions. Bish, forgive me for taking so long to answer! Here goes:

1. What’s the last thing you wrote? What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have? I was all about music and dance when I was younger, so I really only have writing samples from the last six years. The last thing I wrote was a revision of chapter 18.

2. Write poetry? Once. It’s a parody of the Night Before Christmas.

3. Angsty poetry? Nope.

4. Favorite genre of writing? MG and YA Fantasy!!!

5. Most annoying character you’ve ever created? The main character in my first novel was ridiculously perfect. Never wrong. Never in trouble. Things always worked out for her. Not any more. Bring it on!!!

6. Best plot you’ve ever created? I’m rather pleased with my novel that I’m getting ready to submit.

7. Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created? It’s on page 201.

8. How often do you get writer’s block? Not too often. When I do, I either work ahead or go back and revise until the muse returns.

9. Write fan fiction? No, too busy with my own ideas.

10. Do you type or write by hand? Type! I would never write if I had to do it long hand.

11. Do you save everything you write? Yes, because I have found that what looks brilliant one night might seem pretty dull the next. I save every draft on hard drive, flash drive, and internet.

12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it? Yes. I’ve got a YA novel that I’d like to get back to once I finish the synopsis for another book.

13. What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever written? My current novel!

14. What’s everyone else’s favorite story you’ve written? My critique partners also like my current novel.

15. Ever written romance or angsty teen drama? No, but it’s on the short list.

16. What’s your favorite setting for your characters? I like settings that are in some way unfamiliar to the character, or maybe something new about a familiar environment that causes major problems for the protagonist.

17. How many writing projects are you working on right now? Three. One that’s ready to submit, one that I’m getting ready to fast-draft, and one that’s percolating. I’m keeping an idea file for that one.

18. Have you ever won award for your writing? No.

19. What are your five favorite words? Chocolate, iridescent, pumpernickel, calamitous, payday…

20. What character have you created that is most like yourself? I don’t know. I think they all have a few of my qualitites -good and bad.

21. Where do you get your ideas for your characters? I’m a people watcher!

22. Do you ever write based on your dreams? No, I never remember my dreams.

23. Do you favor happy endings? Not necessarily. I like a satisfying conclusion to a story, problem solved and all that, but I don’t require everything to work out perfectly for the protagonist.

24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write? Yes, and it really gets in my way. I actually put a towel over the monitor once so I couldn’t think about it.

25. Does music help you write? Absolutely not. Read this post.

26. Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops in your head. I like this description from a chapter in my novel:

It was that bad. The first day was miserable. They traveled no farther than fifty feet into the swamp when the number of mosquitoes multiplied exponentially. Although the bloodsuckers never landed to take a bite, Felisa’s stinky repellent saw to that, they whizzed and whined in annoying masses around Charley’s face and ears. She longed to voice her opinion about the sanity of traveling through the swamp, but the fear of inhaling mosquitoes by the dozens helped her keep complaints to herself.


And now I tag Brenda - who's been M.I.A. We've missed you! And Chocolateer, who has been angsting about her writing.