Aug122016

7 Questions For Gail’s Inner Writer

Gentle reader, today’s post is adapted from this one by Cathy Yardley. It’s a good thing for you writers out there to give this to yourself.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve written my whole life. My first book was traditionally published in 2009 and I’ve been a full time author with the written word as my only income since late 2011.

What genre would you say you write?

Commercial genre fiction is what I say at cocktail parties. If someone looks interested and presses further I say SF/F for adults and young adults and historical romance. If they press further I say steampunk, but then I usually have to explain what steampunk is.

Have you taken classes or received instruction for creative writing?

No. I hated them in grade school, although I was always a good student and prolific writer, but they wanted me to be too literary. Thus I never took creative writing past high school. I went to panels and lectures on the business side of writing at conventions, but only work-shopped my stuff with a core critique group of close friends.

What are some of your favorite writing reference books?

Does Strunk & White count? But these days I tend to just poke about online. Grammar Girl is awesome.

What do you think is the biggest problem you need help with in your writing?

I always worry about pace. My spelling is bonkers. I scatter commas like I’m a Roman covering Carthage with salt. Generally, my editors have to tell me what to add in rather than what to take out, so I guess, description?

What are your writing goals for the next 12 months?

These days I am shooting to write one novel and two-three novellas/short stories every year.

What are your ultimate goals for your writing career?

This is a great question that I’ve been asking myself a lot recently. I don’t quite know what the answer is right now, but I’m pretty happy with where I am, and where I’m going.

{Gail’s monthly read along for August 2016 was Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce.}

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Posted by Gail Carriger

3 Responses

  1. Heidi Reise said:

    Having also been raised by an expat Brit this just cracks me up! Hail Brittiania and pass the the tea! It wasn’t until I was in college and taking a class’s in cross-cultural relations that I suddenly realized that a wee bit British could also be considered a wee bit “ethnic” ! Funnily enough, it was sitting next to, and talking too, a gal who’s family was American, from Porto Rico, that made me finally understood that the great American ‘melting pot’ extended to Brits! The light bulb came on! All those non-American ‘U’s’ made sence! Coulor was a big one! Shopping Centre! Cafe—- spoken as “calf”. I’m pushing 50 now and & I have half my girlfriends saying SCHEdule! It frequently brings joy to my my day! And my mother likes to smile demurly and say “Heidi, the language is called ENGLiSH, not Amirican!” 🙂

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