Ask the Author: Gill Arbuthnott
Answered Questions (3)
Gill Arbuthnott
Apart from the obvious dream-come-true thing of seeing your name on an actual book in an actual bookshop, it's definitely meeting or otherwise communicating with readers. It's wonderful, of course, to hear that someone loved your book, but it's also fantastically useful, although scary, to find out what they didn't like about it. That's what helps you become a better writer next time round.
Gill Arbuthnott
My most recent novel - Beneath - is set in 16th century Scotland. I wanted to use Scottish folklore in the plot, and found the legends of the Waterhorse or Kelpie attracted me most. I hadn't realised until I started researching it that it's a very widespread Northern European myth. In Scandinavia, the Kelpies are called the Nykur, and I loved that name. My main character, Jess, was already in my head,waiting for a story, and I thought this one would suit her. She's a very down-to-earth, practical, farmer's daughter, and I wanted to make her have to reconsider everything she thinks she knows about her world. When she discovers that the Nykur exist, that's exactly what happens.
Gill Arbuthnott
I'm lucky in that it's not a frequent problem, but what I usually do is just make myself keep writing, even if I think I'm producing complete trash. You acan always rewrite the trash - the hard bit is getting something down on paper first. And here's the other thing I do: because I write long hand on paper, if I get really stuck I go back a couple of pages and start copying it out and by the time I get to the sticking point, I've often built up enough momentum to get through it. This is also why I try to avoid stopping a writing session at a natural stop point, like the end of a chapter or even a scene - it's much easier to pick up from halfway through something than feel you are effectively starting again.
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