Interviews on the Literary Fiction Network

Round 1: N. J. Greenfield

To continue our beloved tradition of interviewing authors, today we're happy to be speaking with long time contributor to Wattpad's literary library, N. J. Greenfield. His short story "Persephone" was chosen to be a featured reads, back when the LitFic Network first started up.

When reading your work, one thing the reader picks up immediately is your powerful use of surrealism and symbols. I've always found it intriguing to think of the writing process that must go on behind the scenes.

I guess I have a pretty strict approach; especially in regards to short stories. First an idea or image comes, usually from something I've read in the news. I write the idea down on my phone, then perhaps start writing straight away (again on my phone), the draft lines spilling out into the raw story. Later, I move to my computer and here is where the real work begins. Music, such as Radiohead, Foals or Warpaint, immerses me in the atmosphere and I edit, rewrite and reread at least twenty, maybe thirty times. Some of those times will be after a break of a month or so. Then, when I'm done, I get my partner to cast judgement and move on to the next story.

Music is a great inspiration and catalyst for the creative flow; I can see how Warpaint works well with writing and you also seem to often have classical pieces attached to your work too. Other than music, are there writers you'd say you creatively borrow from the most?

To be fair, though there are writers who have influenced me (Fitzgerald for dialogue, Eco for depth, Hemingway for simplicity, and Ellis for grit), film and music remain my biggest influences. Put on a Warpaint album, immerse yourself in the rich darkness, then envision how you can do the same on a page. For me, such a process is far more vital to my writing that reading the works of others, and I guess again it finds its roots in my younger self, for I would often write songs over the music of others, shaping the sentences to fit seamlessly to the melody.

Perhaps we're waiting for your Warpaint fan fiction then! Jokes aside, there still remains this reputation of the cliched fan fiction on Wattpad. Some decry digital media as being the death of the written word, while others claim it has done nothing but fostered its innovation. Are there negatives? Where do you stand? Even with Wattpad's "One Direction" stigma, can you foresee it becoming a global platform for literary writing?

Tricky question, as it really depends on what arena of Wattpad you find yourself. True there is a lot of fan-fiction and attention seeking, but in essence such writing is the work of those who previously had no such platform. When I was younger, I wrote a lot of poetry but never showed anyone. If I were a young writer now, at least I would have a place like Wattpad. Even if what is put out there isn't literary, it's a start. After all, everything that keeps people reading and writing feeds the beast as a whole, and literary works are a part of that beast as well. Some of these younger writers may stumble upon literary works and add dashes to their repertoire, some may not. But I suppose our task is to keep the flame burning so if they do, it's not only the classics they stumble upon.

If I want to sound like a fatherly, supportive writer, then I would reiterate what I said previously about it providing a platform for young writers. The truth, however, is fair less chivalrous, for those other writers are competition, either now or in the future. It has never been easier to 'be a writer', in terms of writing and publishing. Yet that ease means there are also quite a few writers out there churning out cliched crap and making it hard for the rest of us. Then again, perhaps I'm just making excuses for myself.

Writers do often feel that we are in competition with others, especially seeing that query/acceptance ratio, or in fierce conflict with our own selves. Of course, the writer has to deal with praise and criticism and accepting either one can be often be a challenge. Was there anything in particular that first encouraged you to share your work on Wattpad?

I was led toward Wattpad by a fellow author, Sarah Kassem, who was always encouraging me to get my work out there rather than have it just sit on my computer. Following her advice, I launched a few of my short stories and, though slow at first (akin to shouting your name in the midst of a screaming football field), I soon made a few friends who guided and encouraged me, fuelling my writing tanks so I could plow on through rejection and develop both my craft and my scope. Oh, I guess the crowd-pleasing nature of Wattpad also made me appreciate short chapters and cliff hangers, even in my more literary works.

On Wattpad I get immediate feedback from a wide ranging audience. Plus, the fickle nature of that audience as a mass means I have to face the reality that perhaps my work is not what I think. Gone are the dreams of world domination through my writing, yet in their place is now a greater sense of identity gleaned through interaction with wonderful writers like takatsu, who not only did I meet through Wattpad, but with whom's support I have persisted in those moments when my day job led me away from the written word.

Are there any personal experiences that you find yourself incorporating the most into your writing?

Perhaps a scar from my teenage days, I tend to write a lot about loss and the effects it has on people. I'm extremely wary of cliche, however, and do my best to avoid both areas covered by millions of other stories while also seeking to inject something special, something to make the work stand out and thus justify its place in the world. Lately, I've also become obsessed with dirty details, little things that cast a less-than-perfect image of the world I'm creating.

'Dirty details' often make the best stories of course. 

Our interview is winding down and we've touched on everything from  Wattpad, music, the future of literature, and personal loss, but here comes the most important question of all: Given a choice between having to wrestle a grizzly bear while covered in honey or spending an eternity trapped inside your most hated book, what would you choose?

Seeing as I have read some pretty awful books in my time, yet I've never encountered a grizzly bear (let alone while being covered in honey), I'd opt for the bear. The best outcome, I might get some new scars to show off along with an interesting tale to tell. The worst, death, in which case I'd know no more and so lose nothing (though my loved ones would disagree). Finally, being trapped in a book reminds me too much of Interstellar, which would no doubt mean any retelling of the tale would result in others labelling me a copyist.

We thank N. J. Greenfield for his time, be sure to check out his work, and stay tuned for our future interviews, some changes, and Round 2 questions.