Write on Wednesday

Becca has given us a little busy work for you this week, while she's away on a trip.
This week's Write on Wednesday asks several questions:

What’s your favourite genre of writing?
I have many genre I enjoy reading: fantasy, vampire, science fiction and romance, just to name a few.

How often do you get writer’s block?
I don't get writer's block in the normal sense of the word. I have no trouble coming up with ideas to write about, but my problem is with follow-through. Sometimes I will give up on a story before it is finished. I will occasionally go back to these past works, but many times they languish in a file, never to be seen again.

How do you fix it?
Sometimes I will have ideas out of the blue that pertain to stories I have started in the past. In the past few years I have started keeping a journal of ALL stories I've started, this way when ideas come out of nowhere, I am able to quickly find the story I'm looking for.

Do you type or write by hand?
Normally, I do rough drafts in longhand. There is just something about using ink on crisp white pieces of paper. When I'm happy with the rough draft, then I'll start a computer file.

Do you save everything you write?
Unfortunately, yes! My children will have so many boxes of journals, files and old stories to go through when I'm gone, I feel sorry for them already!

Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
Many times I'll return to an old idea - sometimes I can refreshen the idea, sometimes I change it all together.

Do you have a constructive critic?
My hubby is my editor and he is good at giving constructive editing critiques. But recently, my most constructive critic is the leader of my writing group. He has been able to help me hone my skills and make my stories and essays better.

Did you ever write a novel?
I have written two novels and am working on three more. Have I ever had one of them published? No, but I continue to hope and I continue to put my work out there.

What genre would you love to write but haven’t?
I would love to write a thriller, but I haven't been able to come up with a good idea yet. Maybe in the future ...

What’s one genre you have never written, and probably never will?
Science fiction. Although I love reading sci-fi, I've never had any desire to write about sci-fi adventures.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?
I am working on an adult book (mystery) and two young adult books (both fantasy). I am working on my monthly column for my local magazine, Mercer's Magazine, and my weekly book review column for the Mercer Public Library and Harrodsburg Herald. I am also working on two stories for two different writing workshops, in addition to polishing several pieces to enter into a writing contest (deadline January 31st).

Do you write for a living? Do you want to?
Writing is currently a hobby for me, but I would love to write for a living. Even though I have a monthly column in a local magazine and a weekly column in the local newspaper, these are not paying jobs.

Have you ever written something for a magazine or newspaper?
Yes, see previous two answers.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?
No, but I continue to enter writing contests.

What are your five favourite words?
Love, happiness, peace, imagination and willful (but ask me again next week because these will change)!

Do you ever write based on your dreams?
I have written an occasional story based on my dreams. The problem is, I don't dream very often, and when I do, I have trouble remembering them.

Do you favour happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?
If the book is part of a series, I love cliff-hangers! I also enjoy both happy and sad endings - depending on the type of story.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen?
I have recently had some writing prompts based on artwork or photos. I have enjoyed this type of writing and plan to pursue more in the future.

If you’ve answered all these questions, give yourselves a huge gold star and pat on the back. Now go off and do some real writing.