Here are a couple of random facts about how I write, both in general, and specific to Year Zero:
- I have to be dressed for the day first. That includes wearing shoes. I can’t write barefoot or in slippers. Yeah, it’s weird but it works for me.
- I am a combo planner and pantser. I always plan the large strokes i.e. act breaks, plot structure etc. but not the details of how I’m going to get there. Sometimes my characters don’t cooperate and then I have to pants it a little.
- Speaking of uncooperative characters, Harlan Grundy was a demanding bastard. I conceived him as the antagonist for Year Zero, but he wasn’t having it. He insisted that I give him more breathing room until he became co-protagonist. And when Harlan Grundy asks you to do something, you don’t say no. Believe me.
- The single hardest thing to do was to not use gender based personal pronouns when writing about Joey. Because I don’t know if Joey is a he, she, they, or something else entirely. To me, Joey is simply Joey.
- I always write a minimum of 2000 words a day. Even if it’s garbage. I can fix it later. The important thing is to have my butt in a chair and words on a page.
- I don’t write on Saturday or Sunday. That’s family time
- The first thing I do every day is revise what I wrote yesterday. That way when I sit down for the big edit at the end I’m making a third draft.
- I let my work sit for a week when I’m done before I start the above mentioned third draft.
- I let it sit another week. Look at it again. Make any changes. This is the one my developmental editor sees.
- I always, always, always listen to music while I write. For me it helps to get into the mood of the piece I’m writing or into the headspace of the character(s). With that in mind I’d thought I’d share the playlist I listened to while writing Year Zero. First though I’d love for you to leave a comment, share any thoughts you have about the writing process.
On Apple music
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/year-zero/pl.u-d2b0kylIJ50Je
On Spotify