Ask the Author: Melanie Martin
Answered Questions (6)
Melanie Martin
Giving in to your imagination, letting it take over completely. Being able to frame out a whole story, with characters (and backstory) in about 15 minutes after hearing one interesting, unforgettable line.
And hearing from readers just how your words, the stories from your imagination resonated with them.
And hearing from readers just how your words, the stories from your imagination resonated with them.
Melanie Martin
I am a huge Downton Abby fan. The way Julian Fellowes brought the First World War to life on the big screen in season two was so vivid and it just reeled me in. I am incredibly passionate about Newfoundland and Labrador's role in the First World War and we were such a unique case. We are a province of Canada now, but in 1914 when the FWW broke out, we were a small nation—a dominion of the British Empire. The effects of the FWW on our island of barely 250,000 souls is still felt to this day. A generation of young men never returned.
I read journals, and letters, field notes, and military service files and slowly the characters started to take shape as did their story.
I read journals, and letters, field notes, and military service files and slowly the characters started to take shape as did their story.
Melanie Martin
I am in love with the First World War time period and I don't think I'm quite finished with it yet. There were so many strong females with lead roles during the war that we know so little about. I have started to frame out my next novel about a young nurse from Newfoundland who goes to England to train as a doctor and eventually gets caught up in the FWW and goes to the front with the medical units. Can't tell you the rest....yet!
Melanie Martin
There's inspiration everywhere...if you tune in. I've read stuff in the newspaper or heard clips on the radio that have prompted me to want to tell a particular story or at the very least inspired me to use some of that material in a story. There's heartwarming stories, unbelievable stories, funny stories, and tragic stories all around us...all the time.
Melanie Martin
1. Just write. 2. Make no apologies for what you're writing.
I spent a lot of time researching what the best writing process is. I asked authors all the time when do you write? For how long? Where? I somehow thought their experiences would guide how I should write. It wasn't until I was home on maternity leave, desperately trying to finish a draft of the manuscript, that I realized there was no recipe or guide book.
Sure, people will tell you to establish a routine and try to make writing a part of your daily life. That's certainly true in a perfect world, but the reality is everybody works differently.
The only way to finish a book is to sit your butt in a chair, put your hands on a keyboard and write.
I spent a lot of time researching what the best writing process is. I asked authors all the time when do you write? For how long? Where? I somehow thought their experiences would guide how I should write. It wasn't until I was home on maternity leave, desperately trying to finish a draft of the manuscript, that I realized there was no recipe or guide book.
Sure, people will tell you to establish a routine and try to make writing a part of your daily life. That's certainly true in a perfect world, but the reality is everybody works differently.
The only way to finish a book is to sit your butt in a chair, put your hands on a keyboard and write.
Melanie Martin
It depends on what the issue is. If I'm feeling a bit direction-less I'll often "storystorm" it out with a couple of good writing buddies. If I'm really feeling unsure how to proceed then I refer to the Blake Snyder Beat sheet because something is definitely wrong. Running through the list of questions on the beat sheet forces me to answer questions on story set-up and the characters' true purpose. It might take a couple of days or even weeks, but once those questions are answered, I'm usually off and running again.
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