Ask the Author: Susan Signe Morrison
Answered Questions (6)
Susan Signe Morrison
Walking and swimming help. Also talking to my son who is writing a fantasy novel. Sometimes old movies (from the 1930s and 1940s) inspire me. Music has a wonderfully inspirational effect. And, always, reading.
Susan Signe Morrison
I am working on several novels. I have to decide which one to focus on!
Susan Signe Morrison
Being able to share my literary and emotional vision with readers.
Susan Signe Morrison
Two moments in Beowulf continue to haunt me. The first is the Fight at Finnsburg. The scop sings about Hildeburh, a Dane who marries into a Frisian family as part of a peace-weaving marriage between her clan and that of King Finn. However, as inevitably happens in Anglo-Saxon tales, that attempt at harmony falls apart violently. Not only do Hildeburh's uncle and son die, but ultimately her husband as well. She is sent back to her own people, bereft of her marriage family and resentful of her blood kin. Another woman's fate we learn at the end of Beowulf. This nameless woman laments about the fate of Beowulf's people after his death; they are doomed to death or slavery. I wanted to explore what this culture was like for the women, compelled to participate in peace-weaving marriages doomed to failure and oppressed as victims of rape and bondage.
Susan Signe Morrison
My teenage son says: “My stories are character-driven.” So….focus on your character description. The plot comes naturally from a really riveting character or set of characters. Also, write every day if you can. Keep a journal or diary—it's so good for your writing skills. It’s like a sport or skill—you need to practice piano playing on a regular basis to be a good player. Is playing scales what you would perform in a concert hall? No, but it heightens your abilities and makes them sharp.
Susan Signe Morrison
By writing. Don’t be afraid to put pen to paper or your fingers on the keyboard. When my son was in middle school, he was writing a fantasy book. As he was telling me one of the stories, he said, “No, that’s not right. Hmmmmm…..I’ll have to wait til I get the right word.” I told him, “DON’T WAIT!” The great thing about writing is, you can always revise it and make it better later. It’s best to write when you are in a white-heat and passion about it. Don’t worry if the exact word isn’t there for you. Put an “X” on the page where the word or passage is missing. You can always go back and change it, add to it, and reflect on it more.
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