Fun Interview w/ Joyce Strand: "Simply Tips"
Q Your readers called your book a “real page-turner.” How do you build suspense?
When writing I try and imagine the story as a movie in my mind. I try and imagine how it would look visually and then I think about what I would want to see, were I watching this story.
I build my stories by sections, each section containing a major plot point in the story. Within in each section, I create chapters that have specific situations or circumstances that gradually build upon each other until they culminate in the section’s climax.
I made it a point of contention that when I am creating a story, I do not want to spoon feed the reader a beginning, middle and end to the story. I think it is too simplistic and I do not like to read or watch stories that treat me as if I need to have my hand held the whole way through the story. I often jump timelines within my writing to provide a backstory, without making it so linear that it becomes boring and predictable.
Limiting predictability is crucial to me in creating something that has suspense and keeps the reader guessing.
Q What do you like to do in your non-work, aka, spare time?
In theory I write with any and all of my spare time. But in reality, I love watching movies and sports, and the weekend beverage with my compatriots.
Q Are there any other genres you can imagine yourself writing in?
I don’t think I am going to write any one specific genre exclusively for my career. I like to read and watch all genres and I would like to write in them all as well.
The toughest but most exciting would be comedy. I have always dreamt of doing comedic writing so when I eventually tackle that it will be exciting and fun for me.
Read rest of my interview here: http://strandssimplytips.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-experts-say-sci-fisuspensethriller.html