Ask the Author: Aletta Stevens
Answered Questions (8)
Aletta Stevens
There is an 'N.N.' in my family tree, i.e. a male ancestor whose name is unknown. I'd love to find out who that was. Now there's a plot for a book: the search for that person could bring revelations that are potentially life-changing in that it might affect how the protagonist thinks about his/her identity.
Aletta Stevens
Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester. I admire the way they do not allow their difference in age and social class to stand between them. Their passion conquers all, even Rochester's disfigurement after the fire. Surely, that is true love?!
Aletta Stevens
No, this is a true story. It is the account of my search to find out what happened to my uncle in WW2 and a factual account of Holland under Nazi Occupation. However, the second part of the book contains a reconstruction (see preview) which reads like fiction, because it is dramatised. Nevertheless it is based entirely on ear- and eyewitness accounts, personal testimonies, a police report, and unpublished sources, such as a local war diary, a memoir and letters. Therefore it is not a biography or memoir in the conventional sense, but something in between. The process of writing inevitably entails a certain degree of reimagining. For example, I wrote a paragraph about my grandmother in which I imagine her standing in front of the mirror, getting ready to go out. This was inspired by three things: a photograph of her dressed up; my childhood knowledge of her character and complexion; and a silver pendant necklace watch I inherited from her.
Aletta Stevens
There is something about movement that loosens the brain. When I was stuck on the structure for my book, I had a lightbulb moment on a long walk. Sitting on a train and watching the landscape glide by had a similar effect. Working in a different environment can also help. I used to go to my local library and café, and made sure that I would not be disturbed by emails.
Aletta Stevens
Being able to express yourself in language and to communicate thoughts and feelings to others. I have a background in languages and translation, and love many languages, but English is particularly beautiful and suited to writing.
Aletta Stevens
Once you have started writing, keep going, even if you haven’t got a clear structure yet. Be patient, you will eventually see your way through the woods. Writing is a slow process, quite at odds with the fast-moving world around us, but if you are patient and stick at it, you will get there. Keep going over your writing, asking yourself whether it is clear what you want to say and whether you can say it in a more interesting way. Do not write as you speak, avoid the ordinary and banal, and go for detail. Give yourself plenty of time to find your voice and do not be tempted to copy others.
Aletta Stevens
‘Looking for Uncle Joop: A Long-Lost Story from Nazi-Occupied Holland’ is a story from my family history. It starts with a mystery: why, how, where and when did my mother's only brother – the uncle I never knew – die? I then take the reader on a journey. It is my search to find out what happened, since no one in my family talked about it. As I explore how the Occupation affected the region and period in which my uncle lived, I come ever closer to the truth. The second part of the book is a reconstruction of the murder and its aftermath.
Aletta Stevens
By writing regularly and rereading what I had written, I used to get back into the story. This would take at least an hour, but finding the emotional core again brought back the motivation to write. After a period in which I had given up trying to record this story, an object was found that belonged to my uncle and had a poignant love story attached to it. That was a real spark for my inspiration. Reading or watching personal stories from history in general is also inspiring.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more