Writing Process Blog Tour

Thanks Ipuna Black for the Writing Process Blog Tour invite! She writes YA fantasy and is in the process of querying agents with her completed novel. You can follow her on twitter @IpunaBlack, on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ipuna.black, or on her website at ipunablack.com.

So, while I have made a living as a writer in some form or another since 2008, it's only been since the birth of my son, Reagan, two years ago, that I've focused more and more of my energy on that as a career. While most people know me as an entertainment writer, many may not realize that I'm also working on several book projects as well. As part of the Writing Process Blog Tour, I've been asked to share a bit of those details, which is a good thing, as now I'll be accountable to a lot of people to get something finished!


What am I working on?

The first thing I started working on was, believe it or not, a cookbook, and every now and then I jot something down, but finishing that project is going to take a while, at the rate I'm going. Several months ago I started working on a women's fiction novel, and I'd say I'm probably well over halfway done with the first (of what I'm sure will be many) drafts.


But what has me the most excited right now, and what takes up most of my free time, is a science fiction novel I'm working on with a good friend, Gregg Ackerman. I knew he was a writer, so I broached the idea to him of working on something together. Truth be told, I imagined us working on maybe a children's story or some short little novella type of thing, but when we got together, he had this AMAZING idea for a book, and so we hit the ground running. It strikes me as a bit odd, because science fiction isn't something I gravitate towards, in terms of what I read (although I do love Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle in Time' and George Orwell's '1984'), but it's been a really exciting challenge for me.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think what I love most about what Gregg and I are working on is that there's the science fiction element, but it's also a beautiful love story. I see it as (hopefully) appealing to a wide audience because it has science fiction and it has suspense, but at its core, it's about two people who fall in love, and the road blocks they have to overcome to find their way back to each other. Honestly, the twists and turns of the story keep me awake at night.


Why do I write what I do?

Well, I'm writing science fiction right now only because Gregg talked me into it. :-) But, I write because it's what I love to do more than anything. It's when I feel the most satisfied, the most fulfilled, and at my very best. The fact that it works with the way my life is structured, and that I have a super supportive husband, makes it that much better. Right now, I can't imagine doing anything else, unless Food Network would give me my own cooking show ...

I do hope to work on biographies and other forms of books at some point as well. I love the idea of sitting down with someone, famous or not, and writing out their story.

How does your writing process work?

Well, I have a toddler, so no two days are ever the same. Ideally, I try to write at least in the morning, during his morning nap, when I'm my sharpest, and whenever I have a sitter. If someone else is with Reagan, I often go to Starbucks. Sometimes, the change of scenery motivates me. More often than not, I work from my couch though. I try to shut all my windows on my computer so I'm not tempted to troll Facebook or check my e-mail every five minutes. But sometimes, if my creative juices feel like they have dried up, taking a short break to get one more cup of coffee, or read something mindless on the internet for a bit, helps me regain focus. 

Up until I got on the right sleep medication a few weeks ago, I would average about four hours of sleep a night. The up side to that was that I had a lot of time to come up with great ideas, and many of them are now in the pages of the book.   

Next on the Writing Process Blog Tour:

 Jenny Balliff has written a memoir about her experience with cancer and postpartum depression. She has a few novels in the works and is the president of the Boulder City Writers Group. She blogs at thewriteshelf.com

 Kimberly Wyse began writing as a child when her dad taught her to write her prayers. She turned to writing during a difficult time in her life and realized that it brought her joy and clarity. She honed her writing skills by earning a BA in English and MA in Theology. You can find her at www.KimberlyWyse.com. She writes about life from a Christian perspective, dealing with issues of extended singleness, marriage and children later in life, and career changes. She's currently working on a memoir about finding God in the middle of her long wait for a husband and children. She also works as a freelance editor and enjoys occasional speaking engagements.