Mel asked Alexis Hall:

Hey :) How did you learn to write? Is it all natural talent? Did you take any courses? I find it remarkable how you write every genre and style and just switch from one thing to the other (most other authors don't). I think that is very special and would love to know if that is just something that happened or if it's a conscious choice? And are there styles/genres that are harder/easier for you to write?

Alexis Hall Oh gosh, thank you :) I don't know if this sounds arrogant, incompetent or just plain annoying, but I have no idea. I've never been on a writing course or ever really spoken to writers before (so, err, it's been an illuminating couple of years) ... but I've always been a reader so maybe I just learned whatever it is I've learned by osmosis? Mainly I find my way by a kind of instinct, which I've probably only got away with because I've been fortunate enough to have really strong editing.

Basically I write because I, err, I've discovered I really enjoy it. I mean, not all the time, not all aspects, but it's a fun and intriguing hobby. I write in lots of genres because I'm interested in those genres. And I love playing with different voices - although I guess how successfully is up to the reader :) That's definitely a conscious choice though - greedily wanting to write all the things.

I don't think one genre or style is notably easier than another - they just require different approaches. I tend to plot my genre books out very thoroughly, but my more straight forward romances I'm less rigorous with - I still plan them, it's just I let the emotional arcs flow (can an arc flow?) more organically. Every book has individual moments of difficulty but they're unique to the book in the question.

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