I have to get into the character's head in order to ensure that what the character does and says are consistent with their personality traits. I do give myself a timeline, but things get more complicated when I am ready to work with an illustrator or book designer they have their own schedules.įor Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?Įven though I write for children, I do deal with character development.

In recent years my iPad has come in handy. I use scrap paper or anything that I can find to make notes. It is not unusual for me to jot down an idea or even just one sentence that I want to use in the future. Story ideas will come to me at any time and any place you can't schedule for them. I write in blocks of time when I am ready to write and prefer mornings. I am rarely looking at a blank page, although, I do leave parts of the story blank – those that I haven't figured out yet – and return to them at a later date. Stories live inside my head for a long time before I sit down to write. It is the themes themselves that inspire me to write. I start with the meaning of the story and then work backwards to see how I can achieve my goal. Friendship, fairness, compassion, peace and non-violence are themes I focus on in my writing. I write about topics that I am passionate about.Īll my books are about a moral, a lesson learned, or a deeper meaning. I feel compelled to write about certain issues.

Mary’s background in psychology, work with children and passionate interest in the human condition, which stems back as far as she can remember, are all evident in her writing. She attended UTM where she studied psychology and still lives in Mississauga, Ontario. Mary is a Canadian author, independent publisher and a former elementary school teacher.

The Magic Leaf by Mary Feliciani