Tag: writing process

Excerpt from My Current WIP: Jenna with the Red Pen

We’re halfway through Camp NaNoWriMo, and it’s been going pretty much how my Camps usually go—slow with plenty of stops and starts. I set a goal for 20,000 words for the month, and considering all the stuff I have coming up in the next couple weeks, I probably won’t hit it. What I will do though, for sure, is finish the first draft of my third Rockin’ Austen book, based on Persuasion.

While I was looking for a line to use to participate in the #SunWIP Twitter hashtag, I stumbled upon this scene, squeed, and found it too cute not to share. To set up the scene a little, assistant director Jenna runs into the lead actor, Weston, her former high school boyfriend, in the hotel lobby where they’re staying.

I left in my editing notes in brackets, so you can get a peek at my drafting process too.

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Pinterest for Writers

I’m not sure if Pinterest is as hot as it used to be, or if it’s now more for those supermoms who I’m constantly in awe for pulling together the perfect kid’s birthday party. I use it now mostly to come up with ideas for haircuts and easy dinner recipes.

Pinterest is still the best tool I know for creating vision boards for any particular topic, and in this case, book inspiration.

It’s so important to be able to describe something in a way for readers to visualize and lose themselves in a scene. That’s why pictures like these are helpful because you can add little details like a nose ring or a freckle to your descriptions to make your characters come to life. Using someone from real life is helpful, too, but remember to be nice!

My Book Inspo board includes pictures of what I envision the characters to look like and the fashion they wear. For example, here’s my vision of the main character of my current work-in-progress, socialite Brit Byers.

Brit is a fashionista, and I have a lot of fun planning her outfits, which are normally devoid of color but overflowing with personality:

Then there’s the up-and-coming singer-songwriter, Daisy Song.

And finally, a chic and elegant wedding scene for later in the book (No spoilers—it’s Brit’s sister who’s engaged, not Brit.)

I’d love to know, what tools do you use when planning books or other projects? Does Pinterest work for you?