How do you write?

Author Andrea Digiglio tells us her writing process. 

What's yours? 

Have you tried Dragon Naturally Speaking? 

I am thrilled to guest post today! I thought I would talk a little about the way I write and how I worked out Finding Alice.

I use a program called Dragon Naturally Speaking. The idea of speaking to my computer and it actually understanding me was difficult to grasp let alone to consider using!

I love to write long hand, the feeling of lead crushing on a page or the ink leaking from the pen with a flick of your wrist. If my hands would let me I would sit and write for days on end without sleep. 

My process is simple; I do what feels right when I write. I start with long hand almost always. I sit somewhere comfortable maybe a coffee house and write until I can’t write any more. Once my story has begun and truly has somewhere to go I usually turn to my computer. I type much faster then I write and I am more likely to get more done before my hands and wrists begin to protest.

This is the messiest part of my writing. I usually create a timeline of the book with the things I would like to happen and the order for which I would like them to. In my Finding Alice folder there is hundreds of post it notes, stray papers, receipts covered with ideas all over them, timelines and old versions.

When do I use this software you ask?  Well sometimes while I’m writing the first draft. I throw the headset and microphone on lean back in my chair, close my eyes and just tell my computer a story. I find that the more I use it the less errors occur. I also had it learn all of my previous documents so it learned my writing style. (Yes it can do that.)


 My favorite time to use the Dragon software is during revisions. I always print my first draft. I love my computer but machines are fickle and I am not losing my entire manuscript on a malfunction so I print for safety and sanity. During revisions I sit comfy and read my most recent and edited version to the computer in a completely new document. This way I can read it in my head and out loud and change it easily by telling the software to, “delete last line” or “scratch that.” To me this cuts down on my revision time. I’m more likely to make big necessary changes right off the bat this way.

That is a peek into how I wrote Finding Alice. Thank you!

Andrea DiGiglio-Author Finding Alice (Alice Clark Series, #1)

Andrea was born and raised in Michigan, she still resided there with her son. Andrea has always been a writer at heart. Over the last decade she has written, starred and directed in many screenplays. She recently in the last few years decided to venture in writing novels. She hasn’t looked back since, giving

it her full attention. She is very excited to share the wonderful words she creates, with the world.

Book Title – Finding Alice

Genre – YA Paranormal Crossover

Formats – Ebook and Print

Publisher – CreateSpace

Release Date – February 19

Links:

Website- www.andreadigiglio.com

Email - dreadigiglio@gmail.com

Blog -  http://andrea-digiglio.blogspot.com/

Facebook

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Trailer Link -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1x_DvGx4CA&feature=youtu.be

Alice is cursed with an intense version of empathy; she runs from a wasted life to start a new one somewhere no one will know her, Hell, Michigan. Alice works at a hole-in-the-wall bar in the middle of nowhere mostly keeping to herself to avoid the overwhelming emotions of those around her. Alice allows her best friend to convince her into taking a few college classes without realizing it would drastically change her life forever. From her first day of class she was hooked on him; his scent, his eyes, the way he talked to her inside her head.

Throughout her struggles she learns about true love, true pain and the truth of her own heritage. Alice must quickly find out who she is because after all everyone else is out to find her. With Angels and Bounty Hunter’s in constant pursuit she finds protection within a group of Fallen Angels. These Fallen Angels vow to do anything to protect her; for it is their belief she will save their kind and all of mankind.


Click below for excerpts: