An Interview with Deborah O'Carroll

Today I'm delighted to be interviewing fellow author and blogger Deborah O'Carroll!

Deborah O'Carroll is a whimsical young writer who loves fantasy, fairytales, anything by J. R. R. Tolkien or Diana Wynne Jones, Celtic music, chocolate, and lists. As an avid lover of words, her favorite pastimes are reading others' tales (and reviewing or proofreading them), penning her own, blogging, and other wordy pursuits. You can usually find her typing away, curled up reading a good book, or endlessly rearranging her “library.” She writes mostly fantasy of different types, has finished three novels, a novella, and several short stories, and is currently exploring the road toward publication (and a long and winding road it is...).

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1. (Heidi) Some differences and similarities you see between the three major forms of storytelling—literature, music, and film? 

(Deborah) Hmm... Well, film is extremely visual, it's all what you see (and hear), right there, and doesn't leave much to the imagination, whereas literature can delve into a lot of things you can't show exactly, like actual thoughts... And music you hear it, or play it, and it makes you feel, somehow... and it's kind of a mix between both because it does leave a lot to the imagination, but it's also like film in that you hear it. They're all similar in that they tell a story and immerse you in it, but in totally different ways. If you tried to tell the same story in each of the three modes, it would come out totally different, and different people likely lean toward different ones, depending. I think of film as seeing, music as feeling, and literature as imagining. 

2. How have you seen those three mesh together in your own creative process? 

They all tend to get my brain working on ideas that eventually end up in the stories I write. Books that I love make me realize things that I enjoy and would therefore enjoy writing—like when I discovered I like fairytale retellings, and certain character archetypes, and that sort of thing. I don't know if it counts as being related to film, but sometimes having a model of a face for a character can help as inspiration, so sometimes seeing a movie with that actor can help with thinking of facial expressions etc. Music is extremely inspiring for my writing process, whether for setting a mood or inspiring certain individual scenes, and I often listen to music while I write. 

3. When and how did you first begin writing? 

Pretty much since I could hold a pencil? I've been writing since I was a wee young thing, but got serious about it nearly a decade ago (okay, I was still a wee young thing, but slightly older...). As an avid reader and lover of stories from a very young age, beginning to tell stories of my own was a natural progression, and encouraged due to my homeschooling background. I dabbled with a few little tales but they fell by the wayside... 

Then a random young woman and I fell to talking about stories one time (I think I was like ten or something... I sadly remember nothing about her and don't know who she was), and she said she had once started a story about fairies and was sorry she never finished it; so she told me to go pull out the story I'd started, to not give up, and no matter what, to finish it. So with that encouragement, I started it up again. 

A couple years later, when I was at Barnes & Noble, surrounded by real books and wrestling with a pencil and printed pages of the humble few chapters I had written, trying to mark all the things to change, I decided to restart it and that I was going to finish it and be a writer. So I did, and I am. It took me a year and a half, but I finished that novel, and a few years/manuscripts later, I'm utterly enchanted by the world of writing and wouldn't leave it for anything. 

4. What are you currently working on? 

In varying stages (first draft, edits, plotting, reworking, etc.), I'm currently working on: a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses; a Contemporary Fantasy adventure sequel; a book that defies description but I'm currently calling a whimsical world-hopping novel, titled The Other Half of Everything (it's my preciousss right now. *vague Gollum sounds from the background*); and sporadically attempting to rework an entire Epic Fantasy series, which I've had in the works since that first story that I finished. There are many other projects on the back-burner (including a particularly scrumptious Steampunk-fantasy retelling of The Little Mermaid that I keep trying not to start because it's not quite developed enough), but those are the main ones vying for my attention at the moment. The unfortunate consequence of this is that I'm not focused on JUST ONE... which means I'm rather stuck at the moment and need to pick one project to focus on. 

5. Particular author/s who have influenced you? 

Lloyd Alexander. Diana Wynne Jones. J. R. R. Tolkien. Mirriam Neal. George MacDonald. C. S. Lewis. 

6. Is there a “non-writing” activity that shapes your writing? 

Either nothing or everything. Mostly reading, admittedly... but many things that happen in life tend to inform or impact my writing in some way. There's no better “research” than life and great books! 

7. Your opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of digital books? 

Oh boy, this could be a whole post of its own... There are actually a whole lot of disadvantages and advantages both. I personally lean toward physical books, but here are just a few of my thoughts on each side: 

Disadvantages of digital books: They're not REAL. You can't actually HOLD them, or put them on your shelf, or smell them, or pile them in stacks, or rearrange them. If you decide you don't want your ebook anymore, you can't give it away to someone! There's a greater risk of pirating. They can be deleted, which is freaky in itself. They can be edited easier, which means there can be endless editions/changes by the author, which means they're not solid—they can change; which disturbs me, because it gets rid of the finalness of a printed book. It feels like almost a waste of money when one does buy an ebook, since it's just... an e-file. You can lose your place in the book easier when you're reading it. I tend to forget ebooks I've read much easier than physical books. You don't have to turn on real books. Ebooks are not as accessible or portable as real books (I know, people have e-readers. But those have to be charged and things too. It's not as simple). They have no character. 

Advantages of digital books: You can search for things. You can copy-paste lovely quotes instead of typing them up. You can highlight sections or make notes, without committing the great book-crime of mauling a book by writing in it! They are a great way for review/ARC readers to read the books without it costing the author/publisher. They can be cheaper to buy if they're sold for less because there's no printing cost, so the reader can directly benefit (they can also be offered free for a time which can bring in more readers). It can be handy that they don't take up actual square footage when you're running out of shelf space... (When they find me next week buried under the books that have taken over my room, I may be thinking about that last advantage...) 

8. Do you ever do graphic design to help with your writing? 

Yes! Making up mock “covers” and banners and things for my different tales can be extremely motivational and inspiring! (Or at least, that's what I tell myself to convince myself it's not just procrastinating. ;)) 

9. Do you outline? If so, in a general way or very detailed? 

It depends. I usually outline, at least roughly, though I have at times just winged it. Both of them are entirely different modes of writing, and I enjoy different things about both. But mostly I'm an outliner, and while it isn't always extremely detailed, at times it can be, and I do tend to do better when I have the story laid out... even if it changes along the way, as it often does! 

10. Do you work on multiple projects at once? 

Unfortunately, I do. I have too many ideas to focus on only one at a time, which means that I don't seem to make as much headway because my brain is always scattered between a handful of different tales. But I also kind of love it... There are so many stories to be told! The plotbunnies multiply in droves in my neck of the woods, apparently... 

11. Do you edit as you write? 

Yes, always. The one exception is during NaNoWriMo, when I do not allow myself to edit – that time is only for writing, because it's difficult enough to write 50,000 words in a month without having to edit them! But other than November, I always do some editing as I write... It's just the way I'm wired. I like to keep things somewhat tidy as I go along. 

12. Certain themes you see surfacing and resurfacing in your work? 

I haven't a clue. I'm not very good at analyzing my own works. (Perhaps just generic “good vs. evil,” love, friendship, and characters' abilities to change and stuff. Maybe?) I should ask my readers this question... 

13. A particular aspect of writing you struggle with or a challenge you’ve overcome? 

I struggle with fear. It's normally disguised in various lesser forms, but it's usually fear at the base. Fear of starting a story, fear of someone not liking what I write, fear of getting it wrong, fear of not knowing what to write next, fear of committing words to a page because what if they're not perfect? My main struggle with writing is the actually-sitting-down-and-writing part, and I think it mostly boils down to being afraid. (Well, that and a bad case of perfectionist-procrastination. But both of those things are kind of related to fear, so...) I'm working on wrestling with this one. If I could overcome it that would be a great leap. 

14. How do you deal with feedback—particularly negative feedback? 

Feedback of a good sort makes me glow inside and encourages me to press onward even in the darkness. How do I deal with negative feedback? I don't. XD No, actually I don't have a lot of experience with dealing with negative feedback... I'm not very good at it, let's put it that way. Negative feedback depresses me and confirms inner doubts, and in general makes me shut down, even when I know I should distance myself better... I haven't apparently mastered the art of dealing with feedback very well. 

15. One thing you’ve learned from other writers? 

That it's okay to have your own process and figure things out yourself, because everyone does things differently. So as far as advice and others' processes go, take what works for you and don't be afraid to experiment and try new things! 

16. A helpful nonfiction book or website? 

“Eats, Shoots & Leaves” by Lynn Truss is a helpful and funny book on punctuation and grammar, etc., which I highly recommend to any writer. 

17. What do you consider one of the single most important things to remember (i.e. an attitude or technique)? 

I think we need to remember our love and enjoyment of the stories we have to tell. We writers can sometimes take ourselves too seriously, I think, and get too focused on the “craft” and trying to do it all just exactly right... or trying to hit a deadline or a particular wordcount. Sometimes the love and sheer thrill and excitement of creating stories (or as Tolkien would say, “subcreating”) can get lost behind the dusty drabness of “I should be...” (At least for me.) So I think it's important to rediscover and cling to the reasons why we write—whatever that is for you. 

18. A word of encouragement for fellow writers? 

Well... mostly my answer to number 17 above... But also, keep writing. Don't stop. I know you've heard it before, but as that lady told me once, don't give up. Words are powerful, and stories matter. You're the only one who can write the tales you have to tell—so tell them. Keep writing!

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Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Deborah! :)

And everyone, be sure to check out Deborah's blog at: The Road of a Writer.

Sharing the Journey Round Up ~ 2015

Wow, so much has happened here this year! Can you believe it's almost officially been a full twelve months since I put up the first post here on Sharing the Journey? :) (Eight days left!)

And -- before we get into all the great links below -- I've got a tremendous bit of news. Last night I FINALLY finished the writing and working edits on A Flame Shall Spring from the Embers (my entry for Rooglewood Press's Sleeping Beauty contest) and sent it in. Come March, we'll find out if it places among the winners, etc., but either way, Lord willing, you'll definitely be getting a chance to read it later this year. :) Super exciting!

First and foremost, thank you so much to each one of my marvelous beta-readers/critique partners. You provided such encouragement to persevere in the tough spots and made the story altogether so much stronger. You're all truly amazing!! :)

(Another character  inspiration picture,
 just 'cause I'm rather fond of it.)

Also, if you didn't get a chance to visit before (or would like to visit again), here's a link for my AFSS Pinterest inspiration board.

Now I'm just plain thrilled about getting back to David's Shoulders soon in 2016. Working on AFSS over the last few months, I've learned so much -- so many new tips and fast writing/style techniques + simply relaxing about early drafts in general -- and Lord willing, my goal is to have (at least) the current draft for ODS done by the end of 2016. (Of course, more would be splendid, but we'll just have to see what exciting things God has planned for the rest of life as well. ;))

And now for our great 2015 round up -- a catalog of the happenings and events here on StJ!

This started it all off.

(Click here for all our other Quotes of the Month.)

2015's Wonderful Writer & Author Interviews

Éowyn Peterson - January 2015

Naomi - February 2015

Rachel Kovaciny - March 2015

Natalie - April 2015

Emma - May 2015

Heidi Grace Salzman - June 2015

Jenelle Schmidt - July 2015

Elisabeth Grace Foley - August 2015

Annie Hawthorne - September 2015

Braden Russell - October 2015

Suzannah Rowntree - November 2015

Emily Ann Putzke - December 2015

Our Inklings link-up started in May:

May 2015 ~ Violets

June 2015 ~ A Gripping Story Opening in Literature

July 2015 ~ A Well Crafted Animated Film Climax

August 2015 ~ A scene happening on/at/around a train or train station

September 2015 ~ A Funny Story Opening in Literature

October 2015 ~ A gypsy scene in either literature or film

November 2015 ~ A Giving of Thanks in Poetry or Prose

December 2015 ~ A Christmastide movie scene

Our 3 Things I Love in a Good Story Nutshell Overview:

(I love this list! And I've put together a new page for these, so click here for all the fantastic 3 Things guest posts themselves.)

A character I will remember - Natalie

A mystery - Jenelle Schmidt

A part that makes me cry - Natalie

A strong ending - Heidi

A sweet romance - Natalie

Balanced description - Heidi

Characters I want to be friends with - Hamlette

Family friendly - Jenelle Schmidt

Female characters I can respect and admire - Jessica Prescott

Good camaraderie - Heidi

Good relationships - Olivia

Happy endings - Hamlette

Heroic characters - Jenelle Schmidt

Humor - Olivia

Literature references - Naomi

"My kind" of writing style - Olivia

Not only romance - Naomi

Realistic dialogue - Hamlette

Romantic relationships that I can get behind - Jessica Prescott

Some kind of romance - Naomi

Vivid sensory description - Jessica Prescott

Thank you to each and every one of my lovely followers for joining this adventure -- it wouldn't be the same without you! And a tremendous thank you to all of you who shared and took the time to leave kind comments. :) You all truly made it a wonderful year here and I look forward to spending time with all of you in 2016! :) Happy New Year!

Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.

Visit and contact at: Sharing the Journey // Along the Brandywine // ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com

An Interview with Emily Ann Putzke

Today I'm happy to be interviewing fellow author and blogger Emily Ann Putzke!

Emily Ann Putzke is a young novelist, historical reenactor, and history lover. Her first novella, IT TOOK A WAR, was independently published in December of 2014. She's the co-author of AIN'T WE GOT FUN which released in May of 2015. Her full length WWII novel, RESIST, will be available in ebook, paperback, and audio on February 22nd, 2016. You can learn more about Emily and her books at www.authoremilyannputzke.com. 

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1. (Heidi) Some differences and similarities you see between the three major forms of storytelling—literature, music, and film? 

(Emily) In film, you see everything acted out before you. You can be moved to tears and the actors don’t even have to utter a word. In literature, you have to show those emotions in words. And often, that can be even more powerful. If done right, the reader resonates with the character more. They feel like everything is happening to them personally instead of someone else on the screen. Music accompanies both forms of storytelling. As a writer, music helps me write sad or intense scenes, and you would lose something in a film without a good musical score. Film, music, and literature are all similar in their power to inspire and move us to laughter or tears. 

2. How have you seen those three mesh together in your own creative process? 

If I’m stuck while writing, a good historical film with great character development, dialogue, plot, and inspiring music will help me dive into my project again. Picking up a good book never falls to inspire me to be a better writer, and music, as I’ve mentioned before, always helps me create. 

3. When and how did you first begin writing? 

I’ve been writing since I could write. I can’t remember ever not wanting to be an author. I was homeschooled, so books and stories were a big part of my upbringing. My favorite author when I was little was Richard Scarry. I used to copy all his pictures and characters. I wanted to be a writer/illustrator just like him. 

4. What are you currently working on? 

I’m getting ready to publish my first full length novel, Resist, in February. It’s a WWII historical fiction based on the true story of Hans and Sophie Scholl, a German brother and sister who wrote and distributed anti-Nazi leaflets. In the meantime, I’m doing some research for a possible future story idea and working on short stories to keep my writing up to par. 

5. Particular author/s who have influenced you? 

I’ve recently been inspired by John Hersey after reading his book, The Wall. Phenomenal writer. I also love Lucy Maud Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott. 

6. Is there a “non-writing” activity that shapes your writing? 

Reenacting, definitely. I reenact both Civil War and WWII. Living history really inspires me in my historical writing. Sleeping in a Civil War tent, cooking over a fire, waking up to the reveille, all helped me write It Took a War. Getting stopped and questioned by Germans, and getting caught in the action between the French and Germans helps me place myself in the 1940s. 

7. Your opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of digital books? 

Digital books are so convenient. You can get any book you want whenever you want. You can easily transport an entire library of books. You can highlight sentences and look up a word you want to know simply by tapping on it. But I will always prefer a real book over digital. Digital books don’t have that smell that real books have. You don’t have the satisfaction of feeling the weight of the book in your hands and feeling how many pages you’ve read. Also, we as a culture already spend so much time on our screens. Picking up a real book is a nice change from the screen glow. I don’t know … real books are just my favorite. 

8. Do you ever do graphic design to help with your writing? 

I sometimes like to make mock book covers to inspire me, or Pinterest collages and that sort of thing.

9. Do you outline? If so, in a general way or very detailed? 

I usually write out a story synopsis with a tentative ending so that I know where the story is going. I don’t worry about all the details at that point. 

10. Do you work on multiple projects at once? 

Yes, I do, especially when I’m trying to figure out what to write next. 

11. Do you edit as you write? 

I try not to … but sometimes the perfectionist in me has to fix up some things. =) 

12. Certain themes you see surfacing and resurfacing in your work? 

Sibling relationships.

13. A particular aspect of writing you struggle with or a challenge you’ve overcome? 

Plot is a lot harder for me then dialogue, characters, and descriptions. That’s why writing about real people who did amazing things with their lives is a somewhat easier challenge to tackle. I have the plot already there. I just have to bring it to life. 

14. How do you deal with feedback—particularly negative feedback? 

You can’t please everyone. Seriously. You just can’t. I want everyone to love my work, but that’s not an attainable goal, nor should it be my goal. I try to remember that God has given me this gift to touch people’s lives and inspire them, and to not back down just because I got a 2 star rating. Also, reading reviews and comments from people who do love my work really encourages me. 

15. One thing you’ve learned from other writers? 

To be yourself. We all have our strengths and weakness, our passion for certain topics and time periods. Everyone’s writing is different. Rock your style. 

16. A helpful nonfiction book or website? 

Here are three of my favorite writing websites: 

Helping Writers Become Authors

She’s Novel

Go Teen Writers 

17. What do you consider one of the single most important things to remember (i.e. an attitude or technique)? 

Never stop writing. No matter what. Even if you think it stinks, keeping pushing through and create. “None can sense more deeply than you artists, ingenious creators of beauty that you are, something of the pathos with which God at the dawn of creation looked upon the work of his hands. A glimmer of that feeling has shone so often in your eyes when—like the artists of every age—captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours and shapes, you have admired the work of your inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you.” — Saint Pope JP2 

18. A word of encouragement for fellow writers? 

If you believe God has given you the gift of words, then you need to use that gift. Don’t hide it. Don’t give up. 

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Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing, Emily!

An Interview with Suzannah Rowntree

Today I'm happy to be interviewing Suzannah Rowntree!

When Suzannah Rowntree isn’t travelling the world to help out friends in need, she lives in a big house in rural Australia with her awesome parents and siblings, trying to beat her previous number-of-books-read-in-a-year record. She blogs the results at www.vintagenovels.com and is the author of both fiction and non-fiction. She’s written two non-fiction books on literature, The Epic of Reformation: A Guide to the Faerie Queene and War Games: Classic Fiction for the Christian Life. These day’s she focusing on writing and publishing fiction: Pendragon’s Heir, her debut novel, which springs from her lifelong love of medieval literature; and a series of fairytale novellas including The Rakshasa’s Bride, The Prince of Fishes, and (upcoming!) The Bells of Paradise. 

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1. (Heidi) Some differences and similarities you see between the three major forms of storytelling—literature, music, and film? 

(Suzannah) Um. Wow. Big question. Let me try. 

Literature is my own expertise. It’s by far the most precise of the three storytelling forms, since it involves the most precise of the storytelling media—words. You can make things very explicit in a book which it would be difficult to make explicit even in a film. This goes for description as well as for theme: just think of how much hilarity PG Wodehouse loses in the translation to screen. How can you film “the shifty, hang-dog look which announces that an Englishman is about to speak French” or “the look of one who had drunk the cup of life and found a dead beetle at the bottom”? You can’t.

Film is perhaps the most immersive and immediate of the three storytelling forms. Its strength is, of course, visual and physical, and it majors on dialogue. Its popularity has impacted immensely on the way we write books—more dialogue, more description of characters’ or landscapes’ physical aspects, elaborately choreographed dances or duels, a greater sense of movement, scene-setting reminiscent of camera angles—but I’m not convinced that’s always a good thing. Things which work beautifully in film don’t always translate so well to literature. 

Music is the least precise of the three storytelling forms, which is probably why so many composers wanting to write music with a point have chosen to add words—either as liner notes, or in a title, or in song lyrics—to explain what the music is supposed to depict. Music has always been recognised for its effect on mood and emotion, but there was also a time—especially in the Baroque period, as exemplified by JS Bach—when music was believed to have rational, philosophical/theological import as well, and musical lexicons were even published to explain the precise significance of various chords and rhythms. (For more information, I highly recommend James Gaines’s book Evening in the Palace of Reason). 

As for similarities, I think one of the big similarities is a sense of plot structure; of starting at Point A, and then proceeding in a linear fashion through various climaxes and resolutions to Point B. Another universal is the appeal to the emotions, but as hinted, I wonder if this might be a somewhat artificial distinction; it’s quite possible for music, as well as film and literature, to appeal to reason. 

2. How have you seen those three mesh together in your own creative process? 

Film is here to stay, and it’s revolutionised the written word. I don’t think that’s an entirely good thing, but I also don’t think it’s entirely bad. Plus, people expect a cinematic element in their storytelling, and I’m happy to use all its strengths as I can. 

As for music, I have a lot of respect for it (and I’ve been a musician most of my life). I don’t listen to it while I write because it uses up parts of my brain I need to focus on the rhythm and cadence of my words. So a musical faculty definitely plays into my writing. 

Also, people often seem to burst randomly into song in my stories, like in The Lord of the Rings. Because I secretly believe Heaven will be a lot more like a musical than we think. 

3. When and how did you first begin writing? 

In addition to loving books and being good with words, I had a strong tendency to play make-believe games when I was small. One day I decided to write a story based on one of my make-believe games for my best friend’s birthday. It look four years and three drafts to finish. It was then that I realised I’d probably never be quite the same again. 

4. What are you currently working on? 

Two projects—a series of novella-length fairytale retellings, and a giant huge immense epic novel, because I do not know the meaning of the word “moderation”. I’ve already published two of the fairytale novellas an am preparing another two for publication in the near future. 

5. Particular author/s who have influenced you? 

The Inklings (JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and Charles Williams), along with their spiritual forbear GK Chesterton have probably had the biggest influence, but others include John Buchan, Edmund Spenser, and Jane Austen. 

6. Is there a “non-writing” activity that shapes your writing? 

I’m always reading avidly to feed my writing. I read history and factual books as research. I read theology to give my themes some real philosophical heft. I read classic literature so as to know what I’m aiming for. And I read current literature so as to know what’s on the market and what the tropes of my genre are. 

7. Your opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of digital books? 

The advantage is that I can feed my reading habit for a much lower cost, and be more selective about the books I do buy physical copies of. The disadvantage is that in a thousand years or so when they’re digging up our bones, it’s our paperbacks that are going to survive to pass on our work, our philosophy, and our stories. Not so much our Kindles. 

8. Do you ever do graphic design to help with your writing? 

I design my own covers, and I generally work on them for as long as I’m working on the story. That’s about the limit of it. My graphic design repertoire is extremely limited. 

9. Do you outline? If so, in a general way or very detailed? 

Yes, I’m a confirmed outliner, to a moderate level of detail. Too much detail in an outline, and I feel I might as well be writing the first draft. Too little, and I risk running into problems when I don’t know what to do next. Major plot points and climactic scenes get the most level of detail in my outlining, since they’re the big scenes I’m building towards. 

10. Do you work on multiple projects at once? 

I am at the moment. I don’t like tearing myself away from one project to another in quick succession, but I do consider long hiatuses (hiati?) essential, so as to give my thoughts time to mature. 

11. Do you edit as you write? 

Editing and rewrites account for an enormous proportion of my writing time. Even in first-draft work, it’s hard not to tinker a bit. 

12. Certain themes you see surfacing and resurfacing in your work? 

Multigenerational vision. The struggle of building the Kingdom of God in an imperfect world among imperfect people. Optimistic eschatology. The nobility of ordinary things. All these things crop up pretty regularly, especially in the stories I get most excited about. 

13. A particular aspect of writing you struggle with or a challenge you’ve overcome? 

I don’t know I can point to anything specific. Writing is pretty backbreaking. One thing I’m trying to be sensitive to is not trying to accomplish too much in a story—just limiting myself to the essentials, rather than weaving in every possible option. 

14. How do you deal with feedback—particularly negative feedback? 

Positive feedback always makes me happy. Negative feedback differs according to whether it comes from someone who understands what I’m trying to achieve, or someone who doesn’t get it at all. The former is often very useful—which is why I try to get it before publication, so I can use it. After, I do often read the negative feedback—and then I often have to take a couple of weeks letting the sting subside before I go back and see if I can take away anything worthwhile. 

15. One thing you’ve learned from other writers? 

Everything. I’ve learned everything from observing and analysing masters of their craft like William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, JRR Tolkien, and so on—how to plot, how to craft sympathetic characters, how to incorporate theme, how to work faithfully every day. 

16. A helpful nonfiction book or website? 

Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays by Peter Leithart opened my eyes to how literature works, especially when it comes to chiastic structure and how theme can underlie literally every plot/characterisation aspect of a book. 

17. What do you consider one of the single most important things to remember (i.e. an attitude or technique)? 

No matter what you’re doing, you can always be doing better. Never take it for granted that you’ve succeeded. Always try to improve. 

18. A word of encouragement for fellow writers? 

Remember 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, which I believe applies to all cultural works. Your work has eternal significance. Your foundation is Christ, and it’s up to you to build on that foundation-stone with gold, silver, and jewels—not with wood, hay and stubble. If you work well, you will receive the reward for the work of your hands, and those that endure will enter into eternity with the glory and honour of nations brought into the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24). Some things you actually can take with you! 

And therefore, no matter how long it takes you to produce something worthwhile, no matter how much blood, sweat, and tears you must shed, it’s going to be worth it. Things that deserve to last for all eternity aren’t made in a day; aren’t made without painstaking work and attention. And while it may feel difficult and thankless today, you have the best incentive in the world to persevere—the words of the Creator himself, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

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Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing Suzannah! :) 

And everyone, be sure to check out Suzannah's blog at Vintage Novels.

An Interview with Braden Russell

Today I'm happy to be interviewing fellow writer and blogger Braden Russell.

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Braden Russell is an aspiring author and music instructor who writes weird speculative fiction from various Oklahoma coffee shops. He is the author of five unpublished novels, and currently plans to self-publish his first book in 2016. Story in all forms is his passion, and he discusses Charles Dickens, Brandon Sanderson, Coldplay, and Monsters, Inc. with equal enthusiasm. You can find him blogging about writerly things at his website The Storymonger. 

1. (Heidi) Some differences and similarities you see between the three major forms of storytelling—literature, music, and film? 

(Braden) You know, I don’t really think much about the differences and similarities between these three mediums. They’re all just story for me, and I’m passionate about all of them. I write novels to explore the big stories I have in my head, while I write songs in a more autobiographical context, based on things I’m going through at the time, trying to make a little more sense of everything. Sometimes I have a story that is so visceral and exciting, and I’m seeing scenes and hearing music in my head, and I plan to make that one a movie. 

So I guess all three of those things are pretty muddled up in each other. 

2. How have you seen those three mesh together in your own creative process? 

(Whups, I guess I already answered this question. Heheh.)

3. When and how did you first begin telling stories (in both book and film)? 

I think I wrote my first story when I was six. It was called How Jery Rat Kild the Monstar, and my mother helped me staple it together out of colored construction paper so it looked sort of like a real book. I remember telling my mom I wanted to give it to the mailman, so he could sell it to someone for me—I was quite the self-publishing entrepeneur, apparently. 

4. What are you currently working on? 

I’m revising my novella, The Weatherman’s Apprentice, a post-apocolyptic story about a young boy who discovers that his father actually brought on the deluge that destroyed the world. Also writing the first few chapters for an online webfiction serial called The Firewall Saga. I really like serial fiction in many forms, so I’m excited about trying my hand at it. 

5. Particular authors and/or screenwriters who have influenced you? 

Brandon Sanderson is a living author who has been a huge influence on my writing, and Charles Dickens is a dead one. I don’t have any favorite screenwriters, per say, but I really love Christopher Nolan as a writer/director. He is a masterful storyteller. 

6. Is there a “non-writing” activity that shapes your writing? 

Drinking coffee. Also sleeping. I never take naps, but I love the idea of them and hope to someday have enough time to take one. 

7. Your opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of digital books? 

Honestly, I really hate digital books. I have trouble focusing on them. If I’m holding an actual book in my hands, with a cover and pages and a smell, I can get into the experience of the story so much better. However, there is a huge place for digital publishing nowadays, and I do plan to e-publish my novella before I make up a print version, because people are more prone to buy an ebook written by an unheard-of author before they buy a print version. 

Someday, digital books will probably make real ones extinct. I have no problem with that, as long as everybody just gives me their real books. 

8. Do you ever do graphic design to help hammer out details? 

I am partially colorblind, and also just generally aesthetically challenged. I don’t do ANY kind of graphic anything. 

9. Do you outline? If so, in a general way or very detailed? 

I adore outlines, but don’t stick to them very well. I’m a discovery-outliner, I suppose—my outline gives me a basic idea to work with, to keep momentum, and at the same time it’s general enough to let me experiment and go off on tangents. 

10. Do you work on multiple projects at once? 

Yes, but it’s probably not a good idea for me. In fact, it’s definitely not a good idea for me. I am the world’s worst multitasker. 

11. Do you edit as you go along or wait until a project’s reached a certain definitive stage? 

I edit as I go, because I can’t stand not to. I write slower that way, but my first drafts are much smoother than a lot of people’s first drafts. I know you’re not supposed to do that, but I can’t really help it, and it seems to work for me. 

12. Certain themes you see surfacing and resurfacing in your work? 

Redemption seems to be a pretty big theme in my stories, as well as moving on from tragedy and dealing with change. I write a lot of antiheroes. 

13. A particular aspect of writing/storytelling you struggle with or a challenge you’ve overcome? 

I have trouble with the pre-writing stage—taking time to really develop the story and the characters before I dive in. I’m working on that. I have a story right now that I really want to write, but I’m giving myself a good long while to mull over it before I start putting it down on paper. 

14. How do you deal with feedback—particularly negative feedback? 

I have pretty thick skin for negative feedback pretty well, as long as it is delivered nicely. If someone tells me they don’t like my story, and give me a good reason why, then I get to fix that problem. If I don’t agree with them, and I have a good reason for not agreeing with them, then I don’t fix it. I really haven’t had that much experience with people just being mean about my stories—I guess I’m lucky that way. 

15. One thing you’ve learned from other storytellers? 

That I will never be the best storyteller out there, or the worst. You can always learn something from your fellow spinners of tales, and you can usually teach them something as well. 

16. A helpful nonfiction book or website? 

Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott is probably my favorite book about writing, and art in general. Helping Writers Become Authors by my friend K.M. Weiland is a fantastic resource as well. 

17. What do you consider one of the single most important things to remember (i.e. an attitude or technique)? 

See number 15! Humility, as always, is key. You will never reach a point where you’re so good that you don’t need to learn anymore. If you think you have, you’re holding yourself back from all kinds of good things. 

18. A word of encouragement for fellow writers? 

Don’t get in a hurry! I have to tell this to myself all the time. If you truly have a passion for writing stories, you will become published, and people will read those stories. Keep writing, keep telling those stories, look forward to the day when you can share them with people, but don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way.

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Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing today, Braden! And everyone, be sure to check out Braden's blog The Storymonger.

An Interview with Annie Hawthorne

Today I'm delighted to be interviewing fellow writer and blogger Annie Hawthorne!

Annie Hawthorne is a twenty-something young woman who has an avid love for her Saviour and for Story. She writes in multiple genres of fantasy, but particularly high fantasy, urban, and anthropomorphic. She indulges her fondness for speculative fiction and children's literature by scribbling in those genres also. She is pursuing a path of traditional publishing for her novel I am Juliette, a light sci-fi re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. Whimsy, vividry, and pathos are her trademark, and she longs to touch people's hearts and show them the deeper, more beautiful side of life. 

Annie reads books like they're going out of style. She adores the work of many authors, but her current absolute favorites are P.G. Wodehouse, Rosemary Sutcliff, and Mirriam Neal. When she's not reading or writing scenes that make her beta-readers cry, she can be found interacting with her family as one of its more lively members or discussing Important Subjects with enthusiasm and vehemence. People-watching, long road-trips, dissecting books and films, Doctor Who and LOTR marathons, wearing red heels, and collecting mugs are always on her To-Do list. She chases beauty, and is a Child of God. 

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1. (Heidi) Some differences and similarities you see between the three major forms of storytelling—literature, music, and film? 

(Annie) Oh, goodness, this question is fascinating and surprisingly difficult to answer. Some obvious similarities between film vrs. literature would be they both involve characters, emotion, and some semblance of a plot. But simultaneously they tell their stories in very different ways. 

A book drops you inside the minds and thoughts of its characters. Reading requires imagination and it fosters that imagination by teaching you to create worlds and people and lives from a simple page of text. Because books require so much thought over an extended period of time, and because those thoughts become engraved in our minds I think that is why -- for me, at least -- books have been more life-changing than movies. 

Unlike books, in film the story plays out in front of your eyes, instead of in your mind. A movie gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective into someone's life, and because of that vivid immediacy it can be much easier for people to become attached to the characters and invested in the story. Humor and tragedy often translate better on-screen than in written form, which is why I cry more easily while watching a movie than when reading a book. Vice versus, I tend to love book charries longer and more deeply than movie characters -- because I have been them. That in itself is a major difference between literature and film. 

During a movie the characters become like our dear friends. 

During a book we become the characters. 

Music, on the other hand, conveys everything through emotion (I'm thinking instrumental here since I rarely listen to lyrical). I can hear a song and feel like spinning in wild circles or curling up to sleep purely based on the emotion it's infused with, ergo, why music is incredibly inspiring for Story. 

2. How have you seen those three mesh together in your own creative process? 

My stories play out in my mind like a film, complete with sweeping camera angles, lighting effects, etc. The trick then is to transfer that fluidly to paper so others can see it in their imaginations as vividly as I do. 

Music helps me tremendously. Sometimes if I'm on a deadline, I listen to a fast-paced playlist, and when I write scenes taut with emotion or fear or tragedy I pick specific movie scores to help create the mood. 

3. When and how did you first begin writing? 

Because my Mum read books like The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Anne of Green Gables to my siblings and I when we were tiny, I grew up with a love of literature ingrained in me. At a very young age I started a nightly routine of telling stories to my little sisters about mice and hedgehogs; also an anthropomorphic fanfiction of Star Wars. My ritual of bedtime stories morphed into writing bits and pieces of story here and there, and when I was about fourteen or fifteen I started to seriously write. I’ve always intended to be an authoress and, somehow I acquired the idea when I was little that writers were rare creatures nowadays. So I considered it a noble pursuit along the lines of reviving a lost art. As I grew older I realized how many of us there actually are, and I couldn’t be happier to be proven wrong. 

4. What are you currently working on? 

It's very hush-hush right now. But I'm writing a shortish piece of fantasy with a steampunk setting. It stars a snarky cat named Tarquin who's a bit full of it, and adorable as all get out (well, I think he is). He and his bird friend Prism get up to all sorts of dangerous shenanigans in the city they haunt, all while trying to keep a wild, little girl from being killed by a vengeful personage before she even has the chance to grow up. It's told in third person which I haven't done in awhile, so that's been fun. 

5. Particular author/s who have influenced you? 

A few from my earliest memory would be J.R.R. Tolkien, Beatrix Potter, and L.M. Montgomery. Tolkien taught me a love for fantasy, unlikely heros, and adorable charries. Potter gave me a love for anthropomorphic fantasy stories, and Montgomery taught me the importance of the simple things, the vividry of description, and unforgettable characters. Other inspirational authors are C.S. Lewis, Dickens, Kenneth Graham, Charlotte Brontë, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. More recently, Eric Nylund, Rachel Heffington, Rosemary Sutcliff, Harper Lee, Anne Elisabeth Stengl, and Mirriam Neal. 

6. Is there a “non-writing” activity that shapes your writing? 

Everything I do shapes my writing in some way -- whether in gleaming inspiration or honing my knowledge of people and life, but one thing in particular would be, as Agatha Christie mentioned, the washing of dishes. I can't tell you how often the muse strikes when I'm doing the daily scrubbing up.

7. Your opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of digital books? 

Digital copies are wonderful for reading books at little cost if you don't mind not owning a tangible copy. They also make it simpler for anyone to read whatever they want -- both a good and a bad thing. I like the conveniences of one's kindle, and the fact that there are so many free classics available. 

But. Nothing, nothing ever, will compare with holding a crisp, shiny, new, gorgeous novel in your hands or cradling a well-worn tome, its pages soft and yellow with age. Tangible books don't hurt one's eyes like staring at a phone screen does, they don't lose their charge, and we're bookworms: we love our gloriously stacked bookshelves. 

8. Do you ever do graphic design to help with your writing? 

I love story collages with all the love. I create them for inspiration, or just because they're so pretty.

9. Do you outline? If so, in a general way or very detailed? 

I do. I'm a hybrid writer which means I'm neither a pantser or a plotser, but a conglomeration of the two (plantser). In a nutshell, I do a rough outline of the story with all the major plot points charted out. Then I trot merrily along from point to point and all sorts of delightful shenanigans happen along the way. But, inevitably, I end up stuck with no idea how to get to Point B. Then I outline scene by scene. So far this method works well for me. 

10. Do you work on multiple projects at once? 

I don't generally work on more than two at once. I like to edit one project whilst I write the other, which is what I'm doing with I am Juliette and my steampunk fantasy. 

11. Do you edit as you write? 

I used to edit intensively, so much so that I rarely wrote more than 500 words a day. July Camp NaNo 2015 broke me of that habit and I couldn't be happier. I would rather finish manuscripts faster and edit them more than take ages to write the first draft. I still edit slightly as I write, but not to the extent I used to. 

12. Certain themes you see surfacing and resurfacing in your work? 

My books tend to have generous servings of broken people finding hope and whole-ness,multiple charries stuck with each other (oh, the dynamics), adorable creatures, wry humor, assassins/clever people doing epic things whilst I gnaw my fingernails in worry, the themes of forgiveness and thankfulness, a focus on relationships between siblings/best friends,and bringing darkness into light which means testing characters' souls. 

13. A particular aspect of writing you struggle with or a challenge you’ve overcome? 

I struggle with writing strong description. I never used to, but within the last year that changed. No idea why. As for challenges I've overcome? Writing more than 1,000 words per day, and writing in 2nd person POV. 

14. How do you deal with feedback—particularly negative feedback? 

Positive feedback is a wonderful thing, and normally I can take it without letting it go to my head. I've never actually received out-right negative feedback on my work. With constructive criticism I bluster to myself and get any sting out of my system (which doesn't usually take too long) and then I look at the feedback objectively and see what can be learned from it. 

15. One thing you’ve learned from other writers? 

Give. Read their work. Encourage, encourage, encourage. Be honest. Remember what goes around, comes around. 

16. A helpful nonfiction book or website? 

Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon is one of the most inspiring, encouraging books I've ever read. As for sites, here are a few of my favorites: 

-http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com

-http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/?m=1

-http://www.thisincandescentlife.com

-http://mirriamneal.com

17. What do you consider one of the single most important things to remember (i.e. an attitude or technique)? 

Don't quit. Don't ever, ever quit. Perseverance is vital (I'm planning a blog article about this). Also, adverbs? They can be used in moderation, not avoided like the plague. 

18. A word of encouragement for fellow writers? 

No one can write books exactly like you can. You are an unique human with an unique take on the world. Don't give up. It's hard, this writing thing, but everything worth having is hard in the getting. Keep going and hang onto everything that makes you love Story so much. 

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Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for visiting today, Annie -- I so enjoyed having you!

And everyone, be sure to visit Annie's brand new blog The Curious Wren!