Hello peoples out there in the world! I hope you’re doing well or at least more well than not. Every day I’m praying for the minds of the scientists and the physical and mental well-being of all healthcare professionals and frankly, everyone around the world. So I hope you’re feeling some random love coming your way.
Today’s post is totally different but super fun (so I think 😉 ). I found this tag thanks to the author C.G. Drews over at Paper Fury. C.G. is the author of A Thousand Perfect Notes and The Boy Who Steals Houses. I have not read either book but A Thousand Perfect Notes is on my TBR now. I’ve heard great things about this author and she has a cool blog!
I write a lot about reading and then write a lot on my own time so I am grateful for this method of sharing things about my writing with you guys. Here goes:
Never Have I Ever…
……Started a Novel that I Didn’t Finish…..
Nope sorry, more unfinished than finished. However I will say that my previous (couple) attempts were half-hearted, full of doubt. Whereas my current WIP is the first I’ve really dove into and committed. Heck yeah! It feels great!
……Written a story completely by hand……
I’ve most definitely written some short stories completely by hand, and then maybe typed it up. But I am not against writing by hand, in fact I do it with my WIP quite often. Only problem being then I have to go type it up.
……changed tenses midway through a story……
Oh man, done this, done this, did that.
……Not researched anything before starting a story……
I have definitely started more stories before researching than after. Honestly, I have to get the story going first. That said I can see doing research first but um no…
……changed my protagonist’s name halfway through a draft……
Geez, have I ever! I started to type maybe not my protagnonist then I really got thinking about some other stories I’ve written or at least started. Yup, changed her name. My WIP has endured quite a few name changes. For example, my MC’s two cousins used to be Lane and….hm, now I forgot the other’s old name…oh well, now they’re Mayne and Marshall. It was necessary and this is better. I don’t like to do name changes however quite often I just need a place holder. A name will come to mind and I won’t like it but I’ll use it for a time in order to keep moving the story forward. I know that as the story progresses I’ll discover more about my characters which will help influence name choices. I actually like picking names for my characters because there’s so many choices. It’s fun to get fancy, and heck just see what’s out there!
……written a story in a month or less……
What are the parameters for this question? Does flash fiction count? I’ve written quite a bit of flash fiction in less than a month. When it comes to short stories I have written them in less than a month as well though there’s a lot I haven’t returned to to edit for some kind of publication.
……fallen asleep while writing……
I already said have I ever but I have to say it again. Have I ever let me tell you. I can’t count how many times I’ve fallen asleep while writing. I wake up with scribbles on the page. Although this bad habit isn’t as bad as say reading. I am so guilty of falling asleep while reading, man…
……corrected someone’s grammar in real life or online……
Oh I don’t want to answer this. Ugh, I’m a jerk. Yes I have corrected someone’s grammar in real life, but not a stranger. I have done so to people I care about in an effort to be helpful, not to be a jerk because they said something wrong. I know that I would appreciate knowing if I’m saying something incorrectly than keep saying it. I’m not a jerk about it, I’m kind. A minute ago I called myself a jerk only because I know some people really get offended by this idea even. Sorry, not sorry. 🙂
……yelled in all caps at myself in the middle of a novel……
Look my first real Never Have I Ever! I have not done this though I have talked to myself, actual speaking out loud, while writing. It’s very helpful sometimes.
……used “i’m writing” as an excuse……
Should I admit to this publicly? Who’s reading this? Lol. The thing is I always need to be writing so consider it a tool I use. Should I do X? No, I should be writing. Nope sorry, I’ll be doing some writing. There are worse things yeah? The problem comes in (in my conscience) if I wind up sidetracked and/or distracted and don’t actually get around to writing.
……killed a character that was based on someone i know in real life……
Nope, never. I don’t write characters “based” on someone I know in real life. I might make characters similar, have someone in mind that I want to fashion this character after in some way. But no one character is one person. Then again, one of my MCs in my WIP is named after someone in real life and I killed him off right away. But that’s because the story is in part about him as an angel.
……used pop culture references in a story……
Well this is just necessary. If I were writing a story set in another world then I think that would make sense. Then again, that other world would have some kind of pop culture. I hope I would be clever enough to include that. I don’t see the point in not using at least a little pop culture to help date your story and put it in context of the culture at large. That said I’m not pop culture hip so I gotta make sure I use it correctly!
……written between the hours of 1am and 6am……
Ha! All the time. I write late all the time, and I say late not early because I don’t wake up early to write. I stay up late and write. Really I write at any time of day, it all depends on the day.
……drank an entire pot of coffee while writing……
Correct! Even before my Keurig machine I never drank an entire pot. Really I prefer espresso based drinks like lattes, so regular coffee effects me differently and not in a great way. I think if I drank an entire pot it would negatively effect my writing, and my day. Probably I would be a mess and uncomfortably jittery.
……written down dreams to use in potential novels…….
I always want to use my dreams, either in a story or as inspiration for a story. Problem is I’m not very good about writing them down. In fact just the other night I had a wild dream, I couldn’t describe it well now if I wanted to, and I so wanted to remember it to see if it was story material. Too much time has now passed for me to be able to use it. Dreams are great material. Now in terms of my WIP, my novel, I can’t think of anything right now that has come from a dream…hmm….
……published an unedited story on the internet/blog/or wattpad……
Nope. Even my flash fiction gets edited. I mean editing is how I get it to the correct word count! In fact, writing and editing flash fiction is an awesome writing exercise. It’s really helping me to see how many words aren’t necessary.
……forgotten to save my work/draft……
I don’t think I have ever forgotten. It feels strange to say never but I’m going to stick with no I haven’t. In this technological age it’s actually kind of difficult not to save because so much software automatically saves. I use Scrivener for my WIP as well as OneNote and both of those programs have an autosave feature. I will then manually save as well. On the other hand, I have forgotten to back things up as often as I should. 😉
……typed so long that my wrists hurt……
You know I don’t think I have, at least not my wrists. The backs of my legs don’t like me sitting for long. Writing by hand I absolutely wind up injuring myself, my hand cramps up fast. I do have carpel tunnel in my right hand (write hand). I mean heck maybe my wrists do get tired but I’m so focused I don’t notice it! Lol. My eyes do not like screens as long as my hands like typing.
……spilled a drink on my laptop while writing……
I have spilled some drink on my laptop but not a whole drink. Thank God, that sounds like a nightmare. I’ve spilled at least a little of something on notebooks, keyboards, screens (tablet), WIP printed pages…
……finished a novel……
Ah gee, this is true. Have no fear I will change this and finish this novel within a year!!!!! 😀
……laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene……
I’ve made noises and faces and sounds. I’ve also laughed while writing a scene but laughed like an evil villain, maybe not specifically. I do squirm and get excited sometimes!
……cried while writing a scene…..
Oh yes I have and I am proud of it. If I make myself cry because of what I’ve written then I did something right. When this book is finished I hope you cry too. It’s just true. I want my work to invoke and provoke and stir and spin emotions. In fact it’s super important to me that I write a story that moves my audience. So picture me in front of my piece clapping and hooting with tears on my face because I’m excited my scene was that emotional. Heck yeah!
……created maps of my fictional worlds……
Nope, sorry. This does not apply to me. Yet. One day, one day I might write something in a fictional world. When that day comes, we’ll see.
……research something shady for a novel……
Yes I have, although maybe not so shady. But I assume all writers have. I do wonder if people see my searches how I make sure they know it’s for my writing. 😀
There you have it! That was fun. Do you want to know more about me and my writing, me as a writer? Let me know. Also let me know if you decide to answer these questions yourself. Do we have a lot in common based on our answers?
Thanks for stopping by and reading! Don’t forget to like and follow, please thanks! 😀
