I got the chance to interview Laura, the author of Fangirl, This Side of Paradise, and one shots. Enjoy!
Mary Rodgers: Hi there! First question: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write and edit later, make sure every sentence is perfect, write and let it sit, write and publish very quickly, or some combination?
Laura: Well, first I start with a general idea of what I want to happen and sometimes I’ll write a chunk of the meatiest, most interesting part. But for the most part after I have an idea of where I’m going I write start to finish. Since I’m busy, I do end up going part by part, but I prefer to do things in one sitting. I’m super impatient. I edit as I go, but I also look over one more time before I publish.
MR: Do you have anyone else to edit or pre-read your work?
L: No, again since I’m busy half the time I don’t really have the time to find an editor, because I’m sure my schedule would drive them crazy. I just kind of do my thing and post!
MR: Good deal! There is an editor finder page on the directory if you do ever need someone. :)
L: I hope my editing jobs aren’t too bad! Haha but thanks. I do sooo much writing for school that it’s second nature for me to edit while writing.
MR: Well, that’s neat and brings me to my next question! Is fanfiction your first foray into writing? If not, what else have you written?
L: Definitely not! I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I used to make little comics. I draw as well. I’ve always wanted to write novels so I do my own original ideas in my spare time. I started a long time ago doing Harry Potter fanfiction then fell off the wagon. Doing JHutch fanfiction was a re-entry into fanfiction for me.
MR: Where do you get your inspiration? Do you listen to music, watch movies/TV, have a quiet place to work, write it public?
L: I’m a huge consumer of culture. I’m just a pop culture trivia phenom and I watch tv ALL the time. I get inspiration from everywhere. I guess I try to combine everything I like best from shows, movies, and books I like. For Josh Hutcherson fics specifically, I also just get ideas from my own fantasies about what a guy should be like, or do, or say. I’m sure all of us do that! I like to write by myself, usually in bed or on the couch. I basically just curl up and power through chapters in a day or so.
MR: I love that. How much do you weave Josh’s real life into your story?
L: That depends. In Fangirl, I specifically wanted to weave those things in, I guess because of the theme of being a fangirl and how the interviews and public appearances and everything are one of our biggest excitements. Kiera, who is the fangirl, is part of that so I try to keep track of real Josh’s acting events and whatnot. For my other projects, This Side of Paradise and The Director, that wasn’t as important to me.
MR: What advice would you give to other writers for writer’s block, editing, feedback, and story ideas?
L: Writer’s block is tough. And I think the key to beating that is to stop trying to sit down and write. You gotta go out and do something and then it’ll be easier. Editing… that’s pure experience. You read a lot, you edit for others, and you eventually get better and better at the grammar and spelling stuff. Other advice would just be to have confidence in general. If you have an idea, you should follow it and if you get bad feedback, you can hear it without beating yourself up. So, yeah, confidence!
MR: That’s great!! What is your favorite thing about Josh Hutcherson?
L: That’s so difficult! If we’re gonna be shallow I’m gonna say his ass. And if we’re gonna not be shallow, I’ll say his outlook on life is very positive, open, and regret-free! I like that.
MR: Ok, I’ve got a question for you from Danielle who also happens to be the one to suggest you!
She asked: What inspires you to write? And do you find writing dialogue to be very easy for you? It's so free flowing in everything you've written. Do you go through your character's conversations in your head over and over?
L: Wow, thanks for noticing first of all! :) I try very hard to make sure my dialogue is natural because there’s nothing I hate more than when I’m reading a book and thinking “Who would ever say that irl??” I get a lot of inspiration from my own relationships and how conversations between people who are emotionally involved can cause huge misunderstandings. In real life, people say only half what they’re thinking. And yes! I always have fake conversations in my head. I’m a crazy person, I know, but when I’m bored or driving or whatever it may be, I have imaginary conversations in my head between characters. “What would so-and-so say if Josh said this to her?” And so on. Problem with that is sometimes I forget them!
MR: Great! Is there anything you would like to add about your current or future projects?
L: I just want to say thanks to everyone who reads! And right now, I’m thinking of turning The Director into a chapter series, but I also wanted to actually focus on my original work. In any case, I’ll keep writing!
MR: That’s all I have for you. Thanks so much for letting me interview you!
L: No problem! It was lovely and also very flattering to be chosen! :)
