Ask the Author: Donna Compositor
Answered Questions (7)
Donna Compositor
This is a hard one because I tend to avoid most romance in books. It's just not usually my thing. Although if I happen to be reading something and a romance comes along that isn't central to the plot I can usually get on board with it if it isn't awful.
That being said I think Alina and Mal from Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy are probably one of my favorite couples. While there's certainly a thrill to something like insta-love, or some kind of whirlwind, swept-off-the-feet relationship, I find more validity in those that have been simmering for years. Alina and Mal were friends forever before it developed into something more. I just find that incredibly realistic and it tugged at my heart a little.
That being said I think Alina and Mal from Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy are probably one of my favorite couples. While there's certainly a thrill to something like insta-love, or some kind of whirlwind, swept-off-the-feet relationship, I find more validity in those that have been simmering for years. Alina and Mal were friends forever before it developed into something more. I just find that incredibly realistic and it tugged at my heart a little.
Donna Compositor
About ten years ago I was searching my brain files for a horror story topic I wanted to write (because I was still desperately trying to write horror) and this little movie image of a man dragging his daughter by the hair out onto a hill popped into my head. I let it play out a little more and come to find out the daughter cried diamonds and in order to save the kingdom she needed to be handed over to the ruler so he could harvest her tears. And it blew up from there. Ten years, multiple iterations, a trunk, and more editing than I can even comprehend now later and I have what's being published next year.
Donna Compositor
A lot of times I actually force myself to write. I don't do the muse thing and am only writing when the "muse" is feeling it. I allocate time every day to write, whether I want to or not. I have multiple projects going on simultaneously, so that helps keeps things fresh. But I'm only usually really gung-ho to write when I'm working with a Shiny New Idea. Once that honeymoon phase is done, it's work and I'm working my way through it.
Donna Compositor
Right now I'm finalizing the eBook versions of CURSE OF STARS and it's far more tedious than I thought it was going to be. Because it's me + technology there were bound to be a few hitches.
Once that's done it's on to editing book 2 in the Diamond Crier series. The first draft's already written; now it's time to majorly edit.
On top of that I have two stories currently ongoing over on Wattpad (@dcompbooks): BEFORE I'M DEAD, which is a vampire apocalypse story where faith is the only real weapon humans have against the vampires; and INSIDIOUS, some DIVERGENT fanfiction because I can't get Jai Courtney's Eric out of my head. He's been in there for a year now. Time to come out. Also because I don't currently have three additional unfinished fics hanging out there that I needed to start another one. Glutton for punishment, I am.
Once that's done it's on to editing book 2 in the Diamond Crier series. The first draft's already written; now it's time to majorly edit.
On top of that I have two stories currently ongoing over on Wattpad (@dcompbooks): BEFORE I'M DEAD, which is a vampire apocalypse story where faith is the only real weapon humans have against the vampires; and INSIDIOUS, some DIVERGENT fanfiction because I can't get Jai Courtney's Eric out of my head. He's been in there for a year now. Time to come out. Also because I don't currently have three additional unfinished fics hanging out there that I needed to start another one. Glutton for punishment, I am.
Donna Compositor
Write. A lot. And read. A lot. Learn by emulating what you love and avoiding what you don't like. You don't need a degree in writing to get good at it, but know what and who you're learning from. Not all advice is good advice.
Learn to recognize constructive criticism from dickheads. Granted, even the dickheads can have something valuable to add, but it's usually so mired in nastiness it's not worth digging through. And even to the constructive criticism, learn to recognize when someone's trying to help you improve your story for the sake of the story and when they're trying to improve your story for the sake of themselves. A good critique partner will help to improve the story based on what it needs to improve. Others may try to help improve your story in a way they feel it should be, which probably isn't the way it needs to be. Differentiating between the two is key.
And never give up. Ever. In this great world where you can make your own dreams possible if you can't get someone else to get you there, there's no reason to quit.
Learn to recognize constructive criticism from dickheads. Granted, even the dickheads can have something valuable to add, but it's usually so mired in nastiness it's not worth digging through. And even to the constructive criticism, learn to recognize when someone's trying to help you improve your story for the sake of the story and when they're trying to improve your story for the sake of themselves. A good critique partner will help to improve the story based on what it needs to improve. Others may try to help improve your story in a way they feel it should be, which probably isn't the way it needs to be. Differentiating between the two is key.
And never give up. Ever. In this great world where you can make your own dreams possible if you can't get someone else to get you there, there's no reason to quit.
Donna Compositor
I can live within my own head. I have all of these ideas and fantasies floating around and when I put them on paper they come alive. I literally make my dreams come true every single day. No matter how weird or creepy or fantastical, I put them on paper and they become all the more real. It's a really liberating feeling. And the more I get out of my head, the more come in and fill in that recently vacated space. I love it.
Donna Compositor
I don't believe in writer's block so I don't deal with it!
That's not to say life doesn't happen or you don't get stuck in a scene or write yourself into a corner. I've had all of those happen to me, but I don't consider them writer's block.
I just got married last week. Do you think I wrote anything for the previous couple of weeks? Not a chance. Not because I couldn't; there just wasn't time enough in my day to do it.
For those writing SNAFUs, if I'm stuck on something I either take a break and write something completely different in order to purge my brain or push myself through the scene to get the words on the page. They could be total crap words, but I get it out, get past it, see where the story's going and where that moment needs to be, and come back to it.
I've never not been able to write something. Anything. I've never been without ideas. I've never been blocked.
That's not to say life doesn't happen or you don't get stuck in a scene or write yourself into a corner. I've had all of those happen to me, but I don't consider them writer's block.
I just got married last week. Do you think I wrote anything for the previous couple of weeks? Not a chance. Not because I couldn't; there just wasn't time enough in my day to do it.
For those writing SNAFUs, if I'm stuck on something I either take a break and write something completely different in order to purge my brain or push myself through the scene to get the words on the page. They could be total crap words, but I get it out, get past it, see where the story's going and where that moment needs to be, and come back to it.
I've never not been able to write something. Anything. I've never been without ideas. I've never been blocked.
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