Lori Drake

Urban Fantasy Author

Urban Fantasy Author

How much ‘world building’ takes place before you start writing?

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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!

What comes first, the plot or characters?

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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.

Do you work on more than one project at a time?

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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.

What does your family think of your writing?

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My family is quite supportive of my writing. My husband is one of my alpha readers, and his feedback has been invaluable over the years. My mother and grandmother both read my books once they’re published (which I try not to think about while I’m writing them), and one of my aunts is a fan too. I’m so grateful and fortunate to have their support!

Mind Mapping

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A couple of years ago, I took a trip to New Orleans with a few fellow authors, and while I was there I was introduced to the concept of mind mapping by one of my cohorts.

What is a mind map? You’ve probably seen one before, you just didn’t realize what it was. According to mindmapping.com, “A mind map is an easy way to brainstorm thoughts organically without worrying about order and structure. It allows you to visually structure your ideas to help with analysis and recall.”

Here’s an example of a mind map drawn by a friend of mine about… wait for it… mind mapping!

The general theory behind mind mapping is that your brain doesn’t work in a linear/logical fashion. Different parts of the brain are responsible for different activities, and we process the world around us by taking in and categorizing everything we experience. By breaking a big topic down into related sub-topics, you’re actually making it easier for your brain to process. And the more parts of your brain you involve, the better.

Sometimes mind maps are drawn like branches of a tree. Sometimes they’re just clusters of ideas grouped together. Colors link related ideas, which can be a helpful mnemonic device. Yes, mind maps can help you memorize things!

Check out this super cute gingerbread cookie recipe mind map I found. I think it’s in Italian?

Anyway, inspired by my colleague’s colorful mind maps, I immediately set out to make mind maps of my own. I mapped out my writing & publishing goals for the next year. I mapped out character traits and motivations. But, more recently, I started using mind maps as a brainstorming tool for plot & story. (Because in my life, everything I learn tends to turn into ‘how can I use this in/for a book’?)

You see, mind mapping is all about breaking big concepts down into smaller, related concepts. While planning Secondhand Magic #2, I created an Act I map, two Act II maps (I ran out of room), and an Act III map. I was able to create “branches” off of the act for the various plot threads I was keeping track of, and fill them out. It really helped me flesh out Act II and figure out where the investigation part of the plot was going.

I looked through my existing mind maps for various books I’ve written for an example I could share, but they all had massive spoilers. So, instead I created a new one for Early Grave, Chapter One, so you can see my process in action. (Okay, so it’s a little spoilery if you haven’t read it, but everything here is in the free sample on Amazon!)

Early Grave Chapter One Mind Map

As you can see, my mind maps are a little different from the “traditional” ones (I am really not much of an artist), but in the end you have to do what works best for you. Usually my subtopics have more branches, but I was working with fairly limited subject matter.

So, next time you’re mulling over something, I encourage you to grab a pen and paper (or a tablet & stylus, which is what I prefer) and go to town. Whether it’s a personal, professional, or scholastic problem, mapping it out might just help you get your thoughts (or the facts) in order.

Is Secondhand Magic set in the Grant Wolves world?

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Nope! They are completely different worlds.

However… I wrote the first draft of Null Witch one year before Early Grave, and it was rattling around in my mind that Emily and Emma might be the same person while I was writing Early Grave. The worlds quickly diverged, both in my mind and on the page, and the two characters ended up nothing alike.

How many hours a day do you write?

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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.

How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

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How didn’t publishing my first book change my process of writing? Ha!

Before I started publishing, I wrote on a very laissez-faire schedule. If I wanted to write, I did. If I didn’t, I didn’t. That meant not much writing outside of November (NaNoWriMo season), honestly. I started a weekly write-in at one point so I would have at least one day a week where I did some writing.

Now, the tables have flipped. I write 5-6 days a week when I’m in drafting mode. (And when I’m not, I edit 5-6 days a week. I have a calendar and a schedule for publishing books, because I have readers that are waiting for that next installment of my active series. I don’t write just for myself anymore.

Do you use sensitivity readers?

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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.

What’s in a name?

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Naming characters can be hard, even when they’re one-off side characters. This is even more true when you’re writing in a series, because every name you use… you can’t use again. Or, at least, you shouldn’t. Hell, even using the same first letter too often can create confusion for readers.

Ask me sometime about how long it took me to notice the “J” problem in Grant Wolves (Joey, Jon, Justin, Jessica, Jenny, Jack, Julie, and Jim—fortunately better known as Harding).

Okay, don’t ask me. I’ll tell you. It took me four books and a character spreadsheet to truly appreciate the scope of that one.

A lot goes into choosing a name at times. Sometimes, the name reflects a bit about their origins. Colt, for example, is a very southern name. Colt is from Texas. The Grant siblings (Samuel, Jonathan, Benjamin, and Josephine) all have old-timey names because their parents were 100+ years old before they were born. Emily, the witch without magic in my Secondhand Magic series, has a very plain name while her siblings (Daniel, Juliet, and Liam) have somewhat more dignified ones.

And sometimes, you just need a name for a random side character that may not appear again… but you don’t want to give them an awesome name you might want for a more evergreen character, and if you start re-using names, people email you to ask if that was the same Tim from book whatever.

Then there is the real-life connection problem. If you give a character the same name as someone you know, they tend to assume you named the character after them and should have something in common with them. For example, Matt, Emily’s ex-boyfriend and current bff. My husband is also named Matt, and he found it a little strange that I named my protagonist’s gay ex after him—but I didn’t name Matt after him. I named him after another Matt in my life—who is also not gay, but is one of my best friends. (I call him my Platonic Life Partner [PLP].)

Another worry? Using a character name that have become synonymous with an infamous character in another work. For example, I would never name an urban fantasy protagonist (especially a wizard) Harry… which makes me wonder: Which came first, Harry Potter or Harry Dresden? Hmm. Looks like the first Harry Potter book came out in 1997, and the first Dresden Files was in 2000. Interesting. The more you know!

I mentioned my spreadsheet earlier. I have a massive one for Grant Wolves (and a smaller one for Secondhand Magic) that contains the details of every character I’ve introduced, be they recurring or one-offs, so I can avoid future mishaps as much as possible. I didn’t create that spreadsheet until book 3 or 4, and that led to some amusing anecdotes, such as using the same last name for two recurring characters that weren’t related—which shouldn’t be a big deal. I mean, there are probably six million Smiths out there. But when it comes to fiction, when names get reused, readers have questions. I want readers engrossed in the story, so I avoid anything that throws them out of it.

Maybe I’ll make it a running gag in Secondhand Magic that every other Pueblo woman Emily meets is named Maria. That couldn’t possibly go wrong, right?

What was your hardest scene to write?

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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.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

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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!

How long does it take you to write a book?

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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.

Cliffhangers

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I’ve been thinking a lot about cliffhangers lately. As a reader, I used to hate them. But over time I came to realize that I didn’t really hate them. If I could gleefully dive into the next book to find out what happened next, I was okay. What I hated was the long wait between books if I reached the end of an in-progress series, spending weeks, months, even years to find out what the resolution would be.

Then what did I do with Grant Wolves #1? I wrote a cliffhanger ending. I didn’t think of it as a cliffhanger when I wrote it. It wasn’t until I set some beta readers loose with it that I realized what I thought was a cool surprise was a total cliffhanger.

I published it that way anyway.

I’ve never regretted it. I was braced for backlash, but other than one semi-annoyed review the book was very well received. I still think it’s a great twist, and the book wouldn’t be the same without it. But I’ve shied away from cliffhangers since then. Grant Wolves #2 doesn’t have one. #3 almost had one, but the response from my critique partners was so strong that I decided to bump that scene to the next book.

Authors tend to fall into two camps when it comes to cliffhangers. Some say you should avoid them entirely because they just piss off readers. Others say they’re great tools to keep readers hooked, to make sure they want to buy the next book.

I think I lean more toward the “don’t piss off readers” end of the spectrum, but I can’t say I’ll never write another cliffhanger. I’ll write what the story needs, but I won’t go out of my way to leave readers hanging.

But, seriously, book one needed to end that way.