About Sydney McCutcheon:
To me, every book has to have some love story going on, or most likely I (my own opinion) won’t find it very interesting. A lot of my book ideas start with a love story.
My first published novel, Henry, began that way. I saw a man in need of love, and a girl full of love just waiting to give it to someone.
Love is a gift.
A little about me? I love the rain, a warm blanket with a cup of hot tea, sunrises (not sunsets), surfing, learning random facts, and finding inspiring music for my writing (among other things, of course).
Christianity is the life root to my writing, and I wouldn’t be alive without Jesus.
If Christian romance, or even just clean romance, is what you are looking for, check out Henry.
Thank you so much for your time!
Sydney Paige McCutcheon
What inspires you to write?
Many times I am inspired by music. A song plays on the radio, a scene plays in my imagination. For my first novel I listened to the same song over and over and over for pretty much the whole time I wrote the first draft. But people inspire me also, characteristics of people. When I was working at a fast-food restaurant a customer came in and I noticed that one of his blue eyes didn't move. He had a glass eye – it looked just like the other except it didn't move and I thought hmmm… interesting characteristic (and he was pretty cute too) and a character for a novel was created.
For Henry, I had a surrogacy idea/story, a puzzle piece you could say, but I didn't know what puzzle it went with until this other idea/story of a man (Henry) came into view and the stories merged together. Maybe you have a couple story ideas and aren't sure about what to do with them, maybe it isn't enough for one novel — try putting some of your ideas together. Take two ideas that are so opposite of each other and slap them together! That's a writer's rollercoaster! Well, one of them anyway. And see where it goes – that's what can make your writing exciting and if you are in a slump, give it a reboot.
Tell us about your writing process.
Writing process … writing process… writing… process… Hmmm…
I'd like to say I'm a seat of the pantser but for Henry, it was outlined. It's probably my most clear plot idea that came together so far, while another book I wrote a draft for was completely seat of the pants.
Back to Henry, I outlined it pretty much chapter by chapter. I wrote what I wanted to happen here, then what happened next. These are short paragraph-descriptions I wrote for each chapter just to give my focus a general guideline. There were scenes I knew I wanted in the novel, so like the puzzle, it's just figuring out where and when.
Seat of the pants is fun when you first get the idea for a story or a scene but some form of outline I find it needed to keep my focus together. But everyone is different and though it might be beneficial to try the opposite of what you do, go with the flow.
How do you develop your characters?
I think the best thing about a first draft is for me, that's where the characters find their voices. You might have an idea for a character, but as they become faced with obstacles and other personalities, you get to see their responses first-hand and some might surprise you. Always keep it open because your characters might give you a delightful surprise that possibly changes the entire course of your novel for the better.
Who are your favorite authors?
Julianne Donaldson's Edenbrooke is a favorite of mine. That is on the historical romance side (clean romance).
On the more Sci-Fi (light Sci-Fi) is the Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. Also Kasie West Pivot Point and Sequel Split Second is awesome! I am hoping she writes more from this series. Her other books I enjoy are on the contemporary romance side, sweet romance.
What genres do you write?: Christian Fiction
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print
Where to find out more about the author
Website(s)
Link To Sydney McCutcheon Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Pinterest
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.
