Thursday 17 January 2008

A Meme

I'm off work for a couple of days so I was browsing through a few blogs that I visit on a regular basis and I found that Sally had tagged me. She called it The War and Peace of meme's and she's not wrong.
Here goes

What's the last thing you wrote?
A short story.

Was it any good?
I liked it, but I've liked a lot of things that I couldn't interest a publisher in.

What's the first thing you ever wrote that you still have?
A story that I started on the morning of the day that the Twin Towers were attacked. It was supposed to be a novel but didn't have the legs for it then. I plan on revisiting it sometime.

Write poetry?
Sometimes

Favourite genre of writing?
I don't know what genre my writing falls into (agents have said the same thing.)

Most fun character you ever wrote?
George in BTL.

Most annoying character you ever wrote?
Ellen's mother, also in BTL

Best plot you ever wrote?
It's still in my head.

Coolest plot twist you ever wrote?
I liked the one at the end of BTL (Sorry to be a bit vague but this is something that I hope to sell)

How often do you get Writers block?
At least once a week.

Write fan fiction?
No.

Do you type or write by hand?
The first draft is always done by hand.

Do you save everything you write?
Yes.

Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
I tend not to abandon work just stuff it in my Work in Progress folder.

What's your favourite thing that you've written?
My personal favourite is Elaine which was published in Sexy Shorts for the Beach in 2006. It was what made me get serious about writing.

What's everyone else's favourite thing that you've written?
No idea, no-one has ever told me.

Do you even show people your work?
Only editors and publishers

Did you ever write a novel?
Yes. That would be BTL

Ever written romance or teen angsty drama?
I've written romance, whi hasn't?

How many writing projects are you working on right now?
Probably about half a dozen.

Do you want to write for a living?
That would be a big yes.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?
I was placed second in a competition when I was 15 if that counts.

Ever written something in script or play format?
Yes.

Do you ever write based on yourself?
All the time. I think you have to put something of yourself into your writing.

What character that you've written most resembles yourself?
Ellen in BTL.

Do you ever write based on your dreams?
Yes, I wrote something recently that was based on a dream. I only wrote the first couple of hundred words so far so it's more of an idea than anything concrete.

Do you favour happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?
I like an ending that works. Unfortunately life is not full of happy endings so it's wrong that all stories/books should have one.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you've seen?
Yes. I wrote a story last year that was inspired by a greetings card that I'd seen.

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?
Always. Even in my emails at work which winds some people up.

Ever write something entirely in chatspeak? (How r u?)
No.

Entirely in L337?
Excuse me?

Was that question completely appalling and un-writer like?
Possibly, who knows?

Does music help you write?
It doesn't help, but it doesn't hinder either.

Quote something you've written. The first thing to pop into your mind.
"Her dad had said it was too expensive but Helen had bought it for her anyway." Taken from The Purple Pashmina which I wrote recently so that's why I can remember a quote.

Looks like Sally got there before me with most of the tags. However, I tag Captain Black

8 comments:

Quillers said...

Thanks for doing this, Gonna B. I realise it was a really long meme (and I accidentally missed some questions out! They're on Cally's blog if you want to see them).

It is interesting to see how other writer works!

Colette McCormick said...

It was fun. I think the good things about these are that they make you think about things that you might not ordinarily think about.

Quillers said...

That's true.

BTW Gonna B, I tried to send you an email invite. Have you received it?

aliqot said...

Hi gonna b,

Since Sally tagged you for the same meme as me (try typing that in hurry without a typo), I thought I'd drop by.

You're obviously way more organised than I am about writing, and more successful. I have all day to do it, since I retired, apart from all the distractions I have or create for myself.

I like your blog too. It's interesting to have an insight into what works for other people.

Alison

Anonymous said...

Okay I've done mine. Click here for answers.

Colette McCormick said...

Thanks for the lovely comment ali. I'm not always organised but since the New Year I seem to have been doing better.
I've just checked my email and yes I have got the invite Sally. Thanks I appreciate it.
Okay Captain I'm off to check out your answers.

Annieye said...

Hi Gonna B. This is the first time I've visited your blog. It's really good. I thought I wrote a lot but you really do seem to get through the stories. 21 submitted? Wow, that's fantastic! I only started submitting stuff at the end of last year. I've got five stories out and have had one rejection and one request to shorten the story and then they might consider it.

I had a short story published many years ago and then very stupidly gave up trying when I got two rejections. If only I'd had the support of other wannabes I don't think I'd have been such a wos.

Colette McCormick said...

I wish I could write more. A lot of the 21 things out there have been gone for a while so it's not all new stuff. I'm doing better though this year (okay I know January's not finished yet but I have to boost myself) Oh and you're not a wos cos if yo are so am I.