Fighting Prose Interview with Jeré Anthony!

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.

Jeré Anthony

is my interview this week!

How long have you been writing?

1 1/2 years but I write for Walmart packaging for my day job

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?

Contemporary Romance! I especially enjoy writing rom/coms

How do you get in the mood to write?

I like to trick myself and start doing it before I can talk myself out of it... kinda like going to the gym. I write the best when I don't have any distractions so noise cancelling headphones are a god-send.

How do your characters come together?

My characters are always the first thing I start with in my story. I find inspiration from funny videos, things my friends say, or just observing people at coffee shops.

How do you get your ideas?

Usually something weird happens and I ask myself, "What if this thing would have been different? How could this become a love story?”

Who do you admire the most in the writing world?

I freaking love Colleen Hoover. She has such an inspirational success story and has always been authentic. Her stories move me and make me think of things in a whole new way.

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

I love going to spin class at my local cycling gym and drinking wine and jamming out to my favorite playlist of the week while I cook a long meal!

Have you always been creative? Has it always been writing?

Yes! My teachers always told my mom they knew they'd see my name on a book one day. I used to write silly stories as a kid. My best friend and I even used to make a fake online magazine where we wrote made up embarrassing moments and different girl-related articles for fun... like that's what I did on Friday and Saturday nights!

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, how did you get out of it?

Yes. I rewrote Drive Me Crazy 3x!!! Ultimately, I think writers experience writers block when there's something wrong with your plot. I had to give myself permission to start over, deleting words is never fun especially after you've spent so much time pouring your heart out on the page, but sometimes you have to cut things to make the story better.

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

It's hard. Every. Damn. Time. I love the feeling of having written. Once I realized that I could create amazing scenes when I wasn't in the 'mood' to write, I decided I'd never wait around for the mood to strike again. Now it's mind over matter. I also work in 15 minute sprints and give myself a minimum time limit, if nothing is flowing after the time's spent then I can call it quits for the day.

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

Have an idea of where your story is going and don't stop drafting until you've finished the basic story structure. Your first draft should be the skeleton and with each revision you can add new layers to fluff it out and make it pretty.

What is your dream writing location?

Somewhere beautiful, maybe beachfront? Actually that may be too tempting... I think I'd be the most productive at a coworking hub surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people. I'm an extrovert, so I get my energy from people.

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

My book isn't out yet, but I think what most people want to know is 'Why romance?"

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

Gwen!!! All day long. She's the best friend in Drive Me Crazy and I'm currently working on her book. She's everything I wish I was and my ideal bestie. Gwen's a multi-layered character, a strong, independent enneagram 8, and she's not afraid to make moves in her life. Enneagram 8's are my favorite people.

What do you think makes a good story?

Authentic, imperfect characters who have a great character arc and change over the course of the book.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I grew up knowing I'd be something special... like I was destined for greatness. Unfortunately, I wasn't too familiar of different kinds of jobs since everyone in my family was either military or in the medical field. So obviously I wanted to be a Nitro Girl AND a model. The funny thing is, now I sometimes model for Walmart... so hey, 1 or 2 isn't so bad. Sadly, I don't think I'm cut out for the Nitro Girl lifestyle!