Meet Christina!

Today, I have a very special guest on my blog - Christina! She is an avid writer who provides a fresh look in the writing world. So, without further ado, I give you a quite interesting interview!

Heather: So, let's start out with getting to know a little bit more about you as a writer. How long have you been writing?


Christina: I wrote my first poem for my english class in school when I was 13 years old. After that I didn't write anything for about two years. I have been writing frequently since the last 7 years.
Heather: Wow, I'm impressed! What styles do you write in? (i.e. poetry, short stories, novels, etc.)

Christina: I write poetry most of the time though I did try my hand at writing short stories. I plan to write a novel in the future.

Heather: That is wonderful! Hopefully the plans for that novel follow through easily. How do you invent your characters?

Christina: It required me to invent characters for the few short stories I wrote. I guess the characters just came to my mind through my daily experiences with other people, the movies, and the advertisements. There is so much to stimulate our mind in today's world. I get ideas from anywhere and everywhere.

Heather: Yes, this world is quite inspirational. Has music ever inspired your writing?

Christina: Oh yes, it certainly has. I have written so many poems on nature and I hear music in the birds' chirping too. In fact, I even wrote a short story based on a song by Shakira.

Heather: That sounds like a great read to me. So when you're writing down these clever quips, do you use/prefer keyboard or pen?

Christina: Well, that's a difficult question. Earlier, it was the pen. Now-a-days, I would rather go for the keyboard.

Heather: It's definitely a difficult choice! What do you usually do while writing?

Christina: Well, nothing at all. The words just keep pouring and I struggle to write each one down. Umm, yeah, sometimes I listen to music while writing but mostly, I prefer silence.

Heather: Uninterrupted silence is certainly a good tool for writing! What are your plans for your writings?

Christina: (laughs) I have had many plans in the past. But I guess not being a full time writer makes things difficult. I plan to write a novel someday and to be better at writing short stories.

Heather: That is a great plan for the future, to better yourself at writing - yes, we always have something to learn! Some people say that you need to live life before you write a book, do you think it's experience that writes a book or imagination?

Christina: I think it's a little bit of both. If you don't have the imagination, the experience may sound dull, and without experience, you can't be fair to your imagination.

Heather: Very good points there, I couldn't have said it better myself! What is the biggest obstacle you have faced so far in writing?

Christina: Detailing. I struggle so hard to put details in my work. That's why I face problems with short stories. I need to elaborate and show everything. I guess I have to work really hard at it.

Heather: Details are hard to put into words, I certainly have to agree on that one. What do you believe the biggest obstacle will be in your future?

Christina: Time. There's so much to do. I want to write so much more than I do but can't simply because I don't have the time.

Heather: Time is always a killer. I have the same problem. If only we could combine two days into one, it would help - haha! What do you think is the hardest part about being an author?

Christina: Finding readers. *smiles* Though I love to write for myself, there's that one bit that craves for appreciation, for fame. Some part of me wants the readers to FEEL my writing.
Heather: Who is your favorite author?

Christina: There are so many. I love Paulo Coelho. He is a master at weaving beautiful stories. I love Jane Austen (she wrote amazing books), Leo Tolstoy (loved 'Anna Karenina'), Shidney Sheldon and the list never ends. *smiles* Frankly, I haven't read much poetry by famous authors. I just read poetry by other unknown authors at various websites.

Heather: Jane Austen was defintely a great writer. What do you do apart from writing?

Christina: I am a trainee psychologist. With five years of psychology behind me, it's just a matter of two more, before I can call myself a clinical psychologist. I guess that's why my poems travel into the deep, I like to observe and analyze.

Heather: That is very wonderful, Christina, you must have worked quite hard to get where you are today. Thank you for stopping by and doing an interview with me, it was very pleasant and interesting getting to know more about you and your writings.