EWA DODD
I'm back with another Guestopia interview to finish up October, and today my victim...guest is debut author Ewa Dodd whose first book is out next year!
The daughter of a bookseller, Ewa Dodd has been writing since she was young, starting small with short self-illustrated books for children. More recently, she has delved into novel-writing, and is particularly interested in literature based in Poland, where she is originally from. The Walls Came Down was shortlisted for the Virginia Prize for Fiction. Ewa lives in Highbury, north London with her husband.
Is this your
first published book?
It is. I’m very excited about it.
What’s it
called?
The Walls Came Down
Which genre?
Historical mystery
Which age
group?
18-30 (New Adult), but I’m hoping it will also appeal to a broader
audience.
Is it a
series or standalone?
It’s a standalone story
Are you an
agented author?
Yes
Which
publisher snapped up your book?
Aurora Metro, an
independent publisher based in Richmond.
How involved
have you been in the whole publishing process of your book?
I’ve
been predominantly involved in the editorial process, which has been very
fascinating. It’s great to have an experienced editor asking questions about
your book, which you may never have thought about. The book has definitely
improved as a result of my editor Mary’s work on it.
Do you have
another job?
Yes, I’m a Marketing Manager in the education sector.
Did you
receive many, if any, rejections prior?
Definitely. The road to
publication is never an easy one, and I’ve received lots of rejections both
from agents and publishers. The trick is always to persevere, and to get as
much feedback as possible so that you can improve next time around.
What
created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book
sneaked up on you?
I was
reading a newspaper article about a missing child, and it made me think about
the long-term effect of that one moment of disappearance on the lives of those
closest to them. This idea forms the premise of my book.
How long did
you plot/plan until you started writing it?
I thought about it for a good few
months before I started putting any words on paper. I tend not to create
written plotlines. I have an idea, start writing, and see where it takes me.
Once you
started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it
into submission?
It seemed to come quite naturally, but I did end up making some
significant changes to the structure later on.
How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?
I had a few close friends
read it and received some really useful feedback from them, mainly to do with
the characterisation of the three protagonists.
Did you
employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers
before you started querying?
I didn’t employ a
proof-reader, but I did ask my first readers to mark up any mistakes that they
spotted as they read.
Roughly how
many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?
Three, but then I sent it off and felt that I hadn’t done enough!
How many
drafts until it was published?
Another four.
Has the book
changed dramatically since the first draft?
Yes, quite significantly,
as one of the three main protagonists has changed, and there were
Are there any
parts you’d like to change even now?
Definitely. Particularly
when I re-read certain bits of dialogue and wonder whether that character could
have said what they meant a bit differently… I also feel I could have further
enhanced some of the detail of the historical setting.
What part of
writing do you find the easiest?
I definitely find getting
the story down on paper the easiest.
What part do you find hardest?
Editing
is by far the hardest for me. I find that leaving a few weeks’ gap in between
each edit definitely helps.
Do you push
through writing barriers or walk away?
I try to push through,
but it’s not always easy!
How many
projects do you have on the go at the same time?
Usually
no more than two. Any more than that and I think you’ll get really muddled.
Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?
I think it can definitely be learned – you just need to have a
good story in you.
How many
future novels do you have planned?
I definitely have plans
for another one. Beyond that, we’ll have to see! I’d like to think that new
stories will keep coming to me.
Do you write
other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?
I
used to write short stories, but then I felt very restricted by the word count
and found that that ultimately they didn’t really work for me.
What’s the highlight
of being published so far?
Having a copy of your book to hold is a great
feeling.
Give
me one writing tip that work for you.
Writing everywhere where
an idea comes to you, even if you only have a few minutes – I usually do it in
the ‘Notes’ app of my phone and then send it to myself in an email at the end
of the week.
And one that
doesn't.
Meticulously planning your plot. Sometimes your story takes an unexpected
turn and you’ll feel annoyed at yourself for not sticking to the plan.
Can you give
us a clue or secret about the next book?
I can’t yet as it’s too
early days, but I’m looking into middle grade fiction!
What question
have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?
I think it’s probably about routes to being published. One
very good one is via entering competitions, and I would definitely encourage
unpublished writers to do so. I entered the Virginia Prize and got shortlisted,
which was a great route to meeting an interested publisher.
Absolutely fantastic that you were able to join us today, Ewa, and from all of us here at YAtopia, we wish you so much luck with this book and all those that follow.
If you would like to find out more about Ewa and her books, these links might just help!
No comments:
Post a Comment