Ask the Author: Loren Edizel
Answered Questions (4)
Loren Edizel
I was asked to submit a short story for an anthology called Izmir in Women's Stories (Kadin Oykulerinde Izmir) a few years ago. I wrote "The Conch" for that anthology and it is the first of the nine stories in my upcoming book "Confessions, a Book of Tales". The experience was liberating and exhilarating after having written two novels. Before I could finish the first story I found myself thinking about the next two, so that it felt like I was constantly ahead of myself and rushing forward. I couldn't wait to sit down to write, every day. I had a dream in the midst of this activity, where I stood in what looked like the Aegean Sea on a summer day, limpid water coming up to my waist, and I looked down to see dozens of small fish swimming around me in circles. The dream made me realize there was a collection of stories waiting to be written, and they were all connected at some level. After I wrote nine of them, I kept hoping more would come, but that was the end of it. The whole thing ended as abruptly as it began.
Loren Edizel
Gives a somewhat legitimate excuse for the incessant daydreaming, blank stares and beatific smiles I direct at no one in particular. My quirks may elicit more indulgence, there may be fewer eyes rolling...
The writing itself can be pretty good too.
The writing itself can be pretty good too.
Loren Edizel
Write something everyday and don't let your internal editor interfere with the process. You can decide whether it's good or not, or needs changing or throwing away, later. Stories often take shape as one writes them. Inspired writing happens within the flow of all the writing one does, sometimes in the midst of some not-so-great writing. Don't start editing before you write. This is what I try to remind myself every day. Also, find ways to make writing part of your daily life. An experienced writer once told me: "you'll become a good writer if you have something to say, not if you simply want to say something".
Loren Edizel
I wake up early and sit down to write at the same time every day. Those days when I'm unable to write, I go over what I wrote the day before, or a few days before, sometimes that helps. Other times I just stare at the screen for an hour, unable to type a single word. Sometimes weeks go by in this kind of scenario. I don't think I "deal" with it, really. It's more like a quiet sort of suffering while I show up at the habitual meeting with my PC every morning hoping something will open up and start trickling. Maybe the important thing is that I sit there every morning, no matter what... There are distractions... Emails, facebook, twitter etc... It requires a lot of self-discipline not to give in to all that.
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