Hey there everybody! Nano is winding down for the year, and I know some of you are still working on your word counts, so we’ve got a short a sweet spotlight to distract you for a little break between word sprints this evening. Ladies and Gentlemen, Cylee Blake!
What’s the most unusual part of your writing process?
The most unusual part of my writing process would have to me the journaling. Yes, I journal when I write and have for about a year now because it helps me concentrate. I write down everything that is going on in my head (which can be really random) before I move on to journal about my writing. I ask myself questions about my novel and answer them. This helps me move forward with whatever I’m writing and makes the plot flow much better. It also helps me sort out certain scenarios or scenes that have several different outcomes. Basically, my entries are a way to clear my head and give my muse room to work.
Where are your backup files?
I use Google Drive and Clementine, my external hard drive. The writing software I use save my back up files to Clementine (and my desktop) automatically, since I set it up that way. Google Drive is what I save my work to manually so I know that it’s saved. I also like that I can access it anywhere. This make it easier to go out and write.
What advice would you give to all your fellow Wrimos?
Always have something or someone to turn to when you get stuck. This could be something like Write or Die or writing prompts. If you have a writing buddy, bounce ideas back and forth with each other. Also, don’t be discouraged if your novel isn’t going down the same path as your outline. Your muse directed you in a different direction for a reason, figure out why.
Sneaky Ninja Question! How will you know when you’ve reached success as a writer?
Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten to that point yet but I think that when I decide that my novels are good enough for people to read would be when I’ve reached success as a writer. If I’m able to share my writing with other people, I know that I’m confident that I’ve written something to the best of my abilities and that I will need other opinions and criticism to improve my writing.
I’ve been trying to keep a blog but I have the tendency to forget about it. My blog usually consists of writing, music, occasional pictures, and home life (if something big happens). If you want to drop by, visit me at http://cyleeblake.blogspot.com or find me on twitterhttps://twitter.com/CyleeBlake.
The Kelworth Files 