Fighting Prose Interview with Felicia Blaedel!

Welcome to my in-depth writers series Fighting Prose. Where I talk to authors in the industry on what their process is like and what it takes for them to keep on creating, through all the odds.

Felicia Blaedel

is my interview this week!

How long have you been writing?

When I was a child, I wrote short stories all the time, but I stopped as a teenager and then I didn't pick it up again until 2016, where I started writing as a way to cope with a difficult time in my life. Chasing Pebbles is my debut novel and the first book I've written in English, but I've written another novel in Danish.
I stopped writing when school and jobs took over my time, and I believed I wasn't talented enough to pursue a career in writing. When I started writing again, it was just for me. I made a note with rules like, e.g. "I can write stories that are close to reality or far from it" or "I can write even though I suck at grammar" etc. My rules helped me get over my fears, and I found my desire to write again, something I thought I'd lost for good. As I started identifying with being a writer and prioritizing my writing, I felt so much freer and at peace.

If you’ve written several books, which is your favorite?

I think Chasing Pebbles is my favourite and it's also the one I've pursued publishing. I love my main characters Oliver and Frida. I think they are real and flawed, and their love is authentic and messy. I wanted to write a romance that makes you feel, think, swoon and smile, but in a way that's still realistic. I wanted to tell the story of a heroine with simple dreams and a big heart and a nerdy, underdog hero.
I have two book projects in Danish, one finished (a young adult romance) and one that's about 50 per cent done (an ff new adult romance). Even though I don't think I'll resume working on them, writing these stories meant a lot to me. The novel I finished in Danish has a heroine with high functioning anxiety like myself, and it was incredibly healing to write her story.
Right now, I'm working on book two in my series Without Filter, where Oliver's sister is one of the main characters, and I already have a feeling that this story will be special to me.

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?

My favourite genres to read is romance, new adult and young adult. So far, my favourite genre to write has been new adult romance. I find it fascinating to write about that phase where you're technically an adult, but you are still figuring out where you belong and who you really are.

How do you get in the mood to write?

Sometimes it easy, like when I have a clear idea of the story and my characters are alive in my mind and constantly chatting, not even letting me shower in peace. Other times it's harder. I assign myself time to write, so I don't feel guilty for not doing something practical instead. If I'm stuck, I do writing sprints as it helps me focus when I'm anxious or overwhelmed.

How do your characters come together?

Usually, I start by having a vague idea that slowly becomes more real. When I have an overall idea of the type of character I'm writing, I do different things to develop them. I interview my characters, and I write several pages of their everyday life. One thing is giving them a great backstory, but I also learn so much about my characters by taking them grocery shopping or making them tell me about their day at work. I also do Pinterest boards, and I draw them (I'm really bad at drawing), but it's not so much about the visualization itself. It's more about spending focused time thinking about the characters without expecting anything from them.

How do you get your ideas?

I have no idea. I honestly don't. I get ideas for characters way before I get ideas for plots. I start writing when I have the characters down. When I have decided the overall feelings and motivations as well as a vague idea of the plot, that also means I rewrite a lot in the beginning, but it works better for me than to plot out scenes far in advance.

Who do you admire in the writing world?

That's such a hard question. I admire imaginative authors. I admire J.K Rowling, C.S Lewis, Astrid Lindgren and Tove Jansson for their world-building. If I look at authors within contemporary romance, I would say Penny Reid. I think she writes exceptional stories that are funny, clever and full of heart. I also think Sarina Bowen is very talented. Her stories are so well-paced and flow perfectly.

If you're not busy writing, what are you busy doing?

These days I'm busy chasing after my toddler. I love reading and I never leave my house without my kindle. I enjoy being outside and going for walks in nature. I dance, mostly at home or the gym. For the most part, I like cooking, and I always want to travel. I love being around friends as family, as long as I have enough alone time to re-charge afterwards.

Have you always been creative?

Yes, I believe so... As a child, I wrote stories and painted. Growing older, I stopped doing things I didn't think were useful or worth my time, and for a long time, I convinced myself that I wasn't creative.
From the moment I moved away from home I cooked a lot though, and I've been making my own recipes ever since, so even when I wasn't writing, I was creative in other ways.

Have you ever had writers block? If so, how did you get out of it?

I've only had severely writers-block when I was pregnant. I had a difficult pregnancy, and I was sick for most of it, but still going to work, so I think it had to do with me being completely exhausted. When I experience minor writers-block I can solve it by doing writing sprints or taking a break.

When you sit down to write, is it easy or hard? If it's hard, what makes you keep showing up?

I think most days are somewhere in between. But the reason I keep going on the days that are hard and where it feels like a struggle is that I'm happier when I write. I'm highly sensitive and I have anxiety, and writing is my outlet. It's a way to process all of the extra emotions. It's healing. And I don't know how to explain it, but when I decided that I was going to publish a book and when I started calling myself an author, something inside me clicked into place. It felt right.

For a writer starting out what advice would you give them?

Start by writing for you, don't worry what the world will think, don't worry about your community, your family or your friends. Write for you.
Once you are ready to share your writing, figure out what your strengths are and where you need help. I'm writing in my second language, and I've never been good at grammar. If I'm going to be a writer, it's essential that I don't feel bad about those shortcomings, but that I hire someone to help me fix my grammatical mess, so my story gets to shine.

What is your dream writing location?

I don't think I have one. I like the idea of writing in a coffee shop buzzing with energy and inspiration, but I prefer to write at home. I want to decorate our home office/guestroom and make it more cozy and creative, though.

In reference to your books, what question do you get asked the most?

Since Chasing Pebbles is my debut novel, I mostly get asked what it's about.

If you could bring one of your characters to life who would it be? Why?

That is a hard question. I love both Frida and Oliver, and I don't think I could choose. Oliver because he's such a genuine person and a different type of romance hero. He's nerdy and awkward, but successful and confident in other areas of his life. He's funny, odd, he rambles and he knows something about everything. He is not your typical alpha hero, but he'll still make you swoon. Frida because she's loyal, fun and emphatic. She's creative, a tad dramatic and she's a mixture of a tomboy and a girlie-girl. Life has knocked her down a bit, but she's resilient. She's caring and compassionate and her dreams are simple, but at the same time she's strong and brave.

What do you think makes a good story?

A good story is a story I get lost in, where I just want to keep reading, but I also don't want it to end. A good story doesn't only make me feel; it makes me think. It's a story where I relate to the characters and their struggles, where I want to cheer on them as well as grieve with them.