#WritersCoffeeClub 12.1 — From where did the inspiration for your current WIP come?

#WritersCoffeeClub 12.1 — From where did the inspiration for your current WIP come?

(Guess who's back?)

I've written Alistair, Fenella, and Duncan with friends (and my girlfriend) over the years. I love collaborative writing. I probably came up with the idea of Alistair maybe twelve years ago. The story (as in my current WIP) wrote itself. It was a challenge I gave myself for October.

Also, randomly, I just *love* vampires, werewolves, etc. I'm a GM for Dungeons and Dragons (and other TTRPGs). I love fantasy work. It's fun for me. I love adding my own spin to things, though. This story was the same. I always strive to be completely original, and I want my stories to be *different* in a good way.

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WritersCoffeeClub 12.2 — What do you dislike as a reader and thus avoid in your own work?

• An overabundance of clichés
• "Black and white" characters
• Love triangles
• Incorrect verb forms
• Going off topic
• Multiple adjectives
• Run-on sentences

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.3 — Do genre conventions provide an essential framework, or stifle original storytelling?

I think it's a bit of both. Every single writer is different. But here's the thing, we as authors can write whatever the hell we want. Period, end of.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.5 — What’s a no-longer popular trend in writing you’d like to see make a comeback?

So many of my friends have already said fantastic things. I have something to add, though, and it's a POV that I enjoy reading and writing.

Third Person Omniscient POV: The narrator has full knowledge of all characters' thoughts, feelings, and the story's past and future, enabling a god-like perspective. While less common in modern novels, it is used in classic literature and genres requiring a broad narrative scope.

I wish more people would bring this one back.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.6 — How has your past writing shaped your present writing?

We all start somewhere. We move forward, push forward in spite of the odds, continue learning, develop a style, and become better writers as the days pass. We learn as we go. It's a never-ending journey. My past writing is just conglomeration of experience. It's interesting to read old stories back nowadays. Kinda mindboggling as well. I like to go back, edit, rework, and rewrite old stories of mine to fit my writing style these days. But yes, it's all experience, and it's also shaped who I am now, no matter what the stories or projects were. It's all just a part of the process. Most of us would call it growth.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.7 — What future writing goals are you working towards with your present work?

I'm only trying to write at the moment. I'm do it for the pure joy of it. My current story is something I had on my mind and needed to write. If it gets published one day, that would be lovely. If not, that's okay as well. I will say, though, I *do* have other things published.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.9 — Do you reuse certain words as refrain or motif, or avoid repetition altogether?

If I ever do this, I try to be *very* deliberate with it. You have to be. Your readers *will* pick up on things, and they will remember it until the very last page. I love to reuse certain words on occasion, but again, only if it's to the right end.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.8 — How does your work compare to the earliest work in your genre?

Horribly, actually. I've changed as a writer, as have we all, I'm sure. My style has evolved over the years. I've come a long way, I think. (And hope.)

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.10 — Is it ethical to base characters on real people? What is the limit?

It's fine, as long as you don't overdo it. The writers here in this community understand that.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.11 — How do you keep track of plots and subplots?

Oh, gosh. I track *everything* I do, although I'm sometimes known to be a pantser as well. I'm a bit of both.

"Pantsers are writers who creates their work without a detailed outline, often writing 'by the seat of their pants.' This approach allows them to develop their story organically, relying on their ideas, themes, or characters as they write, rather than following a pre-planned structure. In contrast, a 'plotter' is someone who outlines their work before writing."

I'm a bit of both, but I *always* track everything I write, even if the outline isn't so detailed, and if an idea randomly comes to me, I try to write everything down for it (although it might be after the fact).

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.12 — Who is a writer whose life inspires you?

So many people inspire me. Tolkien is at the top of the list for me, though, hands down. What a kind man with a good heart, and such a family man as well. It's very inspirational.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.13 — What have you written for another writer?

I've done this many times, actually. For friends. I've done a lot of little projects for my friends, and I've also helped them wherever or however I can. That's what friends do, I suppose, and we're always very private about it.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.14 — Share how you tackle a first round of revisions.

1. Stare at the screen.
2. Contemplate making tea, then do it.
3. Finally get to work.
4. Some hair pulling is involved.
5. The old gods are summoned.
6. The spirits of my ancestors are brought forward.
7. Take a few deep breaths.
8. Do some more rewriting, then take a break.
9. Voilà, it's half-finished.
10. Do it all over again the following day.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.15 — What’s a non-literary artistic tradition which inspires you?

• Video games.
• TTRPG stuff or DnD (although I'm the dungeon/game master, so I do the storytelling and writing myself).
• LEGO stuff.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.16 — Do you have one format you write in, or many?

I write a few things: Novels, short stories (with just a few chapters), and standalone stories. But that's about it.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.17 — Give a shout-out to a resource or site you think more writers should know.

Here's a great site! You can enter a word, phrase, description, or pattern to find synonyms, related words, and more. I'd be lost without the OneLook Thesaurus.

https://onelook.com/thesaurus/

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.18 — Are there writing 'traditions' which ought to be preserved?

Maybe I'm "old-fashioned" for saying this, but I think writing your thoughts and ideas down in a notebook is such a simple, beautiful ritual. It's great to have technology but let's not change *everything,* if you know what I'm saying.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.19 — If you were to teach a writing course, what would be the most important lesson?

Oh, gosh. Okay, let me think about this.

Lesson: That creativity has value, and AI will be the end of creativity and hard work. Stay on course. Remain hardworking and forever use your superpower — because that's exactly what creativity is, and we all have it.

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#WritersCoffeeClub 12.20 — If you write installments (issues, chapters, etc), then what’s the average length of one installment?

Right, so, let me explain a bit before I answer this prompt. I'm a serial author. I post things in chapter or installment segments. In general, and for *most* of my stories, I try to keep my chapters between 2000 to 3000 words, unless there's a particularly slower one (like the first few ones from Wings of Quiet Longing) that are just barely 2000 words.

I have exceptions, as do we all, but that's just the majority of my current stories. People like the length and say that it's a quicker read and it's easier to digest that way. People like my style. I'm glad it works for everyone, and the feedback helps a lot. I always want to write what or how people genuinely enjoy reading.

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