#MyWritingProcess Blog Hop
Thanks to fellow travelers Mark, Dave and Evan for including me in this tour. Here we go.1) What am I working on?
Right now it is 50/50 prepping for the launch of Arcadian Gates on Blastgun Books, and the other time is spent on revising short stories and writing new ones. I've got a novel-length project that I am doing background and generative work on. It's kind of science-fiction, but also creative non-fiction.
Additionally, I've got some flash stuff congealing for the Cesspool graphic novel/art book.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I feel like my writing has developed enough that is "my voice" within the context of whatever story is being told. So, in as much as I am an individual it is different. I suppose that doesn't answer the question, though. I feel like what I do is sort of slipstream, trying to merge my favorite genre forms with philosophical and metaphysical issues. Which much of SF does, of course, but I feel like I am bringing it with a particular surreal aesthetic.
3) Why do I write what I do?
Honestly, I write the stuff that I know I cannot film practically. Writing offers an opportunity to create worlds that are consistent but do not have to worry about budgets, casting or art politics. Things can be done with words that cannot be done in a controlled way with imagery alone.
Also, I love the environments of genre writing; the fantastic and the horrible, but I dislike the lazy writing that is associated with those forms. I am a bit of a frustrated poet and I need to get that kind of thrill somewhere!
4) How does your writing process work?
Hmm. My rituals have changed over time. I usually do a bit of reading to see what is going on in the larger world of writing, maybe do some research for whatever I am working on. I put on iTunes and listen to either metal (Mastadon) or shoe-gaze psych music (Mogwai). Then, I jump into the writing and write until I get into a puzzle that I need to think about some more. I've found these breaks from the writing allow me to have the really creative solutions I want.
Sometimes, though, there is just a lonely whispering voice that begs me to listen. I do, of course.
Up Next: Abra Staffin-Wiebe
Abra's Bio:
"I grew up in Africa, India...and Kansas. Then I married a mad scientist and moved to Minneapolis, where I fold time and space to be a full-time fiction writer, part-time freelance photographer, part-time work-from-home employee, and full-time mother. My next project is learning to fold time and space to make this all physically possible! I've had short stories accepted by publications including Jim Baen's Universe and Tor.com. I specialize in dark science fiction, cheerful horror, and modern fairy tales."
