Ask the Author: Rachael Arsenault
Answered Questions (5)
Rachael Arsenault
My advice is pretty much the same as most other advice I've seen: read a lot and write a lot. The more written media you consume, the more you start to pick up on certain tropes or arcs or techniques and can figure out how they might work for you. And the more you write, the more you find your voice, find your strengths, and find your common pitfalls.
There's definitely more to it than just that, though. For one thing, I recommend looking to more than just other books as examples to learn from. All storytelling mediums can teach you something, whether it's TV, comics, video games, plays, or whatever else you might take in. Even a friend telling a story can teach you something. The only thing you have to be mindful of is that certain things that work in one medium might not translate directly into writing.
The other big thing I recommend is reading critiques of other books. Now, take that with a grain of salt - not all critiques are created equal, and you can't let yourself get too consumed with worrying about pleasing everyone who might read your book. But in-depth, thoughtful critiques can help bring to light problems in narratives that you might not have considered, or maybe had a vague notion of but couldn't quite put your finger on. Relatedly, I recommend really paying attention when you read a book and don't like it. Try to break down what doesn't work and think about what could have been changed or improved to make it better. Building that sort of critical thinking skill can be super helpful when working on your own writing.
There's definitely more to it than just that, though. For one thing, I recommend looking to more than just other books as examples to learn from. All storytelling mediums can teach you something, whether it's TV, comics, video games, plays, or whatever else you might take in. Even a friend telling a story can teach you something. The only thing you have to be mindful of is that certain things that work in one medium might not translate directly into writing.
The other big thing I recommend is reading critiques of other books. Now, take that with a grain of salt - not all critiques are created equal, and you can't let yourself get too consumed with worrying about pleasing everyone who might read your book. But in-depth, thoughtful critiques can help bring to light problems in narratives that you might not have considered, or maybe had a vague notion of but couldn't quite put your finger on. Relatedly, I recommend really paying attention when you read a book and don't like it. Try to break down what doesn't work and think about what could have been changed or improved to make it better. Building that sort of critical thinking skill can be super helpful when working on your own writing.
Rachael Arsenault
This definitely varies with whatever project I'm working on.
The media I consume for sure has an impact on what I write and how I write it, but that can happen in a variety of ways. So, sometimes I'll read a book or watch a show and I'll dislike how a particular issue is handled or how a plot point or worldbuilding element is developed. That gets my brain working and I start thinking about how I might have handled things differently - and sometimes I think deeply enough about it that I start spinning a completely different plot and world out of it.
Similarly, the things I really enjoy also influence what I write. If something resonates with me, I want to capture that magic and try to recreate it - I want to figure out what makes it work as well as it does. It's especially fun trying to make the things I love from one genre or medium fit into the contemporary YA I typically write. D&D had been one of those influences lately.
Real life plays a role, too. It's impossible not to have your own experiences colour your writing, and of course I incorporate a lot of elements of the world around me into my stories. Both the things I love about real life and the things I wish I could change find their place in my worlds. It helps things feel more grounded and real.
The media I consume for sure has an impact on what I write and how I write it, but that can happen in a variety of ways. So, sometimes I'll read a book or watch a show and I'll dislike how a particular issue is handled or how a plot point or worldbuilding element is developed. That gets my brain working and I start thinking about how I might have handled things differently - and sometimes I think deeply enough about it that I start spinning a completely different plot and world out of it.
Similarly, the things I really enjoy also influence what I write. If something resonates with me, I want to capture that magic and try to recreate it - I want to figure out what makes it work as well as it does. It's especially fun trying to make the things I love from one genre or medium fit into the contemporary YA I typically write. D&D had been one of those influences lately.
Real life plays a role, too. It's impossible not to have your own experiences colour your writing, and of course I incorporate a lot of elements of the world around me into my stories. Both the things I love about real life and the things I wish I could change find their place in my worlds. It helps things feel more grounded and real.
Rachael Arsenault
This is a bit of a complicated issue. I understand when other writers say that writer's block is something you just have to push through and you can't write only when you feel inspired - there's definitely truth in that. Sometimes you need to just write garbage and worry about fixing it later.
But my struggle with writer's block is compounded by my struggle with mental illness. It makes it hard to self-motivate, feel inspired, or even just focus long enough to get words down. I think the biggest lesson I've learned during my years of writing and dealing with this particular difficulty is that you need to forgive yourself. A big part of that is accepting that some days I'm just not going to be productive, or that my productivity isn't always going to look the same. A good day might mean writing 2000 words; a bad day might mean writing 200 words. It's all progress and that's all I can ask of myself.
Also, I've found that stepping away from the project I'm feeling blocked on can be helpful. This doesn't necessarily mean I have a bunch of major projects going on at once, but rather that I have one main project and then a couple just-for-fun/free-writing stories on the go and the odd short story here and there. Sometimes taking a break from my main focus to go play around somewhere else is all I need to kick start my brain into working again.
Alsoalso: I've recently discovered the magic of outlining. I've always been more of a pantser than a planner, so my outlines aren't the most detailed or rigid, but just having a general idea of what happens next can be a huge help when I feel stuck. I go back, look at what I had outlined as my intent for the direction of the story, and sometimes that's enough to make me go, "Oh yeah! Right! That's where I was going with this."
But my struggle with writer's block is compounded by my struggle with mental illness. It makes it hard to self-motivate, feel inspired, or even just focus long enough to get words down. I think the biggest lesson I've learned during my years of writing and dealing with this particular difficulty is that you need to forgive yourself. A big part of that is accepting that some days I'm just not going to be productive, or that my productivity isn't always going to look the same. A good day might mean writing 2000 words; a bad day might mean writing 200 words. It's all progress and that's all I can ask of myself.
Also, I've found that stepping away from the project I'm feeling blocked on can be helpful. This doesn't necessarily mean I have a bunch of major projects going on at once, but rather that I have one main project and then a couple just-for-fun/free-writing stories on the go and the odd short story here and there. Sometimes taking a break from my main focus to go play around somewhere else is all I need to kick start my brain into working again.
Alsoalso: I've recently discovered the magic of outlining. I've always been more of a pantser than a planner, so my outlines aren't the most detailed or rigid, but just having a general idea of what happens next can be a huge help when I feel stuck. I go back, look at what I had outlined as my intent for the direction of the story, and sometimes that's enough to make me go, "Oh yeah! Right! That's where I was going with this."
Rachael Arsenault
I began writing as a hobby in high school, but didn't start seriously working on original stories with the intent of publication until university. That would be about ten years overall and six years seriously.
Rachael Arsenault
No, there are no ARC copies available for Stranger & Stranger. ARCs are distributed prior to publication and the book is already published. Perhaps there will be some available for my next book, or I may do a giveaway when I get physical copies.
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