Karen Kirst was born and raised in East Tennessee near the Great Smoky
Mountains. She attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she
received a B.A. in Speech Communication. A lifelong lover of books, it wasn’t
until after college that she had the grand idea to write one herself. The
pursuit of her dream would take longer than she first anticipated…years, in
fact. In the fall of 2010, she got the happy news that Harlequin Love Inspired
Historicals wanted to publish her manuscript-a true blessing from God. Now she
divides her time between being a wife, homeschooling mom, and romance
writer. She and her husband, along with their three boys, recently said goodbye to military life and are thrilled to be back home in Tennessee. Visit Karen at www.karenkirst.com
What time of the day do you write best and why?
Mornings and afternoons are better for me than evenings. My mind is fresher and more alert.
How long do you write every day when you have a deadline looming?
I consider myself a slow writer, so the answer to that is hours. I push myself until I can’t write another word that day.
How long do you write every day when you don’t have a deadline looming and why?
About 2-4 hours. I’m not someone who could sit for eight hours straight and write. I have to take breaks throughout the day.
How do you begin writing a novel?
I start thinking up the hero and heroine and the plot or hook I’m going to use, i.e. secret baby or boss/employee. Then I do character interviews in order to really get to know them. After that, I write out a detailed synopsis.
Are you a before you ever write your novel planner? If so, how do you plan? Do you use any outlines, books, formats when you plan your novel?
I’m a planner. I sit down to write the synopsis and explore scene by scene, including snippets of conversation. This provides a roadmap for the book. I don’t always stick exactly to the plan.
Where did the idea come from for the novel you are working on right now?
I’m in the middle of an eight book series, so my current hero/heroine were secondary characters in previous books. Their story sort of evolved from those. But I’m inspired by all sorts of things…songs, music videos, news articles. You look at something and ask yourself, what if? What if this happened or that happened or if I changed it in this way?
Do you use any visuals for inspiration? (or anything else!)
Since my historical series is set in the Smoky Mountains, I look through books about the area and get inspired by the photos. I research plants, trees, wildlife that exist in the area and try to incorporate those things in the books. It helps that I live close enough to tour the log cabins, churches and barns that stood in the late 1800s.
How do you get through the “murky middle” of your novel?
I’ve never understood that problem. I look at a story as a linear timeline and progression of events. I don’t see a story as beginning, middle and end. So when I sit down to write the synopsis, I start out at a place in time and think how each scene moves the time and story forward.
Do you revise every day? If so, how do you organize your revising? What is your revision technique?
Mostly I write the scenes as best I can and wait until the end to read through the entire manuscript and do full-scale edits. Sometimes, if I’m not confident with the direction of the story, I’ll go back and read through to make sure the relationship is progressing at a sensible pace.
Do you have a writing group, or a trusted reader for your novels? If so, how does that work? Do you meet weekly, or only when you have a novel due? Do you share your materials online or in person?
I don’t have a critique partner. If time permits, I have a few trusted readers to read through and give me feedback.
What have you learned about your method of writing after publishing your book(s)? Has it changed? If so, how?
I think what I need to work on, even at this point, is not to try and make it perfect during the first draft. Trying to edit while creating will stifle the process.
Is there anything you would like to add about writing?
The most important thing I’ve learned is to educate yourself before sitting down to write. Decide what genre you want to pursue and study it. Read current books to get a feel for what’s being published. Then study craft books and learn how to plot, create characters and conflict, etc. This will save you a lot of frustration. Good luck!
Karen Kirst