Ask the Author: Stephanie Churchill
Answered Questions (6)
Stephanie Churchill
Read. Read. Read. And then read some more. And don't just read in your genre. Read widely. Read scholarly books, read classics, and read book candy. Plant the soil of your fertile imagination with a solid groundwork from those who do it well. Then write, and keep writing. Once you've written your masterpiece, edit, then edit again. And if you think it's perfect, edit it once more. Most people don't realize that the hard work of writing comes in the rewriting.
Stephanie Churchill
One word: dragons.
Stephanie Churchill
I don't know if I like the phrase "get inspired" as it makes the process seem forced. I don't know many writers who have to force the inspiration. For me, life is inspiration. People-watching is a big source, but even something as simple as looking at generic things around the house, taking a long drive and watching the world pass by. When one is curious about the world, sources of inspiration are endless.
Stephanie Churchill
Some of the best advice I've ever come across regarding this is just to write anyway. Even when you don't feel like it, put words on paper. Even if it's gibberish. Just keep your pen (or keyboard) moving. Sometimes this seems pointless, and when it gets really frustrating, exercise generally does the trick for me. I've found that I often have to take pen and notebook with me when I'm on my elliptical machine, because that's sometimes where my best ideas happen.
Stephanie Churchill
I love being inside my head. I love the independence. The idea of working, day after day, in an office setting where other people impose their schedules, deadlines and mundane work requirements makes me shudder. The idea of living life without creating something is terrifying. So why would I do anything else?
Stephanie Churchill
I kind of fell into it, actually, I had just finished a rough draft for a different book but wasn't fully satisfied with it, though I couldn't put my finger on the reason. For various reasons I thought it would be fun to experiment with writing something using a first-person narrative. A short little scene of a girl running through a market being chased by a city guard after having stolen an apple was playing in my head like a movie, so I just started recording it on paper. This is what eventually turned into The Scribe's Daughter.
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