FEATURED
FIRST CHAPTER PLUS
Anne Hawkinson Winner of the 2022 Jack Eadon Memorial Award for the best book in Contemporary Drama.
Interviewed by Susan Violante, First Chapter Plus, Managing Editor
85 Then I keep a rough word count in the summary document, and I write scene-by-scene because that works for me. It helps me avoid the angst of word count goals I see other writers wrestle with . I do a word count after every chapter so that I can see where I am related to the overall plot of the story and recommendations of the genre'. I start by building world where my characters can settle and begin their journey. It involves a lot of research and working through plot ideas and scenarios. When I am ready to begin, I create a general plot timeline, a character outline that I can add to as I go along, and a short, chapter-by-chapter summary as writing begins. I was fascinated with the concept of a ghostwriter–a person who writes material for someone else who is the named author. I took the word apart and wondered what it would be like for a ghost to be the writer. Padma is a ghost, helping Jenna finish the story Padma started before she died. Jenna is also a ghostwriter, since she is finishing the story for Padma, the original author. So, the end result was Jenna becomes a ghostwriter being guided by a ghost–who is a ghost writer. You have a few books under your belt. Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process? I mean, are you thinking about new projects as you are writing? How does a prolific authors brain work? Hi Anne, welcome to First Chapter plus and congratulations for winning the 2022-2023 Jack Eadon Memorial award for the Best Book in Contemporary Drama! Why don’t we start by sharing with us a little bit of your background. I consider myself fortunate in that I was raised in a family that valued learning. By the time I entered kindergarten,I knew how to read, print, and write incursive. Bedtime stories were a mainstay, and trips to the local library were as regular as those to the grocery store. I had no way of knowing then, but they were instrumental in my becoming a writer. My first published writing was a short poem, in 1983. It was thrilling to see something I’d written out there for others to read and enjoy, but I never considered myself an author. It felt out of reach, something other people did. Years passed, but I never forgot how much I loved writing. Eventually, I mustered up enough bravery to try again. I have to tell you that I am a big fan of fantasy and the paranormal; As a writer myself I am so jealous of your book idea! 'A ghost writer for a ghost, how on earth were you inspired to write “The Ghost Writer?”
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