My interest must have begun in college, when a professor made history more interesting by telling stories which made past heroes real. Since then, I’ve learned that “truth is stranger than fiction”, and am regularly surprised by the limitless things that can happen in life. I also feel that great people of the past deserve to be remembered, and that we can learn from their lessons and mistakes. History is our connection with our ancestors, a continuation of life from our beginnings to our present to our future.
What fascinates you about the history of Ireland?
Ireland is one of the lesser-known, yet most fascinating places in the world. My interest began when I discovered my Irish ancestry, and with my first trip to Ireland I was so hooked, I felt more at home than in New York. Irish history is culturally rich, and archeologists are discovering sites and artifacts older and more advanced than the pyramids.
What’s your creative approach to writing a novel?
I never know where inspiration will come from. I was planning my first book to be about German immigrants in NYC, but on a bus tour in Dublin, our plans were changed from seeing Dublin Castle to seeing Christchurch Cathedral. That day changed my life. Visiting a place as old as the Vikings, feeling medieval tiles beneath my feet, and exploring the underground crypt gave me my first connection with ancient times. From then on, I decided to write about Ireland. I have been inspired by the most unexpected things, like fishing villages, plants, abandoned islands, and even an insane asylum in Wales (which I frequented as a visitor, I might add).
How has your writing process changed over the years?
I used to write from the seat of my pants, but found that subsequent editing required too many drafts, and plot and character fixing. Now I take my time—months–developing an inspiring idea, drawing an outline and doing research until I feel I really know my story and characters. That way, there are no major snags in the plot. Planning definitely shows in the development of the story, and the reader can tell.
How do you write the historical tone of Ireland into your writing?
Historical wording is something I’ve experimented with in various ways for the past few years. At first, I wanted the language to be as modern as possible, as I was addressing a modern reader, and wanted more than just historical readers to enjoy my books. Then I went more literary, striving for heightened language, but found the readers weren’t as fond of that. Now I’m returning to simpler language (with occasionally sprinkled historical words) with a more engaging plot. As far as historical Irish elements, I generally try to make the characters speak with the grammar and vernacular of the culture, as well as using cultural items and situations of the time.
What’s the historical context of Dingle Ireland, 1579?
Ireland of the sixteenth century was under the rule of Elizabeth I, who was fighting a war with Spain. Therefore, Dingle, a busy port, was subject to British rule, Spanish interference, and smuggling, as well as destruction by local Irish warriors fighting against Elizabeth and among themselves. My book talks about the struggle of Ireland’s “Black Earl”, who fought Elizabeth and his relatives to maintain the estate which had been in his family for centuries, a fight which resulted in Dingle being burned a few times.
What are some fun facts from your research that aren’t in the book.
Studying about Dingle revealed interesting facts about struggles from other time periods as well, such as the potato famine’s effect on the town, which brought the establishment of the notorious workhouses, as well as the battle at Smerwick Harbour, where Irish soldiers were decimated by the English. The most fun part of research is always the travel. Dingle is the most magical place in the world. A road winds along cliff-laden coasts where one can catch unexpected views of ancient ringforts, famine cottages, Celtic runes, and the abandoned Blasket Islands. There are few untouched places in the world, but because of an Irish tradition to respect what remains, old sites are not taken down.
Who is Englishwoman Norma Le Blanc and what is she dealing with?
Norma is a fictional character who believes her religiousness makes her superior to everyone, but a carefree, Spanish smuggler who arrives poses the greatest challenge to her ideas. Norma is lonely without her family, who live in England, and finds companionship in Vicente, despite their differences, until she realizes she’s in love. They both have something to learn from one another, as Vicente struggles with his mother’s wish to maintain faith in a God, when it seems as if God has failed him. Through their relationship, Norma learns humility, while Vicente regains his ability to believe.
What did you enjoy most in writing The Smuggler’s visit?
Finishing it? Ha! I always enjoy writing, and every book is different, but the first draft was most enjoyable with this one. Because my outline was established, I went off to a cabin in upstate NY and typed away to my heart’s content, finishing the first draft in two weeks. The editing process took much longer.
What were the most challenging aspects?
Finding detailed information about Dingle’s history was a challenge. Irish history isn’t as well-published as in other countries, and much of the Dingle info was in books or documents in their local library. Thanks to a local historian, I was able to get what I needed.
Do you have a favorite quote?
I collect them and have so many! But I came across this the other day, by Einstein: “Failure is just success in progress.” I think that’s a good thing for us to remember, every time we challenge ourselves to do better.
I always begin my books with a catastrophic event in the prologue that directly affects both the protagonist’s internal conflict and the entire plot. For Example, in my upcoming novel: The Born Weapons, my protagonist is the first “natural-born” of his kind and his birth is an act of Rebellion against “the Maker.” The Maker makes a deal with my protagonist’s mother that if she kills the Rebel Leader, who is her honorary brother, than her baby can live.
What’s your process of creating characters?
I base my characters off a theme such as truth or innocence. There after, I build their backstory, psychology, personality, appearance, and quirks. The themes I choose correspond to the plot work. For example, my protagonist is based on truth and the catalyst to the climax is the event in which he tells humanity the truth about why his kind was created.
How do you introduce the main conflict?
I design the main conflict and my protagonist’s identity to be symbiotic. In my current novel, the main conflict is that the ‘Alma’ (a type of cyborg) are subject to the oppression of their Makers and Humanity. Since my protagonist is an Alma, he and the conflict are introduced simultaneously.
How do you approach writing the first Act, or 25% of the book?
I love to hit the ground running. I believe that characterization and world building are best shown and not told, so I throw my MC into peril from the first chapter and introduce settings, characters, etc… in pace with the plot.
Do you use a certain number of scenes per Act?
Nope! I actually don’t pay attention to anything regarding quantity such as pages, scenes, or acts until I am revising. I only concern myself with following my outline to ensure I cover all my plot points, sub plot points, character development milestones, ect….
What’s the hardest part of developing the setup?
I assume that by ‘setup’ you mean world building and primary conflict. I often struggle to include world building details while drafting because I tend to focus on plot and character development. I’ve learned to let these details go and add them in while revising.
What has helped you develop your writing skills?
I have to say that the process of trial and error has been most helpful. I’ve been writing books since I was eight years old. Also, reading has helped improve my writing voice over the years.
Plotter or Pantser? What’s Your Style? I Think I’m a Binge Writer
Thank you so much for letting me stop by for a visit on your blog. I love to talk about books and writing.
Writers usually fall into one of two camps, plotters (those who plan, plot, and outline before writing), and pantsers (those who write by the seat of their pants). Plotters know the path and the plan to get to the end. Pantsers go where the characters and story takes them.
I am probably a hybrid of the two, though I lean heavily on the plotter side. I plot everywhere. I jot ideas on sticky notes and on scraps of paper. I carry a notebook in my purse for plotting emergencies. I have outlines, character biographies, and color-coded storylines. I keep a chart of all the places and characters. I describe them to the nth degree. This is also helpful if you decide to write a series. That way, my character’s eye color or the color of her kitchen doesn’t change in a later work.
I also use this to take care of my urge to write backstory. I put all the details in this document. Some of the information will never see the light of day, but it keeps me from overloading the story with too much history. Backstory or historical details are better sprinkled in throughout the work.
After my major plotting, I’m ready to start writing. And that’s when the pantser raises its head. I always decide I like a minor character better than another, and sometimes the story takes a tangent. In my first novel, Secret Lives and Private Eyes (May 2016), I planned to keep one character around for the series to create some tension. But as it turned out, I liked another character much better, and his role took on a life of its own. So, without spoiling the surprise, character two is around for book two.
After the plotting and the first draft, which my friend Mary Burton calls the “sloppy copy,” I am ready to revise. This phase takes me the longest. I can write pretty quickly once I get started, but it takes me forever to reorder, change, and revise. And what I think is chapter one during the writing stage, never ends up that way in the final, published version.
I try to write every day, but it doesn’t always happen. I work full-time in IT, and sometimes the only thing I wrote in a week were performance evaluations and budget recommendations. Life gets in the way. I’m much happier when I stopped beating myself up about writing and hitting daily word counts. I write when I can. I binge write. I get up at 5:00 AM and write or do my social media promotion before work. I write at lunch. My coworkers tease me when I write in the cafeteria (but they always want to know who dies in the next book). I write a lot on my days off, weekends, and holidays.
You need to decide what works for you and create your style. It is harder to pick up your writing after you’ve been away for a while, but you need to balance your writing with everything else in your life. The best advice that I’ve received throughout the years is to be persistent and keep writing if you want to be published.
Author Biography
Heather Weidner, a member of SinC – Central Virginia and Guppies, is the author of the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, Secret Lives and Private Eyes and The Tulip Shirt Murders. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series and 50 Shades of Cabernet. She has a novella included in To Fetch a Thief (November 2018).
Heather lives in Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers, Disney and Riley. She’s been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew.
Some of her life experience comes from being a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, IT manager, and cop’s kid. She blogs at Pens, Paws, and Claws.
Synopsis
Private investigator Delanie Fitzgerald, and her computer hacker partner, Duncan Reynolds, are back for more sleuthing in The Tulip Shirt Murders. When a local music producer hires the duo to find out who is bootlegging his artists’ CDs, Delanie uncovers more than just copyright thieves. And if chasing bootleggers isn’t bad enough, local strip club owner and resident sleaze, Chaz Smith, pops back into Delanie’s life with more requests. The police have their man in a gruesome murder, but the loud-mouthed strip club owner thinks there is more to the open and shut case. Delanie and Duncan link a series of killings with no common threads. And they must put the rest of the missing pieces together before someone else is murdered.
The Tulip Shirt Murdersis a fast-paced mystery that appeals to readers who like a strong female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of humorous situations such as larping and trading elbow jabs with roller derby queens.
What does it mean to plot from the POV of the antagonist and write from the perspective of the protagonist?
What’s your experience and how did it help with writing?
The best writing advice I ever received was to plot from the point of view of the antagonist and write from the perspective of the protagonist. Simple, right? But it was an a-ha moment for me.
A bit of background. Like most writers, I have a couple of practice manuscripts currently occupying space in the bottom of a drawer. They both garnered decent feedback from agents, but the novels were episodic—most of the second act chapters could have been rearranged without affecting the story. I wasn’t building on prior events. Why? Because I didn’t know what my antagonist was doing behind the scenes.
I think most writers put a great deal of thought into the character development of their heroes, but they tend to give their antagonist short shrift. But think about it—the antagonist is the character that drives the story. It is his or her actions that the protagonist must address.
For most of my adult life, I was a police officer. Part of the job description involved investigating crimes. Most incidents began when someone called 9-1- 1. Upon arrival, I’d try to piece together what happened by observing the scene, obtaining witness statements, and collecting physical evidence. Armed with this information, I’d search databases, develop additional contacts, run down new leads.
I was a first responder—just like my protagonist.
Imagine how easy police work would be if an officer knew before being dispatched to the scene exactly how the criminal had planned the crime, what motivated the person to do such a nefarious deed, and what steps he’d taken to avoid detection.
As a writer, you can do that!
To combat my story-structure issues, I enrolled in a plotting course for mystery and thriller writers. During the course, the instructor assigned two exercises that I’ve since incorporated into the planning stage of every story I write.
The first exercise explains the antagonist’s motivation for doing what he did. I write it in first person and it essentially creates the backstory of the character. The first line of this exercise for Adrift, my debut novel reads:
Ishmael Styx is a man who knows what he wants, and he wants to be dead. All he has to do is figure out how to make it temporary.
I then wrote 1200 words explaining what had happened in his life to bring him to this
point.
The second exercise explains how the antagonist pulled off his crime. Adrift had a complicated crime (more than one, actually, but that developed later in the story).
Drawing on my background, I hatched the plan. Knowing how the crime occurred gave me the insight I needed to identify the clues my protagonist had to notice, what other things could be misinterpreted, and how to follow the breadcrumb trail left by the antagonist. The exercise revealed some surprising options that prompted me to go deeper into my storytelling.
The structure of a mystery novel is such that the antagonist runs the show in the first act. His crime is the inciting incident that ensures the protagonist’s involvement. Roughly the first half of the story involves the hero reacting to the actions of the protagonist. After the midpoint, their roles change. Now your protagonist is hot on the trail, developing those leads, realizing her mistakes. Sure, she’ll have setbacks, but as she gets closer to solving the crime, the two characters are also nearing their final confrontation. Both exercises will help you determine how your cornered antagonist will lash out, try to escape, or outwit your sleuth.
Mapping out the crime allowed me to structure my storyline so that it built on the information learned in previous chapters. Actions had consequences. My writing was no longer episodic.
The first time I’d put this writing advice into action was during the writing of Adrift. The novel won both the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence and the Royal Palm Literary Award for mystery. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
I knew how to foil the crime because I had plotted it first.
BIO:
An FBI National Academy graduate, Micki Browning worked in municipal law enforcement for more than two decades, retiring as a division commander. Now a full time writer, she won the 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence and the Royal Palm Literary Award for her debut mystery, ADRIFT.
Micki also writes short stories and non-fiction. Her work has appeared in dive magazines, anthologies, mystery magazines and textbooks. She resides in Southern Florida with her partner in crime and a vast array of scuba equipment she uses for “research”
“I am part of everything that I have read.” -Theodore Roosevelt
WELCOME ANNE
Anne Janzer is a marketing consultant and professional writer with more than 20 years of experience working with high tech businesses. Her clients include software industry giants, fast-moving tech start-ups disrupting the status quo, and clean tech companies trying to change the world.
Anne has worked with over a hundred technology businesses, from industry giants to innovative start-ups, helping them articulate positioning and messaging in crowded markets. In her consulting career, she has collaborated with serial entrepreneurs, industry thought leaders, and technology pioneers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. As a ghost-writer for corporate executives, her work has appeared in dozens of industry publications and blogs, including Wired.com and the Sand Hill blog.
In addition to her own blog on subscription and content marketing, she contributes guest posts to many many technology and marketing blogs, including Business2Community, Social Media Strategies Summit blog, Marketo and Zuora blogs, Crowded Ocean, and others. Anne has an established and growing author platform, including an email list, blog, and expansive social media presence. She is a graduate of Stanford University.
I chose the English major because, as a lifelong reader, I knew that would always, no matter what, want a literature class on my schedule every term. I realized that with careful planning, I could complete the English major, leaving myself open to explore other subjects. I almost did a double major in Human Biology, which at Stanford is an interdisciplinary major combining the hard and soft sciences. But after completing the core work, I ran out of steam in designing a personalized major. Instead I took classes in journalism, computer science, and psychology. I’m a strong believer in the value of a liberal arts education!
Wonderful. Education can shape us in so many ways.
*Who or what were your early influences that led to a writing career?
I come from a family of readers and writers. I had always imagined myself as a writer, since the time I was young.
Your imagination was right on target.
*After college why did you go into writing for tech companies and marketing?
My first job out of college was at Stanford, working in the administrative computing group as a technical writer in a group of systems programmers. Being able to understand and write clearly about technology is a useful skill, particularly in Silicon Valley. Like many English majors, my career was more of a wandering journey than a clear linear path. I moved into product marketing at a startup, and then took off on my own as a marketing consultant/writer.
Nice. That would prove to a very useful skill in the silicon valley!
*Give us a summary of your book and why you decided to write it.
The Writer’s Process is about the inner game of writing – matching the stage of the work to the way that your brain operates to be more productive and creative. I’ve spent many years as a professional writer figuring out the ways that I work best. Reading research about focus and creativity, suddenly those methods started making sense from a cognitive scientific standpoint. That inspired me to dig in and analyze the process. I wrote the book because I truly believe that a better understanding of the inner craft can help writers of all levels have more fun and success with their work.
Well, I’m certainly glad that you did. This book had a major impact me. On the seeking and understanding of my own process. It’s very easily one of my favorite craft books of all time. See, all your hard work paid off. Come to think of it, this book seems to be a culmination of years of writing experience. Now it’s in print and ready for consumption. Thanks!
You’re brain on writing…
Writing is the painting of voice. – Voltaire
*What were your favorite parts in writing it?
I loved researching not only the science, but also the practices of other authors and writers. It’s fun to realize how much all writers have in common. Plus, there’s something very “meta” about writing a book about the writing; it gave me the opportunity to refine and tune my processes.
I think writing is both a collective and highly individualized art. We don’t exist or work in a vacuum. We’re influenced by those around us. The literary culture of our time leaves a remarkable footprint on society. Writers of every generation run, then pass the baton down to us.
The issue of their process, imagination and approach to writing leaves an indelible imprint on our souls. We seem to assimilate these ‘imprints’ into our own process, until we become a work of art ourselves. But when we learn, accumulate, express ourselves through our own process, we discover that it still bears a unique flavor. For when the flow strikes and flows through the artist, it takes on the sediment of the individual.
….Then go edit them ~Benjamin Thomas
*What did you learn from writing it? Or has it affected your craft?
Writing the book has definitely made me more disciplined about my own process. For example, now I notice when I am tempted to skip a step and short-cut the full end-to-end writing “recipe” to save time. I’m more intentional about incubating ideas and problems. When I recognize the Imposter Syndrome or run into other problems, I have defenses ready.
This is great. I always enjoy how others have adapted their own process. Having an understanding is critical, however discipline seems to be largely underrated in my opinion.
Second, the fact that we can change and adapt this process tells me that it’s extremely malleable. Sounds like a special piece of clay doesn’t it? I know in pottery clay can take on many forms, possibly thousands. It all depends on the hands that shape them.
*Tell us about the relationship and potential collaboration between the Scribe and the Muse.
The book describes two different mental systems that all writers rely on. The Scribe is my name for the intentional and hard-working writer, while the Muse refers to intuitive, creative processes.
I love this! Scribe is a great name by the way. Thumbs up. The Scribe resembles a type A, control-freak-businessman, while the Muse is much like a mysterious laid-back teenager with a mind of its own. But the two must learn to work seamlessly together as a team.
No hard feelings, eh?
(photo credit Angelos Ntinas)
*In your book you label the Scribe and Muse in order to point out the intentional and intuitive mental processes.
It’s a useful fiction, a way to frame the complexity of different inputs that go into writing. All writing depends on both systems; you need focus and discipline to work. But you also need the ability to summon thoughts and ideas and to make connections that bring your subject to life. Productive writers learn how to hand off the work between the two mental systems.
I think this statement sums up my enjoyment from the entire book actually. It’s extremely enlightening to realize that they’re two; but not diametrically opposed mental systems, and in order to be productive we must learn how to “hand off” the work between the two. Powerful.
*Can you tell us more about open attention and focus and how they relate to our writing?
Focused attention is how we get the work done, blocking out distractions to write, research, or revise. In contrast, open attention is what happens when we do something that doesn’t require dedicated focus. We experience open attention when taking a walk or doing everyday tasks that are somewhat automatic.
Knowing about the nuances of attention is quite an eye opener. We must master both to tap into better productivity as writers. No wonder so many people get writer’s block. Too much dedicated focus and not enough open attention. The Scribe dominates the relationship and the Muse retreats to who knows where.
~Don’t bully the muse. Give it some room to fly high and mighty. -Benjamin Thomas
*You said something very critical about moving between the two systems of Scribe and Muse by directing our attention. This seems to be a somewhat voluntary gateway; through which we can toggle back and forth between the two systems, or writing minds.
Exactly! Using the metaphor of the two mental systems, the Scribe operates in a state of focused attention, while the Muse appears when we’re in open attention. Perhaps the Muse is always there, but we only hear it in states of open attention. To hand off work between these systems, you need to be able to focus intently, and then let go of focus. Spend time writing, then time “not-writing.”
This is amazing every time I hear it. The intentional mental process and the intuitive mental process. Then learning how to utilize the gateway between the two to get our best work done.
open attention
*Speak about the benefits of open attention.
When we’re in open attention, the Scribe is not managing our thoughts, and the Muse has a chance to contribute, to process unrelated thoughts and come up with interesting ideas.
In this section you tell us that we connect to the Muse through open attention. I’ve never heard this before. That’s so cool!
The cool thing is that this really works! When you need creative input on a problem, queue it up in your head, and then seek out a period of open attention. Here’s an example: a client was looking for a metaphor for a complex technical topic. I was drawing a blank. So I thought about it intentionally, then walked to the gym, worked out, and returned home. In the process, I kept bringing my thoughts back to the problem. I ended up with a number of creative approaches. The Muse is present in the background, ready to contribute when you invite its input.
This is AWESOME. “We connect to the Muse through OPEN ATTENTION. This is the key!
*Speak to us about how to achieve a state of flow and what that means.
You marvelously explained how this is the result of the two writing selves working together in a fluid process, the productive and creative.
Flow is that ideal writing state, when you lose yourself in the work. It makes the work fun and worthwhile.
Using the Scribe and the Muse analogy, the two are working together side-by- side in a state of flow.
You cannot force flow to happen, but you can set up an environment in which it is more likely to occur. The Muse is easily distracted, so remove potential distractions or interruptions. Find a place you can focus and start working. If you hear yourself criticizing or critiquing as you work, try to silence the inner critic. Think about the work, not yourself, and keep going.
This is the ultimate benefit. When we achieve a state of flow by the productive work between the two mental processes. One major takeaway for me is learning how to go from the focused intentional state to the open attention intuitive one by learning how to direct our attention. To me, this is the real key of achieving balance, utilization, and producing an ecstatic state of flow. EPIC.
SOMEBODY BREAK THE DAM!
This is your brain while writing in a state of flow…
~But don’t feel bad when you have to turn off the faucet…Benjamin Thomas
*Bonus
Can you give a brief rundown of the 7 steps of the writing process?
Sure, these are my 7 steps. I try to schedule time for all of them. You might vary the steps, but the idea is to schedule for each phase, and bring the right system to the task at hand.
1. Research (both internal and external)
2. Incubate the ideas – give the Muse a chance to contribute
3. Outline or structure
4. Write the first draft – ideally finding a state of flow during drafting)
Author page of JR Handley, a veteran who writes military science fiction to excise the demons of his time spent fighting in the Late Unpleasantness in Mesopotamia.
The Writing Train: Join the locomotion 