Fighting Prose Interview with Sarah Sutton!

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.

Sarah Sutton

is my interview this week!

How long have you been writing?

I've actually been writing since I was in the first grade, probably age six or seven. It seems crazy that it's been so long!

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

I think Out of My League was the best one for me. It was my very first YA Romance that I wrote (even though I published a different one first) and it was really fun getting to fall in love with those characters for the first time. It was also the first book that I wrote with serious plans to publish, which makes it even sweeter.

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?

I love to read YA Romance or YA Fantasy (with heavy romantic elements). Can you tell that I love love? Haha!

How do you get in the mood to write?

I like to listen to some music, as listening to my favorite songs always helps me start to picture scenes in my head. I can't write without listening to music!

How do your characters come together?

I sort of piece them along as I write! At first, I'll start out with a general idea of them, but I find that I learn more about them the more I write them, so they generally evolve quite a bit through my writing process. It's like getting to know a new friend!

How do you get your ideas?

Honestly, music and movies typically inspire me. They give me ideas to possible story ideas, even if what I'm watching has nothing to do with my story idea. Inspiration just strikes!

Who do you admire the most in the writing world?

I love the community and how people can be so encouraging. It's so much fun to see everyone succeed with their goals and dreams!

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

If I'm not writing, I'm most likely watching YouTube videos, haha!

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

I think for me, it's always been writing! There was a brief period that I thought I could be an artist (so glad that didn't pan out; this girl cannot draw to save her life!), but I always came back to writing.

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

If I'm feeling blocked with a scene, I always skip ahead. I try not to let myself get fully blocked--if a scene isn't working, I have to get to the root of why. If I just don't want to write, I try to force myself to write at least 500 words anyway. Especially in the drafting phase, even if it's garbage, I find that I just have to keep going. If I stop, all of my momentum is lost.

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

I'd say it can be easy and hard. I keep showing up, though, because I know that end product will be worth it. That feeling you get when you know a story is done and you're in love with how it's being told is the best feeling in the world. I always can't wait for that end goal.

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

Don't ever forget why you're writing. If you're writing because you love the craft, don't forget that. It's easy to get lost in the numbers and dollar signs and follower counts, but keep that WHY in mind. It'll help bring you back on track if you ever fall off.