Welcome to another episode of the Writing Process Blog Tour!

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If you found me through the tour, you know how you got here. If you happened to stumble upon this blog and have no idea what I’m talking about, here the deal: my friend (and novelist) Peggy Wirgau invited me to participate in a “Writing Process” blog tour. Of course I agreed, so today I’m giving you a glimpse into my writing process. Here we go.

1) What am I working on? I’m currently in the critique phase of a novel – my crit group is about halfway through the manuscript. I’m making changes based on their suggestions and notes, then I’ll put that manuscript aside for a few days before going back for a read-through (when I’ll actually read the entire book out loud and make notes). During all of this I’m also querying agents regarding a previously-finished manuscript, and I’ve just started the first phase of character development for my next novel.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? My novels are non-traditional romances. I don’t think I could write a story without romance in it, but I don’t follow the standard format and there’s usually a deeper issue involved. It’s not women’s fiction because the issues aren’t always as deep and serious as traditional women’s fiction. It’s not chick lit because I don’t care about clothes that much. So where does that leave me? Contemporary Christian fiction with strong romantic threads and a generous helping of unintentional humor.

3) Why do I write what I do? Because these are the kinds of books I’d like to read. I’m pulling together my favorite parts of my favorite novels to craft the type of novel that most appeals to me.

4) How does your writing process work? Sporadically. I’ve never been a Monday-Friday, 9-5 kind of person, so trying to write that way doesn’t work for me. My schedule varies on a weekly basis (I’m a part-time caregiver and freelance writer and editor), so I can’t always work on my novel from 7-9 a.m. weekdays. Instead, I try to schedule all of my work-writing on certain days, then give myself days for focusing on my fiction. If something happens and I can’t get to it (sickness, unexpected interviews, etc.), I exercise grace instead of guilt. I don’t try to make-up hours, I just move on and do what I can.

There it is. Not very mysterious, but it works for me. Next Monday you have the opportunity to read about three more writers and how they write. I hope you’ll join me in visiting their blogs:

Bethany Kaczmarek: Bethany loves to share her own journey of healing and redemption with anyone who needs it. Back from the Polish mission field where she and her husband worked for six years with college students, their Maryland home is often filled with twenty-somethings who come over for a listening ear (though she’s willing to admit it could also be for the board games and food). Bethany is passionate about making room for the New Adult niche in the inspirational market, so she writes about young people who wrestle with newfound independence, who struggle to make counter-cultural choices, and who live with integrity in both the workplace and the world. Bethany is also a professional freelance editor and an Associate Editor at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. As a card-carrying grammar nerd, Bethany believes an author’s voice comes from knowing the rules well enough to break them with flair. She comments and coaches, working alongside authors to hone a manuscript into its full potential. Though she takes editing seriously, she believes that a healthy dose of humor can make the revision process fun. A member of the Christian PEN, her goal isto help hard-working writers sound like gifted writers. She’s one of the Editor Sisters at A Little Red Ink.

See Bethany’s website and blog at www.bethanykaczmarek.com.

Linda W. Yezak: Linda lives with her husband and three cats in a forest in east Texas, where tall tales abound  and exaggeration is an art form. She holds a BA in English and a graduate certificate in Paralegal Studies. Thirty years later, she’s finally putting her degree in English to good use, combining it with her natural inclination toward story-telling to create fun, unique novels.

Her publications include Give the Lady a Ride, a 2008 ACFW Genesis finalist and a 2012 Carol Finalist, as well as a 2011 Grace Award Winner. Her new release, The Cat Lady’s Secret, was a Genesis finalist in 2010. She was a contributing author for 31 Devotions for Writers, and coauthor with agent Terry Burns of Writing in Obedience.

Visit Linda’s website at www.lindayezak.com.

Rohn Federbush: Rohn Federbush retired as an administrator from the University of Michigan in 1999. She received a Masters of Arts in Creative Writing in 1995 from Eastern Michigan University. Frederick Busch of Colgate granted a 1997 summer stipend for her ghost-story collection. Michael Joyce of Vassar encouraged earlier writing at Jackson Community College, Jackson, Michigan in 1981. Rohn has completed fourteen novels, with an additional mystery nearly finished, 120 short stories and 150 poems to date.

Visit Rohn’s website at www.rohnfederbush.com.