Writer’s Questions

I always like a challenge and greatly enjoyed following Elis Michelle’s advice and like her also considered my own thoughts on writing and the English language:

1- What is your favourite word in the English language?

At the risk of breaking the first rule of writing and sounding cliché, my favourite word would be ‘home‘ simply due to the images it conjures when it is spoken (or thought of). 

2- Do you prefer writing poems or stories?

I prefer stories, although occasionally dip into poetry.  Stories give you the ability to develop the plot and the idea further while for me poetry is reserved for personal reflections and emotions.

3- Where do you get your inspiration?

Mostly from what I see and hear around me and from my own experiences. I have also listened to classical music for inspiration, a practice I learnt at secondary school.

4- What is your least favourite word?

‘Like‘ – the meaning seems so inconsequential and it’s so often used unnecessarily in everyday speech. It denotes a lack of ‘like‘ imagination ‘like‘ when you are ‘like‘ talking with people ‘like‘.

5- When and where do you like to write?

I carry a notebook with me wherever I go and do not have a specific place where I enjoy writing. I try to write in the evenings after work. There is definitely something about writing outside, listening to nature and watching the world go by that inspires me – regardless of what I am writing about. I hope to make more use of my garden, even during the winter months.

6- What do you think makes a good writer?

Definitely perseverance and belief in your ability as a writer. Also the discipline and dedication to put in enough hours to see tasks through even if it means it is at the cost of other things.

7- Do you, according to the criteria you just described, think of yourself as a good writer?

Definitely not! I am always distracted by other things that need doing, the housework, the cooking. I find it hard to shake off the day after work and so by the time I have ‘detoxed’ it’s always too late. I do have belief in myself as a writer but the longer it is between my writing, the lower my belief gets. That is why my blog is such a lifeline for me sometimes.

8- What is one thing you hate about writing?

The time it takes to see all your work in a tangible form. All the planning, character profiles and such all take time and I sometimes find it demoralising to still not have something concrete. Talking of which, I hate that it seems to take a long time to  produce anything concrete, working full-time; running a home and with pressures of a family, I sometimes experience great difficulty in finding the time to write on a regular basis and for periods of time longer than 30 minutes or so.

 9- Why do you write?

In terms of my blog, I write to express myself – especially if I feel I have been unheard in the non-writing sphere. I write to release emotions either good or bad. In terms of my creative writing I write to share my experiences and to make other’s experiences known and I write to create awareness for social issues (or at least I hope I do). Most of all, I want to give back to my own readers the utter joy I get from reading. Nothing can beat holding a book in your hands, feeling the pages turn beneath your fingertips.

10- Who do you write for?

Ultimately, I write for myself but it would also depend on what I am writing.

11- What is the best book you have ever read?

For someone who devours books as much as I do, this is a very difficult question to answer. It depends ultimately on how old I was at the time of reading the book. I remember reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett in primary school. However, looking back on the books I have read as an adult I would definitely say The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini definitely rate highly with me as do The Woman He Loved Before and Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson. Reading Daughter of Persia by Sattareh Farman-Farmaian while at university definitely increased my hunger for all things Iranian. Each book in their own way deserves to be in this category.

12 – Who do you look up to?

I am presuming this question refers to writers and although there are so many authors I enjoy, if I had to choose it would definitely be Dorothy Koomson for her writing, her humour and her outlook on life. I admire her discipline in her craft and having read each one of her books, I admire her growth as a writer. I also respect Marian Keyes for the bravery in her writing and how although she writes about such dark topics, she easily intersperses humour into each story.

13 – What do you think makes you able to write?

I think I can write because I enjoy writing and for this reason I am willing to put in the time to learn or perfect the craft. Ultimately, I believe I have a story to tell and a willingness to share it with others. My years of reading since the age of 4 planted inside me a passion for the written word and the joy of holding a book in my hands has yet to leave me. (I still have not succumbed to the temptation of owning a Kindle for that reason).

14- Do you ever get writers block?

I used to think I do but now I see it’s only the lack of time to draw myself into the creative world of writing; to shut myself away from distractions and give myself time to write. I’m working on it though – but it’s REALLY hard!

15- What is the next thing you are going to write?

I have a plot for a short story and will also be working on the bigger project of writing my memoirs following my trip to Iran – part fiction, part autobiographical. I also have another plot for a longer piece of fiction that I occasionally dab into now and then.

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I really enjoyed this and have spent the past week seriously considering my answers to each question. It’s definitely made me delve deeper into myself and my thoughts of myself as a writer. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend this exercise to all my other fellow writers out there!