Random Questions For Writers

Just for a little Friday fun, a series of “writer personality” questions. Copy, paste, and answer these questions to introduce us to the type of writer you are. :)

-Do you have a pen/pencil collection? How many of those are chewed? Actually, finding a pencil is usually a huge problem...then finding a pencil with an eraser. (sigh)
-Do you prefer handwriting or typing furiously? I like to handwrite out my notes (give my eyes a computer screen break), but when it comes to writing the actual manuscript my fingers are fixed to the keys.
-How often do you get inspiration? All the time. Usually I get inspired by personality types or fractions of a specific story I hear.
-Are you blogging this on a computer or laptop? Laptop! I love having the ability to write wherever I want to. (desk, dining table, recliner, pillow top ;)
-Do you get inspiration more in the early morning or late at night? Inspiration usually occurs when I’m doing chores or something that doesn’t require too much focus. By the time the afternoon rolls around I’m ready to write!
-Do certain movies/books/music inspire you? Movies and TV shows usually inspire me the most. Even little things like a commercial about motorcycle insurance. I suddenly think, “That’s it! My character needs to ride a motorcycle!”
-How do you incorporate God into your stories? When it comes to novels, I usually put in the full gospel message. When it comes to shorter works, I’ll usually examine a specific idea, like providence or second chances.
-Do you kill off your villains or make them repent? I almost always kill them. Drama!
-Are the majority of your characters magical beings, humans, or halflings? Humans. I seem to know more about them than I do magical beings. ;)
-What genre of writing are you most comfortable in? Mystery is my most common genre. Almost any character type can be applied to a suspenseful plotline. On occasion I dabble in storylines that are more humors dramas...I know, that doesn’t exactly make sense, but I there’s no other way to describe it.
-Do you work better alone or with someone else? Alone! By the time I sit down to write I’ve got a pretty clear idea in my head. It’s hard picture joining that with someone else’s ideas...but I guess there’s a first time for everything.
-Do your stories make sense, or do they ramble wildly? Hm, well, it all makes sense at the end…but along the way I like wild rides. ;)
-Are your characters mostly Renegades, Peacekeepers or a mish-mash? My heroes tend to be anti-heroes (teetering between good and bad). My heroines tend to be “average girls” who get caught up in a plotline beyond their control.
-Are you a sucker for good grammar? NO. I prefer to write in speech pattern form, as if I’m having a conversation with my reader. Grammar check and I often have disagreements.
-How is your handwriting? Very good. Handwriting is important in my family. That being said, I prefer to type. (I need spell check.)
-How evil are your villains? I usually have a “super evil” villain as well as a somewhat bad guy who achieves redemption somewhere along the way.
-Are you long-winded or succinct? I am a very “tight” writer, which is both good and bad. I don’t ramble down ridiculous, boring rabbit trails and useless facts, but at the same time I have trouble describing things properly.
-Do you have typical writer traits such as ink stains on your fingers or a pencil behind your ear? Just that glazed over look whenever I’m trying to work out a new story in my head. Those are usually the days when I hear, “Is there a reason you’re being so quiet?”
-Would someone walking past you on the street consider you normal? Hm, I don’t think there’s anything in particular about me that stands out. ;) Unless we’re talking about my hair on a humid day.
-Do you write mostly poetry, stories, novels or a mixture? Always fiction, though I write all different lengths (full novel, short story, novella).
-Do your characters vary in accents, appearance and attitude or are they mostly the same? My characters are all over the board when it comes to speech patterns, appearance, and attitude. That was actually something I was told to do way back when I first started writing. -Do real people and/or places inspire your writing? Locations often do. I write a lot of stories that take place in New York. That is one of the few locations I’ve vacationed in. Only Angels Are Bulletproof takes place in L.A. where my mother grew up.
-What is your favorite character? Or do you choose to remain unbiased in case of a revolt? I love my gentlemen thieves, my hard-rock party boys, my good girls having a hard time dealing with life. I have trouble with those boring characters who just fill in the blanks.
-Do you talk to your characters? Do they talk back? Hm, not really, though sometimes I’ll say their lines out loud to see how they actually sound.
-Are you more comfortable with girl or boy main characters? I’m comfortable with both. Only Angels Are Bulletproof is narrated by a 35 year old man...I often get comments about how good I nailed him and how weird that is. ;)
-Do you follow basic overused plot lines with new twists thrown in or do you depart from the norm all the time? I can’t stay within the usual bounds of the “whodunit.” It bores me. I do like the “fish out of water” scenario though.
-Do you feel God has called you to be a writer/poet? Will you grasp the power of the pen? Yes, and I’m so grateful that He has!