Writers on Writing: Jordanna Fraiberg

Today we have fabulous author Jordanna Fraiberg to tell us about her writing life. Let’s hear what she has to say.



Thank you for joining me today for my Wednesday Writer’s Write series! Let’s get started. What is your brainstorming process for a new book?



I always get a new notebook with unlined paper when I start a new book. I like to write in it almost as if I’m writing in a journal, with no attention to chronology or form (hence unlined!). I carry it around wherever I go and jot down ideas and questions as they come to me. This is how I begin to make sense of the story, the characters and the world I’m creating. I also need to be creatively fed while I go through this process. So I often have piles of books around me that I can dip in to for inspiration or to help answer certain questions, whether it be related to theme, craft or research. I also go to movies, watch TV and listen to music – all in an effort to figure out the tone, and to get in the right mind-set.



Can you explain your typical work week day?



My answer varies depending on where I am in the process. When I’m in the drafting phase, I like to get 1,000 words written a day. Some days this happens easily and quickly. Others are more arduous. I find that the closer I get to a deadline – and the more immersed I am in the story – I can write more. On the flipside, I also give myself room to not reach my daily goal and to recognize when I’ve done my best. Although that’s always easier said than done… When I’m in the brainstorming phase, whether for a new book or before I start a new draft (like right now) I try to spend a few hours every day outlining the story and writing in my notebook to try and solve some of the book’s problems before I commit to writing full chapters. But regardless of where I am in the process, one of the most important aspects of my routine is exercise. I try to work out five to six days a week. As a former athlete, physical exertion is something I crave. As a writer, I’ve found it’s something I need to clear my mind, and to help solve story problems.



Tell us about when you made the decision to write.



I’m not the kind of writer who always knew I wanted to write, but in college, after finishing my thesis, I realized that writing was the thing that challenged me most. I spent several years after that feeling guilty for not writing, even though I was never a writer to begin with. It wasn’t until I started my career as a film executive in Hollywood that working with other writers lit the fire for me to take my own writing more seriously. I wrote a novel, which eventually got me my agent, and after that I came up with the idea for, wrote and sold In Your Room. Once I finished the final copy edits for In Your Room I made the decision to write full time and I quit my Hollywood career soon after.



What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?



There are several things I tell aspiring writers. First, live your life. What I mean by that is go out and do the things that inspire you. Fill yourself up with experiences and observations. Even if you’re the kind of writer who doesn’t write anything autobiographical (like me – at least not yet!), inspiration and life experience will always make their way into your work, even if you aren’t fully aware of it. Second, read. Sometimes the thing that helps me most while I’m stuck is picking up a novel. Immersing yourself in good fiction does rub off. It helps you learn how to make language flow, how to move your plot along, and how to make your characters take risks. And lastly, write. You’d think that would come first, but my theory is you can’t write unless you fill yourself up with books and life first!



Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.



I’m working on my second novel for Razorbill/Penguin, and it’s called Our Song. It’s a more serious book than In Your Room, but it also has a love story at its center. I will tell you more when I have a synopsis to share. I’m also working on a few other projects – a new book idea I can’t wait to get started on (once I finish this draft of Our Song!) and some things in the film world.



Wow, we really look forward to your second novel, Jordanna! Thank you so much for joining us! For those of you who want to read Jordanna’s work, check out her website to find more details, your local bookstore, or here.



Jordanna Fraiberg has worked in the film industry for the past nine years. Born in Montreal, Canada, she currently lives in Los Angeles, California. In Your Room is her first book.