For this week's Writer Interview, we have with us Sarah Scheele, from Texas!
Thanks so much for answering the call, Sarah! We're so
glad to have you here this time, and we hope to get you back for a reader
interview sometime later.
Sarah S: You’re welcome, Elizabeth!
It’s my pleasure to be here.
E: So, let's get started. Tell us a little about yourself and
what you've written.
S: Well, I grew up
homeschooled, surrounded by great books, so I fell in love with literature
early. When I was tiny, I would listen as my mom read poetry aloud, and I
started writing as soon as I could use a pen. Three years ago, I published a
collection of sci-fi/fantasy novellas, Facets
of Fantasy. One of those stories,
“Millhaven Castle,” has grown into a full novel—with the potential for
sequels—and I’m hoping to expand on the others as well.
E. What's your favorite genre/genres, and what do you
think really draws you to that/them the most?
S: My favorites are sci-fi/fantasy and comedy, no doubt about it. With
speculative fiction, I can set up imaginary societies that explore how people
interact in our real one. Putting the story in an invented culture like our own
enables people to look at our world objectively from the outside. And comedy
adds an additional layer of insight about the absurd or faulty within
situations.
E: What's your most favorite writing related advice?
S: Strive to write what mirrors life. The difference between a great book and
just another novel is that it becomes more than a story. It starts to mean something to people. It leaves the
printed page and touches something that readers are dealing with in their real
lives. You make that happen by putting in extra effort to observe the world
around you.
E: What is your favorite type of character to
write? Why do you think that especially appeals to you?
S: Funny characters! It’s harder to be funny, for one thing—a real challenge
for the writing mind. Comedy provides a moral purpose as well. If selfishness,
arrogance, and poor reasoning are shown as ridiculous, people will be less
likely to do these things. And I simply love making people laugh.
E: Where do you like to get your characters? Do you like
to draw off of people you know, other books, or just pull them put of the blue?
S: All three, really. Sometimes I stumble across a stock character (for
example, a rich old geezer who thinks he is still attractive) and I think, “Ah,
that could be really good in my story!” I also analyze real people quite a bit.
But once I’ve assembled a few characters and started writing, new people pop in
and these are often my best. :D
E: Some writers talk about their characters getting out
of control and things happening that they didn't intend to happen; have you
ever had this happen?
S: All the time. A notable example is a character named George Longdogo. He
began as a minor comic guest at a ball, but eventually grew into a foreign
royal with a role in the plot! You know your characters are getting good when
they stop doing what you want. After all, it’s easy to tell a paper doll what
to do. It’s much harder to tell your sister or your co-worker. :P
E: How do you write, is it 'start with page one, scene
one' and go through it in order; or just "whatever scene pops into your
head"
(and that might mean that you have the entire middle of your book written
before you even start on the beginning)?
S: Generally I start writing from the beginning. Then I stop without finishing
it because a new, unrelated scene has popped into my head. After awhile, I
return to my first story and realize it could neatly join with the new ideas
I’ve been working on. So I’d say I write stories in chunks of about 1/3 at a
time and gradually sew them together.
E: How do you plan your stories' "bones", or do
you?
S: I listen to music. Images like movie
trailers flash through my mind. I’ll watch this “trailer” over and over as I
listen to the song, even if I don’t quite know how this story will be written.
Trailers have to pinpoint the pivotal moments, so they help me form abstract
images of what’s central to the work.
E: Have you tried any plotting, outlining, methods; and
what works best to your way of thinking?
S: When drafting, I often write by talking rather than by forming an outline. I
present a scene to my sisters and as they interact the scene grows and grows.
Once I’m very far along in the story, I organize it a bit and calculate how
long it will be and how much more I need to write. That’s the only time when
outlining comes in.
E: What is your worst writing trouble?
S: Perfectionism. From my early teens on, I wanted to be the best. I read the
classics and compared myself to them, constantly trying to improve. I didn’t
want to be a complacent, mediocre author. But I was aiming way too high. Even
the greats started small and their early work wasn’t that good. I’m trying to
let go and accept that there’s no work without faults. That’s an impossible
standard.
E: Good point! It's so hard to hit the balance point of "good enough". But everybody has to start somewhere!
What is your worst writing fault? How do you identify
and rectify its effects?
S: Character growth is hard for me. I’m much more an observer than a reformer,
so I’m not really into sending my characters on life-changing experiences. I’ve
noticed longer works quickly get stale when characters seem to learn nothing
after many pages, so I try to make sure my people aren’t so elemental that they
can’t develop.
E: Hey! It's been great having you here! We've so enjoyed learning more
about another writer's mental workings! Thanks for participating.
S: I’ve enjoyed it so much. Thanks for having me. :)
And folks, Sarah can be kept up with and contacted at these links:
Her blog,
Stardust and Gravel
...on Facebook
Sarah Scheele
...and on
Twitter!
But sometimes Research wants to run away on me.
