Ask the Author: Rae Miles
Answered Questions (7)
Rae Miles
I think I'd like to visit the world of Jennifer Ashley's Shifters series. Even though it's set in our modern world, the fantasy elements sucked me in from the start. I'd love to visit the various Shifter communities and see them shift into their animal forms. Plus the haunted house in New Orleans would be awesome to check out!
Rae Miles
Successor stemmed from a short story I'd written in college for one of my creative writing courses. We were learning about magical realism and were tasked to come up with a story of our own. One of my first thoughts was this:
What if a Magic 8-Ball gave real answers?
From there, it turned into a cautionary tale of what happens when you ask questions you shouldn't know the answers to, and get them. I knew I wanted to turn it into a novel, but the original plot I'd chosen was very intimidating. I wasn't entirely comfortable with some of the subject matter I knew I'd have to address in the story at some point, so I decided to approach the idea from a different route. I happened to be driving home one night after visiting family when the idea for Successor struck me out of nowhere. I was so excited to get home so I could write down everything before it faded away.
What if a Magic 8-Ball gave real answers?
From there, it turned into a cautionary tale of what happens when you ask questions you shouldn't know the answers to, and get them. I knew I wanted to turn it into a novel, but the original plot I'd chosen was very intimidating. I wasn't entirely comfortable with some of the subject matter I knew I'd have to address in the story at some point, so I decided to approach the idea from a different route. I happened to be driving home one night after visiting family when the idea for Successor struck me out of nowhere. I was so excited to get home so I could write down everything before it faded away.
Rae Miles
Reading. Lots and lots of reading. There are sooo many stories out there that just blow my mind with their plots and characters. Each book I read points my mind in a different direction of things I could try. Sometimes all you need is a good story to unlock your own.
Rae Miles
A story about a mythic people who have hidden themselves away from the world, their devastating power having nearly destroyed mankind. Countless numbers have sought them out, never to return. Discover what happens when they're found...
Rae Miles
Never stop.
Never stop writing. Never stop querying. Never stop trying. There will always be someone, somewhere, that won't like what you've written, that feel you should approach your story a different way, that characters should act one way and not the other. Disappointment and discouragement are all part of the package of being a writer. The ones who succeed learn what they can from each experience, apply what's helpful, and move forward. Be open to critique and criticism--EVERY writer has room to improve, even the biggest bestsellers. It could take years, but the ones who succeed are the ones who never stop pushing for their dreams.
Never stop writing. Never stop querying. Never stop trying. There will always be someone, somewhere, that won't like what you've written, that feel you should approach your story a different way, that characters should act one way and not the other. Disappointment and discouragement are all part of the package of being a writer. The ones who succeed learn what they can from each experience, apply what's helpful, and move forward. Be open to critique and criticism--EVERY writer has room to improve, even the biggest bestsellers. It could take years, but the ones who succeed are the ones who never stop pushing for their dreams.
Rae Miles
Creating something entirely your own that you absolutely love can be so fulfilling and liberating. The characters become real people. As their creator, you know them pretty well, but there's always more to them that you have yet to learn. But one of the best things is when you introduce someone to the world you created, and they tell you what they love about the story, the characters they're rooting for, and the ones they hate (in a good way!). Having someone tell you they lost sleep the night before because they couldn't put down your story is the biggest compliment a writer can receive.
Rae Miles
Sometimes the best thing is to focus on something else for a while. Another project, be it a different story, something crafty, or just reading. I've found lots of inspiration while reading. But also having awesome beta readers and critique partners can be the biggest help. They're great for brainstorming sessions.
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