[FINISHED] Winter 2023 Awards

Interview with BritishGravity

BEST BOOK

To Steal A Weeping Willow by BritishGravity

What inspired you to write To Steal A Weeping Willow?

There are so many ways I could answer this question, but the best way to put it is: everything, anything, and nothing at all! I'm actually not sure what the original spark of inspiration was. My original concept was very different from what the story eventually became, but it just grew from a grain of sand into a pearl. There were certain themes I knew I wanted to touch on, and that list grows by the day for this work and future ones, but I probably shouldn't list them just yet. I don't want to give away any spoilers! I will say it's always been about more than just the art itself.

Now you've got us curious! What was the original concept for your story? Were the characters consistent or did they change as well? (Feel free to reveal as much as you want or nothing at all based on the progress of the story currently published)

Some of the characters drastically changed! The protagonist, who eventually became Eleanor, was originally going to be a very fiery, bold character. It's definitely not uncommon for writers to explore opposite personalities in their second books, but eventually I ended up not quite following that road. I realized it wasn't what was calling to me. I also didn't want the protagonist to be put in a box before I even started writing. Honestly, sometimes it feels like my characters tell me who they are, not the other way around! Eleanor was like that. Changes happened very fast and very early. For example, Eleanor went from a starving artist to a privileged exhibit coordinator early in the process. Other characters stayed consistent. I knew who Geraldine was from the very beginning.

When I set out to write this book, I actually had three vague ideas. One possible idea would explore Simon (a minor character from my other book) and a new protagonist, one would explore the college backstory of two characters in my other book, and one I won't reveal yet. When I sat down to jot down ideas for each and see what sparked into a flame, it was a very surprising explosion of ideas for this book. It started as a very confident protagonist with a greater focus on personal growth, with some splashes of mystery and crime, but somehow along the way became a story about a reflective, dramatic protagonist in the crosshairs of a grand art heist. Not sure exactly how I got here! It also went from a spin off of my first book to something that is *technically* a spin off, but rarely feels like it.

Wow, we always love to see the thought process behind it all! Final question: what advice would you give to writers interested in or currently writing fiction novels?

Everyone always says to read and learn, and I agree with that in so many ways. I also think it's important not to start writing with the goal of measuring yourself against others. That could mean so many things, whether it's readers, chapters, word count, etc. Books are more than numbers. It is okay to just write. Everything else can come later. Just write. Question everything, and write some more. The boxes we put ourselves in can be as bad as writer's block. Just write and worry about the rest later! Advice I'm still learning as well, actually.