Guest Post by Guy L. Pace:
My Writing Process
I was asked to write a guest blog about my writing process. Let’s get something clear up front. You don't want to use me as a model for how to do it right. I’m undisciplined, I don’t set a writing goal each day and I let too many things distract me (grandkids, wife, honey-do lists).
Right now, I’m kinda stuck. I want to write a third volume in my story about Paul and Amy. Sudden Mission was fun. Nasty Leftovers is a bit more challenging. Paul and Amy are older, and the problems are tougher. Their world view is expanding. When I get to work on it, I’m spending a lot of my time in Nasty Leftovers making sure the story is consistent with the final version of Sudden Mission.
There are also some things I need to change slightly to get the bad guy down right, keep the drama high and clean up the ending to lead into the third novel.
I’m not sure how to proceed in the third novel. There are tough questions about human and alien contact, what role Paul and Amy might have, what the end result will be. I don’t want this to end up being an alien shoot-em-up. There has to be a better way.
But I’m not disciplined. To get something written and done, I need a reason to sit down and write. And I need a deadline. Both Sudden Mission and Nasty Leftovers first drafts were written in 30 days. I did my prep work in September and October prior to launching into National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November full throttle. I did the prep work, though. I refined the main characters, worked out most of the other characters, worked on setting and did the research on the primary locations.
For me, the deadline is important. I’m an old newspaper journalist and deadlines were what I worked against all the time. Some of my best work was done against tight deadlines. My first short story sale was New Kid. This is a story written originally for a competition. I had just a month to write, polish and submit it. I didn’t win the competition, but I did get some great feedback on it and used that to make it better.
I also keep notes of sermons that brought up ideas and concepts I want to use, mark Bible verses and check commentaries online for the different versions.
I outline. And if you believe that, I have a bridge …
Okay, I make a very rough outline in NeO of how I think the story will flow. I detail more in the first two or three chapters. From that, I set up the chapters in my writing environment. After that, outlining is futile—for me, anyway. The outline gets tossed after the first couple chapters, since the characters start taking over the story and they run off with it. Keep in mind, I did the first two during NaNoWriMo
My primary writing environment is Scrivener. I don’t use Word or any MS Office product. I used to grudgingly use them in my working life. Since I’m on a Mac now, and discovered Scrivener some time ago, I happily do my writing, organizing, rearranging, and editing there. If I need to share all or part of a project with an editor or proofreader, it is easy to compile a Word document or PDF for them. The original work stays intact.
NeO and Scrivener can both save and backup to my iCloud, so I can move from the desktop machine to my road warrior without a hiccup. During my writing time, when I’m on deadline, there are four applications open on my desktop. Scrivener, NeO (until the outline is superseded), Notes, and Maps. Nothing else is allowed to be open. I keep a clean desktop. Nothing is saved on the desktop and my wallpaper during writing time is just plain black.
When the first draft is done, I put it away for a week or so before going back to edit and revise. I don’t just dive back into a novel. I have to give it and my brain time to rest. My mind will smooth out some rough spots in the story and I’ll find them when I start going back through.
But this is what works for me. Your mileage may vary. If you are young, learning, and wanting to make a living writing, you should be more disciplined. Write every day. Set goals. Study the market. Network. Build your platform. Work with a local writer’s group.
Keep writing.
About Sudden Mission
Satan, once one of God’s favorites, now His Adversary, grows impatient with
the plan and begins to harvest souls. In a fell swoop, he throws reality out of
whack and the world into chaos. God calls on Paul and his friends Amy and Joe
to set things right. The young teens journey through a messed up world—with a
little help from an angel—struggling against everything the Adversary can throw
in their path to accomplish their Sudden Mission.
With their world and their parents’ lives hanging in the balance–and the
Adversary sending everything from zombies to killer aliens to stand in their
way–Paul will discover if he has the strength and faith to set things right
again and stop Satan’s harvest.
about Guy L. Pace
Guy L. Pace, born in Great Falls, MT, grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He
served in the US Navy, including combat operations in Vietnam in 1972.
He was a Navy journalist, and worked primarily in community newspapers as a
reporter, photographer, editor and finally a managing editor. He changed
careers in the mid-80’s getting into computer support, training, networking and
systems, and eventually information security. He retired in 2011 after more
than 20 years working in higher education.
He lives with his wife, Connie, in Spokane, where he gets to spend time
with children and grandchildren, and ride his Harley-Davidson.
Contact Guy L. Pace
Publishing/Marketing Contact
Kathy Marks
Book Marketing Manager
Booktrope Publishing
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