Welcome back to a new year and some wonderful guests lined up for tea and a chat.
To kick off 2014, it's my pleasure to welcome back Ella Quinn. Last year Ella hit the jackpot all writers desire with a contract from Kensington and since she first shared a cup of tea with me (last September), her Regency Historicals, the Marriage Game series, have gone from strength to strength.I thought for a change of pace, I would ask Ella about her writing process, which is probably a mean thing to do, because for many writers it is an intuitive process.
Over to Ella...
Alison asked me to write something on craft. This is
a hard subject for me because I don’t really think much about craft. Not to be
confused with “I don’t think much of craft.”
I write a quick first draft which is roughly 80,000
words. As my books tend to be around 100,000 words, this gives me enough room
to add in what I’ve forgotten or glossed over in the first draft. I research as
I go along. I know many authors who go back and do the research, but I’d rather
have that part over with, then find out I got something pivotal wrong and have
to change part of the plot. I also write down the names and character
descriptions of all the characters.
The first edit is a somewhat abbreviated layering
technique. I just don’t have the patience to go over the MS four or five times
for one thing. During the edit I remove most of my think, feel, see types of
words and adding deep POV. This takes time as I have to get into the
character’s head and feel, taste, touch, etc, what they do. At the same time, I
flesh out my scenes adding details one would notice if in the room or whatever,
try to create good hooks for the ends of scenes and really good ones for the
chapter endings, make sure all the clothing and words, are accurate (though I
write with the on-line OED open), look for repeat ideas or words and write the
ending. I’ve tried writing the ending on the first draft, and it always
changes.
Next the MS goes to my critique partners. Thank God
for them. They tell me when I’ve rushed a scene, make me add more emotion to my
loves scenes or other scenes that require more a punch, and generally find
missing and repeat words.
After that, I do a final review and off it goes to
my beta readers. One of whom is my mother-in-law and happens to be in lock step
with my agent. Another is an English lady who fixes all my Americanisms. Once
all those revisions are done, the book is finally ready to go to my agent and
editor.
If you’re a writer, what is your process? If you’re a reader, what do you think about all of this?
If you’re a writer, what is your process? If you’re a reader, what do you think about all of this?
Ella's latest book THE TEMPTATION OF LADY SERENA, is already an Amazon best seller! (And aren't her covers gorgeous???)Custom-made gowns…nights at the theater…and a host of eligible bachelors. Accustomed to living a quiet life in the Scottish Borderlands, Lady Serena Weir has never had any of these luxuries. But when Serena’s brother demands she finally have a Season in London, she’s thrust into a glamorous world she’s only dreamed of…
Robert, Viscount Beaumont remembers all too well what it feels like to be in love. That is why he must keep his distance from Serena. He’s only felt his pulse stir the way it does now when he made the mistake of loving the wrong woman once before. Yet the more he strives to resist his feelings, the nearer he is to falling under Serena’s seductive spell…
For more about Ella and her wonderful books, visit her WEBSITE.
So do pop by and share your thoughts with us on the writing process...
