interview with Mary Malone

[claire]

Due to popular demand Mary has agreed to give an interview. Unfortunately she does not yet have broadband, so this won't be a live interview. Just leave your questions on this thread and she will answer them as soon as she can.

thanks Mary and good luck

[susanmay]

Thanks Claire.

Hi Mary

I really enjoyed 'Love Match' and look forward to book number two. Thanks for taking the time out to answer questions.

1. How many hours a day do you write for?
2. Is it best to write morning or evening?

Thanks again.

[EmmaH]

Hi Mary

I'm delighted you're taking part in this interview! I have 3 questions: (I know, greedy guts!)

1) How do you juggle your work/home life now that you have a two careers?
2) What has been the proudest/most memorable moment of your writing career since Love Match was published?
3) What do you think are the most challenging aspects of being a novelist, in a business sense?

Thankyou!

Emma

[Oonagh]

great questions emma

[megan]

HI Mary,

thank you for taking our questions!

I would also like to hear how your life has changed since you've become a published author. And whether it has changed the way you write now?

[tatty]

Hi Mary, thats for agreeing to answer some questions.

Some great questions already posted, Megan posted the same question i wanted to ask, so shall leave it at that.

Thank you

Emma x

[Mary]

1. How many hours a day do you write for?
2. Is it best to write morning or evening?

Susan, in reply to your questions:
1. I couldn't quantify a particular time limit per day as I've a fairly hectic life. I work four days per week and both of my sons are in exam classes this year (junior and leaving certificates) so the house is definitely mad. I try to write for at least two hours in the evenings on the days I'm in the office. Two hours could stretch to four (if I have the energy) or perhaps shrink to 20mins if there are too many distractions.
My husband bought me a beautiful mahogony writing bureau for Xmas and at last I have a definite corner for writing.....believe it or not it's in the living room (as I don't want to completely isolate myself from the family!) but I have my back to the telly and am well able to write in a noisy environment.
However, my deadline for book 3 is fast approaching and I've now put a 2,000 word per day limit on myself (let's hope I can make it most days!)
On my day off (Wednesday) and at weekends, I could write for up to 5 hours if I'm allowed.

2. For me, I'm definitely more creative in the mornings. My brain is fresher, I love daylight as opposed to the darkness at night. And I find the story just flows brillliantly.......it also helps that I have more energy at this time of day!
So basically, if you peak in the morning, you'll find mornings best and of course if you are a night owll (I believe Cecilia Ahern loves writing at night) then night time will be for you!

[Mary]

1) How do you juggle your work/home life now that you have a two careers?
2) What has been the proudest/most memorable moment of your writing career since Love Match was published?
3) What do you think are the most challenging aspects of being a novelist, in a business sense?
Hi Emma,
I'm not going to lie and it is very difficult to juggle my home life and my writing life. Because everything is much more serious now that I'm writing to a publisher's deadline, I am very aware that I have to give my readers the best that I can. Therefore I have to prioritise my writing.
So to be honest, I just don't have a choice. I have to write every evening whether I like it or not. Luckily for me, I LOVE WRITING, and the hardest part is switching on the laptop (it's like taking out the ironing board!)......once I'm back in my character's minds, I'm having fun and living their lives instead of my own busy one.
My family are great support and never mind me writing........but as I said to Susan, my writing space is in the living room so they pop in and out to me whenever they want.
Generally, I'll have one eye on the laptop and perhaps with the other could be trying to help one of the lads with trigonometry!!

2. The proudest moment has to be my fantastic book launch.....the shelves in Easons were packed with copies of LOVE MATCH. My family, neighbours, work colleagues and fabulous circle of friends were all around me, clutching copies of my book! Only at this point did I realise I'd made it!! Nothing will ever surpass that moment.

3. For me the main challenge in the business side of being a novelist is trying to get my name out there and become known as a novelist. I want to succeed and I want my publisher to be really proud of me and my work. But as you know, it's a cut throat market and trying to get publicity is difficult....but not impossible. So it takes huge energy to keep working at this aspect.
Though Love Match was launched in July, I still try to get pieces into magazines and newspapers about it.
Another challenge for me is the slowness of the publishing business. Though I finished book 2 in March 2006, it won't be on the shelves til July 2007. As I'm an impatient and impulsive person, I find the lulls between highs quite frustrating and am constantly trying to dream something up (like getting an article into a magazine or something!) to keep the buzz alive.

thanks Emma, I hope I haven't confused you more now!!

[Mary]

I would also like to hear how your life has changed since you've become a published author. And whether it has changed the way you write now?

My life hasn't changed all that much except that my face has become better known around the place (mainly in Cork as you can imagine) and I'm very often introduced as 'Mary the author' now! (I love this part!!!)
I'm much busier now and am delighted to add that I've been invited to contribute stories and pieces along with other famous authors. I still can't believe that my profile is increasing at this rate and have to pinch myself every so often.
I look at my writing with more of a professional eye now, but I still write from the heart which is what I've always done. I'm conscious and grateful that readers are waiting for my next novel and I have done everything in my power to make it the best I can.
I remember hearing other authors advising against 'writing for the market' and instead to always be passionate about your writing, so I've taken this advice.
I love my characters. I love the discussions I've been involved in because of Love Match. I love the way people think that the characters are real and get angry/happy/sad because of a particular part in Love Match and I hope to match this response with my future work.

Other than that, I'm still the same old me and always will be!!
Hard work never killed anyone.

thanks for posting, Megan.

[Oonagh]

Are any of the characters based on you or your friends?
What s your all time favourite book?
What inspired you to write?
who do u most admire in the business?
Whos your favourite author?
thanks mary, ur brill!!

[susanmay]

Thanks for answering my questions Mary. I heard that Cecilia Ahern writes all through the night into morning. I admire her energy!

[sMurphy]

Maybe that's why her stuff is so dreamy Susan!!

[susanmay]

Lol! Thats were the imaginary friend must come in!

[Mary]

Are any of the characters based on you or your friends?
What s your all time favourite book?
What inspired you to write?
who do u most admire in the business?
Whos your favourite author?
thanks mary, ur brill!!

Hi Oons, thanks for stopping by.
My characters are completely fictional and once I give them a name, they take on identities of their own. Of course bits of them will always remind me (and probably my readers) of people I know or have met. But they are definitely originals in my books.

I can't say I have an all time favourite book because I've read so much throughout my life, but City Girl by Patricia Scanlan was a huge turning point in my life. It was magical to read about characters so like me or my friends......there started my interest in writing, I'd say.

Reading about characters, settings and events that I could associate with was the beginning of my idea to write. However, it took quite a few years of reading women's fiction before I attempted to write. I'm so glad I did! Timing is everything and the time in my life was perfect for writing.

In the business, without our publishers we would't be writers. Nobody sees the hard work and endless proofreading and editing that goes on behind the scenes. I admire their gift to make an author's work the best it can!

I admire writers across the board who continue to follow their heart's desire and keep writing despite disappointments, rejections and publicity difficulties.
Writing is hard work, solitary and soul destroying at times. But it's also fantastic, exciting and full of fun.
I admire the generosity of all the Irish women writers who've given me and other hopefuls tips, tricks and inspiration!
I'm sorry I cannot pick one favourite author, but I could categorise it into 'irish women authors' who invariably offer me entertainment and a guaranteed smile on my face!

Hope this is okay,
do ask any more at all that you want!
Mary.

[claire]

I'm enjoying the questions and answers, I don't know where the girls get the questions from. I cannot think of a thing to ask but am enjoying reading this

[Oonagh]

must admit great choice. city girl i loved it!!! One of the first books I read. I could nt name a favourite author either.

which book do u think to date is your favourite writing??
I keep thinking of more questions i want to ask sorry mary. thanks for answering them, xx

[Mary]

Ask as much as you want!
My favourite writing is Patricia Scanlan as her books always seem to mirror what's going on in my life...................

[sMurphy]

Like Claire, I am so enjoying this interview without asking any questions. Fortunately I live in Cork and have had the opportunity and joy of meeting Mary in person. Every time I come away from her, I am inspired by her freshness, positivity and good humour which I think we all see in her writing too. A big thank you from me Mary!

[Oonagh]

which book do u think to date is your favourite writing??

I meant what book did you write yourself that you enjoyed writing yourself??

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Mary,
Glad to hear that everything is going well for you. Our oldest child is doing Junior Cert this year - a big shock for all of us. Don't know how you cope with two exam students.
Do you find that people look at you differently now that you're a published author?
All best
Judi

[Mary]

Sorry, Oonagh, I misinterpreted.

I've hugely enjoyed writing all of my novels to date (am currently working on number 3 and a germ of an idea for number 4 popped into my head this morning, so I have opened a file for it and given it a title already! So exciting the way our imaginations work) but Love Match will always hold a special place in my heart. I worked on it for so long - both before and after signing my contract - that my characters are household friends. And at this precise moment, I've been a guest at several book clubs and Love Match has been disected in so many different ways that it's almost real!
Hope this reply is okay.

Judi,
great to hear from you! Junior Cert is scary alright, but nothing in comparison to the Leaving. Dear God, I seem to be giving myself crash courses on so many subjects to try and give the lads a hand. I pity them. The exams are tough and just doing them at home in our own comfort without a clock ticking is tough enough.

Luckily our lads are very cool and relaxed and don't get stressed. I'd hate it if they did. Hopefully they will do well and get what they want out of it at the end.
Life is all about luck as well and fate plays a big hand, so things always work out!

people don't exactly look at me differently but I'm regularly introduced as 'the one who wrote the book!'.......quite embarrassing in funeral homes and unusual place to be honest!

How is your writing coming along?
Mary

[claire]

does it bother you when people tear your book and characters apart? If they are 'real' to you now how does it make you feel when they something negative about one of the characters or their actions. Don't know if I'm getting this accross right.

Does it hit you personally?

[megan]

Thanks for anwering our questions in such detail, Mary. Good luck with your current writing target!

Megan x

[Mary]

Hi Claire,
Yes of course it hurts when a particular part or character is slated, but then if I want to be a successful writer I have to take the bad with the good. If the comment is justified with a cause for feeling like this, I think about it and see perhaps if I can use this information to prevent similar opinion in the future.

[claire]

thanks Mary

[jofromoz]

Hi Mary,
I wonder if you could give me some ideas on how you actually form a book in your mind and translate it to paper....
Do you write up a very short story first, detailing all the characters there for future reference, and have the end worked out, then work on filling the guts of the book so to speak?

Or do you make up a list of characters and their descriptions, a skeleton of how the story will go, then just start writing and let it take on its own personality?

A writer I met here in Oz told me she likes to have a skeleton of a story close by to keep herself on track, but some days she just sits and types whatever comes into her head, then edits it all at a much later date. Does this work for you?

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, especially crazy ones like mine.
I have been working on and off, on a book for quite a while now, but find I get a bit lost at times which discourages me. As my time is limited anyway, I like to have things flowing otherwise I just lose track and have to stop. Then it takes me a bit of time to get back to the real thread. Is there a cure for this??

Ta muchly, Jo. xxx

[Mary]

Do you write up a very short story first Or do you make up a list of characters and their descriptions, a skeleton of how the story will go, then just start writing and let it take on its own personality?

Hi Jo,
I've been thinking about your question and I will answer as honestly as possible.
First I have to know what I'm going to write about - that is the main 'one line' description of my novel. For instance, I wrote Love Match to explore the hurt parents experience when their child is being treated unfairly.
Once my main characters have names, they come to life in my head. Then before ever writing Chapter One, I do portfolios for each character and as many sub characters as I know I'll use at that stage. For any other character who may pop up along the journey of writing the novel, I add a portfolio for them too (just so that I know who they are and what their make up is even if I never use the information after). Basically I have a detailed list of questions that I apply to each character. You'd be surprised how much you learn about your characters by using this method.

I would have a loose idea of beginning, middle and end, but this always changes as the writing flows. Sometimes I have to be disciplined and stick to the original plan or else the novel could take off in too many directions. It's a good idea to have your main storyline (as in one line) written over your writing desk. It keeps you focused.

I also use the plot arc..........this is bullet points to build your story line.
1. Opening 2. Conflict 3. Confronting Conflict 4. Climax 5. Resolution 6. Conclusion

I fill in rough scenes for each section which gives me a direction to work with.
If the story changes as I go along, I update my arc.

And then for the fun part..........I start writing. It's such a relief to get into the creative part after all the planning (Yet the planning is vital, regardless of how loose a plan it is - it saves you getting lost!)

I also jot down any story questions that appear in each chapter to ensure that I don't leave anything unanswered or hanging in the novel.

I'm making things sound very organised, and believe me, Jo, it isn't. But like you, I'm time poor, so when I'm not writing I try to think alot about the novel and work out what scenes I'll write when I do sit down later that day.

Hope this helps,
ask me anything and I'll try to answer it.
This is really helping me to think about what I do too!

take care,Mary.

[megan]

That was fascinating, Mary! I didn't plan my first two novels - the first one worked out well but I wish I'd put more planning into the second. It would have saved alot of time. I've planned the third in a similar way to you have outlined above (but not in so much detail) and it has helped a lot!

[Mary]

glad you found it useful, Megan!
Mary.