If you’ve seen the movie Freaky Friday, you know that its premise is about change and growth through role reversal. For my Friday Blog entry I thought it would be interesting to interview aspiring authors; writers who spend lots of time reading the interviews of published authors and dreaming of the day when they might get their book on the shelves…
Today’s interview is with teen writer Alice Barber. Alice and I met on Facebook and have struck up a friendship with our mutual love of reading and writing. She’s even allowed me to take a look at some of her own writing. She’s very awesome and I can’t wait to share her with you.
Lets get started…Can you tell me a little bit about how you became a writer?
Well honestly it actually came from boredom and frustration, a funny combination in a kid. The first time I’d actually written a piece outside of school for my own pleasure was the summer before sixth grade. The reason being, I’d read practically every book in the house worth reading and with no way to get to the library I decided to create my own.
I think that is a very cool way to start. What kinds of stories do you like to write?
Well, honestly a better question would be what don’t I like 🙂 I’ve dabbled a little in everything from science fiction to romance, but actually it all keeps coming back to the suspense intrigue genre with a hint of romance.
I like that…its good to dabble. Do you have any favorite authors who inspire you in the area that you find yourself writing? I was also wondering if you share your love of reading and writing with your friends or if you keep it tucked away like a little secret?
Actually I have a few favorites. I absolutely love Janet Evanovich-she’s just so hilarous, she inspires the little humor I have. :o) But for the actually writing itself, I think I’d have to say its a tie between James Patterson and Stephen King.
All of my friends know of my love for reading, they hardly ever see me without a book. Most of them know I like to write, however I’d say only my closest friends have actually read anything I’ve written, but hopefully this changes.
If you haven’t had the chance yet, you should read Stephen King’s ON WRITING. Its a wonderful book and story intertwined and very inspirational. I was wondering if I could pick your brain for a minute? When I was a teenager (just a couple years ago LOL!) I stopped writing because I felt very exposed when I realized that my best material was came from the deepest parts of me. It made me feel too vulnerable and I stopped writing from that place. When that happened, the writing seemed to lose something, so I just let it slip through my fingers. What is it like for you to be a teen writer? How do your friends support you? What are your writing dreams?
As a teen writer, sometimes I find I don’t have enough time to write and I go through long periods of time where I stop writing, especially after I tap into the “place”. Its hard and sometimes it gets to the point where I let my emotions (at the time I’m writing) infulence my writing, which is a good thing but if I’m really angry and I’m trying to convey something sarcastic, it comes out wrong. So my raging emotions aren’t a big help most of the time.
I think I might have it easy in the way where I’m a teenager and most of the time writing teenage characters, so I kind of have a better insight. I have this one friend I can bounce ideas off of and she’ll get into it with me and that helps a lot. Often times I find my characters have minds of their own and where I was leading them…they decided they’d rather not go and veered off into left field. But all of my friends are supportive in one way or another. They’re great critics and they’ll read it and be like, “I liked this part but this part was too confusing.” Plus they put up with my moods when I do write–its amazing.
Realistically my writing dream is to get at least something published, not even on a large scale just published whether it be a poem, a novel or a short story.
Sounds like you have great friends and I recommend you shoot for the stars. Don’t think realistically at all. Just write the best stories you can write and always leave yourself open to the possibility of anything happening.
I was also wondering if you blog? And before you go, I’m also going to need to know your top 5 books and why they mean so much to you.
No, I’m not blogging at the moment, but maybe it could be something I could get into. Hmmm my top 5 favorite books have to be…
1. Life of Pi by Yann Martel- Its such a captaviating book that challenges the mind and what you believe. I had to read it for a school assignment and was very pleased to find I actually enjoyed it because so many people hated it. It was written beautifully and had an elemnet of a sarcastic twist towards the ending.
2. Little Women by Lousia May Allcott- I love Jo so much. She’s everything I would love to be, maybe not as outspoken. However I find myself like Beth, but thats beside the point. A book about family and their struggles, this book defintely touched me and influences my writing. It taught me that I shouldn’t give up even if the world says no.
3. Christy Miller seris by Robin Jones Gunn- Another inspiring story about yes, true love. Christy is honestly the ultimate person that I would want to be, more than Jo, shes compassionate, caring, patient. She’s a Godly women, but she has her faults. I love reading these books me and my friends always declare we can’t wait to meet our “Todd” (who is Christys boyfriend.) They brigthen my day and help me in the struggle of faith.
4. Maximum Ride: Saving the World and other Extreme Sports by James Patterson- This book has its moments, I laugh and cry and shout at books when I read them but nothing has sent me into such a hysterical laugh as this book. I love James Patterson’s work, especially the Maximum Ride books, they’re such a great read with a sarcastic tone.
5. An Abundance Of Katherines by John Greene- I honestly can say I’ve never read anything quite like this before, a boy with the fetish for girls who have the name Katherine and spell it with a K. It was funny, seriously an equation for the predictablilty of when the next Katherine is going to dump you. After 19 times you’d think you would move on to someone else. I read this book during lunch and was laughing and smiling so much my friend asked for it when I was done. Its a contagious book, spread the fun!
An Abundance of Katherines is a personal favorite of mine too. I can only hope that my writer’s mind is that interesting.
I’ve really enjoyed interviewing you, but even better, I’ve loved becoming friends with you. I can’t wait to read your first published work.
If you’re a YA writer, be sure to friend Alice on FB and welcome her into our amazing community of writers.
I’ve already given this info to Alice, but if you’re a teen writer don’t forget to check out LIMINAL. “Liminal is an online and print literary journal written for teens, by teens. It’s a place for artists ages 13 to 19 to express their unique perspectives of the world.”