Good morning everyone! Each month I will post a two part feature. The first part will be an interview with the month’s author and include a short bio. The second part of the feature is a sample of the writer’s work. Sounds fun right?

Everyone give a big welcome to March’s writer. *claps*

Meet Jamie Stewart.

Tell Us About Yourself

“I’ve never really limited myself to one particular genre or style of writing, (I like to explore them all and learn as much as I can about the different styles of craft in existence!) For specific projects, I tend to write in whatever form I feel is natural to the story. That being said, I recently have been writing a lot of prose fiction in the form of novels and short stories. I do have a short play under my belt and I’ve dabbled in poetry. Also, I’ve been known to crank out a personal essay or two when the mood strikes. As for my published work, I did an amazing summer internship with The California Journal of Women Writers in 2015 and I currently have book reviews up on the journal’s website. In addition to that and to the content I’ve published on my own blog, I am currently querying my first novel, which is a work of New Adult realistic fiction, in the hopes of finding a literary agent who would like to represent it (and me!) We’ll just have to wait and see what the future brings!”

 

Now onto the interview…

 

Can you share a little of your current story with us?

“Absolutely. This is the most recent short excerpt of fiction I’ve posted on my blog. The piece is called ‘Getting The Boot.’”

 

How did you become involved with the subjects or themes of your writing?

“I tend to use what I know as a springboard for the subjects and themes in my work, but sometimes my imagination completely takes over. I like creating new ideas in writing as much as I enjoy reflecting on my own experiences. Themes I’ve written about in the past include things like growing up, managing family dynamics, falling in love, dealing with self doubt, exploring personal faith, rebellion on small and large scales, and dramatic quests for adventure. I don’t always set out with a hallmark moment in mind, but I have to say I’m a sucker for storylines that warm your heart in one way or another.”

 

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?

“Right now I’m writing a mix of fiction and creative non-fiction, along with some poetry. I do tend to switch up my genre when I write fiction. For me, the genre I use typically changes based on the content or message of the story I’m trying to tell. For fun or futuristic ideas, I gravitate towards imaginary settings. If a story deals with more serious material, I might employ a realistic setting in order to get a sturdy foothold. That being said, sometimes a fantasy world I’ve created in my mind or a historic time period just strikes me as particularly intriguing and I’ll create a story around it. As you can see, I’m a bit of a mixed bag! But, allowing myself to approach writing fiction from such a variety of different angles definitely keeps me balanced. It allows me to stay focused on the core of the story I want to tell. I do the same thing with non-fiction and poetry, too. Whatever I’m writing, (short stories, limericks, personal essays, etc.) I always keep in mind the central thread and let the rest fall into place.”

 

Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two?

“Oh, this is a really cool question. I’d have to say I use a combination of the two. When I’m planning out a story, fiction or non-fiction, I’m always aware of who my audience is. I also let logic guide me when I make my edits towards the end. It helps me to look at a work critically when I’m attempting to identify what is and is not working for the reader. But in the middle of the writing process, I’m all intuition. It’s pure creation, baby.”

 

Do you set a daily writing goal?

“I make my best effort to write everyday, even if it’s just for five minutes. I’ve set word count goals in the past when I wanted to generate content, but sometimes even just aiming to figure out a certain aspect of a character’s behavior or backstory is a productive writing goal. So, yes, I do set writing goals, but I try not to let them limit me. Sometimes I’ll go into a day with no agenda and just see what I come up with. Even when I’m not sitting down with my laptop, I’m always thinking about a story or a character I’m working on. Plot, themes, motivation. These things are always on my mind. To me, that’s all considered “writing” as well.”

 

What are you currently working on?

“I am currently workshopping a short story with a small writing group, which is a total blessing because it allows me to get feedback from other writers. It’s been a really beneficial experience so far and I’m excited to share the final piece when the time comes! In addition to that and to pitching my novel (oh, the query letters!), I’m also writing on books, creative writing, and other aspects of my life on my own blog. I’ve churned out a pretty significant chunk of poetry in the past few months as well. And there are definitely some more novels to come in my future. So I guess I’m working on a little bit of everything at the moment!”

 

 

Click here to visit Jamie’s blog!

Click here to visit Jamie’s Twitter.

 

Check back tomorrow to see Jamie’s fiction piece entitled

Getting The Boot.