Sucker Literary Archives - Kip Wilson Writes

To celebrate the Sucker Literary Volume 3 release, the writers, readers, and friends of those who worked on the volume are participating in a blog hop. A huge shout-out to Justine Manzano for tagging me in the hop!

As a reader, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed these stories. The creativity in this volume is amazing. You are going to love them!

As a writer, I’m thrilled to share something about my own writing process. I’ve been enjoying the posts from other bloggers, and can’t wait to read the ones to come. We are all so similar and yet so unique! I’m convinced that even if two of us had the same pitch or story concept that we’d end up with two completely different stories in the end.

What am I working on?

Right now, I’m focusing on my YA LGBT historical that takes place in a cabaret in Berlin in 1930. However, I also have a draft of a short story to get back to, and–as always–several other shiny new ideas percolating. 🙂

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

When I started to look up comp titles, I came across the fantastic mystery for adults. A TRACE OF SMOKE by Rebecca Cantrall takes place in Berlin in 1931, and I absolutely loved it. In spite of the very similar setting, there are many differences from my story of course. Most of all, I wrote mine for a teen audience with two teens as main characters.

Why do I write what I do?

I tend to write what I love, including German literature and history, ballet and yoga, and unique and interesting places and times. I find that I have to make a pretty huge commitment to any of my writing projects, so it’s really got to be something I love for me to want to stick with it.

How does my writing process work?

After brainstorming the who/when/where of the story (setting is hugely important to me), I like to write out a few scenes or chapters if I can before getting an outline down. I love outlining, and am positive my plotting improves with each outline I do, but I also really need a sense of the characters and their stories before deciding where to go with them.

Next up are the three writers I’m tagging! Check them out and get ready for their posts next week!

Charity Tahmaseb has slung corn on the cob for Green Giant and jumped out of airplanes (but not at the same time). She spent twelve years as a Girl Scout and six in the Army; that she wore a green uniform for both may not be a coincidence. These days, she writes fiction (long and short) and works as a technical writer for a software company in St. Paul. Her novel, The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading (written with co-author Darcy Vance), is a YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback pick in the Get Your Geek On category. Find her on her blog and on twitter.

Michelle Mason is a full-time writer focusing mainly on middle grade and young adult fiction, with some freelance PR writing and editing on the side. When she’s not reading or writing, Michelle hangs with her husband and two kids, watches too much TV, cross-stitches, bakes amazing brownies, and plays the violin in her church orchestra. Find her on her blog and on twitter.

Julie “J. C.” Phillipps is an author/illustrator who lives in West Hartford, CT with her husband, son, and an anxious cat that licks the fur off its belly. Her books include Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed, Monkey Ono, and The Simples Love a Picnic. Julie has a nice hot cup of cocoa every day while she sits down to work. Find her on her blog and on twitter.