Welcome to our interview for this month! We are with the award-winning author, KatieDraconia , who penned the story, They killed the lights for our monthly prompt contest.
Dark Fantasy Team: How did you come up with this story and its characters?
KatieDraconia: Whenever I write a story, I always want it to hint at a bigger flaw of humanity. I live in Namibia, a small country that has made news for its amazing wildlife, such as rhinos. elephants and leopards. Sadly, these animals get poached all the time to the point where they are now nearly extinct. Throughout my story, 'They killed the lights', I wanted to draw a comparison to this issue, while using elements of fantasy. Throughout the narrative, luminescent creatures are hunted for their light, as the earth has gone dark. I thought to myself, what would humans do if there was no more light? My fear of the dark kicked in. In some way, this is reminiscent of the years I studied in South Africa, where there were and still are constant issues with electricity (the infamous load shedding). I remembered how worried I was at the time that at some point the government might turn off the power permanently, and we would be plunged into eternal darkness...thus into a scene of 'The purge'. I thought how desperate people get when they are living in fear and how the survival instinct can drive one to sacrifice anything precious to survive.
My main character is a fairy, which, by nature, is a being known pretty much to be the epitome of childlike innocence in children's fantasy. This choice of character allows the story to be even more shocking, because it's equivalent to killing a puppy or a harmless animal. It emphasizes the cruelty taking place in the story, to depict the darkest sides of human nature.
DF: What do the words "writer's block" mean to you? Have you experienced it? How did you overcome it?
K: I consider writer's block to be a form of fear. I usually get writer's block because I feel like whatever I'm going to sit down and write won't be good enough. The terrible thing is that it is unavoidable. I experience it with every project EVER. Thankfully, it can be overcome. There is the quote that reads "I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning." Some good advice, I think. The thing is, I don't believe there is such a thing as a muse that has its writing ways with you only at 3AM, during the witching hour. For you to be inspired, you actually need to arrive. You need to sit down and be present. What it comes down to is that you actually just have to start - even if it's with writing something that has nothing to do with your actual story. Hemingway states that you only have to write ONE true sentence, then you'll be good to go. As an example, write about how you are feeling right now, or what you had for breakfast. Just get the blank page a little dirty.
Another trick I've read is to write ten sentences starting with the word blue. Before you know it, the pressure will go away and you'll by punching away at the keyboard like a boss.
When none of this works, I've learnt to ask myself 'what wouldn't happen?' Make a list of all the most unlikely things. This has actually saved the novel I am working on several times, because it has helped me to come up with creative ideas and usually also pulls me away from clichés.
DF: What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
K: Conceptualising an idea is a constant struggle for me. Sometimes I look at the prompt or the topic and it just resonates with me, and suddenly a whole story appears. Sadly, this isn't always the case. Other days I come up with twenty ideas and not a single one is usable. It's tough, man.
I also struggle with avoiding cliché's. Currently I'm working on a witchy fantasy story and throughout the writing process, I constantly wonder whether this or that draws on a cliché. The greats (Tolkien, Rowling, Lovecraft and Stoker) have paved the road of fantasy so well that it has become truly difficult to walk along the same path and still keep building that road with original ideas.
DF: What advice would you give a writer trying to write Dark Fantasy for the first time?
K: Firstly, start by reading the works of other dark fantasy writers; read the classics, because that's where dark fantasy was born. Secondly, always write some sort of human truth. Although we are writing fantasy, the human issues are still grounded in reality and let's be honest, reality can be a freaking dark place. If you take a truthful human issue, you can write about orcs or singing cats or even Voldemort's goldfish, and it will still be relatable on a human level. Lastly, have a clear theme. In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, one can see a clear-cut theme all the way throughout. It is about the corruption of innocence. This theme drives the whole plot and makes it such a memorable story. It is what takes a simple story about a monster/zombie and makes it a heart wrenching tale that still haunts me years after reading it.
DF: What part of your story was the most fun to write?
K: I usually really enjoy writing scary scenes or the punchline at the end...basically the scenes that affect one the most. I really love having the skeleton of an idea and then fleshing it out and making it sing from the page. This makes all the abstract little thoughts that are floating around in my brain come together to form something memorable. In 'They killed the lights', I enjoyed writing the emotions in the scenes where Aurora remembers how the other fantasy creatures were captured and killed, because I could hop on the feelings train and ride away on it.
DF: How do you find Dark Fantasy as a genre?
K: Dark Fantasy is my absolute favourite genre to write. I feel it is such an important, yet underrated genre. What I specifically love about dark fantasy is its ability to tackle issues in real life through the lens of the imagination. It also allows writers to explore their fears and get in touch with the darker sides of their personality. Most of us would prefer to deny these parts of ourselves, but the fact of the matter is that we all have a bit of darkness in us that is forever threatening to be set free.
DF: What do you like to do when you are not writing?
K: As most writers would answer, I read. I read anything I can get my hands on. When I'm not doing that, I usually get up to some sort of creative project, whether it be drawing, knitting or decorating the house. I am an illustrator/designer as my 9-5, so I need to keep my creative mind stimulated at all times. I also love being out in nature, so a good walk or a session of gardening always gives me a new breath of life.
DF: What interesting things have you learned throughout your journey? Tell us something about it.
K: 1. Writing is easy, but writing something original is the hardest thing ever.
2. Be open to critique. Your hardest critics are actually your most important readers. It is, of course, necessary to take critique with a pinch of salt. You have to learn the difference between someone who is critiquing to help you, and someone who is just mean and trying to get a rise out of you. Listen to the people who are trying to help you and ignore the rest.
3. Separate yourself as a person from yourself as a writer. I've heard many writers say that they are embarrassed when people they know read their work. A friend of mine recently said that she feels her family would be shocked if they read her work and therefore she struggles to write what she really feels. It is necessary to make a shift here. Your writer persona should be a hard shell, but it should be just that: a persona. If you cannot make this shift, you will always struggle to write what is really important to you.
DF: What are your future plans in writing?
K: I am constantly working on my craft and trying to improve. I have recently started a workshop and purchased a course on writing, because I feel I still have a lot of space to grow. I have only begun to tinker with the craft and mastery is still around many lengthy corners. I do hope that I'll be able to publish soon, as I would really love to get my work out there.
Thank you so much, KatieDraconia, for being with us and agreeing to our interview. Check out the award-winning story, They killed the lights, to support our author!
- The Dark Fantasy Team
