My guest blogger for today is T.E. Bradford. The first book in her YA fantasy trilogy will be released in September, and she has already published a book on her battle with cancer. Welcome, Tracy!
Me: Which comes first when developing a story – characters, setting, or plot?
T.E.: My stories are very character driven, but it’s hard to separate the plot from the characters in my head—they sort of come as a package deal. I see stories and scenes in my head like a movie is playing. The trick is to write them well enough so readers can see them too.
Me: What are some unique challenges to writing speculative fiction?
T.E.: Writing speculative, the story is by nature a bit unbelievable. Making it believable, while keeping that element of the fantastic, can be a delicate line to walk. Sometimes a choice of one adjective over another can make a huge difference.
Me: What do you do to renew your inspiration when it is running low?
T.E.: Write more! LOL
Yeah, I’m kind of a geek. I also read a LOT. Like 3-4 books a week. And I’m one of those people who has crazy vivid dreams. They can provide a lot of good inspiration.
Me: What advice would you give to someone who wants to write speculative fiction?
T.E.: Dream with all your senses! I coined that line as my first “brand” headline for my website, and I still love it. I think it captures the idea that you are dreaming, yet still bringing in all of the sensory information to make it as real as possible. Also, don’t let anyone poo-poo your idea. It’s yours. This is speculative fiction we’re talking about, after all. So what if no one else has done it? In fact, that’d be awesome if you could find something no one has ever done. So just go for it.
The first book in my Divide Series – Child of Prophecy, is set to release this September with Elk Lake Publishing. It’s so exciting, and I would not be doing it if I hadn’t just jumped out in faith and let God take my writing where He wanted it to go.
Here’s a quick blurb for Child of Prophecy:
Being different is bad, until you find out it’s the one thing that might save you.
Fifteen-year-old Nova would give anything to fit in. But there’s a reason she feels so out of place in this world—she’s from another one. And prophecy says she’s destined to destroy them both.
Check out T.E.’s bio and links below.
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Tracy is a writer, singer-songwriter, cancer survivor and proud wife and mother. Born and raised in Central New York, she will tell you that her parents gave her the two best tools in her arsenal by reading to her and raising her in a Christian household. In spite of the long CNY winters she continues to live there with the husband that God created just for her, and the son who is her forever best story. In her heart, she feels that her gift of writing is a little piece of magic, and that it is both her privilege and grandest adventure to find new ways to stretch a hand out to touch the wonder of this vast universe God created.
LINKS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEBradford
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/WorldOfThrea
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TE_Bradford
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/T.E.-Bradford/e/B01LYP25SS/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Website: http://www.tebradford.com
Thanks so much for having me! It’s always so much fun to get to tap into some of the reasons and methods used in the creative process. 🙂 –Tracy
Yes! I love to learn about other artists creative process, even people from different arts like music and painting.
I also have scenes that play out in my head and sometimes come out of my mouth like a normal conversation but it all moves faster than my hands could ever write or type. I’m always interested in writing help 😊
When I work on dialogue, I often speak it, then write it down. I find it best to this when I am alone.:)