At first, I didn’t realize the newly released fantasy novel, The Swan’s Daughter, had been written by someone I’ve read before: Roshani Chokshi. A few years ago, I read her Guilded Wolves series. As I looked up information about the fantasy novel I was reading, I thought, “Oh, wait, I’ve read this author before.”
Chokshi style was both wonderful and witty. Her banter between the characters in The Swan’s Daughter was one of my favorite parts. She also handled some deep, dark conversations like a pro. So, here is some writing advice from her I collected:
On reading
Read voraciously!
The Perks of Being Noura Blog
On perseverance as a writer
Remember that you’re not a gallon of milk, and there’s NO EXPIRATION DATE for your success.
The Perks of Being Noura Blog
On daily writing habit
I try to take time out during the day to commit at least 1,000 words to the page, even if all the words are bad and filled with “Why won’t you make sense, cantankerous fiend of a sentence?!”
Query Tracker
On rough drafts
What I’ve taken to doing now is something called a zero draft, because I’m writing two series right now, which is a new experience for me, and one where you have to be really precious about your brain power. So, my zero draft is me thinking about what are the emotional beats that a story has to hit through every chapter.
Libro.FM Blog
On Voice
I think the most difficult thing … is the voice. Growing up and reading Rick Riordan’s books, that voice in Percy Jackson is so immediate. You know it’s Percy talking to you. When you’re reading the Harry Potter books, you know you’re in a Harry Potter world because of the space between the words, the mood and attitude that’s created in that.
Libro.FM Blog
On Character Motivation
I think nothing is more annoying—and it certainly annoys me in fairy tales—than when things continue to keep happening to characters versus characters having enough agency to do things on their own…for instance, when something springs out of that internal need to address a wrong that was done against them, or a race against time, or whatever it is. We have to care about it because of how it affects them immediately. So that’s how my process goes. I draft very quickly, but usually just a very full outline…sometimes it’s 50,000 words of just outline. And then I rest it, reread it, and come back and start filling in the details and building out the story.
Libro.FM Blog
On Drawing from Life
So much of what I write is drawn from the tales I heard growing up and the fierce, complex women who make up my life.
Overachiever Magazine
On Inspiration
A lot of what fascinates me as a writer is retelling and reinventing myths and revisiting fairy tales. A large part of that is because I find many of those myths and fairy tales deeply dissatisfying.
Society of Young Inklings
On Outlines
I outline, but my outlines are always changing.
Query Tracker
On Revising
I was floored when my manuscript returned mangled and torn up. I almost cried. But then I realized it was constructive and I became incredibly grateful and, if not willing, at least determined to get more eyes on those pages and make it the best it could be.
Query Tracker
Here’s my short review of The Swan’s Daughter:
My Projects:
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