An Officious Race...

There are always many "Favorite parts" in the writing of our books. For you, perhaps, it is a certain character you created, or a certain description that flowed from your pen. In my Gypsy Song I've been having a blast poking fun at us writers, and looking at us from the point of a character whose efforts at having a life have been thwarted by their author's pen. After all, Cecily had been living in Scarlettania as the Lady Cecelia in perfect happiness until Mr. Macefield wrote her out of the story. She doesn't take too kindly to that sort of treatment, so you can't exactly blame her for being a bit stuck-up.
Immediately after I got the idea for Gypsy Song, I started to feel the tiniest twinges of remorse for killing off Frank Williams in Puddleby Lane. My sister Sarah, who is *not* a writer but is a devoted reader looked on my remorse with an "I told you so" look on her face. She had begged me not to kill him. Oh well. An author's gotta do what the story needs done.
But you know we are running these people's lives for them. How boorish of us. ;) It's rather amusing. So my dear Editor, Henry B. Baxter? This is for you...

 It was not at all like anything one read about in real life. It was much more bookish than that. If only her father were here. He’d love to see these places and meet Lad, she knew. He’d probably put him into one of his books and then they’d truly be made wealthy, for such things couldn’t help but be interesting to everyone—even the cross old men her father always spoke of and called…what was the word? Ah yes. Editors.

~The Scarlet-Gypsy Song

The End of the Inquisition

Hey Everyone! I write this post from a hotel room in a shady hotel in a shady section of town in a shady sort of spot in a state that is generally beloved by me. That being said, I will say that the purpose of being here is perfectly sound and I am well in body and spirit. But as this has nothing at all to do with writing, I will keep along with the finishing-up questions in my Spanish Inquisition. Ready?
1. What is the best place, in our Writer's opinion, to write at? Hmm... Henry B. Baxter, doth she mean in my writing Utopia, or in reality? In my perfect world, I would have a desk, worn and beautiful, cuddled up to a casement window, trimmed in white that looks over a cottage garden. The window would be cracked open and a faint breeze, scented with summer would wander inside and ruffle my hair. I would have my watercolors pinned to the wall to remind me of my other artistic attempts. Now, stepping back into reality, I would have to say that the best place to write is anywhere one can be alone. I can't do the whole people-looking-over-my-shoulder thing, as I have already stated. Somewhere near a window, preferably.

2. Do you ever listen to music while you write, or do you like complete silence, or a nice din from the kids? Haha! Music on softly, ideally 40's or 50's music or soundtracks. :)

3. What do you write on? (As in, do you use Microsoft Word, Google docs, etc.) I use Microsoft word. :) A very old version that I am doing my best wishing to replace. :D

4. When do you write most? (i.e. Winter, Summer, evening, morning?) Winter definitely due to gardening and other responsibilities the warm season demands, and probably in the afternoons. That's when we usually take our "free-time."

5. Do you like writing better dressed, ready for the day, with your hair up and everything, or in your pj's? Ah! Dressed and ready by all means--my brain works better on such terms, and I feel like much more of an authoress.

6. How many writing notebooks do you have currently? Two that are strictly writing. Beyond that I have scraps of paper all over creation that house my brain dribbles. ;)

7. Do you keep a journal or diary? If so how often do you write in it and what format do you use? I do have a journal and I write in it...a several times a month. In seasons where there's a lot going on, more often than that. :) I used to write in a log format...you know, list-form. But then I decided to go all out with the details, and since then my diary has been ever so much better. :D

8. What is your favorite kind of tea? [YAY!] I would have to say P.G. Tips and English Breakfast are vying for the top position, then Black Currant in second place and....Earl Grey third. :) Tea is my one weakness.

Thanks so much for all the questions you girls asked! It was so much fun answering these little inquiries, and I hope I answered your questions to your satisfaction. If anything wasn't clear enough you know you can email me anytime. ~Rachel

...The Spanish Inquisition Pt. 2

My very helpful [ahem!] editor, Henry B. Baxter gave me the next batch of questions today. He neglected to  categorize the questions and thus left that to me. So bear with me if this is a bit of a whirlwind answer session! :D
I guess I'll address the pre-writing, mid-writing, post-writing questions. Ready?
Ashley asked, "Does she handwrite any of her novels before transferring them to the computer/ a word document?" Once upon a time she did. But then she discovered her pen was not capable of keeping up with her brain, and her fingers were, so she switched medias. But in all seriousness, now and then I do find solace in the scratching of a pen's tip against a sheet of lined paper. That is my favorite way to write, I just don't find it practical.
Ashley also asked, "Has she ever tried to write mystery or Sci-fi?" :D  Don't mention this to my sister, Sarah. It makes her go mad with rage. But yes, I started a mystery set in the Great Depression...and got myself so entwined in the mystery I never did find my way out. I abandoned ship after 100 pages. :D Okay. Don't blame me. Who can keep track of details when your villain has an alias inside an alias, maybe even inside an alias? It just doesn't work so well. :P

Katie S. dived right in with a bing-bang-boom sort of Spanish Inquisition: 
1. Do you keep a daily writing schedule? How long, or how much, do you write a day?
2. How extensively do you plot-n-plan your stories before you begin writing them?
3. Do you edit while writing, or keep the writing and editing processes completely separate?

Answer 1. HAH! Oh. Ummm...sorry about that. I amused me that you thought I could be that good. ;) I write something every day, but I have no schedule. I ought to have a schedule. In a distant day in the past I did have a schedule. But I am currently flying by the seat of my skirt. It's a pretty wild ride. I have actually been seriously contemplating getting up an hour earlier to write.
Answer 2: My plot-n-plan varies from novel-to-novel. For The Seasonings I did not research, bare-bones plotting, and found myself missing that important element in the writing process. For Puddleby Lane I started on a whim, kept on on a whim, and never stopped to rethink it...until now. :P But we're overcoming our differences and moving on on a whim. Maybe that's why it's such a whimsical story. I did, however, write a little blurb to keep me going. For this newest novel I am doing a great deal of research, and thus a good deal of pre-plotting. Plus the plot, not the characters, came to me first this time.
Answer 3. I prefer keeping the writing and editing completely separate. I find that my brain and emotions don't work well with constantly back-tracking. I need to work the story out and give myself permission to write things I know I'll cut out. It's just the way I work.

Abigail Hartman asked me about my preparation and whether I did character sketches, researching, and all that fun jazz. :) Yes and no. It depends. Generally I just start writing with a vague idea of a plot and give the story a chance. It either sprouts wings and flies, or flops by chapter 5 or so and I know it wasn't To Be. But this time around I am indulging in "All that jazz" and finding it much to my liking.

And last but not least, Abigail also asked me, "What did happen to Puddleby Lane?" I distanced myself from it for two months and decided I would lay it aside and focus on researching and plotting my French Rev. novel. I did that for awhile and decided to take a good-bye peep at P.L.....and you know what? I discovered it was not so terrifying as I thought. We began our reconciliation by my killing off The Character. Now that's what I call good relationships. :P

Now girls, my editor is still available for questioning. Go ahead and ask whatever's on your mind and I'll finish up with a third Answer Post soon! :)

Water-weak or Invincible?

My recently christened editor, Henry B. Baxter, was kind enough to forward some of your questions to me this morning. I was so pleased at his report of the response to a question-and-answer post so far. You can add your questions for me here: A Grand and Glorious Thingamajigger. :) I decided that I had better start answering some of these questions as they come, so as not to overwhelm the public with answering them all at once. That being stated, Henry B. Baxter tells me londongirl was first with her questions:

If someone was to write a Historical novel, what advice would you give them? (and) Is there any books or websites that you have found useful?

Let me start by answering the first question, as that has several points to it. The first piece of advice I would give a budding author in this genre is: "Do your research." It sounds dull, it sounds prosy (especially when the fantastic plot is swirling around your brain and the last thing you want to do is read up on the politics of the day) but in the end it will make the difference between water-weak literature and a book worthy of a Newbery Medal. I had to learn this lesson the hard way with my Victorian-era novel, A Mother for the Seasonings. My critique group partners told me (and none too gently) that they could not picture my setting in their minds. The characters and plot were happening in a void. It could have occurred any time, anywhere and been changed not a bit. Sure, hearing that hurt. But it was one of the best things for my writing experience. It taught me just how important suitable descriptions and correct information are.

I hate to say it this bluntly, (and I'm facing this daunting wall in Puddleby Lane) but it doesn't matter how amazing your plot and characters are--if you tell the reader your story is set in, say the Great Depression, if that setting does not influence your character and the events in the story, you've lost the whole point of historical fiction. I like to think of Historical Fiction as a way to learn history through literature. That being said, your facts need to be strong and true, and presented in a masterful way so that the reader doesn't feel like they are reading an encyclopedia. They are learning something as they live the story alongside your character. You must hide the pills of reality in the jam of fiction in such a way that the reader craves the pills and will go on from your book with an enhanced desire to learn about the time period. You can't achieve this by bending the plot. I'm sorry, but it's true. It isn't enough that you tell the reader your tale is set in a certain era. Timely descriptions of dress, speech, culture, will be your best friend when it comes to making the historic world come alive. There is so much potential in book set in times past. Do not be content with informing your reader of facts. Bring your Public through the trenches with German bombs whistling overhead. Shove them in the midst of the whirling mob storming the Bastille. Lock them in the Tower of London with Mary, Queen of Scots. It'll make all the difference in the world.

As for the second question: Is there any books or websites that you have found useful? I would have to answer: The internet in general. I can't tell you how helpful it is to be able to bring up a page of 2,000 French women's names, or an entire archive dedicated to fashions of the day. With a click of my mouse I can read up on whatever historical event I am writing about. It's amazing. As for writing help in general, I have found that the best way to get a hold on what good writing is, is to read good writing. As Benjamin Franklin said, "If you want to write things worth reading, read things worth writing." It's simple, but it's profound. Fill your mind with quality writing, and your pen will unconsciously learn. But we all need a little further instruction now and then, and for that, I must concede that I have found James Scott Bell's Revision and Self-Editing priceless. Seriously, it's a must-have for any aspiring writer.
Beyond these resources, I will tell you that if you are brave enough, hand a copy of your manuscript to a person you know to be a good judge of literature, and have them tell you exactly what they think of it. It will not be easy to hear them picking your brain-child to pieces. But you know what? A lot of the time, they'll be right. And then sometimes they will be wrong, and you can put your little "baby" back together and move on. I can tell you from personal experience, though, that an unbiased opinion is worth a whole lot more than any timid changes you would choose on your own to make in your novel. :)
I hope this answered your questions, londongirl, and thank you so much for asking them! Mr. Baxter, I would appreciate your continued assistance in collecting the queries. Thank you.