Coffee Talks

With Jennifer Farwell

Hi, Jennifer, thank you for taking the time to get involved with Coffee Community. It's great to hear from authors like yourself and get to know a little bit about what motivates you to write longer works of fiction.

Thanks for having me! And hello out there to everyone taking part in the Open Novella Contest, whether you're writing a novella or reading the novellas being written.

So, to begin, tell us a little bit about yourself as an author on Wattpad. For anyone who hasn't met you before, how would you describe your fiction?

I'd categorize most of my fiction as love stories. To get a bit more specific, I'd describe my most-read story on Wattpad as teen metaphysical romance, and I have other stories that are celebrity romance. Knowing that it probably isn't surprising I chose the "Love/war at the concert" prompt with two people each catching a drumstick and finding each other for the Open Novella Contest!

As for myself as an author on Wattpad, I started publishing stories here in 2015, although I've been writing for as long as I can remember. The community of readers, authors, ambassadors, and the fantastic people at Wattpad HQ are why I love writing and reading stories here so much. I love how the community celebrates writing and reading in a way I haven't experienced anywhere else.

Writing for sustained periods is a hurdle that every writer, beginner or experienced, faces from time to time. What powers you through those longer bursts of creativity and keeps you focussed?

Coffee.

I'm not even kidding about that.

Gelato or chocolate sometimes, too.

Outside of my questionable nutrition choices to fuel me, though? Writing when I first wake up has proven to be my most productive time. I find I'm more focused then, and words flow faster. I think it's because my mind is clear and hasn't been hopping all over the place yet. I'll make it a point to start writing before I check texts, emails, social media, or the news. If it's a day where I don't have to be somewhere later, writing right after I wake up can put me in pure writing mode for the entire day. I wouldn't describe myself as a morning person, but I have been known to regularly set an alarm for 4:30 a.m. so I can write or edit for a couple of hours before getting ready for the rest of my day.

If I find I'm not staying focused while writing a scene, that's my cue to take a step back and figure out why. I'll do an honest review and decide if it's because the scene itself isn't interesting or engaging and needs to be scrapped, or if it needs to be approached in a different way.

What top tips would you advise for getting a novella or a longer piece of fiction off the starting line? What kind of story developments motivate you to see it through to the end?

Spend some time getting to know your characters before you begin having fun with them. This will help you understand what motivates each character and why she or he will think or behave in certain ways. It will also help you to create an authentic and consistent voice for each of your characters and help you flesh out your characters and the story.

I like to do a certain level of planning, too. I vary on how detailed I get with planning. Sometimes it's high-level and things develop as I write, and sometimes I'll have one of those moments where I have notes on every detail of a few scenes. I use that as my guide to know where I'm going and to help with pacing and story development. When I can see it coming together, that motivates me to see it through to the end.

Knowing your characters and doing high-level planning can help you avoid dumping too much information into the story in the first pages, too, since you'll have a better idea of where to weave in key details as you go, and how you can show these rather than stating them outright.

How much do you edit on the fly? Or do you prefer to edit after you've finished the initial draft?

If I'm not planning to publish a story until I've written it in its entirety, then I'll wait until after I've finished the initial draft before making any substantial edits. Well, unless things stray from how I first planned them because I came up with other ideas while I was writing, and then I'll go back and edit only what's necessary to make the story flow or make sense. I don't edit line by line while I'm drafting, though.

For something like the Open Novella Contest where I'm posting parts by a certain date and then continuing to write the rest of the story, or when I'm eager to get a new story I'm working on out there and decide to publish it as I complete parts, then I prefer to wait until I finish writing the draft of the part I want to publish before going back and editing, rather than editing as I'm getting that part of the story down on the page. When I'm drafting, I focus on getting the ideas and rough form down, rather than getting caught up at that point in every word or line being precisely how I want it to be. Once the words are down on the page and I've written the part from start to finish, then I'll go back and edit it, re-read, then edit some more before hitting publish.

Personally, what kind of novella -- be it any style, theme, or genre -- would you like to see emerge from the Open Novella Contest?

I would personally love to see everyone who's taking part in the Open Novella Contest enjoy her or himself and write something she or he is proud of- no matter what style, theme, or genre is chosen.

I tend to read across genres so there's no single genre or style I have my heart set on. I'd love to see novellas where writers hook me with compelling characters, a creative storyline, and a clear and consistent voice that makes me fall head over heels with the story.

Lastly, because we're always curious... What was your ever first experience with the power of the written language?

Great question. This may even pre-date my earliest memory because I've been lost in a book for as long as I can remember! While it may not have been my first experience with the power of the written word, I do know that books often led to friendships at school when I'd find classmates who had a shared love for characters from books we'd read. I recall characters from Nancy Drew, Anne of Green Gables, and Little House on the Prairie inspiring friendships in first and second grade.

As a writer, I know I was coming up with stories before I learned how to write words down, and so I'd tell them to my parents to write down for me. Being able to express and create through written words has always been an important part of my life and what I love to do.

It's been great hearing from you, Jennifer, and thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge in storytelling.

It's been fun! Thank you again for having me. Happy writing and reading, everyone!

Best wishes for your future endeavours from Coffee Community.

Our goal is to bring you many more exclusive interviews with people who aren't just Wattpad Stars or Staff, but also some pretty awesome authors.
In that quest, next we will be talking to Kuro, so stick around for more fun!