The beautiful and talented Lynne Matson tagged me in a blog roll, where writers share a bit about how their writing process works. But first, let me tell you a little about Lynne, besides the fact that she’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.

Lynne Matson is the author of the recent release, NIL, an AWESOME YA thriller with a wicked sci-fi twist and plenty of romance. The premise rocks! Hello. Mysterious island where you have 365 days to get off or you die. The romance is swoony, the characters pop off the page, and the suspense will have you on the edge of your seat. I heart this book so hard.

“Matson’s eye for detail and skillful characterizations fuel a fast-paced story that blends beauty, horror, romance, and adventure.” – Publisher’s Weekly

You can buy or read more about NIL online: Barnes & Noble  Amazon Goodreads

Now, prepare yo’selves for a glimpse into my crazy head.

3. WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I DO?

I’ve always been a scifi dork. I played Star Wars on the jungle gym at school in first grade – it’s a part of who I am. It was only natural for me to eventually start writing in the genre I adored. I wrote a paranormal and a contemporary first, assuming I couldn’t pull off science fiction. I was extremely intimidated by the genre, afraid I wouldn’t do it justice. But, with my agent’s encouragement, I gave it a shot. Hopefully I succeed.

4. HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?

So, I’m finally starting to figure out my process. I went from being a pantser (writing by the seat of my pants, making stuff up as I go), to being a plotter (planning it all out so I have a road map to follow as I write). Before I start typing anything I have to think – and by “think” I mean brainstorm plot lines, figure out character traits and arcs, and hammer out the theme. I fill out a beat sheet, filling in the plot points into a general outline. Then I write out a full synopsis. This makes me figure out how I get from point A to point B. It can take me a while. Sometimes it’s 10 pages, sometimes 28. Then I start writing. Through all these steps I MUST HAVE MUSIC but not just any music. I have to have music that fits the mood, the characters, the theme, which in turn help me get words onto the page. I also usually have my phone to the left of my laptop, my iPod on my lap, and drink of some kind to my right, and my current notebook/journal and pen is somewhere close. (In case you wanted to know ALLLL the details.)

5. AND THE OTHER PART OF THIS QUESTION, HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS NOT WORK?

The part of my process that can backfire on me is that I write best with music – with no other sound but the music. This means I don’t create well with my boys yelling behind me, asking me questions every three minutes. I can handle social media and email while my kids are around, but I can’t write. Therefore, I have to write at home when they are asleep or not at home OR I have to leave my house. (Not always the most convenient – but it’s how I git ‘er done.)

Now I get to tag someone! Karri Thompson, you’re it! 🙂

Karri’s most recent novel MIRROR X, a YA sci-fi, can be found any of these places Goodreads  Amazon  Barnes & Noble !! Karri is a super-fun high school English teacher who has rad taste in music. Here’s the blurb for MIRROR X:

I was born more than a thousand years ago.

 

Put into a cryogenic tube at age seventeen, forgotten during a holocaust that decimated the world, I’ve finally been awakened to a more serene and peaceful future.

 

But things at the hospital are new and strange. And it’s starting to scare me.

 

Everyone is young. Everyone is banded and tracked. And everyone is keeping secrets.

 

The cute geneticist Michael Bennett might be the only good thing in this crazy new world where “life is precious” but no one seems free to live it. The problem is, I don’t think he’s being totally honest with me, either.

 

When I’m told only I can save the human race from extinction, it’s clear my freeze didn’t avoid a dreadful fate. It only delayed the horror…

Sci-fi dystopian with romance and adventure? YES. PLEASE. Sign me up. Now, go take a peek into Kerri’s writing mind!!