Original Fiction of the Week: Dru

Dru is a wonderful fantasy story about mystery, war and finding oneself amidst all the rubble. In this edition of Original Fiction of the Week, we take a closer look at this amazing story.

Give us a brief summary of Dru.

Dru is, on the surface, a story of a politically arranged marriage in world on the brink of supernatural war. But at its center, it’s a story of an eighteen year old who still holds that childhood idealism that lets her think she can do anything she sets her mind to, and that lets her think she has the answers to even the questions she hasn’t yet been asked. Yes, this is a story of a conflict between werewolves and humans, but it’s mainly a story challenging assumptions, of learning that you can’t always win all of the battles... of growing up.

What inspired you to write Dru?

You know, I don’t even remember what originally inspired the story; I’ve just had certain scenes in my mind for what feels like forever. I knew that I wanted to write a different kind of werewolf-human story, one that didn’t involve pre-destined mates and fairytales and glitter and all of that good stuff. I wanted to write a story where readers could watch as the main character grows as a person.

How long have you been working on this story?

I’ve really only been working on it for a month or two... or, at least, I’ve only been actively trying to write it for a month or two. I took a bit of a break from writing in general for a little bit, and I’m only now getting back into the swing of things.

What is your favorite thing about writing Dru?

I’ve been really enjoying writing in first person, actually! Maybe it’s something about the main character, or maybe it’s just because it’s different, but that’s definitely my favorite thing right now.

What is the most challenging thing about writing it?

Oh, good question! I’d have to say that the hardest thing about writing Dru is pacing myself; there’s a lot of exciting stuff coming up that I really want to get to, but I know that I need to take my time and wait for things to build. I’ve also been having a hard time writing the Enforcer’s character, because there’s a lot that goes into him and he’s a really deep character, but I have to constantly remind myself that there are things no one else can see yet.

Have you ever experienced writer's block with this story? If so, how did you overcome it?

My go-to writer’s block fix is to stop trying to force whatever chapter I’m working on, and instead spend a little bit of time thinking about other scenes I know I want to have happen down the line. I write those, and just keep writing out-of-order until I can get back to the chapter that I was originally struggling with.

Do you write with an outline, or just wing it?

I have an irrational hatred of outlining things, probably from all of those years of being forced to outline speeches. So... no, I definitely don’t outline stories. I’ll jot down quotes or quick snapshots to remind me of things I want to make sure get written, and I’ll always have a mental plan of where I want the story to end up, but I just let the rest of the pieces fall into place as I go.

Do you have any pre/post writing rituals?

While writing, I just put some headphones on, blast some classical music (bet you never thought you’d hear that phrase!), and just try to get myself in the zone. Every once in a while I’ll have a single non-classical song that will pop into my head, and I’ll just put that on repeat while I’m writing out a certain scene, but usually it’s Mozart and Vivaldi for me. And then when I need to take a break or I’ve finished a scene, I don’t let myself re-read it, not until after it’s settled for a few days.

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

I guess I’d just like to say that you should all give all of the characters a chance when you’re reading the story. I know a few of you have voiced your dislike of the main character, for instance, but there’s a reason she’s not perfect, and I hope you’ll give her a chance long enough to watch her grow.

Special thanks to nearly witches. and silent hearts. for editing!