Thank you, Bane, for tagging me on yet another useless, time-consuming survey! Seriously, though, I'm honored. In return I tag Michelle Gregory, whose chaos is beautiful; Pam Halter, who has fairies, fantasy and faith; Jeannie Campbell, aka The Character Therapist; and Myra McEntire, who is Writing Finally. I also tag my cousin Rob Dubas, who is constantly working Toward Better Writing. I know more about total strangers' work than I do about his, so I hope he'll play along. Time to open up that oyster Rob. Enquiring minds want to know!
Note: Jeannie's survey is on her writing blog, Where Romance Meets Therapy.
1. What's the last thing you wrote? What's the first thing you wrote that you still have?
Last thing? The poem I posted yesterday. First thing? A little story about some flowers being attacked by weeds that I did when I was five. I illustrated it in crayon. My mom has it somewhere.
2. Write poetry?
Occasionally.
3. Angsty poetry?
Occasionally.
4. Favorite genre of writing?
Fantasy and contemporary fiction.
5. Most annoying character you've ever created?
Piffla, the owl sprite.
6. Best Plot you've ever created?
The current one for The Golden Gryphon. Previously, I couldn't plot to save my life. But this one has all kinds of twists and turns.
7. Coolest Plot twist you've ever created?
If I told you that, I'd have to kill you.
8. How often do you get writer's block?
I don't think I've ever had it. I don't write often enough to get blocked. Basically, I write when I have the time and feel like it. The rest of the time I'm too busy doing mom and teacher stuff.
9. Write fan fiction?
No. It feels too much like cheating.
10. Do you type or write by hand?
I mostly type. I am a very fast touch-typer. I only write by hand when I'm first getting ideas, or waiting somewhere for something. Bane said "Usually it's a cross between cursive and print, which is supposed to be indicative of psychosis -- go figure." I also use a cross between cursive and print, but that's mainly because I'm too lazy to add all those curly things on the capital letters.
11. Do you save everything you write?
Yes.
12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?
Yes. I never abandon ideas, I just lay them aside for later. (I have so few of them to start with.)
13. What's your favorite thing you've ever written?
So far, The Golden Gryphon, my current novel. But I really want to go back to the children's story I started a couple of years ago, about some field mice living in an abandoned dollhouse.
14. What's everyone else's favorite story that you've written?
I have friends still waiting for me to finish my romance novel about Ginger and Ray. They want to know what happens. It's a romance novel... what do you think happens?
15. Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?
Yes to the first, no to the second.
16. What's your favorite setting for your characters?
The insides of trees.
17. How many writing projects are you working on right now?
Just one.
18. Have you ever won an award for your writing?
Nope.
19. What are your five favorite words?
Omniscient. Pearlescent. Prescient. Somnolent. Redolant. Seriously, I have no idea. But those sounded good.
20. What character have you created that is most like yourself?
Marenya. She is supposed to be me, but as the heroine of a fantastic adventure.
21. Where do you get ideas for your characters?
I have no idea. They just live in my head like parasites.
22. Do you ever write based on your dreams?
No, I don't write horror.
23. Do you favor happy endings?
I see no point in a story that doesn't end well for the good guys.
24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?
Always.
25. Does music help you write?
Yes. If I have Enya on in the background, it's much easier to get into a relaxed, creative mood.
26. Quote something you've written. Whatever pops into your head.
The gryphon raised its head and uttered a single, musical cry that seemed to shatter him like glass, and at the same time make him whole.
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14 comments:
interesting questionnaire. i'll get to it when i can, but it might be a few days. i'm working on a novel!
wow...never been tagged before...so thanks! i'll post mine tomorrow. sounds like you write some interesting things, christine. :)
Love your quoted material. Your novel sounds cool.
Thank you, Steph! That's very nice of you, considering it's just one line.
Steph, from what I've read, it flows quite smoothly and nicely. And I like Piffla -- and the owl sprite concept on the whole.
I'm glad you like Piffla, Bane. I was afraid she was a bit too Disney-ish.
(That's pronounced "Peefla," by the way, if anyone cares. The "i" in Hanorjan is a long "e.")
What amazed me after you read it is that you found the male protag more interesting than the female protag. I was really worried about reaching the male demographic, so I spent a lot of time on him.
Now I have to go spend time with her, and figure out ways to make her more interesting.
She'll like that. She always complains at "Come In Character" that she doesn't get enough attention.
It's not fair to talk about Piffla without describing her to everyone. So here is her first appearance in the story.
Marenya heard more hooting as the owl circled the clearing. It seemed to be celebrating. When it had circled back to her, it landed, and in a moment it was not an owl at all, but a tiny girlish figure with a feathered cape, a hooked nose and wide, round eyes. It was a wood sprite.
“That did it! I scared it off, didn’t I?” The sprite settled down on her haunches with her arms hugging her skinny legs, and her grey, feathered cape drawn around her. Her clothes were woven from some kind of downy, silvery-grey material, and her head was covered in wispy hair like milkweed fluff.
you know, when writer's block hits, these things are great. here's mine:
http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/2009/12/its-been-so-long-ive-forgotten-how-to.html
Fun!! I'll get to this as soon as I can.
I related more to the male character (I think you did a good job w/ the taciturn nature) and I also trend toward action. I think you do a nice job of balancing the two characters and the flow/story arc.
That is, I don't think you need to necessarily make Marenya more interesting b/c I think she'll appeal to the female demographic (and I by no means found her dull).
Loved your answers. :) I have handwriting that's a cross between cursive and print too. I like to think of it as a product of my creativity, though the psychosis aspect isn't totally out of the question. ;)
I just noticed your pic with the blurb about living in a tree. That's something I've always wanted to do too. Or a cave with a round door. Kind of like a Hobbit. :)
Wow, Christine! Your answers were so much more succinct than mine. Oops.
Nicely done, though. I especially like your answer to #22 - I can relate.
Oh, and like Abby, I wouldn't mind living in a tree either, like the kid in My Side of the Mountain.
P.S. In answer to one of your previous comments (from 12/3) when you asked, "Out of curiosity, what is the schedule, Laura?" - I just wanted to say, "I haven't figured it out yet. I'll get back to you when I do! LOL!"
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