The countdown to the launch of Dublin’s Fierce City continues, so here is next in our series interviews with the writers of the book. This time we’re talking to Amy Fitzpatrick!
1. What genre do you like to write in most?
Given the nature of Cupán Fae, I hope it would be obvious! I lean more towards fantasy then sci-fi however and occasionally dip my toes into horror.
I try to keep things humorous as well, we could all use a little more laughter in our lives.
2. Which author or authors inspired you to write?
As a child, Eoin Colfer and J.K. Rowling, and as I have grown, Terry Pratchett, Hiromu Arakawa, James Joyce and Louise O’Neill.
As cheesy as it sounds, I also draw a lot of inspiration from friends and family. I have been lucky enough to be raised by and make friends with some incredibly talented people. Seeing the stuff they make and how hard they work also pushes me to pursue my goals.
3. Are you a planner or a pantser, and how does that work out for you?
Ooh, no. I have to have a plan. If I don’t everything falls apart for me, I lose motivation and get lost trying to figure out where the plot is leading.
I try not to go into too great a depth of detail in plans however. I think a lot of ideas come from being in the flow of writing itself. Building basic skeletons for plot and characters is the best way for me to feel like I know what I am doing without restricting myself too much.
4. What are you working on now?
Prepping for this year’s NaNoWriMo! I only started doing Nano last year and… failed at it pretty miserably. But this year, I not only have a better plan going into it but I also have a better idea of what to expect both from the project and from myself. I’m very much looking forward to starting.
5. What’s your one piece of advice for new writers?
Discipline is more important than inspiration.
You could have the greatest ideas in the world but they do not mean anything until you actually sit down and put them on paper. Forcing yourself to write when you don’t feel like it is difficult but it is only by putting down one word at a time that you can get it done.
Try to make a habit of it. 100, 200, 300 words a day. It could be a story you are working on or just your stream of consciousness. Whatever it is, get it down. Pluck the thoughts from your head and bind them with ink and keyboard. Take a few minutes every day to make them real.
About Amy
Amy Fitzpatrick is a writer and Dublin native. Her hunger for fantasy and sci-fi was sparked from a young age and has been fed a steady diet of books, comics and video games ever since. When she isn’t writing, Amy spends most of her time browsing the internet and trying to be funny. She can be found doing both on Twitter @alphaaction902
About Dublin’s Fierce City
In Dublin’s Fierce City, nine writers from the group present seventeen tales of magic and wonder.
Explore a city of fairies and ghosts, where one is as bad as the other. Avoid the curses of witches, and escape the wrath of angels and demons. Survive alien invasions and all out war, and come out the other side seeing the whole world differently.
