The PINK SOFA has long been a secret admirer of Kelly Florentia. It loves her name, her smiley disposition and the way she frequently posts pictures of what she is eating and drinking. So when the opportunity came to host her in the writer's attic, it jumped at the chance. So, legs polished (the sofa..) and upholstery plumped, it asked Kelly to talk about how she writes. And she did:
My Writing Style
''When I got my book deal, I immediately texted my husband and
told him the good news. Naturally, he was over the moon for me. Texts flew
between us with the final one, from him, saying he’d bought me a gift to
celebrate. I waited anxiously for him to come home, wondering what it could be.
I’d been eyeing a Michael Kors wristwatch in the shop window for quite some
time. But no, that was too expensive. Maybe it’s a perfume, I thought, or a lovely
bottle of something sparkling for us to celebrate with. When he finally walked
through the door with a huge whiteboard under his arm, I must admit I was a
little underwhelmed. Hmm…I thought, not quite romantic. But I was wrong to
think this because it was a very romantic gesture. It proved that he listens to
me and cares about my craft. Why? Because I’m a planner not a panster.
I envy authors who start with a blank page and go on to
write brilliant novels without any sort of preparation because I can’t get
excited about a story until I know the ending. I’ve always been like this, even
with my short stories. Once I know what’s happening, created my cast and worked
out the plot, then, and only then, will the words flow. Admittedly, the novel
does often change as the story unfolds, but I generally stick to the original
plan, editing as I go along.
I usually do about three drafts on each book. But while I
used to scribble everything down in various notebooks, on post-its and scraps
of paper, I now use my whiteboard; and everything is in one neat place. How
amazing is that? I still use notepads and post-its but my main story is drafted
on the whiteboard, chapter by chapter, scene by scene, which includes dates and
times. It rests against the wall behind my desk. So whenever I’m unsure about
anything, instead of rummaging through drawers looking for sheets of paper etc.,
I simply spin round on my chair and voila, the information I need is right
there in front of me. I used it religiously as I penned my second novel, No Way
Back, which publishes on 21st
September 2017 by Urbane Publications. I then wiped it clean and used it
again to draft the sequel. And I hope to get lots more use out of it in the
future!''
Kelly's NEW BOOK (What a fab cover!) |
Links:
No Way Back is available to pre-order from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0745DM4GR/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_EeAEzbPZV64SH
Website: http://www.kellyflorentia.co.uk
Twitter: @kellyflorentia
Spotify Playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/11135145039/playlist/0IbxzB3L6ZPdbrFiUY5fAI?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyflorentia/?hl=en
What a great idea - unlike post-its, a white board can't fall off the wall and hide under rugs!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jo. It's very useful!
DeleteWell done to your lovely hubby, who obviously put a lot of thought into his pressie for you... brilliant!
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely gesture, Joyce. Thanks for reading and for commenting.
DeleteI love the idea of a whiteboard!! I'm normally drowning in multi-coloured post-it notes by the midway point of my novels ha ha. Great post ladies. Good luck with your launch, Kelly x
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Shelley. xx
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