Ask the Author: Beth Mattson
Answered Questions (6)
Beth Mattson
I love a lot of things about being a writer. I have given myself permission to be a writer and call myself A Writer. It feels good to admit a passion and skill by embracing my own style and realness. It's amazing to have a job that is all at once creative, indulgent, and off-the-wall AND pedantic, recursive, and analytical. I love that by being a writing I can also be a teacher, advocate, and activist. I love that the more of us who write, the bigger our conversations grows and the more and more and more we all have to read! I love to hear about others' writings just because I have labored to put some out there. What do YOU like about writing???
Beth Mattson
I'm currently working on parenting, gardening, teaching, grocery shopping, cooking, owning a rescue mutt, sweeping, transferring laundry to the dryer, washing the dishes, playing a board game, grading papers, plowing the driveway or mowing the lawn, posting poems to Twitter, camping, driving to swimming lessons, and a few stories about dinosaurs, outer space, pirates, and strong, diverse girl characters. Why doesn't anyone want me to be able to take a nap?
Beth Mattson
We all have our own flaws, and my flaw is rarely that I am bored or stuck or blocked. It is far more likely that I am so drawn to my imagination, a new idea, or concept that I walked into traffic, pulled over to scribble notes, missed a critical meeting, or stared into space while talking to myself. Don't be jealous; it is a real downside. I'm being very literal about the danger of walking into traffic. I can't turn off the tap.
Beth Mattson
Purge a draft into existence if you want to be a writer! It will not be perfect, it will not always be pleasant, and it will take a lot of time and energy, but do it! Birth it! Commit to spewing your words onto a page, screen, or slab of some kind! Give yourself some volume to work with. Release your krakens.
Beth Mattson
The strongest emotions make for the best stories, and strange things give me big feelings. I'm deeply afraid of and excited by contagions, deep space, and dinosaurs. Whether I just had a nightmare about, am worried I'll have a nightmare about, or am having waking anxiety attacks about a certain topic, my biggest feelings always lead to my most cerebral, exciting stories.
Beth Mattson
I got the idea for Ophelia Immune in a nightmare. I just wrote it down and followed Ophelia where she wanted to go!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more