Blog Tour: Prom-Wrecked by Jennifer DiGiovanni & T.H. Hernandez

Prom-Wrecked by T.H. Hernandez and Jennifer DiGiovanni is available now! Check out all the book information, guest post from the authors, and a tour-wide giveaway!

Guest Post

If I Knew Then What I Know Now About Writing Prom-Wrecked

Jen:

In some ways, writing Prom-Wrecked was like starting all over and relearning how to craft a story. I’m firmly entrenched in the pantser mentality and my co-author, Theresa, is a devoted plotter. When she first sent me an excel spreadsheet to fill out, I felt myself beginning to hyperventilate. It was a challenge for me, but somehow, we made it through the outlining process and finally started drafting. Though I worried the outline would take away some of the unexpected twists and turns I look forward to when writing, the story still managed to surprise me. We changed a lot from the first outline, but we still had a roadmap to follow, and as a result, we didn’t write as many drafts as I thought we might. Another change to my usual writing routine was the need to stop and start writing as we passed the manuscript back and forth. I was afraid of losing my momentum, but that never really happened.

In the end, the one thing I wish I’d known before starting was how enjoyable co-writing can be. Writing this book was fun! I wish we’d started earlier rather than talking about the idea of writing together for years without sitting down to actually do it. While drafting Prom-Wrecked, I had someone to commiserate with when the words weren’t flowing. During the query stage, I was more relaxed because I knew at least one other person thought we’d written a great story. I would definitely do it all again, even if it means forcing myself to give up a little more of my pantser tendencies and spend more time plotting.  

Theresa:

Jen and I have been writing for about the same amount of time and met each other online early in our careers. I read a draft of one of her books and fell instantly in love with her quirky characters and her swoony book boyfriend, Travis. We tossed around the idea of co-writing at least five years ago, but it wasn’t until 2018 that we actually took the plunge together.

I spent ten years as a project manager in a high-tech field, so for me, planning is second nature. I never put words to paper until I’ve plotted the heck out of my stories, done character sketches, and examined my themes from every angle possible. Jen is a freelance writer who finds the words flowing from her fingertips when she sits down to write; no planning necessary. So when we decided to write together, some compromises were in order.

We plotted a little, but I also found myself writing by the seat of my pants for the first time. It was liberating in a way I wasn’t expecting. I also learned a lot from Jen about her process. I tend to draft wordy versions, then with each successive draft, I cut more and more fluff to get down to the core story. Jen, on the other hand, writes lean, then adds character and scene details with subsequent drafts. So as her word count went up, mine went down.

What I learned most about writing is that with another author I can come up with much better ideas than I can on my own. If I knew then what I know now about writing, I would have found a writing partner before I ever drafted my first novel.

Giveaway

Prize: A Prom-Care essential package, or if an international winner wins, a $25 gift card!

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