Heather M. Bryant
Twitter: @heather_b88
How long have you been writing?
Properly on and off for about six years. For fun, since I could pick up a pen. Before that it was all in my head with my Barbies.
What inspired the project you’re currently querying?
Nothing in particular. My MC came to me fully formed and the story evolved around her.
What’s your elevator pitch for the project you’re currently querying?
When her crazy dad's calling card of a doll's head shows up, Jenna and her family know it's time to haul-ass. The Valley offers them protection from him in exchange for Jenna's power. But the more she uses it, the more like him she becomes until she must choose; her life, or her sanity.
What are you working on in the meantime to keep yourself from checking your email every three seconds?
Another YA Fantasy that I wrote forever ago and am now rewriting and editing. But that doesn't stop me from checking every three seconds.
What are three books that have shaped you as a writer?
Harry Potter (is that the standard response?), Vampire Academy, and Cinder.
Are you a plotter or a pantser or an all-of-the-above-er? What is your writing process?
Hard-core plotter. I've tried to pants and it was a whole load of "so what do you wanna do?", "I don't know, what you wanna do?"
I spend about a month getting all the story lines right with chapter arcs etc. and then get into writing. As my characters take over and establish themselves sometimes things change along the way.
What advice would you give to a writer about to take the plunge into querying?
Research! So, so much. It's very easy to get carried away and impatient and just want to get your stuff out there because you think it is AWESOME and READY. It isn't. Leave it a month, at least. No matter how perfect you think your work is for goodness sake, leave it! Read anything and everything you can about perfecting your craft. DON'T query until you have read at least every post on query shark. That is a minimum requirement. I promise you, it is not beneath you.
How do you take your caffeine?
With an IV drip.
Thanks for participating, Heather! Best of luck with your querying!
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