A Q&A with Author MaryAnn Clarke

Hello Readers!

As my latest book, Before You Knew Me, is launching in just 9 days on September 7th, I thought I’d take a moment out to respond to a few questions I’ve received from readers. Let’s dive in…

 

How do you develop characters?

My characters usually arrive on the scene in response to a situation. Something about the story I have in mind demands a particular type of person, and they emerge – probably as an amalgam of all the characters I have known both real and fictional. Particular characteristics blend with what I know and take a specific shape which evolves as the story grows. The story situation demands specific characters, and then the characters shape the story.

 

How do you develop dialogue?

Dialogue is mostly about character. The better you know and understand your character, where they came from, and what’s important to them, the more distinctive and natural their dialogue will be. This is an evolving skill. I notice novice writers will make all the characters sound the same (presumably their own inner voice). With more skill and control, nuances can be introduced. Dialogue is influenced by gender, culture, origin, education, occupation, and many other variables that filter what a person sees and cares about. So the more life experience one has, the more one can bring that to bear on the characters one creates. Dialogue has always come naturally to me, but I still have a lot to learn about how to refine it and make it really sing.

 

Writing can be a personal journey for the author; is that true of you?

I believe all writing is a personal journey. But some readers assume this means that all fiction is autobiographical. This isn’t true, certainly not for me. But the more books I write (and writing friends have told me similar things) the more I realize that there are certain ideas and themes that I revisit. Maybe even all my books are about the same thing, viewed from different angles. It’s something writers discover the more they write. In this respect – writing is always a personal journey of discovery and evolution of thought.

 

How important is the setting?

For me setting is very important. I’m a visual person, a designer by training, and I also love to travel. So some of my stories are born out of a particular place (especially my Life is a Journey series, each book set in a different country.) I like to explore what happens when a character finds themselves in unfamiliar situations. 

In the case of Before You Knew Me, though it’s set in Vancouver, Canada, like the rest of the Having It All series, this one is centred on a specific neighbourhood (the Downtown Eastside) and its people and issues. This neighbourhood is almost like a different country for my heroine, so it serves the same role as a catalyst for change. So the setting is very much a part of the fabric of the book, and affects the main characters in fundamental ways. I had to do a fair bit of research to fill my mind’s eye with the gritty visual details to paint the picture, though it’s an area with which I’ve been familiar-ish for over fourty years.

 

What is your goal in writing? What do you want your readers to come away with? 

I’m not sure I started out with a writing goal. I simply had stories in me that had to come out. I have always liked finding and arranging words. And one thing leads to another. It stems from a passion for reading and books, and becomes a part of who you are. I guess, at best, I want readers to come away from my stories entertained, moved and transformed in a similar way that I am when I have a really excellent reading experience. In the best scenario, a reader forgets where and when they are for the moment and becomes immersed in the fictional world for a little while. And when they come back, they are changed. That’s what I want.

To be continued. Come back for part 2 on Sunday…

xo, MaryAnn