Behind the Scenes Tag

Jamie at Through Two Blue Eyes tagged me in The Behind the Scenes tag, and I had a ton of fun doing it! Talking about writing is one of my favorite things to do (sometimes I talk about writing more than I actually write...). Here goes!

Is there a certain snack you like to eat while writing?
York peppermint patties are my go-to writing snack. I usually try to avoid snacking too much, but if I know that I'm going to be writing (like for NaNoWriMo), I like to keep them on hand for motivation. Drinks are my big must-have. Tea or coffee is always by my side while I write.

When do you normally write? Night, afternoon, or morning?
I'm a night writer. My mind is more alive at night. It isn't strange for me to stay up writing past midnight (I think I stayed up till 1:30 a few weeks ago). There's just too much going on during the rest of the day.

Where do you write?
Well.... I have a special writing space in the basement surrounded by books and a candle and writing quotes. But I rarely write there. Ha. When I write, it's always in a big blue chair in the corner of our living room. It's right by the window, so I get to look outside and daydream when I need to get a good mental picture of what I'm writing.

How often to you write a new novel?
It depends. On average, it seems to take me about 6 months to finish a first draft. After I my first draft, I like to take a small break and then start the second draft--which takes another 6 months. So I'd say that I write a new novel once a year (maybe). 

Do you listen to music while you write?
Goodness, yes. I can't write without music. Not only does it help block out distracting noises, it helps me feel what my characters are feeling. Music brings out emotions in a way that other things can't.

What do you write on? Laptop or paper?
I used to write on paper. To be quite honest, I would still love to. There's something beautiful about a blank sheet of paper and a brand new pen (!!!). But alas, I have terrible handwriting (it's getting better, though), and sometimes I couldn't read what I had written. So, the switch was made to a laptop. And I love it. I use Scrivener, which is a LIFESAVER. I can't imagine writing without it. If you're an organizing freak like me, Scrivener is perfect for you. Plus, I don't get hand cramps from typing (I'll just get carpal tunnel instead).

Is there a special ritual your have before or after you write?
I wouldn't say it's special, but I like to glance over my storyboard on Pinterest to get a feel for my story world. The danger with that is sometimes, I get completely sidetracked--because let's face it, if a video of a penguin falling over and yelling pops onto my home feed, I'm going to watch it. It's all downhill from there. Other than that, I also listen to my "theme" song for the novel I'm writing and read over the last scene I've written. I know that some people say to never read what you've previously written, BUT I HAVE TO. Otherwise the next scene is all over the place.

What do you do to get into the mood to write?
Like I said in the last question, I look through my Pinterest board or other boards and listen to my novel's playlist. If it's been a week without an inspiration, I might read a book or watch a movie that is similar to my story--for instance, I would watch The Hunger Games or The Walking Dead if I needed inspiration for my dystopian.

What is always near the place you write?
My writing notebook, a drink, a fuzzy blanket (because my house is freezing), my phone and a computer screen cleaner (because I'm a neat freak and little specks of dust drive me insane).

Do you have a reward system for your word count?
York peppermint patties, if I have them on hand. Unfortunately, I don't usually have them around. So I don't really have a reward system, other than knowing that I met my word count. The happy feeling I get is a reward in itself (although it still doesn't equal the pure joy of peppermint patties).

Is there anything about your writing process that others might not know about?
I don't think so. When I was younger, I used to have a special hat that I always wore when I wrote. But now, I just sit down and write. Something people may or may not know is that after I finish my first draft, I read over it, make notes, and then completely rewrite the second draft. Once I finish my second draft, I give it to my cousin to read and he edits it for me.

Alright, so now I am going to tag Victoria and Aimee. Have fun!


Do you do anything different/similar to what I do? Who's ready for NaNoWriMo?! If you are doing NaNo, make sure to add me as a writing buddy! 

Emily
xoxo