I’m so excited today to introduce one of my critique partners on this blog. Darlene Wells is an up and coming writer, whose stories will stir the hearts of readers. Her characters–and the story line of the books she is currently working on–will make you cry and laugh, but additionally, they will pull back the curtain on your own hidden memories and emotions. Readers will “click” with these characters. Whether or not they have gone through similar circumstances, most have gone through something parallel, and will identify with the struggles of Darlene’s characters.
When our group gets together for a brain-storming session, count on Darlene to inject the humor. Just don’t mention raccoons in her presence.
Since Darlene is pre-published (but it won’t be long before her books grace the bookstore shelves!) I am offering copies of my own books as a giveaway: my three-book series set in north Georgia–Heart of Honor, Harvest of Hope, and Harbinger of Healing. Since Darlene is one of my critique partners, some of her suggestions and insight helped shaped my stories. Anyone who leaves a comment on the blog will be entered in a drawing for these three books.
Now without further ado, let’s peek into the brain of this new writer, and find out what makes her–and her characters–tick:
Hi Darlene, and welcome! There is a lot of discussion in writers circles about the driving force behind one’s work.
Are your stories more character-driven or plot-driven?
My stories are definitely character driven. I’m a seat of the pants writer, so the plot just kind of happens as the characters reveal it to me!
Some writers love research. Others, not so much. How do you approach research?
I learned that it’s important to write about an era that interests you. I had never attempted to write historical fiction before because my mind went immediately to the 1800s. I enjoy reading those books, and I enjoy the detail of the research done for them. But for me, the thought of researching that time period just had no appeal. But I have always been fascinated by the 1930s – 1950s, so the research is fun. One of the greatest things about writing that era is there are people still alive who lived through those times. I can get first-hand accounts and experiences and descriptions.
Has anything you’ve found during the research process caused you to make major changes in your story, or in your characters?
Not so far, but there have been some minor changes: like the name of a river that is in my current manuscript. The story takes place in a town just ten minutes from me. I included the Petaluma River in the story. But when I went to the Petaluma Museum, I learned that it was originally call the Petaluma Creek. It didn’t become the Petaluma River until well after the building of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Interesting, the tidbits of history that find their way into our stories!
They say to write what you know, but sometimes we’d rather forget what we know! Have you ever drawn upon your own gut-wrenching life experiences and injected them into your characters’ lives?
When I first learned I love to write, I was a teenager, and wrote mostly poetry. I loved the challenge of putting my thoughts and emotions into words, and finding exactly the right words to express emotions. And I still love that. (Hmm, I wonder if we will find some of your old poetry in this story, “written” by the teenaged characters. Just a thought from one of your crit partners.) Every character I have written has a part of my story in them. My current character, Luke Morgan, has a huge issue with heavy-handedness in the church, hypocrisy, and judgment. He has no idea what grace is. That is something I have gone through myself. Writing my characters helps me work out so many things in my own life, and make sense of circumstances. It allows God to reveal things to me that I might not otherwise see. Hopefully, the stories I write will bring healing and understanding to others one day.
Do your characters ever take over your story and do things you hadn’t planned?
Absolutely! It just happened! One of my characters punched another character! I never saw it coming! He’s not the type of person to do such a thing. But it opened up his character in a way that I’m not sure anything else could have. And it developed a new aspect to the relationship between the two characters that might not have been achieved had the one character not taken matters into his own hands.
Sounds like reality, Darlene! I really love your characters, but do you have a favorite character? It can be from a book you wrote years ago or last month, or it can be from a story you wrote that has not yet been published.
I have two favorites so far. The current character I’m writing, Luke Morgan, is a tough nut to crack. He has so many walls up, but inside, he longs for intimacy and trust, with God and with others. He has a very dry sense of humor that I love. My other favorite is Gavin March. He’s a firefighter who deals with stress very differently than Luke. He uses his sense of humor to deflect discomfort. It’s just a different kind of wall.
Let’s shift gears for a moment and talk about the different areas of the craft of writing. No matter how experienced the writer, we all get stuck once in a while. How do you work through writer’s block?
I usually pick a place in the manuscript and start editing–look at it to see what I can do to make it better. Even if it has been through my critique group, there is always something that can be tweaked. By doing that, it draws me into the story, the characters, it puts my fingers on that keyboard, and often, it leads to breaking past that awful feeling of writer’s block.
Writers conferences are exciting, and often the highlight of our year. But conferences also offer incredible opportunities. What kinds of classes and workshops are most valuable to you?
I have been to three ACFW Conferences. When I attended the first two, I took every class I could that taught about characterization and the technical things–like active vs passive writing–anything related to the process of writing. I couldn’t get enough. The third conference, just a couple of months ago, I attended with a different focus. I still look to improve my writing, but I’m more honed in to taking that next step to getting published. I made appointments with agents, took classes about the agent/client relationship, and classes about the business side of things.
What is your most memorable writer’s conference?
ACFW 2004 in Denver. It was my first conference, and the first time I got to meet all my critique partners in person. I was in awe of all the authors whose books I’d read just walking around like normal people! I met some fantastic people who ares till friends to this day.
Thanks, Darlene, for sharing with us today.
Darlene Wells has been writing stories since high school. Her love of reading and creating characters with fascinating stories to tell drove her to join American Christian Fiction Writers in 2003, where she has been actively pursuing excellence in her fiction. She has attended ACFW conferences in Colorado, Tennessee and Texas, and has also entered the ACFW Genesis contest twice. Partnering with her critique group has fueled her desire to hone her craft and achieve publication.
Visit Darlene’s website at www.darlenewells.com and look for her on Facebook at Darlene Wells Author.
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