What do you think is the hardest thing about writing a book?
Finishing it. Really, starting a book is easy. The ideas are new and fresh, and you’re excited. But, 50 or 100 or 200 pages in, you’re wondering why you ever thought this would be a good idea. And you might get this shiny new idea that seems so much better then the story you’re working on now. And you think that if you started this idea, writing the story would be easier. But it’s not. I know, because those shiny new ideas are what kept me from finishing a book for a long, long time. If you really want to write and get published, you have to make yourself finish. Because there will always be new ideas, but new ideas don’t get you published. A completed novel does.
Finishing it. Really, starting a book is easy. The ideas are new and fresh, and you’re excited. But, 50 or 100 or 200 pages in, you’re wondering why you ever thought this would be a good idea. And you might get this shiny new idea that seems so much better then the story you’re working on now. And you think that if you started this idea, writing the story would be easier. But it’s not. I know, because those shiny new ideas are what kept me from finishing a book for a long, long time. If you really want to write and get published, you have to make yourself finish. Because there will always be new ideas, but new ideas don’t get you published. A completed novel does.
What do you do when you get writer’s block?
If I’m truly stuck, usually I’ll skip the troublesome part and just continue writing past it, then go back and fill in the holes on the editing stage. My rough drafts typically end up with a lot of holes.
If you can be any book character who would you be, and why?
Arwen from Lord of the Rings. She’s immortal, she kicks butt, and she gets Aragorn at the end. Win.How did it feel like when you found out you were going to be published?
Well, it’s not a great feeling, of course. But I’ve gotten to the point where they don’t bother me anymore. Not everyone will like the same book, and everyone has their own opinions. Dwelling on a bad review doesn’t help me or anyone. So I don’t give them a second thought.
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To learn more about Julie and her books visit Julie at her website.
Love the book cover, love the title, and especially love the series title. I hear ya on negative reviews. They're never fun, but realizing that art, in order to work, has to be subjective makes it much easier to accept that not everyone needs to love what we've written.
ReplyDelete@KM- yeah, the cover is amazing! And I agree that even though negative reviews hurt that everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. :)
ReplyDeleteYay! My daughter loved this book. Hey, because of a negative review - I picked up my first Harry Potter book and never looked back. Besides, every reader's taste is so unique that you can only write a good story. Thanks for dropping by and interviewing Julie!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Sounds really cool!
ReplyDeleteAw, great interview! Way to keep going and encouraging others to do the same.
ReplyDeleteEzmirelda - as a side note :P. I saw you commented on my interview. Since you're a subscriber, that'd be 6 entries into my contest. Were you interested in entering? It's super easy - get a full manuscript edit and a $25 gift card if you win. Click on the gift card on the top righthand of my blog.
Just saying, you should do it! :)
OK, this is so odd... I was just at Safeway (a grocery store, of all places!), walked past their tiny little book section, spotted 'Iron Daughter', and bought it because it looked really good.
ReplyDeleteI've been ridiculously out of touch with my blog, and I haven't had a spare moment to read anything in ages. Which sucks. When I haven't read enough, I get so desperate I'll read the backs of the shampoo bottles while I'm showering. At this point, I probably have the ingredients memorized...
Anyway, finding that book at the store made me realize how badly I needed to read again, and how badly I needed to check up on my blog friends. So what do I find when I go home and pull up my blog? Ezmirelda, interviewing Julie Kagawa, talking about the great book I just bought! I'm convinced it's fate :-)
And now I'm even more excited to read this book!