Monthly Archives: March 2018

Author Interview – Gina Mulligan

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How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

For the first novel I didn’t use an outline. I wrote a full draft before stepping back to consider the storyline. That’s when I realized how much longer and more difficult I’d made the editing process. For the second novel, I developed a detailed outline and then wrote my draft. Much easier!  

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?  

Four.

Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice? Why or why not?

The act of being creative is innately human and often feels spiritual. There’s a transcendent element to the work when I finish writing a section, review it, and it feel like it was written by someone else.

How many hours a day do you write?

I write about 5 hours, 3-4 days a week. I don’t write daily because I also run a charity.

What are your favorite literary journals?

The Atlantic
The Kenyon Review
I don’t read a lot of journals because I spend more time reading books – both fiction and non-fiction.

What is the most difficult part of your creative process?

I really struggle with the first draft. Story development is a challenge for me. Plus, I love to edit. Once I have a draft done, I’m ready to dive in.

Do you believe in writer’s block? Why or why not?

No, but some days are harder than others. I don’t see this as writer’s block as much as times when I’m distracted or can’t concentrate as I’d like. It’s frustrating when I just don’t know why I can’t put a sentence together. Days where the words just flow are much more fun.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

About two years.

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer? 

I love the writing community in Sacramento and have many writer friends and supportive acquaintances. In particular, I work with three talented women in a critique group. We review each other’s drafts, give feedback, commiserate about writing, and generally share our lives. Writing is very solitary and so having support is extremely important.

What are the most important magazines for writers to subscribe to?

I think every writer should get Publisher’s Lunch, a daily emailed newsletter that is great for following the industry. I also like Poets & Writers, Writers Digest, and Jane Freeman’s blog.

Gina L. Mulligan began her writing career over twenty years ago as a freelance journalist for national magazines. Her short stories have appeared in Star 82 Review and Storyacious, were performed at Stories on Stage Sacramento, and were included in the anthologies Tudor Close: A Collection of Mystery Stories and Not Your Mother’s Book…on Dogs. She’s won awards from the Abilene Writers Guild, San Francisco LitQuake, and the Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition.

After her own diagnosis, Gina founded Girls Love Mail, a charity that collects handwritten letters of encouragement for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She was honored for her charitable work on the nationally syndicated talk show The Steve Harvey Show.

Publications – Novels       
Remember the Ladies – May 2016
From Across the Room – September 2016

Publications – Short Stories & Anthologies        
The Slingback – Performed Stories on Stage
Stop Thief! – Not Your Mother’s Book on Dogs Anthology
Webb of Lies – Tudor Close: A Collection of Mystery Stories
The Gadabout – Storyacious.com
Sub Night – 82 Star Review

To learn more about Gina, please visit her website.

Fill-in-the-Blank Flash Fiction Friday – March 23

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Here’s your Fill-in-the-Blank Flash Fiction Friday* opening sentence.

____________ and _____________ wrapped the broken glass in a  ______________-soaked newspaper and placed it on top of the garbage.

The “Rules”

  • Fill in the blanks.
  • Finish the story in 1,000 words.
  • Post your story in the comments section below by the next Friday.

I’ll post the winner** on my social media sites AND…

you could wind up in the Fill-in-the-Blank Flash Fiction Friday
publication at the end of the year…

Sending you mad writing mojo….

Johnnie
XXXX

*Writing is serious business, but sometimes it’s fun to have fun.

**Selection of the winner is arbitrary and depends on my mood, what I’ve eaten or haven’t eaten, how much sleep I’ve had, and my constantly shifting tastes…

7 Things to do When You’re Stuck in a Scene

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When you feel like you’ve stalled out on a scene and/or your character isn’t responding the way you’d like, here are seven ways to help you move the scene forward.

Backstory / Setting

Revisit her backstory. Is there something about your character that, if you knew it, you’d understand why she is resisting? In the past, has she encountered a situation like the one you’ve put her in that might inform the current one? Write about the ways each scenario is different and the same.

Change her location. Where is she? Try putting her in a different setting and see how it changes her motivation and behavior.

~ * ~

Description

Make sure he can see where he is. Does your character have enough information about where he is? Give him a more detailed description of his surroundings and scenario. We function better if we know where we are.

~ * ~

Characterization / Character Motivation

Check to see if she’s having an identity crisis. Have you given her enough information about who she is so she knows how to behave? Write about: 1) what she’s trying to accomplish in the scene, 2) why she wants it, 3) what part of her (what trait) can make it happen, and 4) what part of her (what trait) is afraid to do what she has to do to accomplish it.

~ * ~

Antagonists / Protagonists

Think about her support and obstacles. Does he need outside help in this scene, whether that be an antagonist (obstacle or enemy) or a protagonist (support person)? (Keep in mind that either can spur a character on to action.) If there’s no antagonist in the scene, introduce one. If there’s no protagonist in the scene, introduce one.

~ * ~

Dialogue

Give her something (or something different) to say. Is she speaking in the scene? If she is not speaking in the scene, introduce a spoken conversation, whether it means bringing another character into the scene or putting the character on the phone. If she is already speaking in the scene, make the conversation be about something that isn’t related to the scene.

~ * ~

Internal Monologue

Let him think. Has his world and surroundings become so busy, loud, and/or chaotic he can’t do or be what you want? Stop the madness, put him in a chair looking out the window and let him daydream. Write down his thoughts in whatever form they present themselves.

~ * ~

Point of View

Let her have a different perspective. Is the scene occurring from her perspective, another character’s, or from an omniscient narrator’s? Change the Point of View in the scene: If you’re writing in first person, shift to third, or vice versa. Or try second person just to cast a new light on the scene and get her moving again.

Try one or all of these when you’re feeling stuck in a scene and leave a comment below about what you tried and how it worked.

Sending you mad writing mojo…

Johnnie
XXXXX

7 Things to do When You’re Stuck in a Scene

Posted on by

When you feel like you’ve stalled out on a scene and/or your character isn’t responding the way you’d like, here are seven ways to help you move the scene forward.

Backstory / Setting

Revisit her backstory. Is there something about your character that, if you knew it, you’d understand why she is resisting? In the past, has she encountered a situation like the one you’ve put her in that might inform the current one? Write about the ways each scenario is different and the same.

Change her location. Where is she? Try putting her in a different setting and see how it changes her motivation and behavior.

~ * ~

Description

Make sure he can see where he is. Does your character have enough information about where he is? Give him a more detailed description of his surroundings and scenario. We function better if we know where we are.

~ * ~

Characterization / Character Motivation

Check to see if she’s having an identity crisis. Have you given her enough information about who she is so she knows how to behave? Write about: 1) what she’s trying to accomplish in the scene, 2) why she wants it, 3) what part of her (what trait) can make it happen, and 4) what part of her (what trait) is afraid to do what she has to do to accomplish it.

~ * ~

Antagonists / Protagonists

Think about her support and obstacles. Does he need outside help in this scene, whether that be an antagonist (obstacle or enemy) or a protagonist (support person)? (Keep in mind that either can spur a character on to action.) If there’s no antagonist in the scene, introduce one. If there’s no protagonist in the scene, introduce one.

~ * ~

Dialogue

Give her something (or something different) to say. Is she speaking in the scene? If she is not speaking in the scene, introduce a spoken conversation, whether it means bringing another character into the scene or putting the character on the phone. If she is already speaking in the scene, make the conversation be about something that isn’t related to the scene.

~ * ~

Internal Monologue

Let him think. Has his world and surroundings become so busy, loud, and/or chaotic he can’t do or be what you want? Stop the madness, put him in a chair looking out the window and let him daydream. Write down his thoughts in whatever form they present themselves.

~ * ~

Point of View

Let her have a different perspective. Is the scene occurring from her perspective, another character’s, or from an omniscient narrator’s? Change the Point of View in the scene: If you’re writing in first person, shift to third, or vice versa. Or try second person just to cast a new light on the scene and get her moving again.

Try one or all of these when you’re feeling stuck in a scene and leave a comment below about what you tried and how it worked.

Sending you mad writing mojo…

Johnnie
XXXXX

Fill-in-the-Blank Flash Fiction Friday – March 9

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Here’s your Fill-in-the-Blank Flash Fiction Friday* opening sentence.

_____________ petted the tattered piece of velvet, the only reminder of that day, and memories saturated her/his thoughts like a misty bog fog.

The “Rules”

  • Fill in the blanks.
  • Finish the story in 1,000 words.
  • Post your story in the comments section below by the next Friday.

I’ll post the winner** on my social media sites AND…

you could wind up in the Fill-in-the-Blank Flash Fiction Friday book
I just might maybe publish at the end of the year…

Sending you mad writing mojo….

Johnnie
XXXX

*Writing is serious business, but sometimes it’s fun to have fun.

**Selection of the winner is arbitrary and depends on my mood, what I’ve eaten or haven’t eaten, how much sleep I’ve had, and my constantly shifting tastes…