Who are you?
My name is Gloria L. Huang, and I’m an author of middle grade novels. I currently live in Palo Alto, California.
What do you write?
I write middle grade novels, as well as short fiction for literary magazines. I’m one of those annoying people who wanted to be a writer since they were a child, but I would say I became more serious about it when my short stories began to be published. Many of those short stories became the seeds for longer books—to that end, I also enjoy writing young adult and adult literary novels. I wouldn’t say there’s any particular type of writing I avoid, but I do tend towards contemporary with an element of fantasy. I don’t usually write straight horror or romance (but I admire those who do, as I admire any artist dedicated to their craft).
I truly, truly love writing. It is air and breath to me, and I couldn’t survive without it. (Not to be dramatic.)
Where do you write?
I wish I had a more mystical, fantastical answer to this (“I write in my sunroom overlooking the ocean, and my pages are dotted with salt from the sea!”), but sadly, I write in Microsoft Word on my MacBook at my desk. I do love my keyboard—I splurged on a typewriter keyboard that is so obnoxiously loud, I could never type in a public place. I’ve been told that the sounds of my typing feel like an assault.
When I’m traveling, I do write with a notebook and pen (so I don’t need to drag my computer with me). It’s pretty useful in triggering a different part of my creative brain (I have no idea if that’s scientifically valid, but that’s what it feels like). More importantly, it helps me justify purchasing stationery, which is a great love of mine. I have yet to meet a stationery store I didn’t like.
When do you write?
Oh, these questions paint a portrait of the kind of writer’s life I would trade a kidney to have! For me, writing is more like desperately snatching any pockets of time and writing feverishly until I need to stop, all while wishing I could find more time to write. I don’t set time limits (see above) or word count goals, but I do try to schedule deadlines for reaching certain milestones when I’m writing a novel. Unless, of course, I’m working on a book that’s under contract—in that case, as was the case for KAYA, the deadlines I follow are driven largely by my editor and publisher.
Why do you write?
Aside from my dramatic response to question two (about writing being my air), I write for so many reasons. I write to create worlds I want to get lost in. I write to meet people I want in my life. I write to release dreams, nightmares, demons. I write to understand different situations. I write to send messages to the universe.
I’m motivated by this irresistible need tell stories, and I’m fueled by things I hear or read or see or experience. I’m inspired by the people in my life I love and care about—between my words, you can often see parts of them, and everything I write is a secret love letter to them.
How do you overcome writer's block?
I fight writer’s block in two ways: first, I step away for a little bit and try to refill the creative “well” by reading books and watching shows or movies, ideally within the same genre or style I’m writing in. Second, once I’ve taken a break, I commit to putting words on the page, whether good or bad, smooth-flowing or awkward. I find that writing through the block is most effective, but it can be difficult because many writers are word-perfectionists. We’re haunted by the pressure of choosing the precise next word, and we want every chapter, sentence, word to be perfect before it splashes onto the page. One of the ways I overcome this block is to bulldoze through by forcing myself to keep writing while reminding myself that my words often transform in later stages of review and editing.
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
“Not writing”—what’s that? Kidding! Let’s see, I love reading (I bet that answer really shocked you). I also love theater, especially edgy, immersive theater. Now I’m just listing different kinds of art forms I like to consume!
I love food and eating (that’s an activity, right?). I also like to ski and scuba dive, although I should confess I haven’t had the chance to scuba dive for a long time. I like to snorkel—in fact, I just generally enjoy beaches and beach activities. That was another source of inspiration when I wrote my debut middle grade novel, KAYA OF THE OCEAN, where much of the action takes place near or in the ocean. See what I did there, bringing it back around to inspiration? Full circle!
My thanks to Gloria L. Huang for today's interview.