Ask the Author: Jennifer Withers
Answered Questions (5)
Jennifer Withers
I don't believe in writer's block. I believe in bad writing days. It's so important to push through those days though, because writing is like everything else - in order to be any good at it, you need to do it consistently. Don't worry if a certain passage or piece doesn't sound right the first time around. That's what editing is for. Just keep at it and see it through to the end of your first draft. Then you can worry about perfection.
Jennifer Withers
You can live in a world of your own creation. You can craft people who do not exist except within your imagination, and then, as you build them, on the page.
Jennifer Withers
Make time for writing. It can be 20 minutes, or an hour out of your day, but always find time to do it. Try to write every day. It helped me tremendously to set a specific time aside to write, and then to write a minimum of 500 words every day. Consistency is key. Try not to let the bad writing days get you down. You'll have them, but then you'll also have those days where the words flow beautifully and the ideas come without effort. Never give up.
Jennifer Withers
Inspiration is a tricky thing. You can't wait for the muse to strike before you write. Writing is like any other job - you have to do it every day, whether you feel like it or not. That said, I often find inspiration in people watching, and travelling to new places. I feel my most inspired if I write in a place with a view, be it mountains or the ocean.
Jennifer Withers
The idea started when I watched the making of 'The Dark Knight', and how much work they put into the character of Batman's true identity, Bruce Wayne. It got me thinking how, especially in South Africa, race and identity are a contentious issue, and how this defines who we are and how we think. The superhumans in 'The War Between' have superior strength and speed, and abilities like mindreading and telekinesis, but they are still, at their core, human. And yet, in the book, they are treated as other, as a separate species, because of these abilities. I have always found this fascinating - how humans will often reject what is different to them, whether it is because of skin colour, background or anything else they may find threatening.
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