X is for XENOCRYST.
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, xenocryst is a geological term that means "a crystal in an igneous rock that is not derived from the original magma." What does this have to do with writing inspiration, you ask? Think of it as finding the good, shiny bits of your first draft. Your job as a writer is to work through the original magma and find that crystal, the piece that glitters. No first draft is perfect, but finding the very best parts can inspire you to polish the whole manuscript.
I'm hoping to be the only "xenocryst" in the A to Z challenge. :) Do you have any metaphors, geological or otherwise, for the creative process?
If you want to read about my writing/revision process, continue below. I've been tagged by Mike Mullin and Charlotte Bennardo in the Sucker Literary Magazine Blog Hop.
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, xenocryst is a geological term that means "a crystal in an igneous rock that is not derived from the original magma." What does this have to do with writing inspiration, you ask? Think of it as finding the good, shiny bits of your first draft. Your job as a writer is to work through the original magma and find that crystal, the piece that glitters. No first draft is perfect, but finding the very best parts can inspire you to polish the whole manuscript.
I'm hoping to be the only "xenocryst" in the A to Z challenge. :) Do you have any metaphors, geological or otherwise, for the creative process?
If you want to read about my writing/revision process, continue below. I've been tagged by Mike Mullin and Charlotte Bennardo in the Sucker Literary Magazine Blog Hop.
Find the gems in your first draft. (This does not depict a xenocryst. Sorry! Photo courtesy of morgueFile.)
Thank you to Mike and Charlotte for both tagging me in this blog hop. Here’s Mike’s post and Charlotte’s from previous weeks.
Mike Mullin is the author of the award-winning Ashfall trilogy. The last book in the trilogy, Sunrise, was just released in April. Kirkus, in a starred review, says: “A story about how hope is earned, as heart-pounding as it is heart-wrenching.”
Mike Mullin is the author of the award-winning Ashfall trilogy. The last book in the trilogy, Sunrise, was just released in April. Kirkus, in a starred review, says: “A story about how hope is earned, as heart-pounding as it is heart-wrenching.”
 Cover of Sunrise by Mike Mullin |  Cover of Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman |
Charlotte Bennardo (together with Natalie Zaman) is the author of Sirenz and Sirenz: Back in Fashion. Their latest project is Blonde OPS, which officially launches next week.
Publisher’s Weekly says: “Bennardo and Zaman (the Sirenz books) offer a light mystery filled with fashion tips, entertaining dialogue, a pair of potential romances… and an alluring Roman setting.
Publisher’s Weekly says: “Bennardo and Zaman (the Sirenz books) offer a light mystery filled with fashion tips, entertaining dialogue, a pair of potential romances… and an alluring Roman setting.
Now, as part of the blog hop, here are my answers to the four writing process questions:
1) What am I working on?
Besides working on publicity for Pandemic (official launch date May 6, but available now!), I’m working on a YA psychological thriller about a girl who fears she is either being haunted or going insane. I started this story years ago, before Pandemic, and I'm excited about its recent evolution.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I’m interested in portraying realistic, contemporary situations. I like the idea of creating scary circumstances in our ordinary world. For example, pandemics are inherently frightening, and my debut novel includes details about how a deadly outbreak could actually play out if it occurred tomorrow.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I took a novel class years ago that said to write what you read. A quick glance at my nightstand anwered the question: a big pile of young adult books towered on top of it. I also feel that teens have less tolerance for fluff than adults. You have to tell a good, authentic story in a tight way, which fits my writing style.
4) How does my writing process work?
I find the first draft is the hardest; I’m happiest when I have a rough draft to work with. I tend to revise, reread, revise again, share the work with my critique group, then revise again. I like the keep a notebook for brainstorming ideas and tracking plot and character decisions. I also tape pictures and others bits of info into it, so it becomes a physical complement to the computer files.
1) What am I working on?
Besides working on publicity for Pandemic (official launch date May 6, but available now!), I’m working on a YA psychological thriller about a girl who fears she is either being haunted or going insane. I started this story years ago, before Pandemic, and I'm excited about its recent evolution.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I’m interested in portraying realistic, contemporary situations. I like the idea of creating scary circumstances in our ordinary world. For example, pandemics are inherently frightening, and my debut novel includes details about how a deadly outbreak could actually play out if it occurred tomorrow.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I took a novel class years ago that said to write what you read. A quick glance at my nightstand anwered the question: a big pile of young adult books towered on top of it. I also feel that teens have less tolerance for fluff than adults. You have to tell a good, authentic story in a tight way, which fits my writing style.
4) How does my writing process work?
I find the first draft is the hardest; I’m happiest when I have a rough draft to work with. I tend to revise, reread, revise again, share the work with my critique group, then revise again. I like the keep a notebook for brainstorming ideas and tracking plot and character decisions. I also tape pictures and others bits of info into it, so it becomes a physical complement to the computer files.
I've blurred some of my notes to avoid giving away some important plot developments.
Next week, Shannon Delany continues the blog hop and reveals her answers to these same questions. Shannon is the author of many books, including The WEATHER WITCH series (St. Martin's Press): Book 1: Weather Witch, Book 2: Stormbringer, and Book 3: Thunderstruck, which will be released later this month.
Here is the Goodreads description of Thunderstruck: "Jordan, Rowen and the crews of both the Tempest and the Artemesia strike out for Philadelphia to start a revolution aimed at abolishing slavery and changing their stormpowered society to one that runs on previously repressed steam innovations and will allow for true equality. But can Jordan and Rowen come back together after all the things determined to drive them apart?"
Thunderstruck by Shannon Delany
See you tomorrow for the letter Y, yes?
RSS Feed
