Spring is in the Air!

According to the calendar, Spring is upon us in the US, but many of us can’t tell it by looking out the window. The birds are all chirping, and the bunnies are all bouncing around my yard, but I’m pretty sure they’re wearing knitted hats, mittens, and scarves. It’s springtime in my brain right now also, and plot bunnies are hopping all over the place. Today, I’m going to talk about how I choose which plot bunny becomes the next story and my process from plotting to writing.

How do you pick the plot bunny for you?

 I’m frequently asked about my process for choosing projects. The honest and boring answer is that I choose the characters who are speaking the loudest. The key to being a happy writer is: never force yourself to write a story that doesn’t speak to you. It’s absolute misery and why would you put yourself through it? I fully understand and respect that readers have expectations, and part of the reason why they do is because authors establish them right out of the gate. If you go public with your annual publishing goals, readers see it and form expectations because that’s human nature. If people tell you they’re going to do something, you expect it. I no longer release information about projects until I have a solid plot with characters who are speaking loudly and precisely in my ear. Let’s be real. Some characters are super vocal, but they’re clueless beyond the fact they want a story. I send them back to hop around the meadow until they have a solid plan.

By limiting the information I put out publicly, I’m minimizing expectations and creating less stress for myself. Trust me; this was a rookie mistake I made with my Fated Hearts series. I thought I’d have eight books from my DC-based crew, but the final one never became a reality because the characters never gave me anything to work with. My choices were: force something and make myself miserable to meet the list I made public or write Dyeing to be Loved. I’m not even kidding you when I say Josh Roman had been yammering in my ear for a minimum of nine months by this point. There really was no decision for me to make. Josh and the Blissville gang were born.

Now, I currently alternate releases between two series, but I don’t share which couples are next until they’ve come to me with a solid plan. Picture a job interview, if you will. I’m asking them to introduce themselves and tell me why I should write their story. If I’m not hooked on what they’re offering, my readers won’t be either.

What happens after the plot bunny becomes a work in progress (WIP)?

 This is when I let the characters and my Gemini Twins, Naomi and Niles, duke it out. Yes, the twins now have a name thanks to a contest I held in my reader’s group. Thank you, Dena Palmer!

Naomi is my character whisperer, and Niles is the character wrangler. She interacts with the guys and learns all the facets of their personalities while Niles makes sure everyone is where we need to be on time. Niles sets our writing schedule, and we turn Naomi and the characters loose within that timeframe. Balance is achieved, and everyone is happy.

Am I a panster or a plotter? I’m a hybrid. I’m a panster for 80% of the process and a plotter for the final 20%. I begin each project by jotting down what I’ve already learned about the characters and the few plot points they presented to me during their interview. Then I sit down and write each day to connect the plot dots. My absolute favorite thing about writing is discovering my characters. I often sit back and say, “I didn’t see that coming.” I love the surprises and twists and turns the story takes me on. Toward the end, Niles starts to freak out a bit and needs to see how the story will end. Basically, he’s worried that Naomi has let the characters run wild for too long and we’ll miss a deadline. That’s when I sit down and create a loose outline, which is essentially a plot point or two for each remaining chapter. Then we allow Naomi and crew to take it from there. My stories are 100% character driven, which means I don’t always hit the plot points I jotted down. If the characters feel the story needs to go in a different direction, then that’s where we go.

What am I reading and loving? Who are some new-to-me authors I can’t live without?

 The first name that comes to mind is Gregory Ashe. I passionately love both his Hazard and Somerset series and Hollow Folk series. I don’t read a lot of YA books, and when I do, I prefer them to have a paranormal element to it. I could read about Vie and his friends forever. Never have I read a character that I want to hug and shelter more than I do Vie. I recently devoured the Seven of Spades series by Cordelia Kingsbridge. The pacing, plot, and characters are so freaking amazing. Layla Reyne is my go-to for action and passion. I think the balance she finds between all her elements is just brilliant. If you haven’t read her books, check out her Whiskey and Irish series and the spinoff Trouble Brewing. I cannot wait to see what Layla Reyne has in store for us next.

I’ll be back in May to talk about writing to feed the soul versus writing to feed the family. Hint: they’re not mutually exclusive.

Until next time, happy reading!