I decided to do the Writer's Thirty Questions!
Is there a specific drink you like to have when you’re writing?
Coffee, hot, with one level teaspoon of sugar and one tablespoon of milk.
What time of day do you think is the best to write?
I used to write best at night, but these days the best writing seems to happen first thing in the morning.
Where do you write best?
Oddly, I write best on a train. Since I take a train into work, that's where I've, er, trained myself to work the best.
Do you do word sprints? If so, for how long do you do them, and what’s your average word count?
My writing time is constrained by my commute. In 35 minutes I can almost do 800 words.
Do you write when you travel? If so, where is the farthest away from home that you’ve written?
I have tried to write when I'm on the road, but it never seems to work. Business travel takes so much energy out of me that I just stare at the screen and can't convince myself to do more.
Do you share your work before it’s finished?
Not usually.
Which character that you’ve written is most like yourself?
Duh. Shardik literally started as a Mary Sue.
Which character is your favorite to write? Why?
Good question. Obviously, Shardik was my favorite for the long time, but these days I kinda dig trying to get into the heads of other people. I don't currently have a favorite.
How long is your current work in progress (words or pages)?
The newest WIP has about 50,000 words in it. I say "about" because there are several chapters that are redundant.
Do you have a specific philosophy that you go by when you write?
You don't know what the story's about until you reach the end. Then you know the premise of the story. Once you know the premise of the story, you have to figure out how you can promise that to your reader. Once you know that, you can figure out how to deliver on that promise. Then you re-write, knowing that this time keeping the promise of the premise solves the muddle in the middle.
What were your favorite books as a child?
All the SF classics: Asimov, Clarke, Niven at first, then Heinlein.
Do you read while writing, or try to split it up?
I split them up, and audiobooks in the car have been a huge bonus.
Which authors or styles do you try to emulate in your writing?
I think there are TV writers who have an ear for dialogue that blows my mind. Dick Wolf (Law & Order), JM Straczynski (Babylon Five), and so forth really nail it, and I read my work aloud to make sure the conversations crackle the ways they do in those shows.
Would you want your books to be made into a TV show or movie? Why or why not?
No, not usually.
How do you plan your writing?
Usually I just come up with two characters, a problem, and maybe a solution. I sit down and write the rough draft, then go back and re-write it with a more clean plan about what the story is trying to say and do.
Do you write on a computer or on paper? What program, or what type or paper/pen?
I use a boring text editor, one that doesn't let me play with fonts or bold or anything like that, in complete full-screen mode so I can't see the other OS menus, and with almost all notifications disabled. (The one I allow is "Hey, your battery's about to die.")
Is there a specific category or genre your writings generally fall into? Which?
Science Fiction & Fantasy, Erotica.
Would any characters from one of your works go well with your others?
Probably.
Do you write multiple works at the same time?
Yes! If I get stuck, I often switch to a different story, trying hard to make progress in at least one of them. It takes me a few "stuck" moments before I realize the story isn't working.
What color scheme is your current work in progress?
What color scheme? Black, I suspect.
Do you create aesthetics for your writing, ie. on pinterest or tumblr? If so, what’s the board or tag?
Nah.
Do you listen to music when you write?
Usually. Mostly soundtracks, stuff without words.
Do you make playlists for your works in progress, characters, or scenes?
No.
Do you prefer first or third person? Why?
Hmm. I used to prefer first person, but third person has been working for me a lot recently.
How do you defeat writers’ block?
Usually by starting something new. Sigh How often do you write?
Every weekday, usually.
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
Not in a few years.
What’s your inspiration for writing?
"I can do better than that."
Which style/era of writing do you most fit in with?
1980s science fiction.
What’s your favorite part about writing?
Fan mail.