A while ago I opened up the "Ask Me Anything" feature on Tumblr and got some thoughtful questions. I was surprised by the array of questions, and how thought-provoking some of them were, so I decided to compile the first set into a post. These are the answers below:
May 2023 Q&A - Freya Larsen
Question: What is your favorite book?
Answer: I actually get asked this a lot, but I don't think it's something I've ever answered truthfully. You see, I feel like my life has been impacted in different ways by different pieces, and those moments are divided between my growth stages. A book that I would have considered my favorite when I was 21 may not necessarily be my favorite ten years later.
I can say, though, I have some favorite authors, like Bram Stoker, William Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, and the Bronte sisters. I feel that their work is timeless and effortlessly evokes deep emotions in the reader. These stories are timeless.
Question: Do you see yourself in another line of work, if this doesn't work out?
Answer: Honestly, no. I've had a passion for writing since I was a child, often writing poems on napkins between meals. I've never seen myself not doing this, and I have to believe that there is success at the end of one road that will lead me to the next.
I've been writing for a decade now, commercially as a freelancer and lending my pen to a myriad of digital publishers and brands under different pseudonyms. But it's time for me to write for myself and tell the stories I want to tell. I have so many emotional avenues to travel within myself and my writing, that the only option is to make it happen. Otherwise, I'd be incomplete.
Question: What is the hardest part about trying to be an author?
Answer: Marketing. I am a marketing copywriter by trade, but that just means I know what's required content-wise to get things moving. I am horrible at keeping my fingers on my own social media. To be honest, I hate it. I've managed other people's social media, but managing mine is difficult.
I would say that for many writers, having to build their personas online is the most tedious process. It's necessary, but all you really want to be doing is writing, and there are these posts you have to remember to make, add in all your metadata, captions, hashtags... By the time you're done, you just are a little poorer in the time department. I've outsourced before, but I would like to be able to speak to my own audience in my own way most of the time.
I'm lucky to say that I still have a core group of followers from my days as a book reviewer and promoter, and I've always kept in touch with them. I'd say now begins the journey of building a new platform as an author, and that's a brand new project. I'm restarting from scratch building new platforms on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere. That is something I'll be tackling more this year.
Question: What settings inspire you?
Answer: New England. My very first piece was based in New England, and I feel like that region really encompasses many of the worlds I envision, particularly Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
I am also partial to the Pacific Northwest. Another piece I've been working on is centered in Alaska and Canada. I think in the future England or somewhere in that region will be on the roster as well.
Question: I'm trying to be a writer, but I kept getting writer's block. Do you struggle with this? How do you handle it?
Answer: Sure, I get writer's block. All the time. I think all writers at some point struggle with what to write, or sometimes, how to write what they want to say. I'd say there will be days when you just want to evoke a specific feeling, and everything seems to come out wrong, or what you've written just isn't enough to relay the message.
There are going to be times when you've written what seems like one hundred lines and only end up keeping one. That one is what you're working for. Once you have it, keep moving through it. Sometimes I just have to remove myself from the work and do something else. I'll cook a new recipe or listen to music for a while, the latter is a very good method for combatting writer's block.
The main goal is to not sit at a blank screen in frustration, because you'll eventually end up penning things that are subpar and you'll have to change them anyway.
I think that there aren't enough people in positions of experience to say to others following in the same direction that they aren't alone. So the day you learn how to manage writer's block in your way, I advocate for you to help another.
Question: What are your favorite genres?
Answer: I generally enjoy fiction and poetry. I lean toward stories with real-life relevance that send a clear message about life, love, and believing in something greater than oneself. Classic literature also speaks to me deeply and is by far my first choice of reading material.
Question: Do you still write poetry?
Answer: Yes. I'm actually thinking of sharing some poetry here every so often. I haven't planned a schedule yet. But I want to share those writings as well.
These are the questions I had time to answer so far, and I'll compile a few more in the coming months. You can send more questions to "Ask Me Anything," and you might see it here.
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