Ask the Author: Mary Relindes Ellis
Answered Questions (6)
Mary Relindes Ellis
It came out of my second novel, The Bohemian Flats. I consider the BF as a foundational novel in that all of those people have lives that progress in my fiction.
Mary Relindes Ellis
I'm honestly not sure. It is a mystery I tend not to analyze. I was fortunate to grow up in a pre computer, pre technology world and so stories and history fascinated me. I loved listening to people tell stories. And I became aware that many stories by women or people of color didn't get told. That is an inspiration to me - to attempt to shed light on those hidden lives.
Mary Relindes Ellis
I don't generally give advice on writing. There is no one "right" way to become a writer. Writers should come from all walks of life, from different backgrounds, with different educations (formal and informal). For instance, you don't need an MFA to become a writer - you may not need a bachelor's degree although I would say that it would help. How you tell a story is unique to you. One word of advice: if you have a group of friends reading your work, make sure that they are reading your work with your best interests in mind as you would their work. You might feel envious about their ability to write as they might feel about your ability to write but it does not serve you as a writer to make unnecessary criticism or take out your feelings of the day on that piece of work. Again, your ability to write and tell stories is unique to you. The other writer reading your work has the same uniqueness. Lastly, read every day, try to write everyday.
Mary Relindes Ellis
I'm not sure how to answer that. I haven't had a bestseller so I can't say money! What I do find wonderful is that when I do research for a novel, even a contemporary one, it adds to my informal education. For instance, I learned so much about World War I in researching for The Bohemian Flats. I learned alot about the Vietnam War because of my first novel. I love when writing is going along well and it feels as though I am in the world of the novel so completely I don't care if I haven't showered, or look like hell. I'm in the moment and that's a wonderful place to be.
Mary Relindes Ellis
I'm currently working on my third novel which is an outgrowth of The Bohemian Flats. I don't talk much about a novel while I'm writing it but for those readers who wanted more of the characters in the Flats, they will get it in the next book. It takes place in 1920s prohibition Chicago.
Mary Relindes Ellis
I think consistently writing helps me avoid writer's block. Another writer and friend of mine who has a background in literature and psychiatry said that writer's block is mainly fear. As in, will I fail? Does this sound stupid? Am I biting off too big a chunk. Fear can be a great motivator but it can paralyze a writer as well. Hemingway gave the best advice when he said something to the effect of ending a session of writing on an upward note. What he means is never leaving a writing session with a difficult passage or part of the novel, or short story where you dread coming back and tackling it again.
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