Guest blogger - LA Burton
Nov. 6th, 2010 06:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
naomi_jaySo! My friend LA Burton has just re-released her urban fantasy novel, STORM OF MAGICK, on the Kindle. This is pretty cool, and Lisa's been doing a lot of hard work to promote the book just about everywhere. Including here! Check out her interview and check out STORM OF MAGICK too!
What were your favourite books as a child? When did you start writing and who did you first share your work with?
When I first started to read, I enjoyed autobiographies. I was nine when I started to write short stories. Many things that I’ve written no one has ever read. But, when I decided to become a writer, my husband was the first to read my work.
What is your favorite genre?
My favorite genre to read is horror and dark fantasy, like Dean Koontz, Laurell K. Hamilton and Robert R. McCammon. When I need inspiration to keep writing, the book I read is ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King. I think every writer should read it.
What is your creative process like? What do you have to do before you can actually sit down and write?
When I first developed my Logan Wolf seriesm it all began with my main character - Logan herself. Before I sit down and write, I plan out the initial story idea. Then the research starts! When I have to develop antagonists or new characters, names are the hardest for me because it has to fit the personality of the character.
I have changed my actual writing process several times over the years. Right now, I do all my editing on the computer. If I’m writing, I write long hand and enter it into the computer later. I try not to print out the novel until absolutely necessary.
What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?
Great characters, an unusual storyline, and a voice that readers can believe.
What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?
I have always written in first person and I prefer it.
What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?
The character has to be developed enough to have quirks like any person you know. You have to know your characters as well as you know a friend. Logan was the first to be developed for STORM OF MAGICK, and she’s a lot like me. Every character I create has a piece of me or someone I know in them, good or bad.
Are you equally good at telling stories orally?
No, I don’t feel comfortable talking to a bunch of people!
Deep down inside, who do you write for?
I write to tell a story to people. I look forward to people being able to read my books.
Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?
I find, as with a lot of writers, I have to be conflicted with something in my life to be able to write well. Lucky for me I always am!
Does reader feedback help you shape your work?
I like to hear what readers like about my work - who their favorite character is and what their favorite part in the book was.
Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?
I totally trust my critiquing partner, Naomi Clark. She’s the best! And my husband always gives me honest feedback.
Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?
I believe that each book I write has a different voice and I don’t think that will change. My young adult series is written from a different point of view, and that means it has a different tone to my Logan Wolf books.
What sort of goals do you set yourself when writing a book? Do you have a daily schedule to stick to?
Whether I’m writing or editing, I put my butt in front of the computer and work on my book every day. If I’m writing, I go by word count and aim for around 3,000 words a day. If I’m editing I go by pages, editing anywhere from 5 to 20 pages a day.
What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?
Again, it depends on what I’m doing as to what goes in the background. If I’m writing, I love to listen to music like ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. If I’m editing, I will listen to a Stephen King movie like ‘Rose Red' or 'Salem’s Lot’. I don’t know why but it helps me edit!
Which sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?
A great forum I belong to and frequent a lot is Backspace. I'm also on Twitter and Facebook. My website is LA Burton.org.
What has been your experience with self-publishing been like so far?
My experience with the self-publisher that I started with wasn’t the best. I decided in the end to work with Smashwords and Kindle. I’ve had a few problems with Kindle but I hope everything is taken care of now.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on Blood on the Moon, the second book in my Logan Wolf series. After that book I’ll be working on my YA series, Blood and Roses. My main character, Alice, appears to be a blind teenager, but in reality she's a five-hundred-year-old vampire.
What advice do you have for any writers just starting out and not sure what to do with their work?
If you want to be a serious writer, pull out those pieces you've never shown anyone and look for your best work. Then sit down and edit. If there's a plot element that doesn't further the story, get rid of it. Editing our babies is the hardest thing for a writer to do, but it's so crucial. When your work is polished, look for a good writers' forum and learn as much as you can about the publishing business. Then you will have to write a query letter and research agents. More then likely you will also need a synopsis. Do your homework.
What were your favourite books as a child? When did you start writing and who did you first share your work with?
When I first started to read, I enjoyed autobiographies. I was nine when I started to write short stories. Many things that I’ve written no one has ever read. But, when I decided to become a writer, my husband was the first to read my work.
What is your favorite genre?
My favorite genre to read is horror and dark fantasy, like Dean Koontz, Laurell K. Hamilton and Robert R. McCammon. When I need inspiration to keep writing, the book I read is ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King. I think every writer should read it.
What is your creative process like? What do you have to do before you can actually sit down and write?
When I first developed my Logan Wolf seriesm it all began with my main character - Logan herself. Before I sit down and write, I plan out the initial story idea. Then the research starts! When I have to develop antagonists or new characters, names are the hardest for me because it has to fit the personality of the character.
I have changed my actual writing process several times over the years. Right now, I do all my editing on the computer. If I’m writing, I write long hand and enter it into the computer later. I try not to print out the novel until absolutely necessary.
What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?
Great characters, an unusual storyline, and a voice that readers can believe.
What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?
I have always written in first person and I prefer it.
What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?
The character has to be developed enough to have quirks like any person you know. You have to know your characters as well as you know a friend. Logan was the first to be developed for STORM OF MAGICK, and she’s a lot like me. Every character I create has a piece of me or someone I know in them, good or bad.
Are you equally good at telling stories orally?
No, I don’t feel comfortable talking to a bunch of people!
Deep down inside, who do you write for?
I write to tell a story to people. I look forward to people being able to read my books.
Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?
I find, as with a lot of writers, I have to be conflicted with something in my life to be able to write well. Lucky for me I always am!
Does reader feedback help you shape your work?
I like to hear what readers like about my work - who their favorite character is and what their favorite part in the book was.
Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?
I totally trust my critiquing partner, Naomi Clark. She’s the best! And my husband always gives me honest feedback.
Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?
I believe that each book I write has a different voice and I don’t think that will change. My young adult series is written from a different point of view, and that means it has a different tone to my Logan Wolf books.
What sort of goals do you set yourself when writing a book? Do you have a daily schedule to stick to?
Whether I’m writing or editing, I put my butt in front of the computer and work on my book every day. If I’m writing, I go by word count and aim for around 3,000 words a day. If I’m editing I go by pages, editing anywhere from 5 to 20 pages a day.
What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?
Again, it depends on what I’m doing as to what goes in the background. If I’m writing, I love to listen to music like ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. If I’m editing, I will listen to a Stephen King movie like ‘Rose Red' or 'Salem’s Lot’. I don’t know why but it helps me edit!
Which sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?
A great forum I belong to and frequent a lot is Backspace. I'm also on Twitter and Facebook. My website is LA Burton.org.
What has been your experience with self-publishing been like so far?
My experience with the self-publisher that I started with wasn’t the best. I decided in the end to work with Smashwords and Kindle. I’ve had a few problems with Kindle but I hope everything is taken care of now.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on Blood on the Moon, the second book in my Logan Wolf series. After that book I’ll be working on my YA series, Blood and Roses. My main character, Alice, appears to be a blind teenager, but in reality she's a five-hundred-year-old vampire.
What advice do you have for any writers just starting out and not sure what to do with their work?
If you want to be a serious writer, pull out those pieces you've never shown anyone and look for your best work. Then sit down and edit. If there's a plot element that doesn't further the story, get rid of it. Editing our babies is the hardest thing for a writer to do, but it's so crucial. When your work is polished, look for a good writers' forum and learn as much as you can about the publishing business. Then you will have to write a query letter and research agents. More then likely you will also need a synopsis. Do your homework.
