Too many people focus on that perfect final draft, but writers know great success comes from putting the words on the page, creating something that didn't exist before. Abigail Swanson discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.
What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?
I live in middle-of-nowhere western Nebraska, so things are more normal than most places, but I miss seeing my professor's faces and smiling to people in Walmart.
What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig.
How has the pandemic affected your writing?
It challenged my motivation, especially during the end of the spring semester when all my college classes went online and I got stuck with all the distractions in my room. But I've had more time to think and I think my writing has deepened as a result.
Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?
I started this novel about a post pandemic world back in January. Now I'm excited to use my own experience to add depth to the story.
If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?
I learned that emotion is deep and slow but it guides everything in a piece.
Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?
I aspire to be a plotter, but somehow I always end up flailing outside any of my outlines. I need to have an idea of what I will write before I write it, but that may only occur just before I sit down to write.
What is your favorite poem? Has this changed during the pandemic?
"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas. I've always liked it, but I just decided it was my favorite over the pandemic.
Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?
I just wrote a scene for a novel I'm working on where a character does some research. I struggled for months to write it and started about ten times. I finally I understood exactly how to write it and now it's one of my favorite scenes.
While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?
Graduating from college.
Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?
It doesn't have to be great, it just needs to be a thing.
ABOUT Abigail Swanson
Abigail Swanson is a business and creative writing student at Chadron State College in Chadron Nebraska. She published work in Tenth Street Miscellany, an undergrad writing journal, and wrote a weekly column in her campus newspaper. Abigail is a head editor for Tenth Street Miscellany and a member of the Sigma Tau Delta International Honors Society.
Thanks for chatting, Abigail!
