Q&A with featured writer Meaghan McIsaac
Meaghan shares insights into her writing process and how she makes time for writing
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I’m so pleased and honoured to introduce our first ever Q&A featured author: Meaghan McIsaac! Meaghan is one of the nicest people—she is truly super nice and also super talented. Meaghan has written multiple books for young readers, including the middle grade fantasy series The Bear House for Holiday House, as well as Zombie Shark Highway, a YA monster zombie series available exclusively on Wattpad.
Here is Meaghan’s bio: “Meaghan has been writing and doodling the stories in her head since she could hold a pencil. She has filled up countless notebooks with those stories and doodles and though her family thinks she has too many notebooks as it is, she is always confident she could use just one more.”
Marisa: What do you prefer: working on one writing project at a time, or multiple writing projects? If multiple, how do you choose what to work on and when?
Meaghan: I am definitely guilty of working on multiple projects at once. I don't choose what to work on so much as pay attention to my mood and ability at any given time. If I hit a wall on one project, I can work on the other until I know how to move past that wall. Also, sometimes I'm just in the mood for something different. Having multiple projects on the go gives me the variety I crave. That said, I am always mindful that I need to FINISH those projects. So I try not to have more than two in the first draft stage at one time.
Marisa: You're a mom and you work. You're also publishing books with traditional publishers and on Wattpad, posting on social media, illustrating and writing. When do you do most of your writing?
Meaghan: Whenever I can! For books on contract, those take priority just like a job. I am strict with my schedule and myself to make sure deadlines get met. For projects not yet past the first draft phase (projects that haven't seen my agent or beta readers or even my friends), those I write mostly when I can—lunch breaks, before bed, first thing in the morning before the kids get up. But, sometimes, I just don't feel like writing and need to take a break from the draft—and that's okay! Burnout is real so I really try to be honest with myself when I need to rest.
Marisa: How do you approach writing a new story—do you outline a lot first, or start writing and then do more of that later, or does it depend?
Meaghan: I do a mix! I always have a vague overall plan for the story, but it’s very broad. Then I'll usually outline 3 or 4 chapters more specifically, then write. That said, for projects on contract, the publisher or client will often want a detailed outline so I am becoming more used to outlining the whole story in detail and I definitely like it for certain kinds of projects. So it all depends on the book and what the story needs!
Marisa: How do you approach the editing process? For example, I wait a while, then I reread my book scene by scene, take notes on what I feel should change and then I make decisions before making any changes.
Meaghan: I am pretty impatient so I'm not too precious about the process. When I finish a chapter, I go through it right away and try to fix it. I do it that way through the whole first draft, catching issues as I go. If an early chapter needs to change because of something in the later chapters, I do it right away. When the whole story is done, I start back at the beginning and go through it all to make sure it works and then I usually send it to a writing besty or put it away for a bit before taking a final run at it the whole thing. Unless it’s a Wattpad zombie book—those I am writing chapter by chapter for engaged readers who are waiting each week. So if a chapter works, it publishes! No time to fuss over it!
Marisa: Which genres are your favourite to write in?
Meaghan: Fantasy. 100%. Always has been, even when I was little. I love world building and magic and creatures. Even if I'm not writing high fantasy, whatever story I am writing will have SOME element of magic in it. I just can't help myself :)
Thank you so much for the interview and insights, Meaghan!
If you’d like to read more of Meaghan’s writing tips, I recommend reading Hey Writer Person, a book in which Meaghan offers a ton of very encouraging writing tips for free on Wattpad. She also writes an amazing newsletter called Authorstrator for writers and illustrators.
If you’d like to read Meaghan’s works, I highly recommend Movers, which is full of unique and brilliant ideas. This cautionary tale tells of a future in which the world is overcrowded and polluted. There are people called Movers, who are connected to Shadows, who are people who live in the even-more crowded future. I’m also really enjoying reading her fantasy book The Bear House. The sequel The Bear House: Scales and Stardust is coming out soon!
SO wonderful to read!!
Next month’s Q&A is with the talented Alisha Sevigny! Alisha is the editor who provided me with such helpful edits for In Your Dreams, and I absolutely love her books.
If you’d like to submit interview questions for consideration, please comment below or email me at marisabwrites@gmail.com by October 18, 2022.
Thanks for having me, Marisa!