Is it research or procrastination? Bump up your word count by getting lazy

I've often had people ask me about my writing process, and I rarely give the same answer. It's not that I'm being evasive, but more that my process has changed over time and even changes day-to-day. Some days I sit down and struggle to write anything at all, and other times I sit down and bang out 10,000 words in less than 24 hours (in a hotel room over Thanksgiving shared with my husband and two young kiddos, no less).

My most successful writing days come when I can zone out and just write. I'm a world class procrastinator, and if given half the chance I will wander way from my manuscript and do just about everything under the sun other than write. So when I really need to get things done, I don't worry about researching specifics or finding the perfect word. I just channel my characters and write.

A peek at notes from my latest WIP, Finding Home.

Will I need to do more work later on those parts? Definitely. My draft for my current WIP, Finding Home, is littered with notes like __need to research terminology on how rowers talk about strokes__ and __insert fancy-sounding craft beer name here__. Sometimes I can't find the right word to flow with the sentence, and I leave myself notes like __a word that means flighty but isn't flighty__. Or I realize that I can't remember some minor character's name even though I know I introduced him at the beginning, so I might write __the dude from the coffee shop from chapter one___ instead of breaking my concentration and going back to find the name itself. It's amazing how much more productive I am when I let the smaller things go instead of following a tangent down a rabbit hole and ending up spending an hour researching the craft brewing process when all I really needed was a throwaway sentence on how microbrews are conceived.

That's not to say that I don't research. I do, like a fiend. When I wrote Island House I didn't know a catamaran from a kayak, let alone how to tie anchor bend. (Now that I've brought it up, you know you can't resist learning the knot. Go ahead, there's the video...you wouldn't be reading about how to zone out and write productively if you could effectively avoid temptations like that one) I let myself get sidetracked by research, and as a result it took me almost three years to finish the manuscript.

I learned my lesson after that. I'm now 3/4 of the way through the follow-up to Island House, and the new outlook I've adopted on writing is definitely paying off. By giving myself permission to leave those places undeveloped so they don't interfere with the writing flow, I've taken away my excuses for procrastination and the roadblocks between me and a decent word count. Of course, there are still those inevitable days where I just can't seem to bring myself to string more than a sentence or two together. Now instead of being frustrated by them, I use them to go back and do the research I skipped and finish the scenes that I'd have gotten hung up otherwise.

This won't work for everyone, especially those of you who write linearly and need to perfect a scene before you move on. But it's a godsend for me, since if I'm not moving forward I lose interest. Or, you know, let a tiny bit of research hang me up so much that I put an almost completed manuscript on the back burner for three years before buckling down and finishing it.

A Dutch author actually hooked himself up to a gaggle of electrodes to monitor his brain function while writing. I have to say that while I'm curious about what goes on in my head while I'm writing, I don't think I'd take it that far. How about you?

Snippet from Finding Home

Buy on Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Island House came out earlier this week, and I've been having a blast visiting blogs talking about it. Right now you can enter to win a free copy on Andrew Q. Gordon's blog.

Be sure to check out the posts if missed my release party over on the Dreamspinner Press blog. I shared snippets from the book and the inspiration behind some of my favorite parts of the novel. Don't fret if you missed the giveaways--there will be more chances to win goodies like the metal anchor bookmarks and the ceramic oil warmers from the prize packages on Twitter throughout the month.

I'm hard at work on the second book in the Dropping Anchor series, Finding Home. Here's a sneak peek at some of the dialogue from  today's writing session:

---

Letting Clare choose where they ate would mean something vegetarian, or worse, vegan.

“Can we stop for something on the way? You know she's not going to let us eat anywhere with actual food,” Ian pleaded.

“The last time I did that she smelled the french fries the second she got in the car. I ended up on a three-day juice cleanse,” Niall said with a shudder that told Ian he wasn't exaggerating.

“I did a juice cleanse once,” he offered.

“A two-day bender where all you did was drink pineapple juice with rum is not a juice cleanse,” Niall retorted.

“Lost six pounds,” Ian continued, ignoring the interruption.

“Probably more from dehydration from all the sex than because of the juice,” Niall deadpanned.

Ian considered it, then nodded. College spring break weeks were a guaranteed good time on Tortola. “Possibly.”

--Finding Home, due out summer 2014

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On the topic of beverages, apparently you can get Butterbeer at Starbucks! It's pretty chilly here in Indianapolis today, so maybe I'll treat myself to a magical hot drink this afternoon.

Release day!

It's been three years in the making, but release day is here for Island House! Even better, it's debuting with a 4.5 star review under its belt, courtesy of Nikyta at Sid Love.

It's especially awesome because Island House was my NaNoWriMo novel in 2010, and in a nice parallel, its spin-off Finding Home is my NaNo project this year. It's been a challenge to stay on top of the daily word counts while prepping my blog tour for Island House and getting ready for all the awesome release day festivities I have planned, but it's well worth a little lost sleep.

I'll be over on the Dreamspinner Press blog all day today doling out snippets of Island House, insights into my favorite parts of the book, and most importantly, prizes!  That's right, I'll be giving things away all day long to readers who come to my virtual release party at Dreamspinner. Head on over at 9 a.m. EST to enter the first giveaway, a chance to win a free ebook of Island House.

If you can't come play with us today, don't worry. I'll be giving away Island House goodies all month long on Twitter, so you'll get another chance at swag. You can also catch up with me on my blog tour. Last week I talked about where I got inspiration for Island House's setting on Kim Fielding's blog, and today I'm be sharing a steamy prequel scene on Charley Descoteaux's blog in celebration of her Kink Month. Tomorrow catch my Q&A on Andrew Gordon's blog (and check out Island House and other great new releases in his Monday new release round-up today!)

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Island House

Available from Dreamspinner Press

Unable to move on after the death of his lover, British expat Niall Ahern clings to Nolan's dream of living in the Caribbean by moving to Tortola. Once there, he finds that not even the beauty of the island can fill the hole in his heart. Broke and spent in nearly every way imaginable, Niall wants out of the lonely, miserable, guilt-ridden life he's carved out for himself.

When Ethan Bettencourt, a wealthy tech guru, shows up in British Virgin Islands looking to purchase a second home, he gives Niall hope that he can move on. Both men fall hard and fast, but Niall finds piloting his yacht in the midst of a hurricane is nothing compared to weathering life's simple misunderstandings. As their troubles come between them, Niall is left to wonder if he and Ethan are over before they've begun.

November's here!

The Barnacle playing in the leaves this
afternoon after preschool.

 

It's finally November! I feel like I've been waiting forever for the calendar to tick over to a new month.

October is usually the month I look forward to most. My two favorite people were born in October (The Barnacle and The Bub), plus my own birthday is in there between theirs. It also contains my favorite holiday--I'm a Halloween enthusiast who loves carving pumpkins and putting together costumes.

This year though, November wins favorite month. Island House comes out in 10 days, and I'm more excited about the release of my first novel than I am about Halloween and Christmas rolled together. You can preorder it on Dreamspinner's site now (ebook or paperback). The first 20 readers who order the paperback will get a signed copy! I'm also gearing up to start a short blog tour promoting the book, which is a nerve-wracking but exhilarating new experience for me. I have some giveaways planned for those, so keep an eye out.

November also marks my fourth NaNoWriMo, which is especially awesome because Island House was my first NaNo manuscript. Seeing it published three years later is nothing short of amazing. It was hard struggling through that first NaNo November, especially since 50,000 words was an incredibly daunting goal for me. I made it that year (and the next two years as well!) and I'm hopeful for this year's endeavor as well.

I started NaNo strong today with 2,500 words of a Finding Home, an Island House spin-off novel that follows one of the side characters from the book, Ian Mackay. It's the second of the three-part Dropping Anchor series. All three books are about men who are adrift and find stability in a partner who shows them what real love and loyalty look like.

In Island House, we meet Ian as Niall's friend, a roguish playboy who you can't help but like despite his glibness. This month I'll be getting to know him a lot better as I write about him coming to the realization that one night stands and carefree island life aren't satisfying for him anymore. Adjusting to actually acting like an adult is a big leap for fun-loving Ian, but he has great friends who help him navigate the pitfalls of real relationships and steady jobs. It's going to be a rollercoaster of a month getting Ian to grow up, but in the spirit of NaNo, I'm up for it!

Pre-order now for a chance at a signed copy of Island House!

It figures that I'd get my release date and pre-order link for Island House while I was stuck in the wilderness without access to the internet (and with only sketchy access to email and cell service...*shudder*).

I'm still trying to wash the campfire smoke out of my hair and one of my kids had a close call with a skunk, but even that can't dim my excitement to finally be able to share the pre-order link for my first novel, Island House. The first 20 readers who order the paperback edition will receive a signed copy, so if that interests you, go pre-order now! *g*

Unable to move on after the death of his lover, British expat Niall Ahern clings to Nolan's dream of living in the Caribbean by moving to Tortola. Once there, he finds that not even the beauty of the island can fill the hole in his heart. Broke and spent in nearly every way imaginable, Niall wants out of the lonely, miserable, guilt-ridden life he's carved out for himself.

When Ethan Bettencourt, a wealthy tech guru, shows up in British Virgin Islands looking to purchase a second home, he gives Niall hope that he can move on. Both men fall hard and fast, but Niall finds piloting his yacht in the midst of a hurricane is nothing compared to weathering life's simple misunderstandings. As their troubles come between them, Niall is left to wonder if he and Ethan are over before they've begun.

You can read an excerpt from Island House on my website. I'm planning a release party on Dreamspinner Press' blog as well as some fun on Twitter and a blog tour, so there will be plenty of opportunities to win book swag for Island House. I'll announce those dates as they're finalized. 

Renaissance Bru and book release goodies questions!

Lady Barnacle and Sir Bub had an awesome time.

We've been busy here in the Baker household with the start of school and the weekly October birthdays, but I'm finally out from under the stress of planning an enormous joint birthday party for the kiddos that involved taking twenty children and their adults to a Renaissance Faire a few towns over. Needless to say, the momentous occasion of the Barnacle turning 4 and the Bub turning 7 was feted with appropriate grandeur. For reasons I still don't understand, I found it necessary to not only make elaborate favors for all the guests but also make my own costume. It's important to note that I'm deathly afraid the sewing machine my in-laws gave me a few Christmases ago, so I made my costume with hot glue. And it rained all day. I count myself very lucky that my costume didn't disintegrate...but what a story that would have been, eh?

I've been lazy about blog and website upkeep in between frantic birthday planning. It's hard to type with hot glue burns on your fingertips, anyway. Plus I was busy getting Island House through its final edits, redesigning my web banners, and writing a few new things that are in the submission pipeline now. But think of it this way: radio silence from me usually means more books are on the way! And look, you get a picture of adorable children and me and Hubs making fools of ourselves to make up for it. *g*

On that note, I'm pleased to announce that even though my holiday novella wasn't picked up for Dreamspinner Press' Advent Calendar this year, it was contracted as a stand-alone release in December 2014. Delayed gratification, thy name is Late Bloomer. It'll be worth the wait, I promise! I'll also have a few more future release announcements later in the month.

I'm also ramping up for release parties  and general hullabaloo for next month's release of my first novel, Island House. I'll be doing a release party on Dreamspinner Press' blog and probably taking over its Twitter for a bit, so I'm looking for ideas from you about what you as a reader look for in a release extravaganza. Do you like contests to win a free copy of the book? Do you want book-related swag? Charm bracelets? Gift cards? Post cards and magnets with pretty men on them? Posts introducing the characters? Snippets that didn't make it into the book?

Throw me some ideas for what YOU'D like to see happen during release week for Island House. This is my first book in paperback, and I'm excited to do it up right!

Anniversaries, travel, and rejection

I got a lot of crap for being so bundled up
(that's two coats and two sweaters plus my
scarf!) but what can I say? I'm half Filipino.
Any time it's less than 70 out I'm freezing.

I'm slowly climbing back into a regular writing schedule after taking most of July off for a few oh-shit-summer-is-almost-over-we-need-to-go-somewhere trips. After a week at the beach with the kids in South Carolina, we went up to Chicago for a few days. After that I flew out
to see my best friend Shannon in California for a few days, and then Hubs joined me and we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary a mere one month before our 11th with a trip to San Francisco (without the kids!).

Hubs and I have been together for 16 years, married for 11. We met on the first day of college our freshman year, and the rest is history. Part of what makes us work so well is our shared passion for social justice and our quirky and dark sense of humor. This week he's been in Seattle for business, and his trip got off to a bit of a rocky start when he had to rush a colleague to the emergency room after they went out for a meal together and the guy had an allergic reaction to something and went into anaphlactic shock. He stayed in the waiting room after the doctors took the guy upstairs, and a few hours later a nurse came down to get him. His colleague had given them Hubs' name as his person, and the nurse and doctors made the assumption they were a couple and had Hubs come up to be briefed on his condition and care instructions.

Anyone who's read The Buyout knows it's a very similar situation to the one Parker and Mason found themselves in, and once we knew his colleague was going to be okay, I pointed that out to him. His response pretty much sums up why I've put up with him for 16 years. He just gets me.

Somewhere in that whirlwind of travel I managed to eek out about 19K for my Christmas-themed novella Late Bloomer. It was rejected for the Dreamspinner Press Advent calendar anthology earlier this month, but I'm still in love with the story, so I've submitted it as a standalone novella. Cross your fingers!

After a month of being a nomad, it was a bit of a shock to the system to come home and have the Bub start first grade a few days later. We're back on a brutal (for a night owl like me) schedule of 6 a.m. wake-ups, and I'm not adjusting well.

Being home has given me time to get back to buckling down and focusing on writing. Edits have started on my novel Island House, which is scheduled for release in November. It feels good to be back in the literary saddle, so to speak. The Barnacle doesn't start preschool til after Labor Day, though, and the poor thing just mainlined about sixteen episodes of Jake and the Neverland Pirates on Netflix while I was in the zone focusing on my first-round publisher edits. Oops.