Ask the Author: Jo Danilo
Answered Questions (7)
Jo Danilo
It's winter where I am! I have 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro lined up next, and am really looking forward to it. Just finishing Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, and it's a feast of wonderful writing. Savouring every word ❤️
Jo Danilo
Ha ha - music again! A great song by I Am Giant, called 'Electric Throne' gave me the idea of a line of kings controlled by the crown that's passed down the line. 'Are you still wearing the crown? Or does the crown wear you?'
Jo Danilo
Music is a big thing for me. I pin certain albums to certain books - often just because some of the lyrics seemed pertinent - or the arrangement gives me the right feelings. I also have some playlists on Spotify. It's a bit like Pavlov's dog - the music sends me straight back into the mood of the book, even if I've had a few weeks off writing.
The Curtain Twitcher's Handbook playlist has a lot of Paramore in it.
Blackwood is all Elbow and Coldplay 'Parachutes'.
The Curtain Twitcher's Handbook playlist has a lot of Paramore in it.
Blackwood is all Elbow and Coldplay 'Parachutes'.
Jo Danilo
I have three books coming out in 2017. The last one needs a bit of work still. After that, I have three or four more books in the pipeline that are a few thousand words in. It depends which one captures my interest most when I'm ready!
Jo Danilo
I'm not sure who said it, but I've found it to be so true - your first book will be terrible. It's the training book - the wobbly one with stabilisers. Learn heaps from it, then move on to the next one, which will be so much better. Maybe you can come back and rework your first one into something decent at a later stage.
Many 'debut' novels are not the first novel the writer has ever written, though they might not like to admit it!
Many 'debut' novels are not the first novel the writer has ever written, though they might not like to admit it!
Jo Danilo
Being able to tell yourself the story you want to hear, and then finding out that other people enjoy it too.
Jo Danilo
Not very well! When it strikes, writer's block really throws you for six because you just can't seem to think of a way forward. Keep calm, take some time out, and don't panic.
My life is really busy and it's hard to get time to myself, but when I do, I get out my notepad and brainstorm to try and break the block. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Music helps too, but it has to be loud and through headphones - huge noise!
My life is really busy and it's hard to get time to myself, but when I do, I get out my notepad and brainstorm to try and break the block. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Music helps too, but it has to be loud and through headphones - huge noise!
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