Friday 29 October 2010

Guest post - Your Writing Journey: Elana Johnson

What do you write? 
I write young adult novels. Sometimes there’s magic, sometimes there’s mind reading, sometimes there’s kissing. Okay, who am I kidding? There’s always kissing!

How long have you been writing? 
I began writing just after Thanksgiving in 2007.

What got you started? 
I’d just experienced something really traumatic in my life. I disappeared inside myself. I lived in grays and passing time. When people would ask me how I was, I couldn’t answer, because it was just another day and I had made it through.

I started writing by penning the story of the first 30 years of my life. All the dark emotion seeped out of me. And naturally, I poured all that angst and loss and darkness into a teenager. Aren’t they just the angstiest?

A Few important lessons you have learned along the way: 
1. Writing is hard.

2. I can do hard things.

3. Publishing a book takes patience.

4. Writing and publishing both take perseverance.

5. The blogging community is extremely supportive and lovely and made of all things worth having.

What priority writing is in your life at the moment? 
Well, writing always comes after job and family. And maybe a few other things. Maybe like 5th? 6th?

Is it a hobby, career, potential career? 
I’m definitely hoping for a career. I also teach in my real life, and I’d love for writing to replace teaching. But teaching provides a steady income, and so far, writing hasn’t done that. But I’m hoping it will. Or rather, I’m working toward that.

Can you see yourself writing for the rest of your life, regardless of financial / popular success? 
I think so. I do believe that a person has to experience some measure of success or they’ll quit. I mean, you can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over. If you want something to change (go from failure to success, for example), you have to change. Do something different. Learn something more. Hit the market at the right time (okay, so you have no control over this). Something.

Anything else you may want to add. 

My debut novel, POSSESSION, comes out next summer from Simon & Schuster. There’s mind reading! Escapes! Cute boys! And kissing, always kissing. J

6 comments:

  1. Thanks, Dolly! It was great being here with you. :)

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  2. Love learning more about you! LOL kissing makes it awesome. Thanks for sharing ;o)

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  3. You are busy, Elana! :o)

    Thanks for sharing your awesomesause yet again.

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  4. Nice to 'meet' you Elana. I have to agree, kissing's always good! :-)

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  5. Nice seeing you here, Elana. I can't wait to read Possession.

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