Capering on Glass Bridges ... Writing Advice

I’m delighted to welcome author Jessica Hernandez to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her release, CAPERING ON GLASS BRIDGES, and share some of her advice for aspiring writers.

The Utdrendans have spoken, and everything has changed as a consequence. People normally avoid the fog surrounding the cursed Kingdom of Mar, but now they are asking sixteen-year-old Kaia Stone to venture into it. The Utdrendans implied that there is something special about Kaia. They claimed that she could help free the land; she need only carry out their instructions and deliver a message to the Marian king.

Mar, however, is a land in which dark secrets abound, and many will stop at nothing to ensure that it remains forever cursed. Determined to work against Kaia, unfriendly forces have already begun to gather.

Will Kaia choose to abandon the only life she’s ever known—perhaps indefinitely—in pursuit of the greater good…in pursuit of her purpose?

CAPERING ON GLASS BRIDGES is available to purchase at Amazon, Barnesand Noble, Apple’siBooks, and Kobo.

Now join me in giving a warm welcome to Jessica and she shares some important lessons. Welcome, Jessica.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to visit your site, Mason. :)

Hello, everyone! When I was presented with the opportunity to guest blog, I spent some time trying to decide on a topic to write about. I wanted to put together a concise post that would prove both interesting and informative. For this reason, I decided on sharing with aspiring writers two pieces of advice.

*Clears throat*

Without further ado, I present a couple of important lessons that I’ve learned as an author:

1.      Outline before you start writing.

Trust me, this might just save you a whole lot of time. (I’m talking months.) I’ve written two books. Initially, I did not create an outline for my debut novel. I sat down in December of 2014 to “pants” my way through Capering on Glass Bridges. After writing about seven thousand or so words, I realized that I didn’t like how the story was coming out, so I discarded it and left the project alone for a few weeks. In March of 2015, I sat down at my desk and created an outline of my story. As I’m sure you can imagine, the writing process went a lot smoother thereafter.

In my opinion, the outline has a function akin to that of a compass; it helps one better understand the different directions in which a story can be taken. It also aids one in identifying—and addressing—problematic aspects of their story. Outlines don’t have to be extremely detailed. For instance, mine are rather skeletal. I make sure to leave sufficient room so as to allow the plot to evolve as the story progresses.

2.     Write every scene as though it’s your favorite

When you’re working on a scene that you’re particularly excited about, passion tends to seep onto the page. It follows, then, that if you approach every scene as though it’s the one you’ve been dying to pen, your entire novel will bear the mark of your passion.

Why is this important? Look at your writing. Earnestly, go ahead and look at either a completed project or a current work in progress. Flip to the scene that you consider your favorite. Read it over. Now, go and read a scene which doesn’t hold the distinction of being a favorite of yours. Do you notice a difference in the writing? Scrutinize the two scenes’ pace, imagery, and attention to detail. Is there a difference? Do you feel more immersed and invested in the story when reading your favorite passage? If so, I’m sure it’s evident now why it’s important to write every scene as though it’s the one that you cherish above all others. It’s bound to elevate the quality of your work.

Jessica, thanks for joining us today. If an author can’t feel passionate about a scene, I don’t know how they think a reader will be able to. Great tips.

Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with Jessica, here’s a bit of background on her.

Author Jessica Hernandez

Jessica Hernandez was born and raised in the beautiful, sunny state of Florida. She attended the University of Miami, where she spent more time than she cares to admit daydreaming of a faraway land called Acu.

Upon graduating with a degree in English and Political Science in 2014, Jessica put pen to paper and brought Acu to life—so was born the Hawk of Stone duology.

For more on Jessica and her writing, visit her blog and connect with her on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Thanks for dropping by today during Jessica’s visit. What are your thoughts on being passionate about scenes you write (or read)? Any advice to aspiring writers?