Writing About Writing, Days Four, Five and Six

4. Tell us about one of your first stories/characters!

I actually did this a while ago, when I regaled the world with my sordid confession about my first "published" story involving an evil tube of toothpaste and its dognapping exploits. Please don't make me do it again.

Since four is basically a freebie, I'll throw five in here as well.

5. By age, who is your youngest character? Oldest? How about “youngest” and “oldest” in terms of when you created them?

Again, I'm speaking only of original fiction here, not my fanfiction, which would have completely different answers. Age-wise, my youngest character is Gear, the focal character of my currently shelved project Tempus Fugit. He's thirteen. The oldest is Gabe, who is...I have no idea. Very old. I can't even explain how old without giving away the crux of my novel.

In terms of creation, the youngest are Tobiah, Liadan, and Sable, from the upcoming serial fiction. The oldest is harder to identify, because so many characters and stories have come and gone that my memories have become quite fuzzy.

All right, that seems like a freebie too, so I'll throw six in as well.

6. Where are you most comfortable writing? At what time of day? Computer or good ol’ pen and paper?

Computer, definitely. I type much faster (and more neatly) than I write, and I can accomplish more in a shorter time frame. Or at least, I can if I'm not distracted...which, if I have access to the internet, I am very prone to being.

I actually feel like I do my best writing on my laptop in a place that isn't my house. I like my local Panera or Barnes and Noble best. I'm not completely comfortable, which is good because I stay more alert and focused if I'm unlikely to doze off. I have access to snackage, but since I have to pay for it, I'm less likely to be getting up every five minutes for something else to put in my mouth. The environment is climate-controlled, which is important with my health issues, and I feel like being there forces me to accomplish something because I don't want to feel like I made the trip for nothing.