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What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

I did a lot of research for Whiskers in Trouble actually.  I research cat breeds and which ones were most popular, most expensive, rare, etc. I also researched a lot about common illnesses to animals and how they’re treated by a veterinarian.  I also relied on my experience as a pet owner of a cat and most recently, a puppy.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?

I do read as much as I can because I enjoy it, and because I feel reading other authors helps my own writing. Seeing how other authors develop characters and work out plot points and twists and turns. It’s fun and exciting and educational actually.

My favorite genre is mystery because I love to immerse myself into a story and try to figure out where the story is going and revel in the characters–some I like and some I learn to hate based on the storyline. I love to be intrigued and put myself in the heroine or hero’s shoes and see if I can solve the mystery first.

Pen or type writer or computer?

I use both pen and paper and a computer.

Do you have any advice to offer for new authors?

Beginning is the hardest part.  Just take the first step and put something, anything, on the page.  Once you begin it gets easier.  Don’t give up when you get stuck, look at it from a different point of view or a different character’s point of view.  Try to work things out from all angles.  Sometimes things are revealed from a perspective you didn’t have before.

What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

I like to outline with pen and paper, list the main points and scenes and main characters. Then I like to just dive right into writing using my outline as a guide. I find when typing on my computer that the story unfolds easier for me and the story ends up going to places I never intended but works out. My characters also develop the same way–by just diving in and seeing what ends up on the screen. I usually start with Chapter 1 and go from there following my outline but in writing book two of the Whiskers and Tails mysteries series, I’ve complete more in depth outlining for certain scenes and then worked outward from the scene and sort of filled in the blanks with secondary plots. Then once I’ve reached that part in the outline I edit a lot and smooth out any holes–hopefully.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

I do believe in writer’s block! I feel I once had it for 6 months when writing this book! I got to a certain point in the story and just could not figure out where to go from there. I had focused so much on one particular section of the book that I realized I hadn’t fully thought the rest of the book all the way through. I became stuck. I sat staring at this half-written story and wasn’t sure where to take the characters and the story. I couldn’t envision the ending or what I wanted to happen to the characters. It was a low point for me and my writing. I started to have doubts about being able to finish the book. I doubted my ability to write and depression set in. I had to step away from writing for a time.

But the book and the story and characters kept haunting me. I would find myself reviewing plot points and how a character reacted to a scene. I would catch myself thinking about certain twists or clues. Once I finally was able to see beyond the scope of the work I had already done, it became easier to focus on the continuation of the plot. I put myself in each character’s shoes and figured out what I wanted that character to do, to learn, to be, to experience.  It slowly became easier to move forward with this storyline or that character trait or whatever I was working on next.

I experienced writer’s block more than once but I learned to take a step back and give myself the time to analyze and think beyond the point of where I was stuck. Once I am able to allow myself that time and room to think, things become clear again, and I’m able to continue on.

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Laura Ball is an Ohio native who found her love for writing at a young age. She enjoys writing short stories and has had several poems published over the years in poetry anthologies. She has a mixed breed dog named Eddie who provides plenty of inspiration!

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