Ask the Author: Sarah Smith
Answered Questions (9)
Sarah Smith
When I got my book deal with my publisher! That was such a special moment. It felt like someone other than me was recognizing my writing and wanted to put it out into the world :)
Sarah Smith
I used to live in Omaha. I moved away a few years ago and missed it a lot, so when I wrote Faker, I included a bunch of places I missed to quell my homesickness. And Nuts & Bolts is definitely based on a real place, but it doesn't exist anymore
Sarah Smith
Oh my gosh, great question (and so sorry it took me so long to answer this--I meant to answer this sooner, but then I got sidetracked!) Would you believe I didn't have one? Haha, I can't really concentrate writing to music. But I do remember feeling really discouraged about halfway through writing it, so I listened to "The Greatest" by Sia to pump myself up. LOL so sorry for this awful answer!
Sarah Smith
Honestly? The way it makes me feel. Writing makes me feel happy and whole. It always has.
Sarah Smith
I take a break. I do something totally different from writing to get my head into a different place (work out, go for a hike, meet up with friends, watch a movie, binge-watch something on Netflix). Anything to change the environment around me and get my head out of a rut. And then after a couple of days, I dive back in.
The important thing is to not let it destroy you. Every single writer in the world hits roadblocks. They get over them, and so will you.
The important thing is to not let it destroy you. Every single writer in the world hits roadblocks. They get over them, and so will you.
Sarah Smith
Read a lot (especially in the genre you want to break into) and write a lot. Join a writing community (in person or online) so you can bounce ideas off of others and get feedback on your writing. Writing is such a solitary, isolating activity. It's so easy to get lost in your own head. Interacting with others not only helps you write better, but is also good for your mentality.
And don't be afraid of critique or feedback. Yes, it sucks when someone points out weaknesses in your writing or story, but it also helps you become a better writer. Just let that negative feeling that initially hits when you read critical feedback wash over you, take a breath, and figure out how you'll address the problem. And if someone is just being mean, not helpful in their critique, ignore them. They're just a sh*tty person, and that's their problem, not yours.
And don't be afraid of critique or feedback. Yes, it sucks when someone points out weaknesses in your writing or story, but it also helps you become a better writer. Just let that negative feeling that initially hits when you read critical feedback wash over you, take a breath, and figure out how you'll address the problem. And if someone is just being mean, not helpful in their critique, ignore them. They're just a sh*tty person, and that's their problem, not yours.
Sarah Smith
It's a secret! Kind of...honestly, not really. I'm working on another romcom/romance, but it's in the very early stages and I don't want to jinx anything by talking too much about it
Sarah Smith
The most random stuff inspires me. Songs, dreams, conversations between strangers that I happen to I overhear, workout videos, the Winter Olympics (that one was weird...still working on it as we speak haha).
Sarah Smith
The idea for "Faker" came to me after reading loads of incredible hate-to-love, slowburn romance/romcom books and after working in the power tool industry for several years. I finally decided one day to see if I could write a romance book after years of trying and giving up. And I finally did it!
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