Beth Vrabel Interview

1. What’s your favorite thing about being an author?

With each book I’ve written, I spend most of my writing time convinced that I have no idea what I’m doing. But eventually,  I realize all these loose threads I’ve been twirling are coming together, tying into a cohesive, real story. I think that’s my favorite part of being a writer. It feels very much like magic. 

2. How long did it take your first book to be written?

I spent about a year writing Pack of Dorks, my first published book. The fastest I’ve ever finished a novel was three months, but somewhere between six and nine months seems to be the sweet spot for me. 

3. What’s a story or plot you’ve always wanted to write about, but it didn’t work out?

I love reading fantasy books and have sketched out plots for several. I even finished writing two books in what would be a series about a boy fights supernatural monsters to save his brother from a witch’s curse. I love that story, but it never quite found its home with a publisher. Hopefully I’ll land on the right plot in the future! 

4. What was the first book you ever wrote?

I was a super quiet kid, to the point that one time, a classmate asked me if I even could speak. I spent most of my time reading; the school librarian was my favorite person in the world. Even so, one day in fourth grade, I ran out of books to read. I had no choice but to write my own. At three pages, calling this a book might be a bit of a stretch, but it was the first story I had ever written for myself. I filled up every line with my own thoughts, and fell in love with this new (to me) way of having a voice. I don’t remember what I named that book, but I can tell you one thing: It was awful! The literary version of the first time I tried riding a bike—a total wreck! But finishing it was the first time I considered myself a writer, and I loved that feeling, so I kept on pedaling, so to speak. 

5. How do you get past writers block?

I have a lot of mind tricks for this! My favorite to find a song that makes me feel the way my characters might in the scene I need to write, and playing it again and again. (My family dislikes this one after the tenth or so repeat.) I also find going for a long walk or run can shake off whatever is blocking me.