Ask the Author: Stephanie Ayers
Answered Questions (21)
Stephanie Ayers
Who stole my child and replaced him with a look-alike adult?
Stephanie Ayers
You mean I can only choose one?! That's so not fair! I'd go to Wonderland of course. I'd have a tea party with Hatta and the March Hare. I'd find the Jabberwocky, and dine with the White Queen. I'd sit for a spell with Caterpillar and dance with Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Then I'd drink the bottle and be whisked away to Xanth, where everything is exactly as its named and nothing is quite the same.
Stephanie Ayers
Stephen King, John Saul, and a few others gave me a love for horror. Stephen King probably more than others as sometimes I have this one character I call my "Maine man" with the twang and all running loose with his madness in my head. You'll meet him in Season of Change, coming out in October as one of the stories in my collection, The 13: Tales of Illusory. Tolkien and Brooks definitely had an impact, Eddings, L'Engle... fantasy never failed to give me an escape. If I took anything away from those, I would say it's my knack for description and vivid imagination.
Stephanie Ayers
Zombies. Sex before dying. Damsels in distress. Zombies. Did I mention zombies?
Stephanie Ayers
I think I get a certain delight out of creating scenes that put a twist in the story, make the reader take an unexpected turn, or scare them a little.
Stephanie Ayers
While I am mostly a home body, I have discovered that the fresh air, particularly from the mountains, really clears my head and makes an order from all those voices in my head. The quieter it is, the more I can write.
Stephanie Ayers
I don't think so, at least not intentionally. I'm quite sure the realities of my life and the creativeness of my dreams has an impact, though. Sometimes I can see a little of myself in a character here and there.
Stephanie Ayers
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee. I know that's probably not what you're expecting since they aren't really a couple, but they are my absolute favorite literary duo. Sometimes love is more about friendship than romance and the love these two shared for each other as friends-to the end of the earth and back-is an incredible testimony to the power of unconditional love. Their devotion to each other is as deep and rich as any romantic couple. It's right on par with how I view the whole meaning of accepting for who you are and forgiving no matter what.
Stephanie Ayers
I remember the first draft I ever finished. My excitement probably drove my betas crazy! I had a great bunch of friends to help me along the way, though. In hindsight, here's what I would offer to a new writer...
1. Set your draft aside for at least a week.
2. Read it out loud to yourself, and fix typos, sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar as you go.
3. Once you've gone through your whole draft a second time, set it aside again. Take this time to search for readers (preferably ones who read your genre), develop a checklist of what you want your betas to look for, and find an "alpha" to go through your draft with you.
4. Fix what your alpha finds. Revise where needed. Let your alpha look it over again, fix, revise, repeat.
5. Once your alpha is happy, send it to your beta readers. Offer them a deadline so you don't wait forever to hear back from them.
6. Look over your beta readers' comments with an open mind. Don't take it too seriously. You asked for their input. Review your story and decide which comments you agree with. You don't have to fix everything, but keep in mind if more than one person mentions something, it's probably in your best interest to follow it.
7. Begin your search for open submissions. Follow the guidelines exactly.
8. Remember, the more you submit, the better your odds of getting published. Everyone starts out with rejection notices, it's a part of the process.
1. Set your draft aside for at least a week.
2. Read it out loud to yourself, and fix typos, sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar as you go.
3. Once you've gone through your whole draft a second time, set it aside again. Take this time to search for readers (preferably ones who read your genre), develop a checklist of what you want your betas to look for, and find an "alpha" to go through your draft with you.
4. Fix what your alpha finds. Revise where needed. Let your alpha look it over again, fix, revise, repeat.
5. Once your alpha is happy, send it to your beta readers. Offer them a deadline so you don't wait forever to hear back from them.
6. Look over your beta readers' comments with an open mind. Don't take it too seriously. You asked for their input. Review your story and decide which comments you agree with. You don't have to fix everything, but keep in mind if more than one person mentions something, it's probably in your best interest to follow it.
7. Begin your search for open submissions. Follow the guidelines exactly.
8. Remember, the more you submit, the better your odds of getting published. Everyone starts out with rejection notices, it's a part of the process.
Stephanie Ayers
I am proud to be called "a purple" writer. Every reader always comments on my ability to set the scene and take them into the story. I know a lot of people don't like description, but I've worked hard to improve my style so it is less purple and more satisfying. I want to leave something to your imagination, and that's what I set out to do in every scene I write. If I can't imagine it in my own mind, I need to rewrite it.
Stephanie Ayers
I am definitely having the most fun working on my fantasy, The Elven Games. I have so much fun that I am loathe to end it.
Stephanie Ayers
I honestly don't write much poetry. It's probably my ability to set the scene and take my readers into the moment that makes my poetry influential to my prose, or vice versa. Personally, I think it's that aspect of my writing that makes my poetry come to life.
Stephanie Ayers
Time challenges me the most. There aren't enough hours in the day, especially when I'm on a roll and the words are flowing. I need to devise a schedule with everything going on lately, but I'm too lazy to do it. I'd rather just write, write, write.
Stephanie Ayers
I tend to write by the seat of my pants. The characters fill my head with their voices. I close my eyes and write what I see in my head. When I hit a "roadblock," I move on to something else or go back and review what's already been written. I don't pressure myself to write more, because I've found that the writing lacks substance when I do. I prefer to write it right the first time and minimize the editing I have to do (or at least that's what I tell myself!). My imagination is always at work.
Stephanie Ayers
I am currently working focusing on editing and finalizing several short stories to put together in a collection for publication. All of these stories fall under the theme of soul collecting. I'm really excited about it.
I've also been writing an epic fantasy for the better part of two years. When Edgar decides to take a detour from his travels to champion a dwarf against her Elven neighbors, he has no idea that he will earn a following that will stand with him against the Dragon Queen threatening his kingdom. I'm having a lot of fun writing this one, as it keeps throwing one surprise after another at me!
I've also been writing an epic fantasy for the better part of two years. When Edgar decides to take a detour from his travels to champion a dwarf against her Elven neighbors, he has no idea that he will earn a following that will stand with him against the Dragon Queen threatening his kingdom. I'm having a lot of fun writing this one, as it keeps throwing one surprise after another at me!
Stephanie Ayers
I'm usually always in the mood to write. It's my own guilty pleasure so to speak. I find it quite addicting--the god-like power to create new worlds and control the characters and circumstances within them. Inspiration will often come when I'm driving (how did that shoe get in the middle of the road?), or in the shower when my mind is clear. I don't really think I have a "process" that gets me inspired. It just happens.
Stephanie Ayers
I don't believe in writer's block. I believe there are times when life makes writing extra difficult, and when I find the words won't come, I turn to reading (which, if its a well written story, inspires me), search the web for some kind of prompt to jump start my muse, open my Word and do a "brain dump" (you'd be surprised what a brain dump can inspire), or I turn my creativity to other outlets like graphic design. If I feel really stuck, I'll set that project aside and open another-whether it be another unfinished story, rereading stories already finished, or working on one of those book projects I have.
Stephanie Ayers
For me, the best thing about writing is the escape to other worlds that occurs when I write. It's like reading for me. I'm totally in that moment, in the scene, seeing it play out in my head as I write it.
The second best thing about being a writer is seeing your words and worlds being read and experienced by others. There's a special joy every time you see that your story has been accepted for publication, especially when it's due to readers choice. That makes all the stress and aggravation, tears and sweat worth it.
The second best thing about being a writer is seeing your words and worlds being read and experienced by others. There's a special joy every time you see that your story has been accepted for publication, especially when it's due to readers choice. That makes all the stress and aggravation, tears and sweat worth it.
Stephanie Ayers
First of all, there is no such thing as an "aspiring writer." You can aspire to be published, but to be a writer, all you have to do is write. To be a good writer, you have to write consistently. The more you write, the better your writing gets. You may think your writing is horrible, but if you never put it out there, you never know the truth. Submit to everywhere, even those free online magazines (like ShortnScary for example, who is releasing their first eBook of select stories put up on their site over the past five years.) that publish everything that fits their requirements. Join in writing prompts.(One of the writing prompts I participated in released a book containing 50 of the best responses to one prompt!). Join writing circles, and find yourself a compatible writing partner. Not only will they inspire you, brainstorm with you, but they will edit, critique and more.
The best writing advice I can give is to Just Write. Write as often as you can, as much as you can, and share it everywhere you can.
The best writing advice I can give is to Just Write. Write as often as you can, as much as you can, and share it everywhere you can.
Stephanie Ayers
Til Death started as a Christmas serial on the blog. It just popped into my head, like many of my stories do, I believe, and went on a bit longer than I expected it to. For my current book in progress, the idea came from a Master Class writing prompt and grew from there. Many of my ideas come from prompts which I find all over the web.
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