Ask the Author: S.P. Sipal
Answered Questions (4)
S.P. Sipal
Southern Fried Wiccan came to me in a dream about a young girl exploring Wicca and coming into conflict with her Southern Baptist Grandma. It was this concept of whether a Wiccan and a Baptist could find a common ground that intrigued me the most.
One of my primary author themes is religious tolerance, and I wondered if it would be possible to find such a thing between these two, apparently opposing, belief systems. The characters and plot came together as I started exploring the concept. I hope it works!
One of my primary author themes is religious tolerance, and I wondered if it would be possible to find such a thing between these two, apparently opposing, belief systems. The characters and plot came together as I started exploring the concept. I hope it works!
S.P. Sipal
I like to pace! I know that may sound a bit weird, but pacing (as in pacing back and forth, not pacing the plot of my novel) really helps me focus in on my story and get me to the point where I can sit down and write.
Lots of writers love to walk. For me, however, if I take a real walk, I'm always noticing what's around me. I can't easily weed out distractions. But with pacing, as it's the same thing over and over, back and forth, I eventually get all the clutter out of my mind so that I can focus on my current plot problem or characterization issue.
Lots of writers love to walk. For me, however, if I take a real walk, I'm always noticing what's around me. I can't easily weed out distractions. But with pacing, as it's the same thing over and over, back and forth, I eventually get all the clutter out of my mind so that I can focus on my current plot problem or characterization issue.
S.P. Sipal
Many stories. I always have too many books going on at one time. The one I'm hoping to share with readers the soonest is a YA contemporary fantasy involving the Jinn based on a Turkish understanding of these tricky beings. It involves an all-Jinn symphonic rock band, a houseboat-living half-Jinn girl, and the fantastic fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. I've had so much fun writing it!
S.P. Sipal
Give up writing if you can. It's a long and difficult road that doesn't pay much. If you can't give up, if it's simply too much a part of you, then do it right. Do the work. Read the craft books, attend the workshops, join a writers group, give and get critiques, read inside and outside the genre you write, write something new, and constantly improve your craft. Because, for most of us, writing for publication is not going to happen easily.
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