Yes, the August Q&A round-up is technically coming to you in September, but in my defense it was Labor Day Weekend and I also don’t usually know what day it is. So here we are.
Again, I’m going to try to do monthly round-ups of the most asked questions I see across my platforms. If you have a question you’re dying to ask me, keep an eye out for dedicated grid posts or question boxes I post on Instagram!
So let’s get into it!
Can you come to my city on your next book tour?
Thank you for asking! I’d love to visit any and all places my readers reside, but book tour locations are usually out of my purview. They come together in a very complicated manner that my publisher thankfully handles, balancing bookstore requests, what locations I sell well in, AND which locations I haven’t visited in a while. It’s really complex and I’m so grateful to have someone else handle! The same is true of foreign tours abroad - first I have to be invited by the publisher in the foreign market, who arranges the tour using their own formula! The best thing you can do to bring me - and the other authors you love - to your city is to talk to your local bookstores!
Who inspired you to write and become a writer?
I’ve loved storytelling since I was a very young kid, before I could even read. Movies were a huge part of my childhood and I was definitely raised on Disney movies, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones long before I was really reading. But the first fantasy novel I remember being entranced by was ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine. I deeply love that book, and it enamored me to reading fantasy. THE LORD OF THE RINGS by JRR Tolkien was, however, the first book that made me realize not only do I love reading fantasy stories, but I must somehow create fantasy stories too. So I’ve been on this path, or trying to be on it, since I was 11 years old.
Could you share any resources for better understanding story structure?
Full disclosure, I went to film school and got a BFA in screenwriting, so much of my college education focused on creative writing and storytelling. I learned so much of what I know now in workshop style classrooms - but I can also recommend resources like Save The Cat, which details a lot of what I studied. I would also advise aspiring writers READ as much as they can, in all formats and across genres. I think reading screenplays is also extremely helpful to see how to tell stories efficiently and with great structure.
Can you share any tips on writing complex characters?
This is definitely not my strong suit. I gravitate towards world and plot, which means I’m constantly trying to make my characters keep up. One thing I do love is creating flawed individuals, who make mistakes and feel real, even in very unreal situations. It helps ground fantasy to have grounded characters, so I always strive to look through the lens of “would a real person act like this?” It does help me to know as much context and backstory as I can, to really know a character so I know how they would realistically react in a situation.
How do you decide the name of a series?
So far, both my series have been named sort of after-the-fact. It really just depends on what fits. If an author goes into a series with a very specific name in mind, I don’t see a publisher ignoring that. But for RED QUEEN and REALM BREAKER, it was just easier to go with the title that stuck!
What advice do you have for first time authors, both creatively and professionally?
Creatively, write what you love and don’t chase trends. Professionally, more and more I’m seeing aspiring writers get scammed or taken advantage, either by outright predators who simply want to take your money, or individuals who don’t really understand how publishing works, and it’s essentially the blind leading the blind. I want to encourage all of you to DO YOUR RESEARCH - utilize Writer Beware as much as you can. And vet your sources. I see so much misinformation and bad advice on social media, from not-very-informed individuals. Just because someone is telling you what you want to hear doesn’t mean it’s true.
What’s your inspiration for your next book?
Just as REALM BREAKER was heavily inspired by my teenage obsession with THE LORD OF THE RINGS, my next book T is heavily inspired by a movie I loved when I was 13 (released in 2003).
Can we get a Sorasa/Dom bonus chapter?
For the first time in my publishing career, I’m working on TWO projects. One of them is absolutely a Dom/Sorasa spinoff - whether it will be published remains to be seen!! But for now, you can always check out the Dom/Sorasa bonus chapter in the Barnes & Noble special edition of FATE BREAKER sold here.
Is going to college for creative writing or screenwriting a necessity to be a writer? Or is another degree equally helpful?
No. Every author you know has a different background, whether it be a different degree or no degree at all. The common factor is, however, they can all WRITE and write well. What it takes to get you there could be a creative writing degree OR it could simply be reading as many books as possible and breaking down story for yourself. Interning at a publishing house. Working in a bookstore. Acting classes. Or thirty years in a completely different field. So I don’t think there is any necessary degree to learn storytelling, but you do have to learn storytelling in some way, if that makes sense.
Do you draw your final maps yourself?
No, the finals are beautifully adorned by real artists, who are given my unembellished, more technical maps to work with. For example, below is my working draft of the REALM BREAKER map followed by the final as beautifully illustrated by Francesca Baerald.
So you can see how transformed the final product is from what I used while writing the draft!
Favorite fall read?
Technically summer in Southern California doesn’t end until November, but I’ve been saving THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo for October. Currently I’m reading THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL-SIRAFI by Shannon Chakraborty, and I plan to dive into LONG LIVE EVIL by Sarah Rees Brennan afterwards!
Was it a natural progression for you to move onto writing adult?
It felt like a natural progression both because my previous series, REALM BREAKER, was always a crossover in my mind (both YA and adult), and the new story is very much centered on adult characters, so an adult category just made sense. I’m excited to keep working on it, and trace the arc of a character who very much knows who she is.
When can we expect more news on your new series?
My next book will be a standalone, which is exciting and nervewracking, not to mention a first for me. I’m hoping to be able to say more in early October! I can’t wait to spill the beans but unfortunately have to wait for all the t’s to be crossed first!
Will King’s Cage and War Storm ever have collector’s editions, like the first two books in Red Queen?
Unfortunately this is very out of my hands. I’ve repeatedly asked my publisher HarperTeen to finish out the RQ collector’s editions, and I’m holding out hope for a final box set some time in the future. But as of yet, it just doesn’t seem the be happening. The best course of action would be for you guys to ask them directly! Trust me, I want the finished set too!!
What is your writing routine?
I try to work Monday to Friday during “store hours”, though Fridays usually end up being minimal on writing and heavier on admin/errands. I try to stack any appointments outside the house on one or two days, so I don’t have to break rhythm as often. Currently, I’m cruising at about 1k words a work day on the new project, which feels low but I’m also maintaining the momentum and that’s very important. I do accelerate my pace the deeper I get into the draft and I expect that pattern to repeat as I get closer to my draft deadline. As for the daily breakdown, I try to get all my life/admin/workout/dog walks done before noon, break for lunch, and then spend the afternoon in writing mode!
And that’s it for the Aug-tember Q&A! I will be very much OUT OF OFFICE for the last two weeks of September so I don’t think I’ll be able to get another post out until October. But who knows, I might surprise you (probably not).
Now to continue prepping for our big trip of the year: Tanzania and Rwanda! We’ve been planning this for over a year, and now it’s finally happening. Will report back as to whether or not I survive safari and gorilla trekking with my husband, his parents, and MY parents. Talk soon!
Cheers,
Victoria