DC Published Authors Collective: Ann Linquist

Ann Linquist. Submitted.

Ann Linquist has published two fantasy novels: The Glory Rites and its prequel, The Old Powers. Her Beginning Writers Workbook, based on her 12 years of teaching creative writing online to tens of thousands of students worldwide, was released last fall. She has lived on 13-plus acres outside Fish Creek since 2010.

What is your writing process?

I like to write in the morning because it’s quiet, and coffee helps. Writing novels has been great fun because being such long projects, they give me meaningful momentum – the opposite of drifting through life. That is not to say that I don’t write short pieces and even poems. I use the latter two forms for pure play, keeping my expectations low.

One of my favorite ways to get going in the morning is to write a “poem of the day.” This is more of a brain blurt – usually short and a way to see what’s on my mind. I work hard not to censor my words since my pesky inner critics are ever ready to say, “That’s so dumb!” I save all these, even though 90% are blah. But 10% being OK makes me feel good.

To me, revision is the heart of serious writing. While revising, I can bring to full realization the inherent connections that create depth in my work. I find that there is more in any draft than I know I put there, but I have to look carefully for such potential and meaningful interrelationships.

In your opinion, what are the most important elements of good writing?

Here’s what I look for in a book: a good story, decent pacing, accuracy and a few surprises.

I believe the idea of story is not given enough credit. Get your characters into trouble, then find new ways for them to muddle through to unexpected territory. It’s very pleasing to find authors who resist the obvious and let events creep into their stories that are completely unexpected.

I like dialogue because it speeds up the pace. We climb into the story and put ourselves inside the character, mentally acting out the scene.

I also like the idea of accuracy as an element of good writing. It’s easier to write, “Emma was depressed” instead of “Emma found herself sitting on the edge of her bed reading meaningless news stories about movie stars, apartment upgrades and cooking tips on her phone instead of getting dressed.” I’d rather read the latter. 

What are you currently reading?  

Everything I can find that someone recommends. I listen to a lot of audiobooks but have a very full Kindle as well. I usually have two or three books going at once. I just finished Babel by R.F. Kuang – quite a daring writer.

Any advice for beginning writers?

You need to feel free to write poorly; every word is teaching you. Remember to have fun. Keep going; the only way to fail at writing is to quit. Until then, like all writers, you are practicing.

Beginning writers might visit my website, Ann Linquist Writes and You Can Too (annlinquistwrites.com). I post writing challenges there, just for fun.

The Door County Published Authors Collective is a group that brings together and champions local writers.

The following is an excerpt from Linquist’s novel The Glory Rites.

Opal bobbed her head with a soft snort of a laugh. How easy it was to be a fool. Somehow she had been operating on the assumption that she had innumerable options and possibilities for herself, plus endless amounts of time in which to decide a proper course. How precious and useful that notion had been! 

Now with inexorable finality, that vague but promise-filled future had coalesced into this commonplace pitfall of a present. She had been snared by pregnancy. She was with child. She could no longer play at life, nor stand back and laugh at the people who had chosen wrong and so led ridiculous lives. 

What a fool I’ve been, Opal thought. Was this what her mother had been trying to drill into her all these years – some sense that it mattered how you acted, what you thought, what you said, what you chose? That you weren’t just along for the ride, but had to pick your trail carefully and well unless you wanted to be lost forever? That you might have to hack that trail out of the undergrowth, unable to see a step in front of you?

Well, she was going to have a baby, and that was that. Opal tried to set her teeth, but her shoulders fell. Now what? To her great relief, however, the answer came with great clarity. She needed to talk to her mother.