Being and author isn’t easy whether you’ve published 10,000 books or your still working on your first book. So I thought it would be fun to start a tag just for authors to share about who they are and why they write.
Who Or What Inspired You To Start Writing?
I starting making up and writing stories from a really young age.
However, it wasn’t until I got into high school that I started thinking about writing as a career. What made me consider it, was reading The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. She just had this spark in her writing that made me want to give a writing a fair shot.
What Was Your First Published Piece of Non-Fiction About?
I was 17 and interning at a local newspaper. My first published assignment was an article about the hardware store in my town.
It was this piece that also garnered my first hate mail from a local man that I quoted in my article.
What Was Your First Published Piece Of Fiction About?
It was a story about a bride preparing to walk down the aisle.
Originally, I entered into a contest and lost. So I turned around and submitted it to my local library for a short story dispenser pilot program.
Name An Author Living Or Dead You Would Like To Meet.
Ally Carter. As I mentioned above, she is the person who made truly consider writing as a career.
There are so many questions I would ask her and topics I would want to discuss.
Would You Rather Self-Publish Or Traditionally Publish A Book? Why?
At the moment, I would rather self-publish, mostly because I want to keep creative control over my book.
Someday I may try to traditionally publish, but we’ll see.
How Important Are Your Characters Names To You?
Naming my characters can take hours. I want them to have names that fit their personalities, so I will spend a lot time looking through name lists until I find the perfect one.
In some of my shorter stories characters may not have names, but if I do decide to give them names, it’s going to take awhile.
What Is A Topic You Would Like To Write About Someday?
I would like to maybe write a book based on my experiences as a daycare teacher.
What’s A Book You Wish You Would Have Written?
I don’t know that there’s a book that I wish I would have written because, it would be different from what the original author intended and I’m not sure I could tell the story as accurately because of this.
Do You Think Literary Talent is Born or Made?
I think that it’s a combination. Yes, the skill of writing can be taught, but usually, a writer has a draw to the craft from a young age that won’t let go.
What Qualities Do Think A Successful Writer Should Have?
Writing requires a lot more than just the ability to put words on paper. Being a writer requires an unquenchable curiosity, thick skin, and a fair amount of ambition.
Is Literary Fiction Better Than Genre Fiction?
Uh, no. Just no.
Both are great in there own ways and we shouldn’t compare them.
What Advice Would You Give Beginning Writers?
Start a notebook to put all of your ideas in. And write what you enjoy reading, not what’s trendy.
Final Thoughts
Being an author is a rewarding albeit challenging career, but like most writers I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
If you’ve enjoyed this tag, fill it out yourself and link back to this post.
