Hey everyone,

So I am an awful blogger.  Horrible.  I am so inconsistent.  Even after I purchased my first ever computer, I just can’t muster up things to write on paper.  My brain is fried from the summer and having all three kids at home all day long.  There’s never alone time, or quiet time to just sit down and write.  And that’s okay.  My kids are only going to be home for so long, and then they’ll be headed off into the world on their own and I’ll have all the free time I can stand.  I’ve been stealing away as many moments as I can to do more research for my novel (at this point it’ll end up being a series I’m sure…) and get enough sleep.

But trying to make time daily to write has been hard.  Novels are rarely (if ever) written in one setting (or an entire series through a dream) so making a consistent time to write is essential.  I am a night-owl and that seems to be the time of day I do my best creative work.  The house is quiet and still.  There are no distractions, and I can allow my brain to wander and dream and not be cut off or interrupted by anything other than my brain telling my body to shut down for the night and rest.  And that is a great feeling for me.  To work at something until your body says enough.

So far the hardest part of this writing process is character interviews.  For those of you who aren’t writers, a character interview is exactly what it sounds like.  I sit down with my character and ask them about 200 questions give or take about themselves, their history, their future, etc.  But I have noticed something lately when answering some of these questions about my male protagonist.  The answer is:  I HAVE NO IDEA!!!

I’m in a rut with him. So to get past this part, I’m starting the character interview with my female protagonist.  I’m hoping this switch will help develop his character as they interact with each other.  But let me tell you, having all the options in the world when creating someone, is HARD.  Especially when you’re trying hard not to fall into any of the typical YA tropes:  dark, broody, untouchable, GREEN EYES – FOR HEAVENS SAKES THERE ARE OTHER EYE COLORS OUT THERE PEOPLE, typical love triangle – OVER IT, etc.

Writing is hard.  It’s not easy to craft an entire world just from your imagination, all the people in it, and the plot.  There are so many what-if scenarios that it can make your brain overload.  But I have found that creating my characters first, is helping.  Allowing my creativity to work out who these people are has been hard, but fun.  I want my characters to be believable, to be lovable, and some of them so hated that my readers wish I’d kill them off. I have found that my character interviews and world-building are like two people holding hands.  You can’t have one without the other, but  I’m not getting too overwhelmed by the world-building aspect just yet.  I have an idea for that and I think it might be the easier part honestly.

The good news is, I am doing some really great research and gaining some exciting ideas to be used in this story.  I know I’m new to this and it will take me awhile to get the story rolling with school and home responsibilities, but I’m willing to be patient and not rush this process.  For now, my goal once school begins is to use any day time hours I have to study for school, and then once the kids are in bed, keep writing and drafting this novel.

I can honestly say that I’m excited for this fall.  For school.  For my dreams to one day become a reality.  But also knowing this is the long-haul scenario.  That these dreams will take time, to not rush, and be patient knowing that one day it will happen.  I believe it will.  And it starts with diligence…making this time a priority, even when writing is hard.

Stacey