Today’s Author Spotlight features award-winning storyteller and novelist NV Haskell. NV’s short fiction has been published in many magazines and anthologies, including Deep Magic, Night Shift Radio, Misfits of Magic, Of Wizards and Wolves, and of course Writers of the Future volume 38, where you can find her winning short story The Mystical Farrago.
NV began writing as a child, drawing early inspiration from comic books, mythology, and Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. She rediscovered her love of writing again as an adult, and now has two novels out on query, with a YA fantasy planned for publication at the end of 2023. Read more about NV and her long, strange trip of self-discovery on her website at https://nvhaskell.com
Morgan: How did your love of Comic Cons and Renaissance Festivals start, and what are some of your favorite costumes and why?
NV Haskell: I used to go with my dad and older brother every Friday to the comic book store. My first comic book memories are of detective comics and Batman, but I was only invested if the stories involved Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. I fell in love with Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s The Teen Titans, specifically the character Raven. Along with those two characters, my favorite cosplays are Lady Thor and Scarlet Witch.
MB: You won Writers of the Future, and your story The Mystical Farrago is published in volume 38. What habits did the contest help you develop that you feel are crucial for a writer?
NVH: Consistently writing new stories and not just rewriting or editing ones that I’ve already completed. I know for some writers that rewrites or edits work well for them, but I find that it drags my passion for writing down. Also, maybe more importantly, the WoTF forum helped me connect with other writers and learn how to support each other.
MB: How has your love of Chinese history and mythology influenced the stories you write?
NVH: I’ve always enjoyed learning about history, so Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mongolian history and mythology are some great sources of inspiration for me. All very beautiful and rich cultures with stories that I wished I’d been exposed to earlier in life. Plenty of stories with strong women as warriors or rulers that I didn’t hear much about as a girl. Plus, once you start diving into the unique mythological beasts and their meanings, it becomes intriguing. There’s a ton of festivals that vary depending on the region and plenty of traditional practices that have survived for centuries. I could go on and on. Learning about other cultures’ history is inspiring and provides perspectives that I hadn’t considered before.
MB: What keeps you running even though it’s very difficult for you?
NVH: For a long time, running is where I burned off my anger or worked through difficulties. It was my moving meditation, so to speak. Unfortunately, my long-distance running is over due to bilateral hip surgeries related to hypermobility syndrome. But that doesn’t stop me from running shorter distances (5 miles and under) on good days. It’s become a place where I think through plot holes and scenes.
MB: What does your writing routine look like on a typical day?
NVH: It fluctuates depending on what I am working on. When I am writing a novel, I’ll spend ¾ of the day writing and ¼ editing what was written the day before for a total of 6-10 hours. I feel like my productivity is highest in the morning, so most of my editing is done in the late afternoon or evening. When I am working on short fiction, sometimes I can finish a piece of up to 3,500 words in one day and spend the next few days or a week editing it. And there are some stories that I get halfway through and put aside because something about it isn’t working. I’ve just completed a story that I set aside last September after only 1,000 words and realized where I wanted it to go and what was missing. The end word count was around 7,500, but I needed that break to think about it in a different way.
MB: Dave Farland was a big influence in your life. What are some of the best lessons you learned from him?
NVH: I learned so much from David. Think about the story you want to write and then figure out the best way to communicate it (always a work in progress). Consider your individual character arcs and their roles in the overall story. How can you make an old idea new? What unique elements can you bring to the story? Writing should be a combination of showing and telling. Add in sensory beats throughout. And maybe most importantly, give back to the writing community and try to be kind.
MB: What makes a good story, and what do you look for most in a story?
NVH: Unique characters in new settings with problems I haven’t seen before. Give me a bitter anti-hero with deep psychological trauma who’s trying to figure out who they are through their questionable actions. Or someone who’s spent their lives trying to do the right thing only to realize it’s not what they want anymore. I love character changes and arcs, for better or worse. Also, I love dynamic world building with sensory beats so rich it becomes immersive. Though I enjoy some tried and true tropes, I’m quite weary of the orphan as the chosen one, or anytime a love interest must die to motivate the main character into action.
MB: What traps should aspiring writers avoid?
NVH: Thinking you can go it alone by not putting your work out there or seeking critiques because you are afraid. While not all feedback is created equally, and the writer has to have a certain amount of discernment to figure out what elements to keep and throw away, it is important to listen to feedback. No matter where you are in your writing career, feedback is imperative to growth and improving your skill set if you want to have your work read. I look back on some of my earlier work and I cringe. Thankfully, I found mentors and friends who were able to provide critiques in a way that was kind. Also, be kind to other writers with your feedback. Just because you might have thick skin, doesn’t mean everyone else does.
MB: What is your writing Kryptonite?
NVH: I have so many things that can pull me out of my writing state. I love research but sometimes it leads me into a spiral and then I lose several hours while hunting for one or two bits of information. I tend to hyper-fixate on things. For instance, if I am loving a particular book, I won’t be able to stop reading it until I’m done. I’ve been known to start a book at noon and finish it at two o’clock in the morning because I couldn’t put it down. It’s the same with certain shows. But I also do that when I’m writing, so sometimes that kryptonite can be used for productivity.
MB: Now that you’ve won Writers of the Future, what’s the next goal you’re aiming for?
NVH: I’m a novelist at heart and love writing longer stories. I have three manuscripts written and am hoping to publish a series in the next year or two, either traditionally or self-publishing. Really, I just want to keep improving my writing skills so that I can write stories worth reading.
Read more about NV Haskell and find links to her published works at her website!
