This week we hear from young writer Brittany Weddle, author of Payback Time, who talks about the joy of getting published and her drive to become a full-time author.
Location and one thing you love about living there: I live in a small town in Michigan in the states. It’s one of those towns that’s so small it’s not even visible on a map [laughs], but I love it. I’ve lived there all my life and I can’t imagine living anywhere else, but at the same time, it could do with a movie theatre and maybe a book store or two.
Author of: Payback Time
Book available: Createspace estore, Amazon, Amazon Kindle and at Smashwords
Website: http://everythingaboutbooks.blogspot.com/
Tell us a bit about yourself: I was born on January 1990 to a single mother. I started writing when I was 15 when my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer, but didn't seriously consider writing as a profession until I was 20.
What sparked your passion for books and the art of a good story? My mom used to read to me when I was a baby, as most parents do when their children are young. The story goes that before I learned to read, I would tell the story back to her just by looking at the pictures on the pages and I’ve been an avid reader ever since. I think my passion for a good story came from the fact that I have a very vivid imagination and for the longest time I had no way of releasing that pent up energy. Thank God for writing!
Is there a particular book that changed or affected your life in a big way? I read a lot of different books by a lot of different authors, but if I have to pick one it would be the Harry Potter books. Those books changed the way that everyone viewed books and the detail in those books is just incredible.
What was the seed of inspiration for your Payback Time? Oh, gosh, I started writing this book in 2006 when I was sixteen and it changed so much since then. At the time my grandmother was battling lung cancer and I tried writing in a journal, but then I decided my life was boring so I decided to make up stories instead.
Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp? There isn’t a particular message I want the readers to grasp. I know what I got out of it and that may not be the same thing as what the readers get out of it and that’s okay! That’s one of the reasons I became a writer in the first place.
What challenges have you faced in your writing career? Getting published! For the longest time I battled back and forth on either being traditionally published or self-publishing, but in the end I decided to go with the self-publishing. I’m horrible with deadlines.
What has been your best moment as a writer? Being published. Nothing has ever come close to the fact that I was finally going to be in print.
Who is your author idol? I have so many idols. Authors like Nora Roberts, James Patterson, and J.K. Rowling…the list goes on and on.
Do you see yourself in any of your characters? In this book, I see more of my mom in Mary, my main female character, just because they’re both single mothers and both independent people. I think the only difference is: my mom’s not a cop and she doesn’t smoke.
Do you feel like your dream has come true or is there much more to do? Getting published was the easy part, but marketing…that’s where the hard part comes in. Just because your book is now in bookstores or on the virtual shelves, doesn’t mean your job as the author is finished.
What is your personal cure for procrastination? Aww the dreaded procrastination! What I like to do is turn off the television and just remove all of the things that can take me away from writing, except for music. Whenever I’m writing, I have my iPod on and I’m jamming away.
What does your workspace look like? A mess! All kidding aside, I live in a two bedroom apartment and my mom has the other bedroom, so I don’t have an office. My office and my bedroom are one and the same. I have a computer desk for my laptop and a writing desk because I like to write long hand.
Are there any occupational hazards to being a writer? The only thing I can come up with is that this is such a lonely profession in the fact that there’s no one you can turn to and say: what am I supposed to do here? What am I supposed to say?
Have you ever had a day when you just wanted to quit? Not yet and hopefully I never will.
What do you do when you’re not writing? I like to go to the movies and shopping…the normal things for a woman in her early twenties, but my mom is my best friend and I love spending time with her.
What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer? Never set too high of a goal for yourself. If your goal is to be a bestselling author, then you would have better luck at winning the lottery
What was the greatest thing you learned at school? I graduated from high school four years ago and already it feels like a lifetime ago, but I think just to never bring yourself down and always believe in yourself.
Did you have a moment when you realised you were meant to be a writer? Yes, for the longest time I just thought of my writing as a hobby and I showed my notebook to a friend of mine and she asked if I was going to get it published. From that moment on, I knew that I was meant to be an author. Thank God, too, because I’m not good at anything else so it’s all or nothing with me.
Do you get any judgement for being such a young author? Not yet, a lot of the people that I meet, are over the moon when they hear that I’m an author, but I’m sure I’ll meet people who will judge me and criticize me for what I do and I’m prepared to handle that.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors? Never give up. If writing is your dream, then go for it. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not good enough or that you can’t write because you can.
If you are an author and would like to be featured on You May Say I'm a Dreamer, email me at: sarahrhardie[at]gmail.com and I'll get back to you.
