Ted Botha

How did you become a writer?

By default. I'm a frustrated moviemaker. I wanted to go into movies from an early age, but there was nothing like studying movies in South Africa when I was growing up there. And the movie industry itself was heavily influenced by apartheid. I should have fled to California, I guess, but I didn't. I have dabbled in a few screenplays, but haven't pursued selling them. I sometimes think there's a cinematic quality to my books, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.  

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).

Everyone. From early on I developed a bad habit of unintentionally mimicking the style of the writer I'd just read. No sooner had I put down Anna Karenina than there was a classic lilt to my writing, until my pen was taken over by a Fitzgerald clone and then Graham Greene. I think I've got that doppelganger effect under control now. Today I have more crushes than influences. Whenever I read good writing, I’m blown away, and sometimes it comes from the most unexpected sources. 

When and where do you write?

I'm best early in the day, so long as I have a cup of really strong black coffee to kickstart me. I once read that Hemingway did most of his writing by midday and gave himself the rest of the day off. Wonderful advice, I think, to anyone who is fulltime writer. I used to write in coffee shops, until the third wave arrived (Google that term if there's any doubt what it means) and laptop users found the great hangouts. I still think trains and subways are wonderful places to write too. There's something very soothing about writing in the midst of all that movement and background noise. I still write longhand a lot for my first draft, and I still write a lot on spec rather than trying to get a commission for it. 

What are you working on now?

I have just finished a book about the bizarre story of the tenement where I live in New York City and the characters who live/lived there, called Flat/White. Up next is a nonfiction book set in the 1930s that I have done the research for, which has an element of Devil in the White City about it and concerns two very different characters, a millionaire moviemaker and a woman who poisoned her family with strychnine. It is the first time my passions for writing and the movies are going to almost meet. 

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

I don't believe in such a thing. I certainly have bad days, but if you push through, you find you create some of your best stuff. 

What’s your advice to new writers?

Believe in your idea. Full stop.

Bio: I was born in New York, but grew up in South Africa mostly, interrupted by several years here and there in Tokyo and Washington due to my parents being diplomats. At heart I remain an African, even though I have lived in New York for fifteen years. I have freelanced for most of my writing life, doing feature articles for newspapers and magazines, although I recently started a full-time job editing at Reuters. I like writing nonfiction as much as fiction, and I like dabbling in all manner of subjects, even though I've gotten the impression agents and publishers don't really like you to.

Anna Holmes

How did you become a writer?

I don't know that I ever "became" a writer; I think I've always been in the process of becoming one.

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.)

Beverly Ballard, my high school English teacher; Joan Didion, who grew up in the same area of Northern California that I did; other narrative non-fiction writers like Susan Orlean, David Samuels, John McPhee. I haven't read that many books on writing - of course, I loved Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" and Stephen King's "On Writing." And, of course, "The Elements of Style" is something I return to once every few years.

When and where do you write?

When: Whenever I stop procrastinating. (I am very good at procrastinating.) I try to write first drafts of pieces when I feel wide awake and energetic, which is to say: Anytime after 11am. But for revisions/edits, I like to write in the very early morning. For some reason, I feel a lot looser and, perhaps strangely, sharper, in the hour or so after I've woken up. Where: Sometimes I jot down notes on my smartphone while riding the subway but that's more about ideas. The actual writing of prose usually happens when I'm sitting on my bed with my laptop in my lap. I used write at a desk with a proper desk chair and lamp and external monitor/keyboard and everything. I don't know what happened, but at some point in 2011 I took to my bed. I seem to be regressing a little.

What are you working on now?

Figuring out what my next full-time job will be, which will probably *not* involve writing but editing/working with content creators and helping them to shape different types of stories. I am full of ideas but I am also aware that I am not always the best person to execute them.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

Yes. I feel like I am in a constant battle with writer's block. And it's only gotten worse the older I get. That said, I've found that two things really help in terms of getting unstuck: Taking long walks, and writing as if I'm trying to simply explain an idea or a narrative to a friend in an email. Less performance anxiety that way.

What’s your advice to new writers?

Read every day. Indulge your curiosity and sense of wonder about the world but don't shy away from examining life's uglier aspects. Ask questions — of yourself, and others. Writing is rarely easy or enjoyable, but it pretty much always ends up being rewarding.

Anna Holmes is a writer living in New York and the editor of two books, "Hell Hath No Fury: Women's Letters from the End of the Affair" and "The Book of Jezebel," based on the popular website she created in 2007. She is also a columnist for the New York Times Sunday Book Review.

Maureen McGowan

How did you become a writer?

About a decade ago, I decided to take a break from an entirely different career to explore my creative side. I signed up for a few drawing and painting classes, and one on writing novels. I'd always enjoyed writing, but until I took that class I had never considered pursuing it as a career. 

After seeing scenes turn into chapters and eventually a full manuscript, I was hooked. And although my road to publication was full of bumps, I've never looked back.

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).

I have fairly eclectic tastes when it comes to reading, but for a book to really hold my attention, it needs to have either a fabulous story, or a gripping voice--preferably both. That said, for me, fantastic storytelling skills trump beautiful sentences.

Some favorite authors include: Robertson Davies, John Irving, Margaret Atwood, Suzanne Collins, Rainbow Rowell, Joe Hill, Anne Tyler, Molly O'Keefe, Anne Rice... I told you I had eclectic tastes. 

When and where do you write?

I do most of my writing in the afternoon and early evening. I can write anywhere in a pinch, but I do most of my first draft work in coffee shops. I happy anywhere with a socket to plug in my (almost antique) MacBook, good coffee, and something other than sweet food for fuel.

What are you working on now?

I am working on a few projects simultaneously. But the one currently on the top of the stack is a realistic, contemporary-set teen novel. I say realistic, but like most of my stories, it will include high stakes, suspense and fast-pacing.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

I've definitely had LOTS of days when it was difficult to get past a point in a story. But I don't like to think of these days as writer's block, per se. I think it's too easy for writers to fall into the habit of using that affliction to legitimize not working--that, and the absence of their "muse". I think the mark of a professional writer is the ability to push through and work, even on the days when nothing seems to be working. 

To get through the hard days, I sometimes brainstorm about possible solutions to my problem. Or, if I've lost confidence that day, (or simply don't feel like writing), simply venting my frustration and other feelings via the keyboard can often get things flowing again.

What’s your advice to new writers?

Learn your craft. If you were entering any other profession, you'd expect to spend years studying before finding success. Writing is no different. These days, because self-publishing has become such a viable option, I fear too many writers will dive into publishing before they have honed their craft. I, for one, am glad that my first 2 or 3 manuscripts never saw the light of day. I'm glad that I got to learn how to write fiction in relative privacy, with only my teachers, critique partners, and eventually publishing professionals seeing my early efforts. Not that they were terrible. They simply weren't good enough.

It's also important to learn about the world and business of publishing, which is a moving target these days. Only by understanding all the options, and the most professional way to approach each, can you make educated decisions about whether and how to pursue publishing your work.

Maureen McGowan is the award winning and bestselling author of two popular YA series including the dystopian thriller series: The Dust Chronicles. She writes exciting, fast-paced novels, enjoyed by teen and adult readers alike.

Maureen always loved writing fiction, but side-tracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to channel her energy into novels. After leaving a career in finance and accounting, she hasn’t looked back.

Aside from her love of books, she’s passionate about films, fine handcrafted objects and shoes. She lives in Toronto, where she attends the film festival every year.

Her most recent titles include: Deviants (Skyscape, 2012), Compliance (Skyscape, 2013), and Glory (Skyscape, June 10, 2014). Contact her, or join her mailing list at www.maureenmcgowan.com.