Ask the Author: Sharon Bailey
Answered Questions (5)
Sharon Bailey
I'm currently working on a post-apocalyptic book, which is exciting to me because my first three books are all very different from each other, and now my fourth will be another genre I'm exploring for the first time. What my books do have in common is that they are about believable, multifaceted characters. The protagonists are flawed people who sometimes make terrible decisions, and the antagonists have qualities that make the reader sympathize with them on some level. I don't want to take the easy way out and write about an angelic good guy and an evil bad guy. I love to write about ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
Sharon Bailey
Finish something! Almost anyone can start a project. What most people don't do is finish it! You realize just how much energy and time goes into a finished novel when you're about halfway through, and many people lose interest. But wow, what a feeling of accomplishment to see it through.
Sharon Bailey
I have always needed a creative outlet, and writing is a fantastic way to get that, but the best thing about being a writer is the reader! Writing is the drug, and feedback from readers is the high! Whether it be ratings and reviews, sales, or messages, just knowing that people are reading and loving the books I pour my heart into fuels my spirit.
Sharon Bailey
There are always times when you can't type fast enough to get all of your ideas on the page and times when you keep picking up your phone to check Facebook because the ideas aren't flowing. I find that when I'm blocked it helps to start mapping out the story. Usually, I know where I'm going, but I don't know how to get there from where I'm stuck. So jotting down ideas helps me to get there. Another thing that helps is simply stepping away for a day or two. Coming back with fresh eyes can be the beginning of a new flow of ideas. Sometimes I skip ahead to a later portion of the story and then once that is established, come back and connect the dots.
Sharon Bailey
It just came to me as a very basic idea and evolved as I wrote. It’s amazing how that happens. I don’t fully know the characters myself, until the story begins to unfold.
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