Interview with Michelle Rhodes
Tell us about your latest novel or project:
Salt Skin is a paranormal novel for young adults. It follows the tale of Sunlight West, a misfit teenager with an intense fear of the ocean. When Sunny learns she’s the descendant of a sea god—one who cursed her bloodline centuries ago—she finds herself torn between worlds of ocean and air, questioning everything she thought she knew about herself and learning what it means to lose it all.
What got you started writing?
I remember in primary school our teacher set us a week’s worth of short-story writing. While my classmates grumbled and mucked around, I spent hours perfecting my sentences and similes—discovering the power of words. The week ended, and I’d quickly fallen in love with writing. With encouragement from my teacher, I started writing in my spare time. By age eleven, I’d written my first novel.
What challenges did you face when you first started writing?
Because I started out young, I was writing everything by hand. This was a super slow process, especially when it came to editing. Then I was given an ancient computer that was good for one thing only: writing. I taught myself to type and never looked back.
Writing is a very solitary act, and it was even more so for me because no one my age was doing it. When I got older and joined groups, I was always the youngest by miles. Sometimes I worried I wouldn’t be taken seriously, but people were welcoming and keen to pass on their knowledge.
Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?
My mum and partner.
Where do you get your ideas? Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?
Being immersed in nature is a big source of inspiration for me. I love New Zealand's coastlines and forests, and I do a lot of walking. Often I'm completely absorbed, enjoying the quiet and running scenarios through my head that I'll later use in my writing. I live on the beach and love watching storms come into the bay. My setting played a huge role in Salt Skin. I also draw inspiration from dreams, people, conversations and coffee shops.
Who is your favourite New Zealand author and why?
Brigid Lowry. Her writing is incredibly fresh, lovely and unique. I read her stuff over and over.
What advice would you give for other writers in New Zealand?
Find like-minded people by joining writing groups and organisations, read craft books, enter competitions, be open to feedback, and read widely in the genre you write in.
Do you get to network or meet up with other New Zealand authors?
Yes! I recently attended the Storylines National Children’s Writers and Illustrators’ Hui in Auckland. I was lucky enough to meet Joy Cowley, David Hill and Tessa Duder.
What was the first thing you did after your first book was published?
Lay in the sun with a BIG glass of wine in hand.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle the good and the bad ones?
I love reading the reviews I get; I think paying attention to feedback is crucial. Of course not all reviews will be glowing—you can’t be everyone’s cup of tea—but you can’t let it get you down. Writers learn to develop thick skins.
It seems like everything has Easter Eggs (surprise reference to your other work) do you have any Easter Eggs in your books?
I’m always kinda shocked when I stumble upon these. I like to keep my books really separate, and this time around I’m writing in a different genre so there’ll be no Easter eggs for me!
How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?
Every book is different, but I find paranormals take longer than regular fictions. I used to write organically, but I found this took too long. I’d be left with plot holes that I’d struggle to fill and characters that needed developing. Now, before I start a novel, I have the pitch and blurb written, a clear chapter-by-chapter outline, and character notes. Some authors find this takes the fun out of writing, but for me it keeps me on track. If you know which direction your book is heading, you can avoid those long stints of procrastination.
Where did you get the idea for your first or latest book?
Salt Skin was born out of an intense series of dreams I had as a teenager. In the dreams, I'd find myself close to drowning, then suddenly—miraculously—I'd be breathing in water, resting far beneath a glimmering surface and feeling very much alive. I wrote the first chapter when I was fifteen and didn't revisit it until many years later. The idea of a pale, water-breathing girl kept haunting me, and I knew I had to write the book.
Do you have any writing rituals?
Coffee. That’s a ritual, right? I also need my house to be clean before I sit down to write.
How important do you think marketing is for authors today?
About as important as the actual writing if you want to be successful. Whether authors are traditionally or self-published, there’ll always be a need for marketing. It’s so hard not to be invisible in this industry, and I was once told to put aside hours each week for marketing alone.
Do you have any book you have written that won’t ever see the light of day and why?
Yes, several. When you start writing novels as young as I did, there are going to be bad ones before there are good ones. It takes time for an author to find their voice and hone their skill.
Many authors have a word or a phrase they automatically use too often. Do you have one?
I realised in my last novel that I use the word ‘moment’ too much. “I was momentarily side-tracked…”, “For a moment, I…” etc. I had to go through and cull so many.
Often writers get to approach some serious subjects. Which serious subject are you most proud to have written about or was the hardest to write about?
I’m currently writing a coming-of-age novel in which my protagonist is a pregnant teenager running from her problems. I think the challenges she faces are ones many young people can relate to, and my hope is that the book can make at least one girl feel less alone in this world.
Amazing, thank you so much for sharing a part of your own story and good luck with your next project.
