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What led you to start writing?
I think both reading standout books and having way too many feelings drove me to writing. I've been writing ever since I learned how to form letters on a page, with a hiatus during adolescence, and I've tried to quit but it won't really work.
It's a compulsion and it meets some deep need I guess.
What is your writing process like?
I write bullet points of ideas into a notebook as they come to me. When I feel like I have enough of them, I try to make it into one cohesive thing, whether it's a story or chapter.
What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?
Roald Dahl was a big influence on me as a child. But the books I read in college and as an adult really shaped me and helped me find my own style.
If you could choose a book character to be for a day, who would it be and why?
Most of the books I read don't have characters I'd like to become, so this is a hard one. They're pretty much all flawed, which is how I'm able to relate to them and connect with the work. I understand flaws.
How do you balance the demands of writing with other responsibilities?
You have to make room for it. Nobody else will do that for you. Squeeze it in whenever you can. Sometimes that means being a loner when other people are having fun. Other times it just means doing everything and writing in bits and pieces between activities.
Either way, I'm learning to not be so hard on myself but also know it's part of who I am, for better or worse.
What do you think are the 5 most beautiful things in the world? Why?
1. Food - so much more than just nutrients; it's a whole sensory experience
2. Trees - being around them instantly lowers my heart rate
3. Books - they contort words into vehicles for making everyone feel less alone and help you learn things about the world without going anywhere
4. Movies - same as above, but seems much more difficult to pull off since they involve cinematography, acting, etc.
5. Conversations - they orient you to humanity and empathy, allowing you to step outside yourself and help others
Website: http://clairehopple.com/