Ask the Author: Fran Hawthorne
Answered Questions (11)
Fran Hawthorne
Thank you so much, Ariane. I love reading because books make me think, so I guess I want to do something with those thoughts!
Fran Hawthorne
(Sorry, I just now saw your comment) No worries -- as long as you didn't lose your review! Thanks for reaching out.
Fran Hawthorne
Actually, I'm writing that novel right now. Ask me in 2 years?
Fran Hawthorne
Next summer? This is only February; I'll be reading at least a dozen books before summer. However, I already know a few titles that will certainly be on my summer list: My friend Leigh Stein's second novel, "Self Care," will be out in June. I'm looking forward to reviewing Rachel Beanland's debut, "Florence Adler Swims Forever," because of its theme of Jewish life just before the Holocaust, which ties in with the second-generation Holocaust theme of my debut novel, "The Heirs." And I'll probably still be reading Robert Caro's "The Power Broker" for my New-York Historical Society book club.
Fran Hawthorne
The best inspiration is to imagine holding a published copy of my next novel in my hand.
Honestly, other than that, if I waited for inspiration, I'd find every excuse to do the laundry instead. What really inspires me is to get started. Once I'm at the keyboard -- even if I've forced myself to be there, even if I feel like have no words in my brain -- once I sit down and start picking apart something I previously wrote, then the inspiration takes over.
Honestly, other than that, if I waited for inspiration, I'd find every excuse to do the laundry instead. What really inspires me is to get started. Once I'm at the keyboard -- even if I've forced myself to be there, even if I feel like have no words in my brain -- once I sit down and start picking apart something I previously wrote, then the inspiration takes over.
Fran Hawthorne
I'd want to travel into a historical novel and do what we are always warned not to do in science-fiction: Alter history. For instance, I could pop into Kate Atkinson's "Life after Life" and make sure that Ursula Todd actually manages to assassinate Hitler. Then I'd slip into the first half of Jonathan Coe's "Middle England" to nag Sophie, Benjamin, Doug, and the other leftist characters to get off their arses (well, I might as well talk British) and get everyone they know to vote No on Brexit.
Fran Hawthorne
Here's an answer that most of you are not going to want to read: After 12 total rewrites (yes, 12), I've put aside what I thought was going to be Novel #2 and started a brand-new novel that my agent and I are both very excited about. Maybe the 13th draft of erstwhile Novel #2 will someday be #3 (or 4 or 10....) But the good news is that the new Novel #2 incorporates parts of what I'd thought was going to be #3.... Are you confused yet? Check back after a few more drafts!
Fran Hawthorne
I fear that the old cliche is still the best advice, whether you've been published or not: Write SOMETHING every day, even if it's just a carefully thought-out, one-paragraph email. (Believe me, that can test some rusty skills.) Try different styles and genres. Word-doodle ideas for stories and characters. And yes, if you're serious, definitely enroll in writing classes -- I've learned so much from them - but make sure they include guidance and exercises from a published writer in your genre, not just feedback from fellow students. (Yes, writing this paragraph counts, but I certainly plan to write more today. It's only 7 am.)
Fran Hawthorne
The seed for my debut novel "The Heirs" came from a boy in my son's first-grade class. Um, and my son is now 23 .... Well, I guess I needed to write 8 nonfiction books first. Anyway, that boy's parents were Polish Catholics, which prompted me to think about my own father, a Jew born in Poland, whose family luckily got out before Hitler invaded. And that led to the sadly perennial question: How do we treat our neighbors who are "different"?
Fran Hawthorne
Write something, anything, even if you know it's horrible; just write something, leave it be, and move on to the next chapter. (Or you might delete the first horrible something, but then make sure to write something else that you leave on the page.) Eventually, in another draft, you'll figure out how to fix or replace it. I think the worst approach is to use writer's block as an excuse to do the laundry.
Fran Hawthorne
The middle set of revisions! The first draft is horrible, because you're staring at a blank screen. And what you think is the final draft (which it never is) is horrible, because it has to be perfect. I love the endless revisions in the middle where you keep finding ways to make the ms. better.
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Sep 20, 2025 04:58AM · flag