About E. C. Hibbs:
I'm Emma Hibbs, a fantasy author from North West England. My work has been featured in the British Fantasy Society Journal, and I'm getting very excited to release my 14th novel on 2nd March: The Road Through Night.
Alongside writing, I'm a calligrapher and live storyteller. Among my most honoured (yet bizarre) experiences are performing fairy tales before James McAvoy and creating text for the Duke of Westminster! I also love discovering how stories develop throughout history, so I do deep dives into the origins of fairy tales, which often leads me down some interesting rabbit holes!
I live with my family and cat in Cheshire, and whenever I'm not doing something bookish, I'm usually making my own clothes, creating art, or wandering through a forest or graveyard.
What inspires you to write?
I find inspiration in so many things: history, legends, older literature, dreams, music, nature, poetry, art, psychology… I could go on. I suppose I'm just inspired by life. I love exploring reality through a lens of fantasy, because I feel the genre has the unique ability to amplify the everyday, into something which offers both escapism and understanding.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
I always find myself going back to Michelle Paver. I first read her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness 20 years ago, and it's still my favourite series, but I adore her spooky stories too. I'm also a big Tolkien fan, and I really enjoy my classics: Dickens, Mary Shelley and the Brontes have left a particularly big impact on me. Other favourites are Philip Pullman, Garth Nix and the late Marcus Sedgwick.
Tell us about your writing process.
I often spend several months, or sometimes years, doing my initial research: reading, watching documentaries, and if I can, visiting places and learning new skills. During this period, I'll write a basic outline, broken down into chapters. This allows me to not only keep track of the plot lines, but also ensure my structure and pacing will be strong. The outline document doesn't only have the bare bones of the story, but also all my relevant research and observations, character notes, and a rudimentary playlist which becomes the story's soundtrack (I often share this on Spotify when the book is released.)
All that preparation work can take a while, but it gives me time to heighten my confidence and really get to know my characters, so when I do write, I can often finish the first draft in 1-2 months. I tend to work with a split screen: the outline on one side and the manuscript on the other, so I can constantly refer back to my notes.
After that, I become a vicious editor, and if I need to cut or rewrite a whole section, I will. I only write one first draft at a time, but I always have at least three novels at varying stages of production, and I can jump between them if one decides to give me grief!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I feel like I spend a lot of time observing them – not just to get a feel for their appearance, but also their little idiosyncrasies, body language, fears and wants. If I have a particularly complex character, I'll imagine talking with them – more a conversation than an interview. The plot is important, of course, but their emotional response to it is what will give the story life. The only way I'll capture that is by looking through their eyes, not by simply watching them with my eyes.
What advice would you give other writers?
If the impostor syndrome is being a pain, I often envision walking into my school library and finding my twelve year-old self, scribbling her first novel in a notebook. I take her by the hand and I lead her to the window. Outside are all the characters she will create, and every single person who has read her work. There are readers who come back for each new book, those who have given her hugs and gifts and fan art, and those who have said the dreamlike words, "Thank you. You are my favourite author." Then I turn to that girl, who never believed this could be possible, and I DON'T say, "All of this is what awaits you." Instead, I say, "All of this happens because you never gave up."
Remember where you were when all this was a distant dream, and know that you stand on the shoulders of the determination you showed in that moment. No matter where you are on your journey, you have already succeeded. Never forget how worthy you are to tell your story.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Both the traditional and independent roads are valid: both have their pros and cons; their hardships and their joys. I was originally published by a small press back in 2012, and after the company ceased trading, I queried many agents and publishers. However, I ultimately decided to fully embrace being indie, because I loved the close relationship I could foster with my readers, while also working on my own terms and maintaining complete creative and marketing control.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I love how wide-reaching the literary world has become. It's now easier than ever for authors and readers to connect, and for underrepresented voices to be heard. I hope that these continue to break through in the industry: both for the authors themselves, and also for the representation shown in their work. In the same vein, I hope that accessibility continues to grow, so readers can discover stories in the ways which are comfortable for them.
A topic on a lot of peoples' minds, of course, is the growth of AI. I can see how it can be a useful tool for marketing and trend identification, but I vehemently disagree with its use in the creative process. However, I don't think it will ever replace or replicate the lifeblood of all good tales: humanity. There will always be people who want to tell stories, and there will always be people who want to read them. That is a unique kind of connection which I don't think can ever be broken.
What genres do you write?: Fantasy: historical, romantasy, vampires, steampunk, fairy tale retelling, myths and legends
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
E. C. Hibbs Home Page Link
Link To E. C. Hibbs Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
