Hi everyone!
So today I’m attempting something new. I asked people on Facebook and Twitter to ask me questions to answer here. They didn’t have to pertain to writing (though most of them did). Depending on how well you like this, I’ll try to do these regularly. You don’t have to wait for one to happen though. Any time you have a question, post it! I’ll keep a running list of questions to use. So here goes!
1. What was the first thing you wrote? Well, I can’t say what the very first thing I wrote was, but I can tell you about the first story I wrote that really got me interested in being a writer. In seventh grade, I had to write a short story as an assignment, I think for an English class, though I’m not sure. I was really excited and wrote a story about a little girl who got lost in the woods, only to be found by an elf girl and her dragon friend. In the end, it was too long and I had to cut out a lot of stuff. But I liked the story so much, I decided to turn it into a book. It’s changed a lot since then, and I haven’t worked on it a lot recently, but it’s still in the back of my mind.
2. What is your favorite style/genre to write in? Is it also your favorite genre to read? I write fantasy. I love the ability to create a whole world and control what happens and how. And yes, though I love many types of books, fantasy is my favorite.
3. What is your approach to writing dialogue? Ah, you’ve discovered my weakness. Dialogue and I have always had a rocky relationship. First I should explain how I write in general. When I work on a story for long enough, it takes on a life of it’s own. I see it as a movie in my head; I don’t really have any control over what happens, I just write what I see. So ideally, if I’m in the right mindset, the dialogue will flow. However, that is often not the case. The thing I find hardest is making each of the characters sound different. I’m working on it, though.
4. What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned at Taylor? I’ve learned to prioritize. There are always so many things going on at Taylor that it can be hard to decide what to invest in. I’ve been a Theatre minor for the past year and a half, so I spend a lot of time there. I also want to spend time having fun with my friends. Balancing all of that can be hard, so I had to learn what was most important, and maybe give up other things that I enjoy.
So, that’s all from me for today. I’ll leave you with a question from me. I feel like I should address you, my readers, in some way other than just ‘readers’. What do you think I should call you?
Kate G. Jameson 