Top Retellings of Classic Tales
Error Pop-Up - Close Button Sorry, you must be a member of the group to do that. Join this group.

Ask the Author: Kristin Cast

Answered Questions (9)

Sort By:
Loading big
An error occurred while sorting questions for author Kristin Cast.
Kristin, how often do you get straight older males that love your books?
Kristin Cast All the time! Unfortunately, people tend to think the books I've written/edited are specifically for young women, and they're really for anyone who wants to escape into a different world.
flag
Your suggestion about outlining each chapter make sense although my approach is totally different. I write mostly off the cuff. It just flows based on inspiration and I rarely know what the next paragraph is going to be. I'm as surprised and excited as to where the story goes as I hope the readers will be. It works for me. I guess my question is, do you know other successful authors that work that way?
Kristin Cast I don't personally know any authors who use that method, but that doesn't mean none do. I also don't want you to think you're doing something wrong, because you should 100% do what works for you. I surprise myself with what I end up writing too! Just because I have an outline doesn't mean my characters are going to follow it. They often end up doing their own thing, and I have to update my outline as I go.
Keep writing and good luck!
flag
would you perfer House Of Night to be a show or movie?
Kristin Cast TV shows have come a long way, and it would be amazing if HoN could join the lineup. Plus, so much happens in the novels I'd love to see as many scenes as possible play out on screen.
flag
Out of all the House of Night characters, who do you think you might most be and how do you figure you are like them?
Kristin Cast Zoey was very loosely based on me when I was a teen, so I think I'm most like her. When I say very loosely based, I definitely mean it. My mom and grandpa both taught at the high school I went to, so no one ever wanted to date me. But I'm glad I didn't have all the Zo boy drama! Zoey and I do share the same basic personality traits, and we like the same things - brown pop, psketti, Count Chocula. She's like the little sister I never had!
flag
Can you recommend any crime/thriller books and authors, like Lisa Gardener?
Kristin Cast I also really enjoy Karen Rose, Iris Johansen, Andrea Kane, Peter Straub, and Brenda Novak. Just to name a few.

Thanks for the question, Chloe!
flag
How do you just sit down and write out your ideas? Do you have an outline of what will happen or just go about it as you get there?
Kristin Cast I have to have an outline of what will happen. If not, I feel like I have no direction and am running around like a crazy person. To write the outline, I have a brainstorming session with family. When I say my ideas out loud, instead of writing them down by myself, I become even more creative and motivated.
flag
What's your favorite singer, books, movie and TV show?
Kristin Cast It's so hard for me to narrow down my favorites and come up with only one for each category. I definitely don't have a fave singer. My choice of music totally depends on how I feel at that moment.

Some of my favorite authors are Emily Suvada, Caleb Roehrig, Pintip Dunn, Scott Sigler, Richard Preston, Kresley Cole, Jeaniene Frost... the list goes on and on.

Right now my favorite movie is Austenland, but if you ask me again tomorrow, it could be totally different.

My all time favorite TV show is Doctor Who! For all my fellow Whovians, my fav doctor is Matt Smith.
flag
What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Kristin Cast You definitely just have to start writing in order to start writing. That sounds funny and simple, but I understand that it can be really intimidating. The way I started my first novel was to write an outline for each chapter. This can be as detailed as you want it to be. It's yours. Don't be worried about how you think it's supposed to be formatted, because that doesn't matter. Mine wasn't too detailed, but it did alleviate my stress. It made it so that I wasn't all freaked out about figuring out what needed to happen next. Pull out that pen or start clicking that keyboard and do you!
flag
How do you deal with writer’s block?
Kristin Cast I've sat in front of my computer staring at the screen while totally feeling hopeless and defeated. I get what writer's block feels like, but that's all it is - a feeling. It's like anxiety or happiness. The way you talk to yourself while you're in it makes all the difference. If I sat there and told myself how horrible I am, I would never be able to finish my book. I believe that the most important part of overcoming writer's block is to exchange the negative self talk for positive affirmations. What also may help is to choose a different chapter or scene to write. Sometimes it's worth skipping ahead and allowing a little time to reset.
flag
Kristin Cast
9,397 followers

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more