Thank
you Gemma Seltzer for inviting me on the Writing Process Blog Tour. Here goes!
What am I working on?
I'm
editing my novel originally called Spray
Painted Bananas for Harper Impulse. Rumour has it it's going to be called The Temp.
The
novel is a romantic comedy about Amber, a broke temp working in a catering firm
who after one too many evenings scrounging free wine from whacky art galleries
with best friend Farrell, decides to become a conceptual artist.
The Temp
should be out this Summer 2014.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
Erm,
it has spray painted bananas in it...
I'm
not trying to be experimental or clever. If you gave me a book without
punctuation I'd give it back to you. I'd also quickly lose interest if a novel
had beautiful descriptions but no story.
My
aim is to entertain the reader. I want them to feel something. I want them to
laugh, to cry. Mostly I want them to escape for a while and feel good about
life. I've watched more romantic comedies than read them and if I can make the
reader feel what I do when I watch You've
got Mail or Sleepless in Seattle
then I'll be happy.
Why do I write what I do?
Because
either I feel compelled to write it or like romantic comedies, it makes me
happy.
My
short stories can be triggered by anything from events in the news or
conversation overheard on a bus. Often they deal with emotions or situations I
don't feel like inhabiting for the duration of a novel. Not all of them are
dark or sad, one of my most read ones is about the Queen locking herself
in the toilet to avoid the jubilee celebration. I had a lot of fun writing it so maybe I should just stick
to comedy!
How does my writing process work?
Oh
you know, I ring bells, light incense, invoke the gods of creativity and always
wear my lucky knickers.
Not
really. I just get up, set myself a word count and I write.
For
plotting, I often use post-its or scribble pen to paper. When I get stuck,
I do something physical, like cleaning the flat or running.
I
try to meditate most mornings to put things into perspective, because I'm an
impatient person and I need to remember the journey is more important than the destination.
Check out the following lovely writers who will be blogging about their writing process next week!
Hannah
Emery
I have
written stories for as long as I can remember. I love writing about how fragile
the present is and how so much of it depends on chance events that took place
years ago. I studied English at the University of Chester, and I now work in a
College where I mentor degree students.
The most important things in my life
are my family, my friends, books, baking on a Saturday afternoon, getting
glammed up to go out for champagne and dinner and having cosy weekends away. I
live in Blackpool with my husband and our little girl.
F D Lee
I live
in London with my husband, two cats (George and Mango), rabbit (Cassius) and
Guinea pig (Spot). Remarkably, we all manage to get on well! I have a Master's degree
in Applied Linguistics, which makes me the life and soul of any party,
especially one made up of the kind of people who like a joke about the passive
(it's all fun and games until an eye is lost - bah dum). I've been teaching for
ten years, and currently work as a Lecturer in Academic Writing and Literacy.
Amy Brown
I'm a Creative Writing student at the
University of Winchester, aspiring to be an
editor and novelist. I also works for Thursday
Identity, an online magazine, run a university writers' society and help out with a writing prompt blog called 'Story Challenge.' Currently, I'm feeding my passion for folklore by researching fairy tales for my dissertation.
Follow
Amy on Twitter: @amyelizewriter
Don't
you love a good cry? Is there anything better than watching a film and balling
your eyes out by the end of it? Preferably not because your character has just
lost the love of their life or been sentenced to life imprisonment. A painful
cry isn't quite as satisfying as a good cry, is it? A painful cry leaves you feeling
raw inside, unlike a good cry which ruins your face but lights a spark of
happiness and hope in your heart. Too soppy for you? I'm only just getting started. 
4. About Time
2. Slum Dog Millionaire
My parents are watching it with me. My Dad is tense. He
was expecting a draw at the worst. It's his fault I'm a Spain fanatic. Every
year since the beginning of time, before a World Cup or a European cup, he has
always said, "This year they have the dream team," to which I've
always replied, "you say that every year and every year they get knocked
out." At least that was the reality until 2008.
