As little as possible. No, really! I tend to sketch out the basics when I’m planning a new series, but the rest grows more organically as I write. I love being able to make stuff up as I go and add it to my “world notes” for future reference/consistency. It’s part of what keeps the world, and the writing process, fresh for me.

I’ve also been known to remark that one of the reasons I enjoy writing urban fantasy rather than, say, epic fantasy is that I get to be a little lazy about world building. I don’t have to make up the whole world, I just have to decide in what ways my world is different from the real world. I can use existing cities, countries, cultures, etc., and it gives me the opportunity to do something I really enjoy: research and learn new things.

The flip side is that, if I’m not careful, I can fall way down a deep, dark research rabbit hole and forget I’m supposed to be writing!

Plot, generally. But they go hand in hand.

Obviously, if I’m writing a book in a series that’s already established, I have a basic cast of characters to work with already. But when it comes to a new series or a short story that’s independent of a series, I tend to start with a scenario or general plot idea and build from there. Null Witch started from an idea for a witch born without magic who moved far away from home to get away from her family. That’s more about the character than the plot of the book, but it’s definitely the setup for the plot! That’s why I say sometimes they go hand in hand.

Once I have a general idea, the protagonist is the next thing I tackle, and then the rest of the story. Sometimes it’s hard to know where you’re going if you don’t know who is making the choices that will get you there. But I try not to go too in-depth when it comes to fleshing out my protagonist. I sketch out a basic idea of their age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, strengths & weaknesses and fill the rest in as I go.

Sort of.

I don’t usually write more than one thing at a time, because I don’t want to run my well dry. But I’m often brainstorming & outlining other things while I’m writing or editing something else. That way, I can dive right into first drafting when I finish the current project.

Occasionally, I’ll write a short story for an anthology alongside whatever project I’m working on.

I am not one of those write every day writers. When I’m working on a first draft, I write 5-6 days per week for 1-2 hours, more if I’m in a really good flow.

I schedule writing sessions on my calendar, and I often employ a sprint strategy, breaking the allotted time down into smaller chunks, to stay focused.

I do not. But as worried as I get about offending people, maybe I should!

I try to be respectful when writing about races, genders, and cultures beyond my personal experience, and do the best I can when it comes to research. I think I would probably consider a sensitivity reader or two if I wrote a book with a protagonist that was non-white and/or non-American.

Don’t quit writing. In fact, write more.

Keep going until you finish the story; don’t let it languish unfinished on your hard drive.

Don’t be afraid to let others read what you’ve written—no one improves in a vacuum.

They’re not all a piece of cake, that’s for sure. But I think the one that stands out for me on an emotional level was a eulogy I had to write for Grant Wolves #4. (No spoilers here!)

I’m blessed in that I have yet to experience the loss of someone incredibly close to me, so the scene was hard to write in part because I hadn’t experienced that kind of grief myself. It was also difficult because it got me thinking about the people in my life that I love and how I could lose any of them at any moment.

I cried a little while I wrote it, but I think I got that emotional resonance on the page, too. It helped that the character’s last words—which I gave absolutely no thought to as “last words” when I wrote them—were particularly poignant.

Counting works in progress for current series (as of April 2020)… four.

One is the first novel I ever wrote, which may never see the light of day. It’s about a man searching for his missing wife. The fact that she’s a vampire and he’s not just makes things all the more complicated.

The other is a second Dean Torres novel, which may or may not happen some day. If you want to read one, let me know!

On average, it takes me about 2 months for the first draft.

With that said, every book is a little bit different, and some take more or less time than others. The Grant Wolves books often take a little more time because they trend longer, with most clocking in the 80-90k range, and because they require a bit more coordination with Joey and Chris both vying for page time.

I am fully capable of writing 50,000 words in 30 days (thanks, NaNoWriMo) but I find that my quality is better—and the editing process goes more smoothly—when I set a more relaxed pace.