Raquel Drosos started writing when she was five, and has rarely stopped. As a teenager, she wrote and published three young adult novels under her maiden name, Raquel George. Games of Chance is her first book for adults. She also blogs about parenting and the creative process. Raquel talks with me about the intersection between acting and writing, plotting vs. writing by the seat of your pants, the moment when your characters come to life in your head (which is not a sign of madness!), her next novel, and more. She also shares some excellent advice she got from her dad.
Episode breakdown:
0:00 Intro
01:09 Parents not artists, but innately creative and supportive.
06:02 Writer surprised by interpretation of their play.
09:55 Supportive parents, writing struggles, novel characters reused.
15:38 Mix of planning and spontaneity in writing.
17:20 Two types of writers: plotters and pantsers.
23:09 Feeding creativity through exposure to art and music.
25:14 Observing people, sparking curiosity, fostering creativity.
27:14 3-year-old nephew's wild story about alligators.
33:00 Characters connect through accents, interviews essential for authenticity.
34:10 The sound of words matters to writing.
40:08 Intense family saga vs. immediate relationship novel.
42:54 Encouraged writer spans genres and age groups.
45:13 Describing book as mix of others important.
48:18 Novel: Parenthood, love, creativity, friendship, humor, advice.
51:51 Jotting down scenes and dialogue, then dedicated.
54:56 Character decides to go left, not right.
58:10 Trust your gut and follow your instincts.
Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us about a moment when your creative work came to life for you.
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Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.
Art and Commerce with Domenic Sciortino
CPT #79: Other People's Opinions
Celebrating Five Years of FYC with Nancy Norbeck
CPT #78: Lapsed Creativity
CPT #77: Embrace Normal
The Crossroads of Conflict and Creativity with Alex Poppe
Replay: CPT #36: Start Where You Are
Writing, Memory, and Healing with Kerry Malawista
CPT #76: Recognize Your Creativity
Revision, Rejection, and Perseverance with Kevin Carey
CPT #75: Let Yourself Be Happy
The Transformative Power of Play with Tim J. Myers
CPT #74: Structure
Comedy and Teamwork with Marc Kaye
CPT #73: Resolutions and Expectations
Professional Fandom with Gary Russell
Replay: CPT #65: Mr. Twinkletoes
Replay: Rediscovering the Human with Kate Powers
CPT #72: Listen
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