Robyn Lloyd

It all depends on how quickly a story comes to mind.

The quicker the idea comes to mind, the more linear I have to write. Beginning, middle, end, and everything in between, strictly in that order. The creative juices are overflowing so fast, I'll lose my plot bunnies if I don't. My stories tend to have more action/forward motion this way.

The longer I've had the idea in mind, the more leisurely I can write. A sentence here, a paragraph there. It's more like note-taking on how I want to work something out, then I'll write whole scenes once I'm satisfied. Things may change throughout, but I'll still work through the list. My stories tend to have more detail this way.

If it's an idea I have to force, it'll be the roughest draft, by far. I'll write the beginning or the end, skipping back and forth from chapter to chapter, writing all the major points. Only then will the smaller details come into play. Hopefully. My stories tend to be more dramatic this way.

Oh, I love cover design! Second-most passion is drawing.
- First, I figure out which character has the strongest presence in the story--usually the protagonist, sometimes the antagonist--or if an object would be better (like the many objects on the cover of my short story compilation, NOT SHORT—FUN SIZE).
- I also figure out if the cover would be best in my style or my sister's (she's a much more diversely skilled artist).
- Next, I imagine what pose would most powerfully encompass either the entire story, or the character's/object's entire part. I may sketch on paper or on the computer, whichever medium is available at the time of the idea or whichever I want the initial drawing in. Sometimes, I may just simply jot ideas down in a memo on my phone. The sketch always, always has a bunch of notes around it.
- Should it be a simpler pose and style, or should it be exaggerated and stylized? Should there be a lot of details, or as bare as possible? Should it remain only on the front of the book (as is the case for e-books), or should it be a wrap-around across the spine and bleed onto the back cover? Should there be a character or object at all?
- Once that's all answered, there's figuring out the style of color: a few colors; multiple colors; black and white with red; earthy; dark; ethereal? Should there be an outline, or should the colors be free?
- Shading and lighting comes after that.
- Next is background, possible border, text, etc.
- Last is my signature and watermark.

And, voila!