Ask the Author: Hannah Rae
Answered Questions (5)
Hannah Rae
I did, yes... but I only just now noticed it... six years after the fact. 😳
Hannah Rae
Right now I am taking a break from grading things for my freshmen. What I *should* be doing is grading more things for my sophomores.
Writing-wise, I am working on a novel that will follow The Way Back, but I am sort of waiting for NaNoWriMo to pick up the pace on it because my students and I are having a NaNoWriMo club this November!
Writing-wise, I am working on a novel that will follow The Way Back, but I am sort of waiting for NaNoWriMo to pick up the pace on it because my students and I are having a NaNoWriMo club this November!
Hannah Rae
1. Don't just talk about how you're going to write a book some day: WRITE it. There's a very big difference between saying that you're going to do something and actually doing it.
2. Don't start writing the next great novel until you know how it's going to end. Books and road trips generally have one thing in common: a destination.
3. Before you start: know your characters, know your setting, know the plot. Don't worry about a title; that can come later.
2. Don't start writing the next great novel until you know how it's going to end. Books and road trips generally have one thing in common: a destination.
3. Before you start: know your characters, know your setting, know the plot. Don't worry about a title; that can come later.
Hannah Rae
This is a good question! I've found that if I'm not quite ready to write a book, then I shouldn't push myself to write that book. Instead, I distract myself by doing other things: planning an event, producing a new piece of artwork, experimenting with recipes in the kitchen... In other words, I continue to be creative, but not via writing.
Writing is a definite process. For me, that process tends to start with the characters. The stuff that I write is very character-driven. That means that if I'm not familiar with the characters--if they haven't introduced themselves to me and shared their stories--then I don't have much to say. Once I know who they are, though? Well, that's when things start to fall into place.
Writing is a definite process. For me, that process tends to start with the characters. The stuff that I write is very character-driven. That means that if I'm not familiar with the characters--if they haven't introduced themselves to me and shared their stories--then I don't have much to say. Once I know who they are, though? Well, that's when things start to fall into place.
Hannah Rae
Rather different than both JUST WHISTLE and LIKE A FLIP TURN, I am currently writing an adventure. It's not an Ian Fleming sort of adventure--there are no guns or disguises or private jets--but the plot does involve an awful lot of racing against the clock!
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