The Writing Process Blog Tour

Thanks to the lovely Deborah Jay for inviting me to take part in the writing process blog tour, a blog relay in which each author discusses their individual writing process, and then passes the baton on. 

I first met Debby online via my blog, and recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Debby in person when she came to an entertainment evening I organised to raise funds for pancreatic cancer.  Busy Deborah is not only a successful author of fast-paced fantasy adventures featuring quirky characters and multi-layered plots but also a professional dressage rider/trainer/judge, so she is a mistress of time management! She also has non-fiction equestrian titles published under the name Debby Lush.

Her award winning novel The Prince’s Man, the first of a trilogy has been described as 'James Bond meets Lord of the Rings' - a sweeping tale of spies and deadly politics, inter-species mistrust and magic phobia, with an underlying thread of romance.

Find out more about Deborah at www.deborahjay.wordpress.com or follow Deborah on twitter @DeborahJay2 .

Read Debby's stop on the Writing Process Blog Tour here http://deborahjayauthor.com/2014/08/04/the-writing-process-blog-tour/

So here are my answers to the 4 questions:

1. What am I currently working on?

I’ve just published my latest title,  The Perfect Horse, a dramatic novel with a dark twist, and midway through the next new pony novel, which explores equestrian vaulting. I’ve finally started the sequel to Beware of the Horse, which is the most popular of all my horse books, and the sequel is called (wait for it!) Beware of the Horse 2: Angie’s Revenge.  It’s aimed at older teens and young adults, and explores the murkier depths of relationships, and the consequences of our actions. I’ve just finished a Christmas short story for Pony magazine and hope to work on a few more short stories.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

This is difficult to answer as every writer has their own unique approach.  Although most of my novels and novellas currently involve horses, I do also like to explore some darker themes, which sometimes include supernatural elements (The Perfect Horse even strays into science fiction territory), and I don’t shy away from death. I hope my characters and situations are realistic and authentic, and a lovely review of one of my books says that I write from the heart.  I try to.  My stories generally have a strong emotional component. 

3. Why do I write what I write?

I enjoy writing about horses and people and their relationships, and hope my readers like what I do.  I also donate all my author royalties from my Matty Horse and Pony Adventures to the charity Redwings Horse Sanctuary.  My only non-horse novel (although I did sneak a horse in!) is called Coming Home and is about two Norwegian Forest cats, and my royalties go to charity Cats Protection. If my writing can help support these animal charities, that is an added bonus.  

4. How does my individual writing process work?

Generally, I write a one page synopsis after drafting some ideas and basic structure.  Then I map out the chapters and what they are likely to include and finally I start the writing process, often in time blocks.  This is the hardest part for me, and I still struggle to get started.  Getting the ideas and playing with them is the fun part.  I do several (often many) meticulous edits before allowing the story to be published. I am definitely a planner and the idea of simply writing without knowing where it will go freaks me out!

I'm passing the baton on to short story writer Linda King, who has been published by Woman's Weekly (kudos to you, Linda.  I've been trying to get a story accepted by WW for over 20 years!) and also writes stories under another pen name which are published by Xcite Books. She is currently writing a novel.

Her blog is the wonderfully titled http://excusemewhileinotethatdown.blogspot.co.uk/  and she is taking part in the blog tour on 18th August. 

Related post: http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/deborah-jay-guest-post-what-are-5.html

Deborah Jay Guest Post: What are the 5 Things a Busy Writer Can't Do Without?

I'm delighted that writer Deborah Jay has agreed to write a guest post for The Beautiful Room. 

Thanks so much, Jane, for inviting me to guest post on your blog J

I’m talking today about the challenges of being a part timer, distilled down to the 5 things I simply couldn’t do without as a time-squeezed writer.   My writing has to fit around my hectic day job as a professional dressage rider/trainer/judge which, for anyone that knows anything about horses, is more of a vocation than a job, and gobbles time.  So without further ado, here they are:

1.      My laptops – both of them: Lara Laptop and Nettie Notebook. I’m away quite a lot, flying and staying in hotels and also living in my horsebox at long shows. Without the laptops I’d be left with a whole heap of wasted time between classes which can just as easily be filled with – you’ve guessed it – writing! I should probably also include my smartphone, on which I take audio notes of any plot or dialogue that comes to mind when I don’t have time to stop and write it down, and helps me keep my emails under control when I’m without internet access.

2.      Kindle and kindle apps – I have kindle apps on both laptops – free to download and my whole kindle library accessible on all three machines, meaning I have all my reference books (not to mention motivational readingJ) right at my fingertips.

3.      A thesaurus – I like to think I have a fair-sized vocabulary, but it can always be expanded. I also have a magic little ebook called The Emotion Thesaurus http://amzn.to/199y0eY , which details a range of physical actions and internal sensations for all the major emotions – fantastic for a novelist battling with ‘show don’t tell’ syndrome.

4.      Clean fresh air and open spaces – okay, okay, perhaps that’s two, but to me they are inseparable.  I never really have time to just sit and think (plot), I have to do it on the move, while I’m driving, or hacking (only on the more reliable nags!), and I need fresh air to clear out my mental cobwebs, and nature for inspiration.

5.      My beta readers and writers group – both are invaluable resources. My non-fiction gets read by a group of my ‘Essex girls’ – horse-riding ladies I teach once a month in Essex. They let me know if I’ve made anything too complicated, and pose questions if they think there’s something I didn’t cover in enough depth. My writers group do the same for my fiction. How much time can I save by not going down a blind alley with a plot, or getting distracted by a minor character? Answer – plenty.

So there you have it – my essentials. What are yours?

Deborah Jay writes fast-paced fantasy adventures featuring quirky characters and multi-layered plots – just what she likes to read.  She shares her life with a pack of dogs and a couple of horses she competes in dressage. Her love for good food is kept in check by the need to button up her tailcoat, and her complete inability to cook. Living mostly on the UK South coast, she has already invested in her ultimate retirement plan – a farmhouse in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands.

This summer will see publication of her debut novel, THE PRINCE’S MAN, the first in a trilogy and winner of a UK Arts Board award. She also has non-fiction equestrian titles published under the name Debby Lush.

Find out more about Deborah at www.deborahjay.wordpress.com or follow Deborah on twitter @DeborahJay2 .