Welcome to a special Read Another Page interview with Canadian author, Courtenay Burden.

Rebekah Morris: What? Really? I’m glad to know I’m not the only author who didn’t like writing until they were older. So, when you started writing, did you plan to publish your writing or was it just for fun? And did you start with a really long project or a shorter one?

Courtenay Burden: I think I always imagined myself publishing. I definitely started in to longer projects pretty early in my writing career. For some reason, I’ve always struggled to connect with characters unless I thought they were going to be around for a while. 😉 It’s finishing, rather than starting, long projects that tends to be the challenge for me! I think even today there are more unfinished manuscripts on my computer than finished ones.

Rebekah Morris: Oh, yes, the unfinished pile! I certainly have those. That’s interesting that you connect better for longer stories. I don’t think I have much problem with either short or long. Did you publish your first story? Or is it in the pile of unfinished works?

Courtenay Burden: No, the first novel I remember starting was a story about a family of sisters trying to live like princesses in the midst of everyday life. I think I maybe got about three chapters done. The first story I actually finished was in high school, when my mom gave me a dedicated writing period each day, convinced me (very unwillingly!) to use an outline, and expected me to stick to the same project. I got the first draft written that school year, and (many drafts later) it became As the Heavens Are Higher, which I did publish. (Click the image below to purchase your own copy.)

Rebekah Morris: Wow, that princess story is a twist. Usually I think of princesses trying to live like normal people. But if you only got three chapters, I guess I won’t ask to read it. That’s interesting that your mom had you outline and stick with the same project. I guess it worked because you actually finished that story. Do you still outline your stories?

Courtenay Burden: Yes, in some shape or form, I outline most of what I write. I’ve gone through stages where my outlines were so detailed there was nothing left to invent when I started the first draft. And I’ve gone through other stages where I only had very basic three-point notes for each chapter, and didn’t even stick to those. Somewhere in the middle tends to be the best spot for me. Enough outline that I know clearly where I’m going, but enough vagueness that I still feel like it’s a creative art.

Rebekah Morris: Interesting. So you outline by chapters. I’ve wondered how people could say how many chapters they had left to write because I don’t outline and only divide my book into chapters after it’s all written.

Courtenay Burden: The first outline I used was Randy Ingermanson’s “Snowflake Method,” and while I no longer use his development process, I still build most of my plots around his large-scale structure. I also use the Scene-Sequel chapter pattern that he borrows from Dwight Swain. Mr. Ingermanson’s style can be very black-and-white, and I definitely do not feel that his is the one-and-only way to craft a novel. But it’s worked well for me, especially as I’ve learned to be flexible, use what’s helpful, and not feel bound by what isn’t.

Rebekah Morris: I never did try any of those methods of outlining. The only one I had heard of involved a very, very detailed outline of everything including finding out if your MC’s cat got stuck in a tree when they were 6 or something like that. I know you have one book published and a story in A Homewood Christmas coming out, but do you have any other stories in the works that you are hoping to release in the near future? (I know, “near future” is rather vague and subject to many changes and delays if you are like me. 😀)

Courtenay Burden: Yes, I am wary of concrete deadlines when it comes to publishing, but I do have two novellas in the editing/post-editing stage. The first is called Old Ruddy’s Questions and it’s historical fiction set in the late-ish 1800s, following the adventures of a railway porter as he tries to discover the foundational truths of Christianity, and changes the lives of many believers along the way. I’d love to have that book come out late 2022 or early 2023, but we’ll see how it goes! The second is called Hazelby Priors, and it follows the story of a large family during roughly the same era, while exploring the topic of education, and what we’re really aiming at when we teach/learn. I don’t have a timeline on that one, but it’ll come out sometime after Old Ruddy, Lord willing.

Rebekah Morris: Oh, those sound interesting. Are these longer or shorter stories?

Courtenay Burden: I think they both have somewhere around five or six chapters. So not super-short. But also not full length novels, either.

Rebekah Morris: That sounds like a good length. When do you like to write? Is it morning, evening, middle of the night? I know some people can write any time, and others do best at certain times.

Courtenay Burden: Generally speaking, I write best in the morning. Which is humorous, because I am NOT a morning person by nature! But my creativity seems to be sharpest then.

Rebekah Morris: That’s interesting! I’m a morning person but I write best in the evenings and sometimes my best ideas come when I’m tired. I love how every writer is different. Is there anything you do when you write that might be different? Like where you write, or how you write, or something you do with your feet while you write? I like to have my stuffed puppy with me most of the time when I write, so if I’m stuck on a sentence I can pet it while I think.

Courtenay Burden: I passed this question on to my sister, because I couldn’t really think of anything particularly unusual. She said, “You don’t listen to anybody or anything while you’re writing.” Which is true. As an oldest sibling, I have a supreme talent for blocking out peripheral distractions! I also tend to write with one leg tucked up under me, and I’ve gradually worn patches off my desk chair in the places where my feet rub.

Rebekah Morris: Wow! That’s dedication! I can’t write well if anyone is around especially when they are talking, so I have great admiration for those who can totally block out others during writing! When it comes to editing, do you edit as you go, after your story is finished, when it’s partway done? Or what?

Courtenay Burden: After it’s done! Unless there’s a particular scene I’m really not happy with. Then I might go back and rewrite it, but otherwise I don’t tend to edit much until I’ve written the whole story.

Rebekah Morris: That works. I know some people hate editing and others love it. Are you in the like or dislike camp?

Courtenay Burden: Usually, editing is my least-favourite part of the writing process. One exception has been my Civil War era novel-in-progress, where there’s been a lot of historical research connected with editing, and I love that, so thus far it has been a more positive experience.

Rebekah Morris: Interesting. Do you often rewrite a story or just edit and maybe rewrite parts of it? And what is your favorite part of writing?

Courtenay Burden: I don’t think I’ve ever rewritten an entire story. Individual scenes/chapters I do pretty frequently. My favourite part of writing is definitely the first draft, although I’ve come to enjoy outlining, and I LOVE research.

Rebekah Morris: I’m sure scenes and/or chapters are easier to rewrite than an entire story. Oh, yes, the first draft. The finding out what happens and really getting to know your characters! Do you create “mood boards” for your stories? I’d never even heard of it until a few years ago.

Courtenay Burden: I’ve done sound tracks and found them really helpful. I’m only just starting to experiment with mood boards, and I haven’t actually written a story that I’ve done a board for yet. I have a few boards started for stories that are still at the brainstorming stage.

Rebekah Morris: Sound tracks. That’s interesting. I don’t think I’ve heard of many people doing that for their stories. Okay, I have to ask before we end this, how many stories–they can be short or longer–do you have started? And by started I mean you’ve done some planning or writing for it.

Courtenay Burden: And that haven’t been moved to the “permanently unfinished” pile? Including the ones that are in the editing/typesetting stage, I guess seven. Four that are completed first drafts (or later). And three that are partially-finished works-in-progress. Plus a story set in a fictional kingdom in Europe in 1848, that doesn’t have official working outlines yet, but which has been dancing around in my head off and on for at least ten years, and certainly intends to get written down eventually!

Rebekah Morris: Oh, fun! Sounds like we have some more stories to look forward to reading from you! Thanks for joining me here in the library for a chat. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Words of encouragement to fellow writers? Something you learned? Anything?

Courtenay Burden: I think my encouragement to fellow writers would be to trust that God is going to use your writing, even when you feel incompetent, or doubt whether there is even a market for your stories. If they are stories that appeal to you, the chances are they will appeal to someone else, too! And God has a purpose for them and for the passion He’s given you.

Rebekah Morris: That’s wonderful advice! Thanks so much for sharing and visiting with me and my readers today, Courtenay! I’m looking forward to reading more of your stories!

Courtenay Burden: Thanks, Rebekah! This has been a fun opportunity. I’ve enjoyed visiting with you, too!

You can connect with Courtenay on:
Her Blog: http://sawpublishing.com/
Facebook – Courtenay Burden
Instagram – @courtenayburden

Thanks for joining us!

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