Ask the Author: Clare Flynn
Answered Questions (5)
Clare Flynn
Hi Adriana - sorry for the delay in replying - only just spotted this.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'decisive encounter' - so I will take that to be meeting someone who had a major influence on my life or my writing.
I don't think any one individual was the prime influencer for me - rather several people - teachers, my Mum, all the numerous authors who inspired me especially as a child.
I've also been lucky enough to have travelled widely and met so many different people from different walks of life and all of these provide rich source material in my writing! I still have an enormous bank of stuff to draw upon as a stimulus to my writing! - although all the events are made up! I also avoid writing from direct experience - I don't want to be autobiographical and half the fun and joy of writing is vicariously living the lives of imaginary people.
I hope this answers your question.
best wishes and happy reading
I'm not sure what you mean by 'decisive encounter' - so I will take that to be meeting someone who had a major influence on my life or my writing.
I don't think any one individual was the prime influencer for me - rather several people - teachers, my Mum, all the numerous authors who inspired me especially as a child.
I've also been lucky enough to have travelled widely and met so many different people from different walks of life and all of these provide rich source material in my writing! I still have an enormous bank of stuff to draw upon as a stimulus to my writing! - although all the events are made up! I also avoid writing from direct experience - I don't want to be autobiographical and half the fun and joy of writing is vicariously living the lives of imaginary people.
I hope this answers your question.
best wishes and happy reading
Clare Flynn
Hi there Ginatrice - I apologise as I have only just spotted this! Goodreads notify you about all sorts of stuff but not always the stuff that matters! I would delighted for you to read and review my book. drop me an email at clare@clareflynn.co.uk and we can sort it out
best wishes
Clare
best wishes
Clare
Clare Flynn
For A Greater World the idea of a confident and independent woman being effectively gambled away by her father came into my head. At first I thought it was ludicrous - and then began to wonder what circumstances would force such a woman to travel across the world and marry a man she doesn't know. As I ruminated, the story began to take shape and Elizabeth's character took over. I threw all sorts of problems at her to see how she'd respond and left it to her.
I started writing the book after my first ever trip to Australia and chose the Blue Mountains as a setting - that in itself was a source of inspiration. I'm very strongly influenced by location. My second book, Kurinji Flowers, coming soon, started after a sleepless night in a hotel room in India.
I started writing the book after my first ever trip to Australia and chose the Blue Mountains as a setting - that in itself was a source of inspiration. I'm very strongly influenced by location. My second book, Kurinji Flowers, coming soon, started after a sleepless night in a hotel room in India.
Clare Flynn
Writing. (It's also the worst thing!)
Clare Flynn
The only way is to just write. Write even when you don't know what you want to say. Even when you think what you're writing is rubbish - there's always time to sort that later. Once I get started it usually flows. There's also Ernest Hemingway's advice (although I confess I've never tried it) - to stop in the middle of a sentence. Same principle really - it just gets you started and then it will flow.
In extreme cases (and when I want a complete lack of interruptions) I go to a writers' retreat. It's remarkable what not having to answer the phone, cook meals, shop etc does for the power of concentration - and the fresh country air and change of scene can often provide the inspiration.
In extreme cases (and when I want a complete lack of interruptions) I go to a writers' retreat. It's remarkable what not having to answer the phone, cook meals, shop etc does for the power of concentration - and the fresh country air and change of scene can often provide the inspiration.
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