I first started this blog shortly after my 20th birthday, and part of my intention was for it to be a little documentation of my twenties, my random musings and thoughts, my poetry, and my progress. Now, just over three years later, I thought it would be fun to throw it back to an old post from 2019 where I did the Writer’s Tag and answer the same questions to see how much I’ve changed and grown.
2022 has been a year of lots of different writing projects. I think I’ve started a total of five different books now this year alone which is very reflective of how this year has gone for me honestly. Last month in November I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time and was able to get 50,000 words written, which I’m very proud of. Even though the state of my writing projects is a mess at the moment, I’m okay with that because I’m in my exploring and having fun with my writing era! And I feel like there is a purpose in this season, and that it’s preparing me for something better. But in the meantime, I’m just vibing.
Okay, without further ado, here’s my updated Writer’s Tag questions.
1.What is your favorite genre to write in?
2019 answer: Contemporary fiction, usually romance. I also think it would be really cool to write a historical fiction someday!
2022 answer: Well, I have now published a historical fiction romance novel so that is cool to look back on. Currently I am gravitating towards contemporary literary fiction, but I’ve been specifically fond of writing stories set about 20 years ago. I think I’m just overly nostalgic for the pre-cell phone era.
2. What book do you think your character would benefit from reading?
Lol. Cristoforo, the main character from my NaNoWriMo novel would maybe benefit from reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, because I think he would see himself in it 😉
3. What is your favorite character name?
I recently started a new story about three sisters named Lane, Persis and Bronte and I really love their names.
4. What makes your character feel loved, and who was the last person to make them feel that way?
Cristoforo’s love language is quality time, and the last person to make him feel loved was his friend Ivy.
5. Who is your favorite character you’ve ever written?
Ooof, this is hard. I have a big fat soft spot for Gilbert Brooks from my published novel Light My Sky, my blind, literature loving, slightly brooding romantic protagonist.
6. Favorite tropes to write?
2019 answer: Love stories where one person changes the other person for the better (or they both do). I’m a sucker for those kinds of stories!
2022 answer: Aww, so precious. I would say now it’s probably enemies to lovers. I’ve written a couple of enemies to lovers-esque story arcs this year and they are just undeniably FUN. I mean, it’s a popular trope for a reason, right?
7. Which story has your heart and won’t let go?
Ugh, so many. I have this problem where I write a story, hate it and don’t touch it for months, then come back to it and become obsessed with it all over again. My most recent one was a novel I worked on a lot at the beginning of the year called The Gods We Bow To, about a family navigating various struggles within their religion. It’s set in Utah, where I’ve lived almost my whole life, and I don’t know if it’s how vivid the setting is in my mind, but I feel like the characters in this story are 100% real people that I could run into in my hometown.
8. Favorite relationship between characters you’ve written?
So going back to the one I was just talking about, I would probably have to say the relationship between my characters Matthew and Cameron, two teenage boys who have been best friends since they were babies and then become more than friends. Again, they literally feel like real human beings to me and I love them.
9. What books do you want to see more of and what holes need to be filled in the literary world?
2019 answer: More wholesome, lovely books written about everyday life. I don’t know, I really enjoy old classics and I think more simple books like that written in the modern-day world would be really cool.
2022 answer: Not me filling that hole in the literary world with Light My Sky! Haha. I would say now I would love to see more books about the nuances of religious trauma and deconstruction, mostly because that’s a very relatable topic to me. Maybe one day I’ll publish one if I ever get the courage!
10. Favorite time periods and settings to work with?
Like I mentioned before, lately it’s been 90’s-early 2000’s. For settings, I don’t know why because I’ve never lived in one in my life and don’t have too much of a desire to, but I seem to gravitate towards big cities, particularly New York. But I love playing with different settings! Recently I’ve done the Italian countryside, and a secluded forest in Vermont.
11. When people are done reading your book, what feeling do you want them to come away with?
2019 answer: This is SUCH a good question. I would like people to have more compassion for others after reading my book. In it I explore a lot of different types of people, including people who you might look at and dislike or judge because of their life choices, but I would like to remind people that you don’t know the full story of everyone’s life, and that we all deserve a second chance.
2022 answer: I love this answer from my past self. My answer now would be pretty similar. I want my readers to feel a deeper understanding of the human experience after reading my book. To see the world through eyes they wouldn’t ordinarily look through. To be moved to treat other people with more consideration and care, and to do the same for themselves.
Thanks for joining me on this fun little journey. If you liked this post, I’ll be doing other similar ones every week in the month of December, so stay tuned!
My Pocketful of Poetry 