Delcroix Academy Blog Tour + Giveaway (Novel Noise)

Today I have the great fortune of being on a blog tour for Delcroix Academy: The Candidates by Inara Scott. I haven't been able to read the book, but I'm really excited about this one!

Check out the trailer of The Candidates:



Inara Scott has kindly written up a guest post about her writing process for The Candidates.


Writing a book is a long, grueling process. At least for me. I bet there’s authors out there who just sit down at the computer and the words flow like magic and they’re PERFECT the very first time.

I hate those people. I really do.

Before I can even start writing, I spend a few weeks, maybe more, thinking about a book. (I thought about Delcroix Academy: The Candidates for at least a month.) During that time I figure out the major conflict in the book, the motivation driving my characters, and the flow of events that will lead to escalating tension throughout the story. Then I start doodling, writing little cryptic notes to myself about scenes and turning points. Eventually, I’ll have the whole story plotted out.

Then I start writing, and it all goes out the window.

Ha! Okay, not completely, but the book is never what I thought I was going to be. Like, the scene that was supposed to be, “Dancia does XX and finds out YY,” turns into “Dancia does ZZ and finds out QQ.” And that changes everything that comes next. But I still like to have a roadmap of where I’m going. So after I write the scene with ZZ and QQ, I have to re-figure the next five scenes as well, just to make sure I’m still on track. I also like to edit and smooth things out as I go. Some writers just start on page 1 and go all the way to the end before editing. I can’t do that. I revise Chapter 1 almost every time I sit down at the computer.

Eventually, through this circular and time-consuming process, I have a first draft. The next step for me is reading through the whole thing and polishing scene by scene. Then I print it out and look at the whole thing on paper. This will cause me to realize that some scenes that looked good on the computer screen actually suck. So I rewrite those scenes, and maybe even write a few new ones.

My husband usually reads the book at this point. He gives me great feedback because 1) he’s really smart, and reads a ton, and 2) he works in an school and knows a lot about kids and teens.

After this, it goes to my editor. Then she takes it apart and I go back to the beginning of this process.

See what I mean by circular? The good thing is, I love it. It can be hard and frustrating and slower than mud, but then there are days the words just flow and you’re in the zone and can’t be stopped.

And every part of the way I think how wonderful it is to be creating a story, characters, and an idea that I can share with the rest of the world.


Thank you Inara! I don't know if I have what it takes to be a writer, but it sounds like at the end of it all it's totally worth it!

And now for the giveaway! Thanks to the publisher, I am able to giveaway 2 signed copies of The Candidates!

Rules:
1. Open to US and Canada residents only. (Please no PO boxes)
2. Fill out the FORM below
3. Contest ends Monday, September 6th at 11:59 CST.