Ask the Author: Sophia Madison
Answered Questions (6)
Sophia Madison
Blue Ruin was inspired by another story I'd read. After reading, I knew I wanted to dabble in magic, witches, wizards and other mythical creatures. I later had a dream that helped develop my main character, Maura Leroux.
Sophia Madison
The world inspires me. And when it doesn't, I listen to a lot of music or beta-read another novel of the same genre to expand my horizons.
Sophia Madison
I'm currently working on a dark fantasy series called, The Phoenix Series. Book One, Blue Ruin, is currently available on Amazon Kindle. With the first book out in the world, I've turned my focus on editing Book Two, New Dawn, which I hope to release sometime next year.
Sophia Madison
Write. Write. Write. Write. And when you're done writing, write some more.
One of my biggest mistakes was being a closet writer for so long. I'd written for nearly a decade before I let anyone read my work. Unfortunately, my writing suffered from this. I was never exposed to the criticism that would help me grow, help me refine my skills and develop new ones.
And, everyone sucks in the beginning. Your first piece will have that new writer's smell. Having horrible writing is a rite of passage. You grow out of it, and then you're pleasantly surprised at how far you've come when you look back.
One of my biggest mistakes was being a closet writer for so long. I'd written for nearly a decade before I let anyone read my work. Unfortunately, my writing suffered from this. I was never exposed to the criticism that would help me grow, help me refine my skills and develop new ones.
And, everyone sucks in the beginning. Your first piece will have that new writer's smell. Having horrible writing is a rite of passage. You grow out of it, and then you're pleasantly surprised at how far you've come when you look back.
Sophia Madison
Freedom. I have the freedom to create whatever I want, however I want it.
Sophia Madison
Writer's block --- in my experience --- has been one of the most crippling occurrences when writing. It is worse than dealing with flawed characters, plot holes, and an array of other obstacles an author might face. With writer's block, you. Know. Nothing. It's like staring at a blank sheet of paper and trying to read it. Actually, that's exactly what it is.
However, I've learned a few things. The most important thing I've learned is that there is a cause of writer's block. Usually, an author might experience writer's block when something in the story isn't working. That particular scene doesn't fit. The plot has taken an unforeseen turn that has now derailed the entire story. A character isn't acting as they should. Once the problem is discovered and resolved, I've been able to continue writing. To get to this point, I'll listen to music, edit previous chapters, and write out my goals/plans for the rest of the story as a way to find my way back onto the path.
However, I've learned a few things. The most important thing I've learned is that there is a cause of writer's block. Usually, an author might experience writer's block when something in the story isn't working. That particular scene doesn't fit. The plot has taken an unforeseen turn that has now derailed the entire story. A character isn't acting as they should. Once the problem is discovered and resolved, I've been able to continue writing. To get to this point, I'll listen to music, edit previous chapters, and write out my goals/plans for the rest of the story as a way to find my way back onto the path.
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