This was a reader question that came in through discord. I get questions like this a lot so figured I’d answer on here.
“What is the process of the stories you come up with? Such as the sarcasm, character development and story line? You bust out insane amount of gold material. Do you just get download or what?”
I don’t have a process, really. I wander around in life and randomly ideas come to me. Maybe it’s a feeling or maybe a scene or maybe just a world I’d rather be in than whatever I am doing.
Lately, this has happened so much that I’ve been noodling about various ideas, trying to separate them out and somewhat get their shape in my head. When I start doing that, other random things in life happen, or other random ideas, and I fit them into the concept I’ve been noodling on.
Then I open my laptop and away I go. I can’t plot or I come up with a really terrible book, so as I write, the world starts to open up and I go with it. When I get bored, I go in another direction. The characters kinda come alive in my head and I play with them like I used to play with Barbies.
I think I have an unconscious knowledge of plot shape and structure because of all the books I’ve read and insane number of films I’ve watched. There was a time when I’d watch every single new film that came out. Before kids and adulting, obviously. So I instinctively know the build and climax and resolution and all that. I just follow my gut for all that. That’s probably why plotting doesn’t work for me.
As far as sarcasm, that’s just my humor. That’s a “write what you know” situation. I find odd and sometimes dark things funny, and I write that in. The point of writing for me is to have fun. If I’m having fun, there’s a better chance the readers will have fun. If I’m engaged, there’s a better chance they will be.
Which can be tough because this is also a job. It’s no longer a hobby. I can no longer just do anything I want, willy nilly, whenever I want. This is my family’s source of income, so I need to focus on things that will keep a roof over our heads and food in our mouths. Sometimes I need to make decisions about what’s best for adulting, like not doing a spin-off or sticking with more mainstream topics/tropes.
I also now have a multitude of voices shouting, or talking, or whispering at me, often saying opposite things. They want this book or that, don’t want what’s coming, don’t want to wait, don’t want to read yet but still want me to write, don’t like this, hate that, love that but I don’t do enough of it – on and on. It can be hard to block out, and it ultimately effects creativity. The pressure can get pretty intense. But alas, it’s the nature of the beast. Working through the pressure and anxiety puts hair on your chest. Or so my dad would have me believe. Bathing suit season should be interesting.
If you also have questions, you can put them in the comments and I’ll make a list and knock them out at some point.
~ KFB
Whatever your “process” is-it’s working so keep it up. while I would love some side stories of a few characters I fell in love with, I’m happy with whatever you put out.
Love this – don’t have a question now, moreso I enjoyed the “it’ll grow hair on your chest” – my dad used to say this to me when I was much younger when I was eating spicy food or trying new food. No clue why. So many fun random dad sayings.
Yeah I got that line a fair bit. And of course it was not as appealing as for my brother. lol.
No questions and no pressure, I’ll read whatever you write, whenever you write it! Just wanted to show you some appreciation and love 😁💖🙏🏽
❤️
I’d also love to read about some of your side characters but if it doesn’t happen that’s fine too! I understand that everyone can’t have a book! So I will continue to buy and read everything you put out!
How do your dreams affect your creativity?
Not a question. Just wanted to thank you for creating all the fun amazing worlds we love with characters who stick with us. I appreciate you and will keep my impatience or opinions to myself haha
Love this! I say do you boo! We all love it…other than those hairy chest people! Let them complain! They obviously still read your stuff but have a personality that screams complaining! You can’t change that (not that I don’t want your books immediately but have the know how to keep my trap shut). A stressed author is not good for anyone. Shave that chest and do what you want (even the non-mainstream stuff). I’ll read it no matter what!❤️
All of my teachers would have hated you the same way they hated me and also my daughter. None of us can plot worth a damn. We have characters from multiple worlds jabbering away in our brains all the time. But characters grow as you put them on pages. Experiences shape them. Even though Im an organized sort of person and my daughter ilhas major ocd, neither of us can write out a plot outline and stick to it. A decision comes along and the characters got their own way and there goes the plot line–or at least where we thought the plot line is heading. We do it for funsies and to shut out the voices a bit. But I will say, writers who listen to their characters make for a billion times better books that where authors force a strict structure. So, thank you for that.
Only Stephen King could figure out how to write a book about writing without plotting. It’s easier to teach someone how to plot because it is a structure. That’s why it is taught so heavily, I think. But as long as the final result works, that’s the main thing.
Keep. It. UP! 🙂 ♥
I am in awe of your creative mind. I sometimes wish I could put my thoughts into words on paper, but after listening to your creative process mmm…I don’t think I could deal with voices in my head.
love all that comes out of your mind, next best thing to writing is reading. I can do that
Yes, my head is constantly awhirl of thoughts. I always wake up with a random song playing in my head. I could certainly do without that.
I absolutely am in love with everyone in the Deliciously dark series! Not sure if anyone asked this but will there be more? These have me hooked so bad!!
I very likely won’t go back to that world. The Cage books, and spin-offs in general, don’t tend to do all that well. People don’t turn up for them. I’d rather then explore new worlds. I might do some spicier books along those lines, though. Not sure yet.
Wouldn’t it be funny to have a book of the ideas in random order (as they are created) and then the reader has to figure out which story line it went with? Anyway, I love all the stories and look forward to anything you put out in the universe.
I could’ve done that if I wrote them down at the time. But by the time they make it to the book, they’ve transformed into something else and I can’t even remember where it started. lol.
Down with the haters. I love what you write. You do you and do your best to get off that internal hamster wheel of other folks expectations.
It’s a question in statement form: Now that you left a dad saying here I wonder how much of your real life has snuck into your books.
Yeah I really need to stop thinking about expectations, especially since no two people want the same thing. I’m working on it!
I’ll put your question on the “to be answered” doc
Love every single thing you’ve written, starting with The Jessica Brodie Diaries!
You are the only author I can reread and do so multiple times every year!
You keep doing you and we will keeping reading it, whatever it may be! X
I’ve loved everything you’ve wrote. I would love for you to go out in tangents with Roger, the Druid, that one elemental in the DDVN that helped Emery in the beginning. I LOVE that Daisy gets a story. I don’t know what sells and of course when you put so much time/effort into it you need to do things that sell. Thank you for letting us live in these worlds.
I agree about the elemental. I think there is an amazing story there about the games and her situation. Would even be amazing if she ended up as the Druid’s mate as that would tie that up nicely, especially as he is powerful enough to keep up with her and seems to be just as honorable. That would also allow us to have some more of our favorite characters pop in and out lol They need to make a feckin appearance hahaha but it is a way to address the constant request for Cahal. I really don’t think there is enough for his own story as we already have so much of his background but for him to be the mate of another badass female lead… I could see that. Could even sneak in Roger and an already established mate – maybe one of the warrior fae or even a vampire, like Marie, now that they can reproduce after spending time in the underworld (I can only imagine a vampire shifter hybrid child and would serve Roger a little back hahaha)- and tie it all up in the Elemental’s series. I can see all kinds of ways of tying up all the loose characters and how they are all doing now in that Elemental’s series. That would shut a lot of people up, scrape it off her plate, and give something different all in one go. Or make Roger the Elemental’s mate. That would def be interesting and a huge challenge for Roger. Cahal and his already found mate could be mentioned in the book or he could find her in the audience or whatever. So many possibilities. She is def a way to finish up hanging characters with a whole new story and characters and plot line. The “games” have to be insane especially if you now have angels and the underworld potentially meddling . Ugh I could go on and on. Maybe the Elemental’s could address/fix/change the issues the poor mer shifters are having with their own reproductive issues….maybe it is another population control problem that they are unaware of due to some “elemetal” issues….. I will stop now bc I will gon on and on and on.
I love this look into your process. I’m in the middle chapters of my life story, widowed for 5 years. The Leveling Up series makes me feel seen. Finally a heroine with the wisdom of age, unashamed of who she has become, taking on the crazy of life with good humor, snark and caretaking. Book 10 made me cry as Jesse snatched back the power her Ex held over her. (Gotta love the assist from Patti and Naomi with the MIL).
I love each of the series, but THANK YOU for Jesse Ironheart.
Just keep doing what you do. Delegate other people to look at all the social media stuff, because ugh that would make anyone nuts- then they can tell you what is pertinent. Then say what you think- it’s working for you so far! As I told my 15 yr old granddaughter this week when she popped off to her mom, I looked over at her with love and adoration and said “sarcasm is our love language” 😋
Yes, delegation is in progress. It’s a weight off.
Honestly at this point it kind of feels like I’m stalking you. But whatever here goes. I have a question about you and Carrie. How long have you been friends? How did you meet? How did she become your person in charge of everything?
I’ll put these on the to-answer list
Careful with all the hair that’s being put on on your chest. You may run out of room and it starts sprouting in other places and next thing you know you will either become like Sasquatch if you pay too much attention and let it drive you to drink or you will become the matriarch of the Basajaunak and joining Niamh carrying flasks of their special brew lol
That being said, you became the Queen by being and doing you. Not by being like everyone else and producing what “they”, whomever they might be, say the readers want. You have created your own lane and it isn’t a straight and narrow one. You have combined fantasy and realism in such a way that you are set apart. You gave so many readers what they were looking for but could never describe. Places they could call home and continually revisit over and over. You have created places and family that are so good that so many of us struggle to find books/series that we can really get into or enjoy like we used to bc we didn’t have you and that amazing mind and ability of yours. So many of your readers end up jumping into one of your worlds again than forcing themselves to read the same stuff all the other authors are writing. Stay in the lane you forged where you come in and out of the darkness that you invited the rest of us into with you and the water is fine indeed.
Also, I agree with a previous comment above about a series about the weather elemetal from the beginning of Emery and Turdswollop’s book. Imo, humble tho it may be, it would be a good way to bring back some of the DDVN fam and tie off the loose ends from that series without having to write a bunch of spin offs all while creating a whole new world and adventure where you have already mentioned the basis and reason for what she is doing. A badass heroine that you already created and is waiting in the wings. Just a thought and maybe a way to get everyone off your back for Roger, the druid, and more. Even if they only get honorable mentions or introductions in the storyline after they found their mates and have their families started already, as Darius as her sponsor will have to be in it. Or maybe either Roger or Cahal are her mate…or both lol
Either way, do what works for you and where your amazing mind takes you. You are the Queen and have your court bc you have done just that. Angle that tiara bc you aren’t one to go the same route as the rest and that is what makes you so well loved. Lead, Queen Breene, and we will follow. We don’t want what everyone else is doing. We want what you do. To quote grandma Mimi, “You can’t please others if you can’t first please yourself.”
Much love and respect,
A Loyal Subject
It’s amazing how instinctive your process is — like a living dialogue between imagination and experience. Have you ever thought about sparring with one of the new AIs as a creative partner? Not to plan or plot (since that clearly isn’t your rhythm!), but as someone to toss ideas at when the noise gets loud or when you want to rediscover that spark. Sometimes it feels less like a tool and more like having a silent collaborator who helps you play again.
Also — have you ever considered opening your worlds up a bit, like a shared universe for fan-writers to explore? You’ve built such rich foundations that I can imagine whole communities joyfully tending the corners you don’t have time to. It might be a way to keep the worlds alive without carrying all the weight yourself.
I saw a review that said the book wasn’t to their liking, and I should turn to Ai to recapture that spark. It sounded like a sales gimmick using the same wording. And now here this is. You?
Honestly, Ai can’t help me navigate the pressures of this job. It can’t help me negate my fear of failure and my worry that I will disappoint the readers. It can’t help me in the ways that make this job tough for me. Crippling sometimes. Ai can’t help ease the disappointment that I can’t follow every little rabbit hole spin-off because this is a job, and that wouldn’t make sense.
In other words, Ai can’t help with the things I need help with.
Ideas, I got plenty of. “Spark” I have in spades, regardless if someone likes what that spark turns into, or if *their* spark in something I have written wanes.
Mainly, though, leaning heavily on something that is being primed to replace me seems counterintuitive. It’s not something you should be recommending to authors. We know it’s there better than most. If someone wants to use that resource, they don’t need encouragement to do so. Suggesting we turn to a computer to find our spark is essentially saying we’re not very good and should get some help. Which…isn’t a great thing to tell someone.
I have considered opening up worlds, but there is a lot of copyright issues and admin and brand issues with that, and I decided against it. Now with Ai learning from my voice, I definitely don’t want to encourage it.
I just wanted to give you hugs and tell you how much I love everything you write! I will be here until the end! Keep on swimming!