Coffee Talks

With Kary English

Hi, Kary, 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.

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've been on Wattpad for a couple of years now, and my favourite thing about it is the overall positivity of the environment. When I'm having a dry spell or struggling with a manuscript, I sneak into Wattpad to read comments. They always lift my mood and bolster my confidence.

I write science fiction and fantasy. My SF leans hard, and my fantasy leans high. I've also dabbled in contemporary fantasy from time to time. Readers describe my writing as evocative, lyrical and characterized by lush description.

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 focused?

Routine and discipline keep me focused, and I'm the sort where sticking to a routine is a challenge. I've learned that if I don't make time for my writing and stick to it, my productivity suffers. My solution is to designate a space just for writing and to make sure I go there every day. Usually, it's for a four-hour block, but I'll change it up a little if my schedule demands. I'm lucky enough to have a spare bedroom I can use an office, but even a seat in the living room or at the dining table will work if you train yourself that it's your writing spot. Coffee shops of fast food places also work, and music helps me, too. I have curated channels on Pandora selected for different writing moods. (Cue the battle music!) I also use Brain.fm for sustained writing time.

And speaking of mood, sometimes people ask what happens if I'm not in the mood to write. I'll paraphrase Gurney Halleck from Dune: Mood's a thing for cattle and loveplay, not writing. Write anyway.
Re-read your last page or two of work, or retype them and delete it later. That will help you get back into the flow. Try working on a different project or a different scene. I find that if I force myself to write for ten minutes, I've suddenly found the mood, and I keep going. If I let mood win, I'd never get anything done.

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

I'm lucky enough to be a two-drafter. For the most part, this means a first draft followed by a polish draft. I'm a pantser, and I often write scenes out of order. The beginning always comes to me first, usually as a strong visual image. I almost always know what the ending will be before I write the middle sections, so I write the ending second and the middle last. Once I have everything written, I do a polish draft where I check for typos, trim and tighten, adjust the tension and occasionally add entire scenes. If I go over it a third time, it's typically just for proofreading. My first drafts are usually 90% there, so there's not a lot of editing in my polish drafts.

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

That's easy - variety! I read widely, and I love it when something surprises me. Give me quality writing in any genre, and I'm a happy reader.

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

I don't remember the very first time, but for me, the power of the written word is its ability to transport the reader experientially. Reading allows one to visit distant or mythical lands, to experience new ways of life, new or unfamiliar feelings and different ways of thinking about things. Sometimes people bash fiction as escapism, but I think they're missing the point.

The written word transports us outside ourselves, and deeper into ourselves in ways that encourage emotional growth, compassion, and understanding of ourselves and others. This is a good thing.

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

Best wishes in your future endeavours from Coffee Community.