Ask the Author: Andrea Murray
Answered Questions (9)
Andrea Murray
If I could go anywhere, I'd go to Winterfell. Hello, Jon Snow? Yes, please!
Andrea Murray
I'm so boring that I'm pretty sure there are no mysteries in my life. It's a mystery how my kids can't seem to get both socks to the laundry basket! A "for real" mystery? My family history is a bit mysterious. I recently did one of those DNA things you can order that will tell you your ancestry, and either the DNA people have it wrong, or my entire family history has been a lie. My mother has told me (and everyone else) that her grandmother was Native American, but . . . it's not showing up, which leads me to wonder what the real story is and why did she (my great-grandmother) lie.
Thanks for the question!
Thanks for the question!
Andrea Murray
Oh my! That is a hard question. I'm the world's worst about book crushes. With almost every romance I read, I fall for the hero WHILE falling for the whole process of falling! But I guess I would have to say Heathcliff and Catherine. Talk about star-crossed! The dichotomy of love and hate, need and want . . . Those Romantics knew how to write 'em!
Andrea Murray
My motto is "It's not a block. It's a detour." Every time I get stuck, it forces me to rethink the plot, find a way to go around the obstacle.
Andrea Murray
Lots of things inspire me, but something that really gets me going is a great sci-fi movie! Since that's my favorite genre, I really enjoy superhero, mutant, vampire/werewolf (The list is endless!) movies. Whenever I see a really good one, I can't wait to write.
My classes inspire me, too. Teenagers say some smart things--shocking, I know!:) I have had some of my best ideas from classroom discussions.
My classes inspire me, too. Teenagers say some smart things--shocking, I know!:) I have had some of my best ideas from classroom discussions.
Andrea Murray
The fans are the best thing about being a writer. I love hearing from people. It makes all the work worth it!
Andrea Murray
Don’t write that first sentence! Just kidding although sometimes I feel that way. Once you begin, it’s like an addiction but a good one.
1. Make time.
It’s so hard to find the time to write sometimes. You have to create a schedule of sorts, a set time every day or a certain number of days per week to sit down and devote yourself to your writing. I have two young children and a full-time teaching job. Finding time is often a struggle, but I really try to maintain my writing/reading time, and that is harder than it seems. Sometimes, I look around and see toys that need to be picked up, clothes in the hamper awaiting the wash, or a coffee cup that needs to be put in the dishwasher, but I have to put on my blinders and focus on storytelling. You also have to be willing to sacrifice for it. What do I sacrifice? Sleep! My writing time is between 4:30 AM and 6:00 AM.
2. Know your characters.
You MUST know everything possible about your characters. You should be able to drop your character into any situation and know exactly how your character will react. Talk to them, but don’t let anyone hear you doing that or they will begin giving you strange looks. Listen to their responses. See them. Know what they look like even if you never introduce that into your story. If you know your characters well enough, you will be able to create the best conflict. I try to put my character into the situation I know he/she doesn’t want to be in. That’s when I get my story.
3. READ!
Good writers are good readers. If you aren’t reading, how can you expect to write? Yes, it’s time consuming to spend time reading and reviewing other works, but you can’t write if you don’t experience other writers’ styles. Reading expands your own writing and helps you know what’s out there in the world of novels. You don’t want to fill a notch that’s already filled, but you won’t know if it’s your notch without reading.
4. Know your audience.
I know teenagers. I may not be the best writer in the world, but I know, without a doubt, what kids like and don’t like. I have long since lost count of the number of students I have had over my seventeen years in education, but one thing I’ve learned is that teens don’t really change. Styles change, language changes, but kids are overall the same. They might have trouble explaining what they loved about a book, but they most definitely know what they hated about it. From that, I deduced things they like. Reluctant readers won’t read a long novel. It might be the best book EVER, but if it looks like you could smash a small rodent with it, they won’t touch it. Kids like short chapters. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and a clear goal. Most kids like a little grit. They want a character with at least a touch of bad. It isn’t realistic to think kids don’t hear cursing and talk about mature subjects. If they go to public school, trust me; they hear it. Does that mean the book should be overflowing with sex and profanity? No, that is likely to turn them away. It’s a balance—one I’m constantly striving to achieve.
5. Not having an agent is not the end of your dream.
When I began, I really worked hard to get an agent. I queried, revised, queried again, revised, cried, and repeated this cycle for a year. Yes, I would love to have an agent. That would be phenomenal, but I had to keep pursuing my dream even though I didn’t have one. I was spending so much time on querying that I’d lost my reason for needing an agent in the first place. I’d stopped writing and hated even thinking about it. After that year, I kind of decided to cool it with the agent stuff. I still send an occasional query letter out, but it’s not my goal. According to Wendy Keller from the Keller Agency, agencies “reject 99.5 of everything they see.” Rejection is almost as unpleasant as harsh reviews. Even if an agent requests to see additional material, you aren’t guaranteed anything nor is having an agent a guarantee of being published.Timing is crucial, and you may fall into the slush pile simply because of inopportune timing. They may love the concept of your novel, but they just signed someone with a similar story. Your book may be completely amazing and never see a traditional publishing house. Don’t let an agent stand between you are your dream. Put your work out there despite not having an agent. Life is too short to wait for the stars to align and for your query to end up on exactly the right screen at exactly the right time.
6. Criticism shouldn’t put you in the fetal position.
Ever read a novel you hated? Ever give feedback? I admit it; I have given some harsh reviews. (You can read them on my Goodreads Author Blog or Chick Lit Plus.) Receiving harsh feedback is beyond hard! You can’t please everyone. Chocolate chip cookies are amazing, but you can’t get the whole world to eat one. Not everyone will like your novel. It’s okay as long as the bad doesn’t outweigh the good, and sometimes you can learn something from your feedback. Read it. Digest it for what it’s worth. Try to pull out something useful. MOVE ON! Don’t dwell too long. It will make you hate this thing you love.
7. Poor format=frustrated readers
Take the time to look into the correct format for typing a novel. There are several ways to do this. E-Publishing sites, like Kindle and Nook, have formatting guides for their specific devices, and this can become quite confusing; however, a general format for Word is more or less the accepted format. Double-space. Use a “normal” font consistently. Learn to use style headings and bookmarks. These things are a must if you want to look professional. No serious reader, much less and agent, will give you any notice with your super-special, totes fab, I-can’t-follow-simple-directions format.
1. Make time.
It’s so hard to find the time to write sometimes. You have to create a schedule of sorts, a set time every day or a certain number of days per week to sit down and devote yourself to your writing. I have two young children and a full-time teaching job. Finding time is often a struggle, but I really try to maintain my writing/reading time, and that is harder than it seems. Sometimes, I look around and see toys that need to be picked up, clothes in the hamper awaiting the wash, or a coffee cup that needs to be put in the dishwasher, but I have to put on my blinders and focus on storytelling. You also have to be willing to sacrifice for it. What do I sacrifice? Sleep! My writing time is between 4:30 AM and 6:00 AM.
2. Know your characters.
You MUST know everything possible about your characters. You should be able to drop your character into any situation and know exactly how your character will react. Talk to them, but don’t let anyone hear you doing that or they will begin giving you strange looks. Listen to their responses. See them. Know what they look like even if you never introduce that into your story. If you know your characters well enough, you will be able to create the best conflict. I try to put my character into the situation I know he/she doesn’t want to be in. That’s when I get my story.
3. READ!
Good writers are good readers. If you aren’t reading, how can you expect to write? Yes, it’s time consuming to spend time reading and reviewing other works, but you can’t write if you don’t experience other writers’ styles. Reading expands your own writing and helps you know what’s out there in the world of novels. You don’t want to fill a notch that’s already filled, but you won’t know if it’s your notch without reading.
4. Know your audience.
I know teenagers. I may not be the best writer in the world, but I know, without a doubt, what kids like and don’t like. I have long since lost count of the number of students I have had over my seventeen years in education, but one thing I’ve learned is that teens don’t really change. Styles change, language changes, but kids are overall the same. They might have trouble explaining what they loved about a book, but they most definitely know what they hated about it. From that, I deduced things they like. Reluctant readers won’t read a long novel. It might be the best book EVER, but if it looks like you could smash a small rodent with it, they won’t touch it. Kids like short chapters. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and a clear goal. Most kids like a little grit. They want a character with at least a touch of bad. It isn’t realistic to think kids don’t hear cursing and talk about mature subjects. If they go to public school, trust me; they hear it. Does that mean the book should be overflowing with sex and profanity? No, that is likely to turn them away. It’s a balance—one I’m constantly striving to achieve.
5. Not having an agent is not the end of your dream.
When I began, I really worked hard to get an agent. I queried, revised, queried again, revised, cried, and repeated this cycle for a year. Yes, I would love to have an agent. That would be phenomenal, but I had to keep pursuing my dream even though I didn’t have one. I was spending so much time on querying that I’d lost my reason for needing an agent in the first place. I’d stopped writing and hated even thinking about it. After that year, I kind of decided to cool it with the agent stuff. I still send an occasional query letter out, but it’s not my goal. According to Wendy Keller from the Keller Agency, agencies “reject 99.5 of everything they see.” Rejection is almost as unpleasant as harsh reviews. Even if an agent requests to see additional material, you aren’t guaranteed anything nor is having an agent a guarantee of being published.Timing is crucial, and you may fall into the slush pile simply because of inopportune timing. They may love the concept of your novel, but they just signed someone with a similar story. Your book may be completely amazing and never see a traditional publishing house. Don’t let an agent stand between you are your dream. Put your work out there despite not having an agent. Life is too short to wait for the stars to align and for your query to end up on exactly the right screen at exactly the right time.
6. Criticism shouldn’t put you in the fetal position.
Ever read a novel you hated? Ever give feedback? I admit it; I have given some harsh reviews. (You can read them on my Goodreads Author Blog or Chick Lit Plus.) Receiving harsh feedback is beyond hard! You can’t please everyone. Chocolate chip cookies are amazing, but you can’t get the whole world to eat one. Not everyone will like your novel. It’s okay as long as the bad doesn’t outweigh the good, and sometimes you can learn something from your feedback. Read it. Digest it for what it’s worth. Try to pull out something useful. MOVE ON! Don’t dwell too long. It will make you hate this thing you love.
7. Poor format=frustrated readers
Take the time to look into the correct format for typing a novel. There are several ways to do this. E-Publishing sites, like Kindle and Nook, have formatting guides for their specific devices, and this can become quite confusing; however, a general format for Word is more or less the accepted format. Double-space. Use a “normal” font consistently. Learn to use style headings and bookmarks. These things are a must if you want to look professional. No serious reader, much less and agent, will give you any notice with your super-special, totes fab, I-can’t-follow-simple-directions format.
Andrea Murray
I am working on the sequel to Omni, Contra. It will explore the behind-the-scenes action of the Trojan War.
Andrea Murray
I’ve been a teacher for seventeen years, and many years ago, I taught seventh grade language arts. As part of that curriculum, we completed a large unit on Greek and Roman mythology. I was fortunate enough to have my nephew in one of those classes. He developed an appreciation for all those great old stories, and every time a new mythology movie comes out , he calls me for confirmation that the story is accurate or to tell me whether it’s worth watching. He inspired the use of the story.
The society, Omni, came from my classroom. Each week, we study Greek and Latin root words. One of those a couple of years ago was “omni,” which means “all.” While discussing the word, the idea of a society completely controlled by the government came to me. I created the society, in part, from our own society, where entertainers like sports heroes and film stars make unfathomable amounts of money while many families can’t even pay their utilities.
The society, Omni, came from my classroom. Each week, we study Greek and Latin root words. One of those a couple of years ago was “omni,” which means “all.” While discussing the word, the idea of a society completely controlled by the government came to me. I created the society, in part, from our own society, where entertainers like sports heroes and film stars make unfathomable amounts of money while many families can’t even pay their utilities.
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