Jane Shaw
Elizabeth Watson
Thanks also to Sunny Smith, whose idea this was and who organized the whole thing.
So here you go:
1. Tell us a little
bit about yourself (age, how long have you been writing, and what you write)
Dakota: I am 17(@ sunny,
lol it's close enough), and I have been writing since I was very little, say 4?
Bria: My
name is Bria. I am sixteen. I’ve basically been writing since I was six (I
mostly plagiarized stories then), but got serious about writing (realized I
could be a writer!) two years ago. I write stories with a bit of everything.
Some have fantasy feels, some have a sci-fi sense, and some are stories about
normal people doing normal things in a non-normal way.
Ravena: Well, I'm sixteen and I've been writing since I could
hold a pen (I know... I'm so funny.) I tend to write science fiction or fantasy
because I love creating new worlds.
Jane: Started
writing in grade 6. I first started writing the stereotypical girl
crushing on the stereotypical senior boy, because in my mind it made sense that
the senior boy would like the freshman girl, of course once I got to highschool
I realized how naive my grade 6 self was, but I digress. I then moved on
to writing books where the main character suffered from some tragedy that left
them blind. deaf or some other physical disability. I then moved on to
writing story's where the main character was an orphan and they would go on a
quest to find their birth parent's. As I matured I started getting into writing
fantasy, and this is where I am now writing Urban Fantasy.
Elizabeth:
I’ve been writing since I was 4 or 5 (around 15 years). I write a bit of
everything. I probably won’t pursue writing full-time (can’t afford to), but
I’ve always written in my spare time.
2. What is your
favourite book/author (and yes you can give more than one:P)?
Dakota: Good gosh,
don't ask me that! I'm the most--SECOND most indecisive person in the world!!
But if I absolutely HAD to pick an author or two or else I'd DIE, then I'd have
to go with Wayne Thomas Batson, Jill Williamson, and....Donita K. Paul.
hmmmm....yes, let's go with them. :)
Bria: I don’t
have favorite (I’m American, ha) books, just favorite authors. Ray Bradbury,
Orson Scott Card, John Steinbeck, and Joan Bauer are my absolute favorite
authors.
Ravena: Argh! I can never answer these questions, because I'm
terrible at making decisions. I always feel like I'm picking favourites, and
that the books will get offended and cry (if, you know, they could and all.) I
think I'm going to play it safe and say my favourite book is "The Lord of
the Rings." The world Tolkien creates... oh gosh I have no words to
describe how in awe of him I am. And, of course, the "Harry Potter"
series (I'm cheating, I know.) It was a huge part of my childhood and Rowling's
world building is wowza (am I getting a little predictable? Okay, here's a fun
fact: when I turned eleven I waited for my Hogwarts letter just like everyone
else. When it didn't come I told my parents I wanted a house elf for a birthday
present instead. I got a pen (or something completely ordinary that wasn't a
house elf.)
Jane: Favourite Authors: Ally Carter. Patricia
Briggs, Alyxandra Harvey, Nalini Singh, Anee Bishop, Tamora Pierce, and Jane
Austen! Favourite Book: I Hunt Killers (atleast for now) :) there are many
others...
Elizabeth:
Shakespeare, Jane Austin (Pride and Prejudice), Shilpi Somaya Gowda (Secret
Daughter), J. R. R. Tolkien
3. What is the first
thing you ever remember writing, that wasn't for school?
Dakota: BAHA!! Ah yes,
I remember it well....I do believe I was four, or thereabouts, and had just
completed my first-ever story. It was perhaps four pages long, two of those
pages being drawings, and all written in crayon. It was about a family of
people that suddenly got mad during dinner and threw all their food on the
floor and in the toilet. I can't remember how it ended, tho.... But it was a
happy ending, I know. ;)
Bria: If we
don’t count the stories I wrote/plagiarized when I was six, it would be this
story I wrote when I was nine. It was about a kid who liked to invent
things. His name was Peter. He ran away from home because…actually,
there wasn’t a reason. Anyway, he ran away from home with his little sister and
they lived in a cave in the woods. Peter invented things to help keep them
alive. Yeah, it was a cool story, and Peter actually won second place in a
character-making contest with Scholastic Storyworks. I won a notepad. :)
Ravena: A "novel" when I was six about two parents
who went to the beach with their two children and forgot them. It had about ten
lines of writing, and lots of awful pictures. I even "published" it
by getting someone to staple it for me. Thankfully it got lost.
Elizabeth:
I wrote stories on a 90’s computer program called Storybook Weaver. I wrote
about horses (my favourite animal).
Dakota: *chokes on and
spits her drink halfway across the room and falls to the floor in an insane
laughing fit* SCHEDULE??? Oh, you poor, dear, soul, you. Ah, I don't HAVE a
schedule. My ADD and laziness won't allow it. I merely write when the mood strikes.
That, while not being an efficient writing strategy, is more fun for me. ;)
hehe
Bria: I try to
write something every day. I don’t have a certain time or place because my
schedule fluctuates and changes depending on school and church and my job and
family and just life. If you want to know how I balance all of these things,
the simple answer is: I don’t. Mostly I compromise on my sleep. As I like to
quote: You can sleep when you’re dead. (Not that you should
compromise on your sleep! Don’t get into that habit!)
Ravena: I write everyday, for at least an hour (by that I mean
I try to. I'm lazy) When I can I write in the morning because that's when I'm
"freshest." If it's a school day (and too often it's a school day)
I'll write in the evening.
Jane: I don't really have a schedule I just write when I
feel like it. Yes, I know it's bad, but that's what I do.
Elizabeth: I write every day, with few exceptions, for at least an hour. It’s part of my
life as much as eating and sleeping.
5. Have you ever taken
any classes/studied writing in some way? If so, how has it helped you? If not, why?
Dakota: Yes, I did
take a class. Twice! The same one. ;) haha. I can't say HOW it's helped, b/c I
have difficulty pinpointing that kind of stuff, but I know that it has. :)
Bria: Last
year, I took a creative writing class at my school. It was interesting. We
wrote a travel piece, illumination essay, play, dystopian, some poems, a
children’s book, and a short story. What was really cool about this class was
the community. We were all writers, so we all understood the voices and the
story urges, and we all enjoyed talking to ourselves; basically, we all had the
weird writer quirks and it was stinkin’ amazing! Lots of encouragement,
definitely.
Ravena: I haven't taken any classes, because there aren't any
where I live and if there were I probably wouldn't be allowed to go anyway. I'm
planning on watching Brandon Sanderson's lectures (although I haven't yet.)
I've also ordered Stephen King's "On Writing" (which has yet to
arrive.) (A recurring theme... I'm not making excuses, I swear!) In Year Nine,
when she found out I liked writing, my English teacher gave me a book which
eased me into the world of publishing. That counts right?
Jane: I took a Creative Writing class in
highschool. It helped me, by teaching me different ways to write, and the process
that you can take to write a story. It also taught me about different types of
creative writing.
Elizabeth: I’ve
attended some writer’s classes and conferences. I went to my first one when I
was 12. Everyone else in the class thought I was lost. I also took creative
writing classes in high school and university. They’re helpful because they
teach you a lot about writing “theory”. They point out flaws in your writing
that you’ve never noticed. They also give you a chance to get feedback from a
variety of other writers.
6. Who/what influences
your writing?
Dakota: Mmm...video
games, both fortunately and unfortunately. Fortunate in that it gives me a
plethora of fantasy-type names and ideas for fantasy-type places, but
unfortunately in that it messes with my plot lines. I end up picking up too
many characters. :P
On the other hand, my
friend Sunny is a great help to me in my writing, being both inspiring,
helpful, and encouraging. :)
Bria: Life
influences my writing. The people I know and the circumstances I live in
influence my writing more than anything else. Honestly, people should be scared
to talk to me, since so much of my dialogue comes from conversations with
people.
Ravena: I would say every book I've ever read has influenced
my writing in some way (although I can't exactly say how.)
Jane: I started writing when I was in elementary
school. It was my 4th grade teacher who had everyone writing story's for
English class. She was the one who opened my eyes to writing. I'm also a huge
bookworm (I work in a library, for petesake), so whenever I finish a book I was
always think wow I love the way this character said that, or that was cool the
way she wrote that, and then BAM a story idea pops in my head.
Elizabeth:
Tamora Pierce, Tolkien, and Austen
7. What's your
motivation for writing?
Dakota: Motivation?
You sound like an over dramatic actor being paid way too much to do little of
anything. Ah, my motive it FUN, and of course, the dream of any aspiring
author, to be published. Perhaps even made into a movie. ;)
Bria: I love
stories (as if that wasn’t obvious from my blog name). I love telling stories,
I love listening to others tell stories, I love stories. My love of writing is
based on this love –and obsession with –stories. Everyone has a story and
everyone’s is different (even twins’ stories are unique!). This intrigues me
and so I pursue stories. I creep on them and I find them and then I write them.
It’s just so fascinating to me!
Ravena: I have no idea. No, seriously. I think that even
though at times I have to force myself to write, or it feels like I would
rather stick needles in my arms then sit down and make words appear, I love it.
Jane: Everything,
no seriously everything. I find motivation mostly in other books, movies, and
T.V, shows. I find inspiration when I'm at work, or when I'm on the way to
work, or when I'm taking ling trips, and when I'm trying to sleep and my mind
is running a mile a minute.
Elizabeth:
My motivation is what I call my “writer’s waves”. If I get an idea, I have to
write it down.
This was actually only
half of the interviews. The rest will be posted soon. Do you agree with these
brilliant people? Or do you disagree? Any points of dispute? I want to
know.
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