A Writerly Meme

Janna and Natasha have both done this, and now it's my turn.

What was the last thing you wrote?
I'm working on a short story that's due at the end of the week. I'll post a link when it's up.

Was it any good?
It's different from other things I've written, but I'm starting to notice my "style".

Write poetry?
Haiku and limericks.

Angsty poetry?
Uhh, that would be a yes, but only in my teenage years.

Favorite genre of writing?
I have a really hard time labeling my writing. Is there a label lower than literary? Mainstream?

Most fun character you ever wrote?
The teenage-girl in my other wip.

Most annoying character you ever wrote?
I'll say me (in my memoir).

Best plot you ever wrote?
My other wip -- trouble is I haven't quite figured out how all the pieces come together yet.

Coolest plot twist you ever wrote?
Can a twist happen in the first chapter? Again, in my other wip, the plot is much more complex than in The Other Side.

How often do you get writer’s block?
I wouldn't say I get blocked, I just start procrastinating. The hardest part for me is getting started, and that is rarely because I can't think of what to say.

How do you fix it?
Lately, I bargain with myself. When editing, if I edited one chapter then I could check my email. Three chapters and I could check the gossip sites. When actually writing, the bargaining falls at at 500 & 1000 word increments.

Write fan fiction?
No, I kind of get the appeal, and while I sometimes think of other story lines for characters I like, I don't write them down.

Do you type or write by hand?
I've done both. My ideas seem to flow more organically by hand and I enjoyed writing my first draft that way. I tend to edit too much when typing.

Do you save everything you write?
Pretty much.

Do you ever go back to an idea long after you abandoned it?
I haven't been writing long enough to say "long after I've abandoned it." I have a couple short story ideas that I might go back to, and I would like to revisit my memoir, but not yet.

What’s your favorite thing you have ever written?
I should say The Other Side, but I'm so tired of it that I can't see it very objectively right now. I like the short story that was published. :)

What’s everyone else’s favorite thing you’ve written?
I have no idea. Anyone like to tell me?

Do you show people your work?
Once it's almost complete. With The Other Side I had various beta readers along the way, but my short stories I like to save until they're finished.

Did you ever write a novel?
Yes!

Have you ever written fantasy, sci-fi, or horror?
My current short story is sort of sci-fi light, and I attempted a horror short story based on the cockroaches in my kitchen cabinets. Nothing full-length and I don't have any plans to.

Ever written romance or teen angsty drama?
Teenage angsty romance drama. :P These days any romance that finds its way into my writing is more off-screen.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?
Technically just one. I'm going to start back with my other wip within the next week, once the short story is finished. I don't like working on more than one piece at a time -- same way I don't like to read more than one thing at a time.

Do you want to write for a living?
Sure, but realistically I know that may not happen.

Have you ever won an award for writing?
Is it bad that I can't remember this? I received a couple awards in high school and I'm sure there's a chance writing was involved with some of those, but as an adult, no.

Ever written something in script or play format?
I took a script-writing class in college, so yes. My favorite was an episode of Friends that my roommate and I wrote together.

What character you've written most resembles yourself?
I'd have to say the main character of my memoir, natch. Otherwise the teenager mentioned earlier.

Where do you get the ideas for your characters?
Nowhere in particular. Mostly from real life.

Do you ever write based on dreams?
No, but I should. I have a lot of really weird, vivid, detailed dreams. I thought about turning one particular nightmare I had last fall into a short horror story, but I'm afraid to write it.

Do you favor happy endings, sad endings or cliff hangers?
Unless I have the sequel on my shelf, I don't like cliffhangers. I like endings, whether they're happy, sad, or up-in-the-air. For the most part I get annoyed with endings that are too undefined, so I think it's amusing that I've written The Other Side that way.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen?
A couple flash fiction pieces have been based off photos, including my current one.

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?
(I'm stealing Janna's answer) Shoot, yes. Anal-retentive much?

Ever written anything entirely in chatspeak (How r u)?
HELL NO. I recently stopped worrying about capitalization while chatting, but that's as far as I go.

Are people surprised and confused when they find out you write well?
I have no idea. I think people who don't know me well might be, but those who know me know that I'm creative, so I can't imagine it being very surprising.

Quote something you’ve written. The first thing to pop in your mind.
"When they passed overhead I thought back to the stories of my childhood, of my mother's childhood, when a hovering aircraft didn't instill fear in the souls of those it patrolled. Pretending to feel a joy I suspected I might never feel again, I smiled and waved, showing my mark with one hand while the terror slid around my spine."