AUTHOR INTERVIEW: THE LITERARY SPOTLIGHT WITH AUTHOR DAVID ANDERSON

Author Interview: The Literary Spotlight with Author David Anderson

Hailing from the cold, wet streets of Dublin, David Anderson is the author of The Drowners. Like a hummingbird, after college, he migrated south to warmer climes—namely, sunny Spain—where he now teaches English to students often bewildered by his Irish brogue. But teaching isn’t his only passion. In his early thirties, David caught the writing bug, channeling his love for storytelling into compelling narratives that resonate with readers worldwide.

David’s ability to craft stories that balance raw emotion with humor and authenticity makes him a standout voice in contemporary fiction. Whether he’s exploring the complexities of human relationships or diving into the world of sports through his writing, his storytelling is always immersive and deeply relatable.

Beyond fiction, David has shared his thoughts on football—his other great obsession—through articles for the GMS website. His talent for crafting engaging stories was recognized in 2021 when he won a YA Watty Award for his novel The Art of Breathing Underwater.

In this interview, David takes us behind the scenes of his writing journey, sharing the inspirations behind his work, the challenges of storytelling, and what it means to connect with readers on a deeper level. Get ready for an insightful conversation with a writer whose words capture both the grit of reality and the beauty of imagination!

Introduction:

Cyra: Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your writing background. What inspired you to write, and how did your writing journey begin?

David: I am David Anderson, author of The Drowners. It was my ambition to become a writer since my teens, however, I wanted to experience life before I began writing about it. So, I moved to London when I finished college, and after a year there, I moved to Spain. Well, the more living I did, the less I thought about writing. But it was always there, scratching around the back of my mind. When I hit my mid-thirties, I knew it was now or never. It took three years, but I eked out my first story. A god-awful abomination, but it gave me a base to build on. What started as a hobby, soon became an obsession. Ideas embedded in my brain and refused to budge until I turned them into words on a screen. Over time I realised I was viewing the world from a different perspective. That’s when I became a writer.

Creative Process:

Cyra: Walk us through your creative process. How do you develop your ideas into full-fledged stories? Do you follow specific rituals or routines to get into the writing zone?

David: It always begins with a vague notion. A mosquito buzzing around the darker reaches of my mind. Always there. Hovering. Then, it bites. And that little idea begins to grow. And damn does it itch. Okay, so now I have an idea that won’t quit. I allow it to develop naturally until I’ve got a thin framework for a story. This could take months, even years. Usually, I’m working on a different project, while I let it percolate. When I finish a project, I start thinking about this little idea in terms of chapters/scenes. I’ll jot down a sentence for each of these chapters on the back of an old utility bill, or candy wrapper, until I have at least 25. That’s when I know I have the basis a novel. I have no ritual, or secret incantations, to propel me into the writing zone. After weeks of procrastinating, I’ll stop fighting and stare down that blank screen. Feeling like a writing virgin, I’ll fumble through the first chapter. That first chapter is all it takes, because once I start a task, I have to finish. After a few chapters, the rustiness disappears and I slide into gear. Months later, I’m hitting that final full stop. And that’s when the adventure starts. The next draft. The editing, and revision. Until finally, you have created something that another person would give eight hours out of their life to read.

Writing Influences:

Cyra: Who are some of your favorite authors or literary influences, and how have they shaped your writing style? Are there any books or works that have profoundly impacted your writing career?
David: On the Road by Jack Kerouac convinced me that there was nothing higher you could aspire to than becoming a writer. However, in terms of influence, I’m indebted to Elmore Leonard for teaching me never to use a verb other than said when writing dialogue. And to avoid detailed descriptions of characters; Do we really need to know about the birthmark on the MC’s wrist? Readers will always form their own mental picture of the protagonists. George V. Higgins taught me that writing how people naturally speak works a million times better than any contrived speech. Sure, you might sound Shakespearean in your poetic eloquence, but your characters come across as, well, characters. I love reading dialogue that makes you feel like you are eavesdropping on a conversation between people in a café. The master of the psychological, Patricia Highsmith showed me the importance of getting into a character’s head. To invite your reader into that (morally)grey matter, and see what lurks beneath the surface smiles.

Challenges & Successes:

Cyra: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your writing career, and how did you overcome them? How do you handle writer’s block or periods of self-doubt? On the flip side, what achievements are you most proud of (books, projects, etc.) in your journey as an author? Were there any scenes or moments in The Drowners that were particularly challenging to write? How did you overcome those hurdles to ensure they resonated with authenticity?

David: My greatest achievement is writing a book I am proud to call my own. My greatest success was winning a Watty award in 2021. Every day is a challenge. The challenge is to improve. To perfect. To eventually get to the point with a book where you know you can’t do any more. The biggest challenge is to recover from rejection. To become a writer you must accept rejection comes with the territory. Stephen King didn’t get published until his fourth novel. Let that sink in. Nobody is immune. The challenge is to pick yourself up again. Dust down. And return with greater determination to succeed. My way around writer’s block is to revise my daily word count. If, after forty minutes, I’m still staring at an empty screen, I tell myself, just get 500 words done instead of 800. Hell, a hundred is better than nothing. That eases the pressure. And once you have that first sentence written, more will follow. Oh, there were a few scenes that were difficult to write. But, that is a good thing. You want your readers to experience the same pain as your characters, and to achieve this you need to tap into your deepest emotions. Readers demand the full experience. They want to ride with you through the lowest of lows and soar with you through the highs. As a writer, you need to dig deep. The results will be worth the journey.

Character Development:

Cyra: How do you develop compelling and relatable characters in your stories? Do you use strategies or exercises to ensure your characters feel authentic, genuine, and three-dimensional? Robbie, an aspiring actor of Jamaican descent, plays a pivotal role in the story. What was your approach to authentically portraying his cultural background, and why was it important to include his perspective in Aaron’s journey? Aaron begins as a sarcastic and cynical character but evolves throughout the story. Was his character arc planned from the start, or did it change as you delved deeper into his story?

David: More than any other project, I drew on personal experience for The Drowners. Aaron is me. To be fair, there is always a piece of me in all my MCs. Does that make me a narcissist? The trick to making a character real is to write them as a normal person. Have you ever watched interviews with neighbours of serial killers? How many times do they say, ‘he seemed so normal?’ People are people. Write them as such. Especially when it comes to writing villains. Leave the theatrical and the OTT to panto and bad daytime soaps. Evil is more terrifying when it’s banal. Think, Tom Ripley. Norman Bates. Every character has a story that needs telling. A voice that needs to be heard. In The Drowners, the cast is based on real people. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t read and research. Bottom line: it’s impossible to view life from another’s perspective. What I can do is listen. And understand….

Plot/World Building:

Cyra: How do you approach plot building to balance intricate twists and maintain a cohesive storyline when crafting your novels? Can you share any tips for aspiring writers on developing compelling plots? World-building is crucial for many genres, creating immersive settings that feel authentic and integral to the story. How do you go about constructing worlds that feel both fantastical and believable? Can you share your approach to balancing detail and narrative flow when introducing readers to a new world?

David: For me it is all about creating compelling characters and stories. Unless you are writing Sci-fi or Fantasy, the setting is a backdrop. Romeo and Juliet could have been set in Kuala Lumpar and it wouldn’t affect the story in the slightest. Its themes are universal. Love. Sex. Violence. Fate. It’s the protagonists/antagonists you fall in love with/love to hate. Much as we marvel at the spectacle in Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings, it’s the characters and the emotional drama that keep us invested in the story. With backstory, you need enough to make the reader understand why the characters are how they are, but you don’t want to get bogged down in trivial details. The reader just needs the facts. The same applies to descriptions of weather, buildings, or objects. Anything over a brief paragraph is superfluous. Twists tend to come after you have written the first draft. Now, that you can finally see the story as a whole, you realize how you can take it to the next level. All those jaw-dropping twists in your favourite books; the author started with something much simpler in mind. Often they happen as a natural reaction to a situation you have put your characters in. We can worry too much about creating mind-blowing twists, when we should focus on the story and characters. If the reader doesn’t care about the protagonists fate, they won’t care too much about the twists. One great twist is suffice. Think, The Usual Suspects. Shutter Island. Any more than three is farcical. Reader love the rug being pulled from under them. Fool them once and you’re a genius, fool them over and over and you lose credibility.

Dialogue and Setting:

Cyra: Dialogue can breathe life into a story, especially when intertwined with the setting. How do you use dialogue to enrich your settings and evoke a sense of place? The 1990s in Dublin is such a vivid and unique backdrop for The Drowners. How did you go about researching and recreating the era’s atmosphere, culture, and nuances for your story?

David: It wasn’t too difficult. I lived through that era. However, I still needed to do plenty of research. For instance, I had this killer line about irony where I referenced the Alanis Morissette song, Ironic. Only to find that it had been released two years after the story’s time frame. So, it had to go. Technologies, the colour of buses, and TV series must be accurate. You can’t trust your memory. I would have bet a kidney that Friends started showing on Irish TV in 1994. Luckily, I never had to make that bet. With dialogue, sometimes, you need to watch movies or TV from that era to recall the phrases that were commonplace at the time and are now ‘as dead as disco.’ Could I BE any wittier? Every era has a vibe. The late 90’s was infused with optimism. We genuinely believed things were going to get better. There was a new millennium around the corner, and it felt as though we were living through a special time. I tried to capture that sense of possibility in The Drowners.

Creative Inspiration:

Cyra: Where do you find inspiration for your stories? Are there any specific themes or topics you enjoy exploring in your writing?

David: Life. Go on any news media site and you realize that reality is infinitely more strange than any fiction. The theme I’m focussing on at the moment is the chasm in society. The vast gulf that separates us as people. The rich from the poor. The left from the right. A divide that is worsening by the day. I’m also interested in the nature of truth in the digital age. From political spin to conspiracy theories, the truth has never been harder to discern. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence and deepfakes and fake news, it has become difficult to trust what your eyes are seeing.

Editing & Revision:

Cyra: How important is a writer’s editing and revision process? Please share your approach to editing your work. Do you have any suggestions for writers to improve their attention to detail and editing skills?

David: Writing a book is like building a house. The first draft is that empty shell with concrete mixers standing inert in the muddy front yard. The second draft is about making your house functional. Installing electricity, water, doors, and windows. The third draft is when you make it a home. Furniture. Paintings adorning the walls. Now, you’re ready to let your readers move in and inhabit your world. Editing and revision are equally important as writing the story. If you have ever heard a demo version of one of your favourite songs you’ll understand that without polishing even a diamond is dull and unimpressive. Research is key. Those little flourishes of detail and authenticity add so much more to your story. like how a throw rug improves the appearance of a settee.

Personal Insights & Reflections:

Cyra: Beyond writing, how do you balance your personal life with your career as a successful author? What does success mean to you as an author, and how do you define and measure it? What is the most rewarding and fulfilling aspect of being an author for you? Is there a particular book or project you are most proud of?

David: Writing lives with you. It becomes part of who you are. You can never truly switch it off. It’s always bubbling away beneath the surface. I could be having a casual conversation with someone in a grocery store but I’m picking up on a turn of phrase and filing it away in the memory bank. Or, I’m watching a movie, and I’m thinking about that little idea buzzing away at the back of my brain. Success for me is respect. From my peers, or readers. I’d take an award over a financial reward. Begrudgingly. I mean who doesn’t want to achieve total financial freedom? I aim to forge a reputation as a writer and to hit the New York Times best-seller list. It may be a dream, but it’s not impossible. Being told how much your story means to a reader is the greatest fulfilment. No, I’m equally proud of all my books.

Advice for Budding Writers:

Cyra: What advice would you give aspiring authors just starting their writing journey? How do you handle rejection and criticism in the publishing world and literature?

David: Read, read, read. No one person can teach you how to write. But you can learn by studying those that have gone before you. Criticism and rejection hurt. They hurt like hell. But you can use them to fuel your burning desire to succeed. Who doesn’t want to prove their detractors wrong? Plus, constructive criticism will improve you as a writer if you take it on board. So, let it sting. Feel anger. Dismay. Frustration. Then, when your mind is clear, learn from it. Do you think Robert DeNiro’s acting coach didn’t criticize him? Sometimes it takes an outsider to point out the flaws we can’t see from the inside….

Impact and Connection:

Cyra: You describe The Drowners as a meditation on life’s possibilities and the intolerance for hypocrisy during youth. How do you balance humor and poignancy in the story, and what do you hope readers will take away from Aaron’s journey?

David: No matter how harsh life gets, people will always find a way to laugh. It’s our primary defence mechanism. Our light in the darkness. Every story needs humour. It’s not a case of balancing, just allow it to occur organically. Life can be good. Life can be bad. Often it seems the latter heavily outweighs the former.