The Writer's Studio at SFU

Save the date for the next #TWSOchat on Sunday, November 12th at 10:30am (PDT). We will discuss Simplicity in Your Writing. Join in with TWS alumni + mentors to ask q's and share your knowledge. #writerschat #WritingCommnunity

Writers! Give us a follow too/mark in your calendars, so that you will know about the upcoming #TWSsprints and #TWSOchat sessions. Bluesky Sessions: 2nd Sunday of each month -- TWS Bluesky Chats #TWSOchat 4th Sunday of each month -- TWS Writing Sprints #TWSsprints

Big love to the writers participating in today's #TWSOchat on Writing About People (Interviews): @emath.bsky.social @candietanaka.bsky.social

Thanks writing friends for joining in on another interesting discussion. As always, thank you for sharing! At TWS we love to hear how your writing is going and what you are finding interesting in the literary world. #TWSOchat #writers #writingcommunity

A8. This is hard. It can be an exploitative transaction. You have to work with people in a way that you can live with but keeping things overly polite and superficial isn’t going to get you material with any depth or revelation. #TWSOchat

Please follow the #writers participating in #TWSOchat, this community grows by sharing info + resources. Today we discussed “Writing About People” and the interview process ~ I will tweet the writers' handles asap! ^ct #writing #writerschat

A8. I think I would suggest that we keep the interview to a short time slot, say 15 minutes or less. Then be open if they do feel more comfortable to talk longer and try to make them at ease by letting them know how it will be used/not used as they wish, Any ID'ing factors obscured ^ct #TWSOchat

Q9. Besides your own networks, where do you think might be good places to find people to interview for your book? Would you look at universities/other schools, online with social media or other interviews/news articles? What you do to ensure what you are asking/searching for is unique? #TWSOchat

A7. This is not something I have done in the sense of writing it down on paper, but I think it's an idea that could work and provide some potential insights. A way to get to know the characters in your own head but also to give them some agency by thinking outside your own head too? ^ct #TWSOchat

Q8. What kind of etiquette tips do you have if an interview subject is hesitant or if you are interviewing someone around a sensitive subject/material or if the person is extremely shy? What can you do to make the interview flow better and still get the information you need? #TWSOchat

Q7. Would doing mock interviews with your fictional characters to get to know them better be useful? Once you have a character description written up, think about different types of questions that you might want to ask them in a fictional world. Make them outlandish/funny/unexpected! #TWSOchat

A3. What is your average interview/hang out time? I think that 1.5-2 hours, like a coffee/lunch date is the sweet spot or shorter if you have less in common. I like to keep it very informal and will suggest somewhere in distance closer to them of course and they pick the place ^ct #TWSOchat

A3. I wonder if anyone has ever had an interviewer get upset by a question or end the discussion early or need to run off for another reason? I haven't yet but I would want to apologize or make amends somehow and maybe ask to re-schedule if they would be open? ^ct What do you think? #TWSOchat

A4. Buying coffee/tea and/or light snack/meal is the least one can do to be considerate of someone's time in whatever the interview situation might be. Also, being aware of their time, social distancing, pronouns (not little things but might be overlooked). Also respect + gratefulness #TWSOchat ^ct

Yeah, an interview can be great if there’s something specific you want to know, but a more informal hang out, tagging along with someone as they go about their day, you get to see things they might not ever articulate.

A6. I have been interviewed before and some of the things that the interviewer has done beforehand that make me more comfortable and in which it is easier to open up are light specific chat where you know they know a little about you. Also, I like people that have a sense of humour #TWSOchat ^ct

A5. Again for me, nothing beats an in-person interview unless you really don't like the person. For some writing there might be times when you need to talk to someone you don't like/agree with as part of a work. For those maybe I would prefer a zoom or phone chat. ^ct #TWSOchat

Q6. Have you ever been interviewed? If so, what are some of the ways that the interviewer made you feel comfortable or uncomfortable and how did you feel about revealing so much of yourself (if you did). Did you feel vulnerable/worried that you maybe said too much or not enough/sounded odd?#TWSOchat

I love the idea of a writers' hangout, a little chat. I really enjoy in person conversations the most and love people that can deep talk about things (even the most silly things) reveal a lot about a person's character ^ct #TWSOchat

Interviewing 101: Tips for Writers Interviewing sources for quotes or research will be part of any writer's job. Here are tips to make the process as smooth and productive as possible.

Q5. There are many types of interviews: phone, video, in-person, email etc. What is you preferred type and why (advantages/disadvantages) - www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/... Do you handwrite notes, record (if permitted), notes in app? What is the way you like to remember stories/facts? #TWSOchat

Click on this hashtag #TWSOchat to see the whole conversation for the writing chat and make sure to use it in your replies. Let us know if you have any other questions :) and welcome everyone! #writing #WritingCommunity #writerschat

A2. Yes! A variation on Richard Price’s “writers hang out.” (Carried forward below by Jonathan Ames.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UWK...

Q4. Suggestions: Make sure that you know as much about the person as you can. I think it helps too if you are connected to them through your personal circle or introduced by a friend. Then do an outline of informal q's, buy coffee or lunch but most of all LISTEN! Fiction keep less formal? #TWSOchat

A1. I don’t think I have one method. Mostly it starts with what does the story/plot need? Or how can I complicate this? Sometimes I just have an idea I think is funny and see where it goes.
#TWSOchat

Q3. If you've ever conducted interviews (whether informal or more formal), do you have any tips that you'd like to share with other writers. Are there any questions you'd like to ask the #TWS community about the interview process? #TWSOchat

Please join us to discuss Writing About People (Interviews) + to ask q's of The Writer's Studio alumni and/or mentors on #TWSOchat Let's work towards building a supportive #WritingCommunity #writers! #writing

Interviewing for Fiction | The Center for Fiction If you are fortunate enough to spend time with strangers who will tell you very harmless facts about their lives, very often, you will be allowed to enter their intimate space as they remember their…

Q2. Min Jin Lee (author of Pachinko) suggests that there is no better way to write fiction than to conduct interviews to learn about a lives. centerforfiction.org/writing-tool... She said that she's easily conducted a hundred interviews for her novels from 15mins - hours #TWSOchat What do you think?

If you have tips or q's today to share/ask re: Writing About People (Interviews) please *include hashtag #TWSOchat Alumni + mentors from @TWSSFU The Writer's Studio are here to share. Open to writers worldwide! #amwriting #writerslift #writers #writingtips

When responding to any of our questions, please use A1, A2, A3 etc. for your answer with our *hashtag #TWSOchat (very important) so everyone can see your posts! #writers #amwriting #writingtips #writinglife #writerscommunity

Q1. Today’s #TWSOchat session is about Writing About People (Interviews) in your literary practice. How do you build characters in your story, what do you start with and do the people in your stories begin with bits from people in real life (fiction) or rooted in real life (non-fiction)?