Another Liebster!

Thank you, Laure! :)

Laure's Questions

1. Fiction authors: How do you use your blog?

All sorts of ways. I write book review, I blog about writing, I do memes, I share tidbits about what's going on in my life. I blog about everything you can imagine, and then some.


2. Do you have a master plan for accumulating hundreds of thousands of fans?

Not really. Just by networking naturally, I pick up readers and find a few gems myself. There's no grand plan involved, just doing what I love best.


3. What is the easiest part of writing for you?

The first draft, by far! Creating characters and whole new worlds is my favorite part. The very beginnings of the story is the most exciting for me. There are hundreds of pages just waiting to be written, and I get to decide what goes on them. It's amazing.

4. What is the hardest part?

Editing. :P My books are all little parts of myself, and it pains me to cut and change all my hard work, however necessary.

5. How much are you bothered by typos or misplaced words in other people’s stories?

We're all human, and humans make mistakes sometimes. I don't gasp and point fingers and tut at every extra letter or missing apostrophe. I do get annoyed, though, when I try to read a blog post or article about something I'm genuinely interested in, and instead of relaxing and letting my eyes roll over the words, I have to decipher the meaning of everything the writer says. I'm trying to read a blog post, not crack a code! And by now, everyone should know the difference between its/it's, their/they're/there, and your/you're. Those drive me crazy.


6. What is the best technique you’ve found for hunting down such problems in your own manuscripts?

I try not to do everything at once. When I start editing, I do a quick spell check, then work slowly, chapter by chapter. My critique partners are great at catching misplaced commas and semicolons, and my mom never hesitates to point out mistakes she catches! I always appreciate it when someone tells me I've misspelled a word or forgot a period.

7. Do you fully form your characters before beginning a story?

It depends on the story. Sometimes all I have is a name, and other times I know exactly what happened during her seventh birthday party. But I've never once created a character that I've completely stuck with throughout the entire story. I always end up changing at least one thing about my characters, even minor things.

8. If so, does the story ever end up needing those characters to be majorly different?

Again, it all depends on the story. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

9. How do you generally perk up a bit that has turned out kind of boring?

Through editing. I never try to change boring bits or parts that don't make sense in the first draft. I always focus on pushing past it until I do revisions. Usually I end up cutting boring bits all together, or adding a bit of dialogue. I struggle with description, so sometimes when I try to make an effort, I end up over explaining and boring myself.

10. Describe yourself in three words.

Bookish, empathetic, kind.

My Questions

1. Fantasy or sci-fi?
2. Male or female protagonists?
3. Epic adventures or simple, small-town life? (This can apply to books and real life.)
4. What book would somebody have to pay you to read?
5. What book have you reread the most?
6. Do you buy used books? Why or why not?
7. What genre would be wildly out of your comfort zone to write/read?
8. First drafts or edits?

9. What is your biggest source of inspiration?
10. Do you write stories based on real life experiences? Why or why not?

Nominees 

At this point, I've lost track of who I've already nominated and who I haven't. Anyone who would like to participate, jump in! :)