Cynthia Heinrichs is the author of Mermaids, a picture book about the diving women of South Korea, and Under the Mound, a YA novel set in 12th century Orkney. She lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she ghostwrites memoirs, runs the Joan Betty Stuchner –Oy Vey!- Funniest Children’s Book Award and rides her E-bike all over the city and beyond.
1. What did you like to write and read as a kid?
I was a kid a very long time ago. We didn’t have nearly so many books for kids as you have now. We did have a lot of mystery novels, though. I read all of them: Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden, everything by Enid Blyton. Really, everything I could get my hands on. I read the Black Stallion books over and over again---I wanted to have a horse like the Black and race him like Alec did. I read so much that my mom used to make me go out to play in the summer, or I would have just read all day long.
2. What’s your favorite genre to write?
I write in a lot of different genres! Picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, even historical fiction and mysteries for adults. I also write magazine articles about local historical figures and hummingbirds and lizards that drop their tails if you scare them. I have so many ideas. Some are better for adults, and some for kids, some for short pieces, some for long. If I HAD to pick a favourite, I’d say picture books. Or maybe middle grade. Or historical fiction. The truth is, I don’t play favorites very well!
3. What inspires you?
Everything inspires me. I’m never bored. I’m always curious and I notice things other people often don’t. Ideas hop into my head and hop around in my head. I have no control over them! And that’s just fine. I let those ideas hop and I do my best to catch them and put them in my computer or on paper, or into a story that’s brewing in my mind.
4. How do you get over “writer’s block”?
I have a few different tricks for when I get stuck. The main idea is to go do something else for a bit, to relax my mind. I like to walk or ride my bike or exercise or work in the garden. Sometimes taking a shower will do the trick. Drawing works really well for me. I think everyone needs to find what works best for them. Our brains are different. The reason for the mental block is different in different people, but also on different projects and at different moments. Experiment. See what works for you. Keep trying new things.
5. What is your schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I write best in the mornings. When I wake up, I lie in bed for a bit and think about what I’m going to work on that day. I immerse myself in my story and kind of wander around in it in a relaxed way. Then I get up and I have breakfast and I get down to work. I usually set a goal for myself: write 1000 words or finish a chapter or edit a chapter. Once I achieve that goal, I ask myself if I want to continue. Usually I do.
6. Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
I don’t have any pets, but I did take care of a friend’s cat a few years ago. Molly was a beautiful, mischievous calico cat who did not think that I should be a writer. She thought that I should be a Cat Petter. And I should practice on her with both hands at all times. Molly explained this to me by sitting on my keyboard every time I tried to write. Eventually we compromised: she sat on my lap and I typed and I petted her every time she put her claws into my legs, which was often.
7. What are the essential characteristics of a hero you can root for?
A hero, for me, needs to care about others. I don’t mind if they seem mean on the surface, as long as we find out that they are kind at heart. My favourite (okay, sometimes I can play favourites) Sesame Street character is Oscar the Grouch. He doesn’t sound nice sometimes, but he’s soft inside.
8. Do you prefer ebooks, printed books, or audiobooks most of the time?
I like printed books more than ebooks. I like the way they feel and I like the way they smell, especially older ones. I’m very, very picky about my audiobooks. The narrator must be truly excellent. But when they are, then the book is even better to listen to than to read on the page.
9. How often do you write?
I write almost every day. Sometimes I take Sunday off and just do art or spend time outside if it’s nice. But if I’m working on a novel, I find it’s important to stay ‘in’ the story. Writing for 10 minutes counts. Remember, writing isn’t always about putting words down. Sometimes it’s about dreaming inside your story. Sometimes I just play in my head with the place and people I’m writing about. There are so many different ways to work on a story.
10. Do you let people read your work before it is finished?
I never let anyone read a rough draft. I make sure that the book is as good as I can make it before I let anyone read any part of it. Problems with a story can distract the reader, so I want to get rid of as many problems as I can. When I feel like the story is all there and the writing is, maybe not perfect, but not bad at all, I have writer friends read my work and give me honest feedback. This is a very important step in the writing process for me. I think it’s important for everyone who writes to learn to listen to what readers say to them about their work. It won’t always be right. Weighing feedback is a part of the process too.
11. Do you write on the computer or freehand?
Both. I type almost as fast as I talk (fast!) but sometimes that’s a problem: I just throw everything out there and then I have to get rid of a lot of stuff that doesn’t work. Writing by hand somehow helps me slow down and choose my words more carefully. I do a lot of brainstorming on paper.
12. Do you carry around a journal to note inspiration?
Always and everywhere! Sometimes when I go for a walk I just take a little cue card and a stub of pencil. The funny thing is that when I do that, I get WAY more ideas than when I have a big notebook with me!
Thank you, Cynthia, for your outstanding interview and advice! Please follow Cynthia on her website and social media accounts, and click to check out more about the Joan Betty Stuchner –Oy Vey!- Funniest Children’s Book Award!
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