Ask the Author: Fran Clark
Answered Questions (7)
Fran Clark
Hi Yolanda, thanks for reaching out. Unlike Amy, I can't stay in one place and do the same thing. I have a desk, the place I mostly write, but as I do other things from there, like music lessons, emails etc it doesn't always feel conducive to writing. I might write in the kitchen or in bed. On rare occasions I'll go to a coffee shop. I do listen to music once in a while - at editing stage, never writing stage, (usually to drown out noise that bothers me) but it has to be music that I can't 'listen' to. As a musician, music might take me to places in my head that are not good for writing! The longest I can sit for is an hour and a half and then I need a break. Self discipline for me comes from how much I believe in and enjoy the story. You probably get that feeling when characters won't stop talking to you so you're compelled to write their story - they won't leave you alone until you do. Hope that makes sense :) Fran
Fran Clark
I get story, plot and character ideas on a regular basis. Sometimes a sentence or paragraph or even a few pages of words come to mind and I get everything down into a notebook.
If the idea keeps coming to mind I'll go back to my notebook and see if I can develop the initial idea into something that will be of interest to other people to read.
I've dropped two novel ideas and lots and lots of short story ideas when I thought I just couldn't create a piece that worked, for whatever reason. I have never regretted going with an idea. It's all writing experience in the end and hopefully that will make a better and more creative writer. But it's usually easy to know fairly early on if a story is going to work or not.
If the idea keeps coming to mind I'll go back to my notebook and see if I can develop the initial idea into something that will be of interest to other people to read.
I've dropped two novel ideas and lots and lots of short story ideas when I thought I just couldn't create a piece that worked, for whatever reason. I have never regretted going with an idea. It's all writing experience in the end and hopefully that will make a better and more creative writer. But it's usually easy to know fairly early on if a story is going to work or not.
Fran Clark
From stories my mother told me about the Caribbean and her journey to London in the late 1950s and lots of imagination.
Fran Clark
I'm currently working on my second novel called When Skies Are Grey. I'm going into the second draft now. In the meantime I'm discovering self-publishing and looking into self-publishing a collection of short stories that are a follow up to my first novel, Holding Paradise.
Fran Clark
Write the story you want to read. Have a good editor and get as much feedback on your work as possible. Don't hold back - say it!
Fran Clark
I love being able to see a tiny thought or idea grow into something bigger.
Fran Clark
This usually happens when I'm not sure which way a scene or plot line, etc should go. I'll struggle to envisage a scene playing out in my head and question whether this is the best one or not and it stops me writing. To overcome it I tend to just write something, anything! because you can change it as many times as you want. Eventually the write scene, word, sentence, character twist - whatever it is I struggled with - will come and I'll know in the end if it is right or wrong. Then I can just keep going.
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