The Writer: 20 Questions | Book Tag

December 19, 2020 Kirsty Hanson

I do love a good book tag, and when I found this tag on InkBlots and IceBergs, I knew that I had to do it because it’s just something different! It’s not very often that I talk about my writing. I did one writing update and that was it. Hmmmm… maybe I should do more then?

Let’s get on with the tag!

What type of writing do you do?

I mainly like writing new adult contemporary and fantasy, whether that be high fantasy, YA fantasy, or somewhere in between.

What genres and/or topics do you write about?

One of the things that I love talking about when writing is family dynamics. Sometimes, I don’t think that there are enough families conveyed in YA or NA literature, and I think it’s important for teenagers, and people in their 20s to read about. Life is tough as it is when you’re young, and I think it’s important to show positive family relationships in books – or complicated relationships that are made better by communication.

How long have you been writing?

Mmmmm… I’d say off and on since I was about ten. There were a few years when I was sixteen where I didn’t write anything, but then I started my last year of college and I started writing again.

Are you published?

No! Although does having a short story published when you were like… twelve count?

What was the first story you ever wrote?

I have no idea. Probably some weird thing about dragons or something. The first one that I can properly remember is one that I wrote when I was about 10/11, and it was about ghosts.

Why do you write?

Sometimes, I use it as a sort of therapy thing, as I like writing about a character going through my own problems such a cathartic experience. I also just love coming up with new worlds, new problems for characters to solve. Even if a piece of work is complete and utter shite, at least I’m still writing?

How do you find time to write?

I kinda HAD to when I was doing my MA course, as it was an MA in creative writing. Before and after that, it’s just kind of been when I want to. Shortly after I had finished my MA, I didn’t really feel like writing, as my teacher who I had on my course sometimes sucked the fun out of it.

When and where are the best times to write?

I like writing in an evening in bed, because that’s when I have time to reflect on the day, and what’s happened during the day sometimes serves as inspiration for a story. Nothing beats writing on a rainy day at night.

Favourite food/drinks while writing?

I don’t really write when I’m eating/drinking as I don’t trust myself to spill them over my laptop. And if I’m in the zone when writing, I don’t have time to eat!

Your writing playlist?

I tend to listen to either chill RnB music, or I listen to the ASMR playlists where it’s crackling fire, rain and thunderstorms.

What do family/friends/loved ones think of your writing?

I have no idea. I didn’t let my family read the creative writing work that I did for my degree, and I didn’t let them read any that I did for my masters! This is the tiniest extract from the fantasy piece that I’m writing, so I guess you can see for yourself, I guess?

Parts of writing you enjoy the most?

I love building different scenes up. For example, when a character is walking down a street, and they’re noticing the world around them. I also love writing character interactions!

Parts of writing you find challenging?

Sometimes I find coming up with the initial idea quite challenging, other times I find word choice quite difficult. I’ve constantly got a tab open on my laptop that has synonyms.

What do you write with and on?

I write on my laptop. Always.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

I leave it. I just leave the piece of writing that I’m working on, and either work on something else, or just leave writing altogether and come back to it later.

How do you motivate yourself to write?

I try and say to myself ‘right, let’s try and write 1000 words this week.’ If I go over that, then brilliant. If I don’t reach 1000 words, then I lower the limit. The next week, I’ll say ‘let’s try 750 words instead.’

Authors who inspire you as a writer?

Mmmmmmm… I don’t really get inspired from other authors work. But there are things like the love of books in Throne of Glass, or the world in Strange the Dreamer that I adore, and sometimes that may or may not bleed into my own work.

Books that inspire you as a writer?

I guess I’ve kind of already answered that?

Best advice you’ve gotten as a writer?

Just keep writing. Keep reading. That’s all you can do.

Writing goals this year

I definitely want to finish both of the projects that I’m working on. One is a NA contemporary, and the other one is a fantasy. So, two completely different projects, but I love working on both of them.