Nalini Singh Interview

Scott: What got you started writing in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre?

Nalini: It was a really natural fit - I've always loved science fiction and fantasy along with romance, and paranormal romance/urban fantasy involves elements of all those genres. I also love the room to explore that I have in pnr/uf - as long as I follow the rules of my fictional world(s), there is so much freedom in terms of the directions in which I can go.

Scott: Which of your characters was your favorite to write? The most challenging?

Nalini: It's impossible to pick a favorite! I think each time I start writing a book, those characters are both my favorites and my challenges.

Scott: What advice would you give young writers wanting to get their first novel published?

Nalini: To write as much as possible. I really think writing is an apprenticeship - each word you write teaches you so much, makes you a better writer. It also helps you find your voice, and voice is what sells, what sets you apart from other writers.

Scott: Tell us about your typical day of writing, for example, how many hours/pages/words would you write per day?

Nalini: It depends on the day. For example, if I'm doing a first draft, I usually like to do around 3000 words a day, but some days, I might end up doing a lot more, others less - but in the end, I always try to ensure it averages out so I stay on deadline. If I'm editing, I'll go over a certain number of pages per day.
Writing full-time requires some flexibility because things like copy edits might come in and need to be turned around within a short timeframe, so then I'd switch over to complete them before returning to the work in progress.

Scott: Your stories seem to be character driven. How would you compare this to writing plot driven stories?

Nalini: I think it's simply what works for each particular writer. Writing character-driven stories means that I start with the characters and let them show me the story. They are the heart and soul of the book.
I have tried to begin with a plot and let that drive the story, but that process just doesn't "click" with me - however, I know other writers for whom plot comes first, so it really is a personal choice.

Scott: You seem to publish two books a year? How long does it take you to write each book, and would you like to work on a longer or epic length novel?

Nalini: It depends on the book in question - I usually say 4 months, but that doesn't take into account all the time I've spent thinking about the project beforehand. Especially since I write series, while I'm working on one book, I will quite often make notes for another story that will be coming up several books later on in the series.
As far as writing an epic-length novel - I actually have a strong overarching storyline in my Psy/Changeling series, and it's something I really enjoy. However, I also like writing a different story for each book, while continuing to have that longer storyline. So the novel-length format works great for me.

Scott: What book/s are you currently reading?

Nalini: I'm working on a draft of a book at present, so I've been focusing on that, but I'm looking forward to reading Meljean Brook's The Iron Duke, the final book in Nora Roberts' Bride Quartet, Jayne Castle's Midnight Crystal, and the new Kathy Reichs novel, Spider Bones, just to name a few!