Anna & Noelle - READER AND WRITER INTERVIEW!!!

Hi guys!!

It’s Noelle, your head blogger!  Most of you probably saw the post I wrote two weeks ago with Jay Blank (hi Jay!)  If not, here’s a nice little link for you guys.  Y’all like links, right?  Anyway, today I am doing a post with the lovely Anna Leah!  Wanna say hi, Anna?

Hello Interwebbers!!! So ya thought I forgot to post on Thursday did ya?! Well, actually, I did… But this makes up for it, right?

Right.

So today, we’re going to do a 2-way interview between a reader and and a writer (I suppose I’m the writer?) Anna, how about you start us off and ask me your first question?

Okay! So, when I read a book, it doesn’t take much effort for the words to turn into a sort of movie in my mind! How do you make sure you’ve gotten it just right, even though you’re used to the words on the page?

Often times, I’ll go read something else, or just take a break and watch a show (probably Agents of SHIELD.  Or yes, my guilty pleasure, Gortimer Gibbon’s Adventures on Normal Street)  When I come back to my writing, I actually try to picture what I’m writing as a television show.  What would the screen be showing?  If it’s a low zoom-in on, say, a weary character’s feet hitting the floor as they get up in the morning, then I might say something like:

She woke up slowly, her legs swinging over the edge of the bed and hesitating before actually supporting her weight.

But, say instead of that, the ‘camera’ focused on their face?

A yawn escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered open, only to stare glassily at the ceiling.

Both show the weariness and unwillingness to get up and start the day, but each sentence focused on completely different things.  So basically, I think of each chapter like an episode of a show, and then figure out ‘what would make the biggest impact if I was watching this?’

Woah, I never thought of it that way! I shall have to steal that idea from you….well, I guess that’s the point of this post! Alright, now you ask me a question. GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT.

Hm.  How long does it take you, as a reader, to put a book down?  Like, say you’re prowling through Barnes and Noble and a nice title or a shiny cover catches your attention?  The back cover looks pretty interesting, so you pick it up and start reading.  How long do you read before you say ‘nah’ and put the book down?”

Well, that depends on how interesting the book is. If I start reading, but it takes too long to get going, or I’m just not at all interested in the subject, I put it away and start searching for something new. But if I find a book that really piques my interest? I will read until it’s time for me to leave, heheh… Comparing to movies again, it would be like starting an episode of your favorite tv show, but when it starts to cultivate into the main plot, you just turn it off. I DO NOT KNOW ANYONE WHO DOES THAT. Unless, of course, there’s a legit reason….

Thanks!  Writers all know that the first few pages are crucial, but I’m a bit of an odd reader who will read up to five chapters before deciding for or against that book.  But when that five chapter grace period is over....JUDGEMENT DAY.  Anyway, Anna, it’s your turn to ask a question!

How long does it typically take you to develop your characters? Like, do you just kinda wing it, or are these your children that you have raised from the sweet bliss of your creativity and mega research?

Allllrighty, let me tell you the story of Jess.  You all know Jess, she’s the main character of the Messy Marvel series.  Believe it or not, she was originally based off me.  For those of you who know me from right when I moved into a new area, Jess is showing all the signs of...you guessed it.  Brand new military brat.  Anyway, once I’ve based a character off myself, I allow their emotions to reflect my own and their backstory to do whatever it wants.  So yes, I’d say I kinda wing it, but by the time I’m done, I’m so emotionally attached that it physically hurts to harm them (sorry Jess about book 2)

Ahhh, that’s good to hear. YAY FOR LESS WORK! Your turn!

This is a question specifically for Anna and Anna-like people: favorite character type? (please include example lol)

Ooh, I like this question! I have to say, my favorite type of characters are definitely the happy and joyful ones! Sure, angsty or serious characters are super interesting, but you kinda become the characters you read for a little while after reading about said characters. I would rather walk away from a book feeling happy and light-hearted, than sad and depressed. A couple of my favorite happy characters are Merry and Pippin from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They weren’t super sappy or (completely) foolish, they just looked on the bright side of things, even through the darkest moments of their journey, and were quite insightful at times.

Now, my final question for you! How do you create a ton of different characters that aren’t all just the same person? How do you come up with so many personalities without being all of those personalities?

Well, often times, my characters are different representations of myself.   They might not be one emotion (this isn’t Inside Out, y’all.  One emotion = one dimensional characters) but they usually are different aspects of myself.  I also often take bits of my life and work it into my story.  For example, an indifferent parent my mother introduces me to might have some influence on Ms. Amara (she’s in book three.  *evil grin*)

Thanks! You’ve given some great advice and insight to us aspiring readers, and I hope I have as well!

Let us know in the comments if we answered some questions that you may have had, and if you think we should do more collaboration posts!

Anything else you wanted to say, Noelle?

Not much!  Just to have a great day, don’t forget to check out my next post on Saturday, and see you next week!!

Bye guys!