I've
always found it interesting why some choose to write stories and what further
motivates them to share those with others. Some dream of being an author and
others enjoy their stories and like to share them with others who may also
enjoy them. The writing process seems overwhelming to some while others it
might barely cause them to blink an eye. There are many reasons why someone writes
a story but what motivates you? Any professional does well to learn from others
in their field and this may help them avoid mistakes that they made or make
choices that better enhance their own chances. I've learned a lot and been
influenced by certain writers and I hope this influences my writing as well and
comes across to my wonderful readers.
It
helps to read books even if you are writing your own. This helps show sentence
structure, various ideas of how characters interact or how it is written out physically.
If an author has a lot of dialog or more action sequences, you learn your
preferences for your own writing. Personally, I've read books and wished the
authors would have made another choice instead of the one they went with or not
putting the author down but I've felt I would write the story differently.
You
might simply be looking for a few questions to ask an author when the
opportunity presents itself. Either for a blog page, in person interview or
many other reasons. I've liked the ones below and they are ones I've been asked
myself. Below I've answered some so that you may see my answers and how I
respond and how others might respond. When conducting an interview pay close
attention to how they respond and this may help you tailor more questions to
that person that are more personal or to their career path.
Questions
to ask authors:
What
their writing process is. How do they get their ideas? How many hours do they
work a day on it?
My
writing habits are sporadic and last second thinking. I might have general
ideas of what I want happening with the characters but most of the time I don't
know what I'm writing until I sit down and start writing. Most of the story
tends to write itself when I think about the characters that are going to be in
it and what their background is. That tends to determine what could happen with
them and what situations they might find themselves in. I don't have a set
amount of time to write. I do it when I have time and usually that is before I
go to sleep at night. I have three kids and my husband take a lot of time along
with my job. I work in home healthcare which I enjoy, I love taking care of and
looking after others so all these and our furry family members take a lot of
time. Life in general dictates itself. My best that I can do is write when I
get the chance and if I don't I have to be patient until I get a chance to
write again. My home tends to be very noisy so at night will generally be the time
I write if it’s going to happen.
What
do they consider to be their best accomplishment?
I'm
still working on this one and I'm not entirely sure I'll know when it does
happen. I've been asked if I consider my kids to be my biggest accomplishment.
I'm certainly proud of them but I consider their lives to be their
accomplishment. Just the chance that they were the ones to be here, to exist is
part of their accomplishment. As far as writing I am happy to have some of my
writing published and available to others however I don't quite have that
feeling of being accomplished yet but that may never go away since I'm always
making further goals for myself to reach.
Who
inspired them?
People
with talent inspire me. It's hard to limit it to one person. I love listening
to music while I write and many singers when I hear them especially when it’s
something they really take pride in it comes across in their voice and their
hard work I find very inspiring.
Did
they always want to write?
I've
never considered it a choice. There are days I have a story playing out in my
head and it feels like I could explode from the inside out just waiting for the
chance to stop what I'm in the middle of or around so I can write. There are
times I won't get a chance to until before I go to bed at night. I'll spend the
last couple hours when I should be sleeping but I put it off so that I can
write. There are thoughts or situations that I can't forget or I can run a
conversation between my characters in my head. I love writing because it makes
stories come alive that I enjoy, even if no one else does it happens to be
something I am incredibly passionate about. I am thankful for those who have
been supportive of my writing and have enjoyed my stories.
Also
- if you enjoy writing - ask them if he/she has any advice for an aspiring
writer.
The
best advice I can give is to have pride in your work, don't be in a rush to
push your work out there before it's ready. You may end up regretting it or
having to start over because you’re constantly fixing mistakes or changes you
want in your story that would not have been there if you had taken your time.
When you take your time, you can find where your book belongs, who your
audience is and what your goals are for your book, where you want to see it
take you.
Who
is your target reader?
I
primarily write under the category young adult however I view my writing for
anyone 13+ I hope to make my stories entertaining for those who are older but
also safe for younger readers. I do have situations that are considered adult
however they are "alluded to" situation or descriptive flirting.
What
are the major themes of your work?
Most
of the times it's rather subtle that it gets lost. I always want family and
friends to be an important influence. The strong bond and loyalty displayed.
"A
major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his work, making it the most
significant idea in a literary work. A minor theme, on the other hand, refers
to an idea that appears in a work briefly and gives way to another minor theme."1
Any
recent works that you admire
There
are several books out there that I appreciate, not quite admire but I certainly
enjoyed reading. Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is
the most current series I've read.
What
do you think people search for in a book?
Most
want to be entertained. I know when I read a book I want it to keep my
attention where my mind can wonder to another place and leave where I'm
physically at, to forget what is going on around me enough that I get captivated
in what happens in the story I'm reading and I feel my readers most likely are
the same way. A good book is an amazing escape while still having the chance to
either educate or life lessons without it feeling preachy.
If
you could work with any author who would it be?
I
most likely would never work with another author other than my daughter but
then that would only be to help as a developmental editor only. I know how I
want my story to go and to have another person’s input would be hard for me.
It's not that I don't work well with others or don't appreciate their input but
I prefer the way I write and I feel it would be hard to blend the way I write
with someone else.
Who
is your favorite author and is your writing style like theirs?
My
favorite author happens to be Jane Austen however my writing is nothing like
hers. I also appreciate Anne Rice, J.K Rowling and Stephen King however my
writing isn't like any of theirs either which to me is fine. I love their
writing and enjoy the way they tell a story however I enjoy variety more and it’s
nice not having all writers be the same. If everyone had the same style and
types of writing, then books would be rather boring and it wouldn't matter
which author you picked. There are so many kinds of preferences that what one
person prefers another person might like the complete opposite so I write the
way I do and hope others will enjoy it.
What's
your favorite part of a book?
Personally,
I love the middle. Books either start up quick or have a slow start into the
story but I always like the middle because most of the time you’re not waiting
for something to happen, the characters are there and you’re not at the end of
the book when you realize an amazing story has ended and it’s done. The middle
at least you know there is more. Might sound odd with that but I tend to read
slower once I come closer to the end of a story.
When
naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?
I
do carefully choose what names I use however I never go overboard with them. I
take into consideration the time period and what names were used during that
time. Also, I like to take in the characters’ personality and what their
parents would have named them, how it would have affected them and generally
last what translation the name might have such as "of peace or
fighter." Although some of these meanings can be genuinely thought
provoking, I want the characters to make a name for themselves and not a name
they need to live up to.
Reveal
your secret “author” crush.
This
is an easy one for me. Although I've appreciated several authors I would say
Jane Austen by far happens to be it for me. The way her characters are
developed, the background settings she describes and the way the story is told
I feel as if I could be there. Pride & Prejudice happens to be one of my
favorites.
Scariest
thing you have ever read/written.
I
haven't written anything scary however reading Silence of the Lambs, the entire
story I found scary.
Name
a topic that you refuse to write about.
I
write Young Adult Romance which has a wide spectrum however there are some
topics that I don't feel fits with my stories. There isn't any topic I wouldn't
allude to however at this time many sensitive subjects do not fit my writing.
Your
favorite monster/villain.
The
Midnight Madam/ Katherine Hawthorne from my Family Secrets series. She's been
raised by a mother who would kill her and so would her sister for the same item
she wants. She's had such a horrible childhood and over the centuries no one
has ever challenged her or made life difficult before until the family she
tried to destroy. It wasn't until the McAllisters that she began to second
guess herself and then a young woman who she later became obsessed with and
started to care for like a daughter that a little humanity came out of her.
She's very determined and stubborn but incredibly intelligent. She's been
around so long observing people that she knows peoples’ habits and natural
inclinations that she can guess what they are going to do before they know what
they are doing. Regardless of what happens she stays true to herself.
Imagine
your characters are on survivor. Who
will they vote out of the book?
I
would say Lucian without fail. I love his character but if he were to stay he
would win hands down.
When
did you first, without hesitation, call yourself a writer?
I've
always loved writing so I never had a problem calling myself a writer. It was
much easier than classifying myself as an author. I always felt the title
author was a little higher than writer but then being called a writer could
entail so many venues.
What’s
the earliest memory you have of writing a story?
Earliest memory would be the 3rd grade. I had
called my story New York Gangs and most of it had been how they viewed each
other as family and some of the fights they were in. I had never been allowed
to watch violent movies or shows and my parents kept me rather shielded from
the world around me. My teacher had accused me of plagiarizing the story and
lost her temper with me. My mother came in and was upset until later that day
when I was at home and I was writing a story on the couch. She came over and
read it and said, "wow, you really can write." That has stuck with me
since but I've always loved writing and my parents supplied me with all the
paper and writing tools that I needed growing up. I had a very active
imagination and could visualize quite well which helped me when I wrote and
still does now.
What
is your least favorite part of the writing process?
The
first page of a story. I'll already know the entire story line, characters
actions, what's going to happen and how I'll end it or carry it onto another
book however it’s that first page that starts it all, the page that draws
someone in and helps most decide if they want to bother reading the rest. I
have no doubts about my stories, if they are enjoyable or not but I always
doubt that beginning because I always feel it’s weak or too strong.
How
do you work with an editor without the pride thing getting in the way?
It
is probably the most difficult for most writers. If I have confidence in my
editor I have no problems at all no matter what problems they bring up. Any
time I have my books edited by someone else I have them mark changes so I can
go through to see what they've changed. If I have any problems with something
I'll ask them for an explanation for why it might have been changed. Because of
this it can help me prevent making those mistakes again. I've only had a
problem with one editor so far and it was because I had gone through my book
after they checked it and found 40 errors added where they changed my words and
I could tell they used Microsoft word spelling and grammar without reading
through the story itself.
What
technology do you use for writing?
I'll
write parts on paper or whatever happens to be around me when an idea comes to
me or a thought or conversation I want to add. Majority of the time I type on
my laptop that I only use for writing. I've used my cell phone more often for leaving notes for myself than I do for making phone calls or anything else.
How
do you keep from resenting your duties and every human’s sleeping requirement
when you must stop writing to take care of them?
If
I had the opportunity to write nonstop for days I would but I love my family so
for me it's not a resentment to spend time with or take care of. I feel to be a
good writer you need experience, you need to live life otherwise how can you
expect your characters to when you don't? Even if you were to observe others
its doing something.
Describe
your writing style in ten words or less.
First,
I'm going to answer this in more than ten words. We hear this question many
times however what exactly is a writing style? Some feel this sets one author
aside from another but many writers and authors say they don't have one.
Technically we all do even when we write a short paper for school or work. I
personally write from a narrative perspective.
"The
four major types of essays address these purposes:
Narrative:
Telling a Story. In a narrative essay, the writer tells a story about a
real-life experience. ...
Descriptive:
Painting a Picture. ...
Expository:
Just the Facts. ...
Persuasive:
Convince Me." 2
Writing
style and the voice of the writer is very important.
"Voice
is the distinct personality, style, or point of view of a piece of writing or
any other creative work. Voice is what Simon Cowell is talking about when he
tells "American Idol" contestants to make a song their own and not
just do a note-for-note karaoke version." 3
When
you hear from your readers, what do they say?
So
far, I've been fortunate and heard from some very sweet people who enjoyed my
book. I've talked to one person who hated my books but I still had an enjoyable
conversation with the person. Many we've talked about the characters in my book
and what ones I've enjoyed like my favorite ones which is hard to pick since I
felt attached to all of them. What I enjoy more is hearing which characters my
readers have enjoyed and who they were attached to and why.
How
do you use social media to promote your writing?
It's
great when you have friends and family support you, when they talk about your
book. Word of mouth is still great but when you are a new author the internet
has offered more opportunities we normally would not have had. I've used
Myspace in the past to get my name out there, switched over to Facebook and
Twitter. From these last two I've gotten to know several wonderful book groups
and reading clubs. It not only helps me get my name out there but it also helps
me find what people are into and my reading base, what other books they like.
From the way those authors have advertised their books I've learned from them.
Also by having an author page or with Google blogger it gives my readers and
others a chance to get to know me better and hear about my projects and books
I'm writing or have published.
Citing
sources:
#1
https://literarydevices.net/theme/
#2
www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/types-of-essays/
#3
www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/.../understanding-voice-and-tone-in-writing
Silence
of the Lambs author Thomas Harris, Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2j58MeJ
Jane
Austen-Pride & Prejudice, Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2iRiHVJ