How She Does It - Karenna Colcroft

We all know there are six elements in writing fiction and often fact. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is the plot. What's your take on this?
I agree. I haven't really thought about it much, to be honest; for me the process of writing fiction happens so quickly in my brain that I don't really stop to analyze how many elements I have or what they are. But I agree with your statement.


1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process?
No process. Most of the time the characters just jump fully-formed into my brain and say, "Hey, here I am, write about me." The times when I have had to try creating a character, the story hasn't worked out so well.


2. Do your characters come before the plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?
Again, I do a lot of the process in my head and it often goes pretty quickly, so sometimes the characters and plot seem to show up simultaneously. I used to let the characters lead the way, and I still do to an extent, but I'm experimenting now with doing a brief brainstorm prior to writing the story and a few brief notes each day before I start that day's round. It's a tip I saw on a blog (I've unfortunately forgotten which one), and since I started doing it this way I've consistently managed to write 5000-10,000 words per day.


3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?
It depends on the story. I usually have at least a vague idea of what the ending will be. Once in a while it's specific, but usually I get to the end and struggle a bit to figure out exactly what words will end it.


4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?
Most of my romances lately are set in the Boston area, where I live, so I'm familiar with it. As for the actual houses, buildings, etc., they're mostly figments of my imagination, other than a few public buildings that I can go into so I can describe them accurately. I also write novels for teenagers under the name Jo Ramsey, and most of those are set in and around Portland, Maine, where I grew up.


5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?
I avoid research whenever possible, but when I can't get around it I research online. I prefer to write about things I've already learned or write things that I can make up so that I don't have to research them.


6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why?
I'm very much a draft writer. If I revised as I went along, I would never finish anything.

You can find out more about Karenna Colcroft and her books on her website, www.karennacolcroft.com, or by joining her Facebook group, http://www.facebook.com/groups/261093317316839/. Her most recent release is the M/M paranormal romance Lost Soul, from MLR Press, which released May 4. Her next release will be the heterosexual paranormal romance novel Beta Test, from Passion in Print Press.