Fighting Prose Interview with Kristen Granata!

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.

Kristen
Granata

is my interview this week!

How long have you been writing?

I've written stories, journals, and poems since I was 5 yrs old, but I self-published for the first time in March 2018.

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

"Collision" will always be my favorite! It's the first book I ever wrote, and I wrote it during a very dark & difficult time in my life. I poured my emotion out onto those pages and the main character, Merritt, is a piece of me. That book will always be my baby.

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?

Romance is my favorite genre to read and to write, though I add a lot of drama/mystery to my romance stories - I love when a love story is more than just a love story. Growing up, I didn't read romance. My favorites were: "The Partner" by John Grisham, and "Fahrenheit 451," by Ray Bradbury. I was also a huge fan of Shakespeare.

How do you get in the mood to write?

I need absolute silence & prefer to write when I'm home alone. (But those quiet days are far & few between!)

How do your characters come together?

My characters are always floating around in my brain, having conversations. I don't plan. I don't make character sheets. I simply get an idea and write. The characters basically write themselves.

How do you get your ideas?

My ideas come from my head, but I feel the most inspired when I listen to music. A song will give me a feeling, and then that feeling will transform into a character with a story.

Who do you admire in the writing world?

I admire Colleen Hoover, for all the good she has done with her success, and for the kinds of real-life stories she has shed light on in her stories. Kandi Steiner is also a huge inspiration to me because of how she gives advice to new authors. It's rare to see popular authors reaching out to unknown authors to help them.

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

Teaching. I am a full-time teacher, as well as a wife and a step-mom. So basically, I rarely have time to write because I'm so busy doing necessary things like working & cleaning!

Have you always been creative?

I've been creative my whole life. I always loved to write, but as a kid I was in dancing school and took art classes. I've always needed creative outlets to express myself and feel fulfilled.

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

I wouldn't say I've had writers block, but more like I've felt stuck on certain scenes. I haven't experienced not knowing what to write, but I've been frustrated with HOW to write it. I can get stuck in my own head, and self-doubt blocks me from getting where I need to go until I can push through it.

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

Writing comes naturally for me. If it were hard, I'm not sure I'd get as much enjoyment out of it as I do. I've always been a "good writer," according to teachers in school growing up, so I received a lot of praise for it, and that fueled me to keep going. Expressing myself through words is SO much easier for me than speaking them! I'm not a confrontational person, and I'm an introvert, so writing is how I can get everything out.

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

KEEP GOING! Starting out is scary, because you don't know what you're doing. I did a TON of research on literally everything about self-publishing. There are highs and lows in this industry, so you have to buckle in and hold on. Keep going. Don't let anyone, or your own self-doubt, deter you from doing what you love to do.

What is your dream writing location?

I'd love to have my own writing office in my house. A comfy chair, a pretty desk, inspirational quotes hung on the walls, and a pretty window to look out while I'm daydreaming about my characters. I write in my kitchen, so it's not glamorous AT ALL.

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

I always get asked if what I write is a true story - especially "Collision." Everything I write has a personal touch to it, taken from experiences or emotions from my life, but the stories aren't actually true.

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

TJ from "Fighting the Odds." Didn't even have to think on that one! He's probably my most-loved character by readers, and I created him because we all need someone as inspirational and uplifting as him. Plus, he's hot as hell.

What do you think makes a good story?

Heart. If you write a story that comes from your heart - honest, raw, real - then you can't go wrong. Also, you need to know some basic grammar so it's not difficult to read.

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

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to help people. I've always wanted to be famous, whether it was through acting or writing, because I knew that those careers would give me a platform that I could reach people with, and money to help people with. My mission in life is to help the people who are suffering in this world, and I'll do whatever I can to make that possible.