Cerian Hebert

Here are twelve random questions about writing below. Borrow them for your blog and pass it along. Ready to play?

What’s Your Writing Style?

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

I used to be a diehard panster. I still am to a certain degree but since participating in NaNoWriMo I’ve learned the benefits of plotting. Mainly I just sit down and write, though.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as a I write”?

I try to do character sketches of at least my two leads, but I don’t delve into their psyche or find out what their great aunt’s auto mechanic’s sister’s hair stylist name is. A lot of those details I make up as I go along and pray I remember them later.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing?

I like to have the main things figured out before hand, but mostly I make it up as I go. Gives me room to go different directions during the story. Sometimes I find the path I hadn’t intended to take is much better than the one I planned on before hand.

4. Books on plotting – useful or harmful?

I haven’t cracked a book on writing in years. I used to love them but I don’t like taking the time to read them now.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?

I generally get the real itch when I can’t do anything about it, like when I’m at work. I’m both, I’d say. When I’m working on a good scene I just don’t want to stop.

6. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?

Short bursts. Not necessarily by choice though. I have a lot of distractions. I think if I could lock myself in a room I could write for hours. Hmmm… now if only I had that room.

7. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?

I get up early to write. I probably get more done in the morning. But I like to write at night too. Afternoon too much going on.

8. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?

I generally write with both the children and music. Mainly children. My “office” is in the dining room which is the Grand Central Station of our home. I would prefer just some soft, soothing music though.

9. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)

Typewriter? Wow, I haven’t used one of those in years. I do mainly computer but I keep notebooks in the car and I write in longhand at work when I have a slow moment or I’m on a break. I love to write longhand, but I know that it has to get typed up anyway so I might as well do as much on the computer as possible. And the computer is definitely faster. I can keep up with my train of thought more easily.

10. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One?

Not really, besides knowing it’ll have a HEA. I do know the ending before I reach the middle though. I love to write the ending early on. It gives me direction, a goal. It may be changed at some point along the way, but I have always like to know how the book is going to end.

11. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?

Nope. I used to be hung up on writing for a certain market but there are so many restrictions when writing that way. Now I write as I please (although I do try to follow the basic rules, like no head hopping etc). I’m finding that markets are changing though. The formulas aren’t so rock solid anymore. I think this is a good thing.

12. Editing – love it or hate it?

Despise it. Is that a stronger word than hate? ALTHOUGH, that being said, I’m finding that in my current project, I’m able to add so much more through this process. I’ve taken a good story that was in need of a little meat on it’s bones and have really encouraged it to grow. Maybe that’s not technically editing though. When it comes down to the nitty gritty little details I don’t like it at all. I get so sick of looking at the manuscript by then. I yearn for something new and fresh.

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