Interview with Diana Spechler

Diana Spechler is a writer from New York City. Her first novel, Who by Fire, was just published by HarperCollins. Diana was kind enough to answer some questions about her writing process and her creative journey.

But first, here’s the synopsis of her novel from the back of the book:

Bits and Ash were children when the kidnapping of their younger sister Alena, an incident for which Ash blames himself, caused an irreparable family rift. Thirteen years later, Ash is living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel, cutting himself off from his mother, Ellie, and his wild child sister, Bits. But soon he may have to face them again: Alena’s remains have finally been uncovered. Now Bits is traveling across the world in a bold and desperate attempt to bring her brother home and salvage what’s left of their family. Told from the alternating points of view of the three family members, Who By Fire is a searing commentary on guilt, grief, and the inescapable bonds of family from a fresh and extremely talented new voice in American fiction.

Why this story? What made you so passionate about it? Is it based on your life or mostly fictionalized?

It’s a made-up story. I was trying to capture the feeling I get as a Jew in America hearing about the suicide bombings in Israel. Of course, after I’d written several hundred pages, it became a story about lots of other things, too, but that was the initial seed.

You’ve achieved something that many aspiring writers dream of; you got your first novel published by a major publishing house. How did you make that dream a reality? What would you say is the key ingredient in your personality that made it possible?

The people who are closest to me often tell me I’m too hard on myself. I think I’m not hard enough on myself, which might prove their point. I’m not sure. I do know that writing and selling a novel takes a lot of work and a lot of patience. It also requires a very thick skin. There is quite a bit of rejection along the way. It’s like Fight Club: You’re not only letting yourself get beaten up; you’re asking for it. You’re beating yourself up. And you’re always going back for more. Beyond that, it’s imperative to find a good agent. My agent is a miracle-worker.

How long did it take you to craft your novel? Can you describe your daily regimen?

The writing part took four and a half years. Morning is my favorite time of the day for writing, so along the way, I have tried to take jobs that don’t require much of me until the late afternoon. I don’t have a strict regimen, but I do make the necessary effort to write every day.

What were the biggest stumbling blocks you faced during the process toward publication, and how did you overcome them?

The first stumbling block was finishing a draft and realizing that I hadn’t constructed a plot. I printed several hundred manuscript pages and read them eagerly, and then thought, “This is not a novel. This is just characters walking around having thoughts and feelings.” Then I had one of those silent crying jags where you squeeze your eyes shut and bite your thumb knuckle and your shoulders convulse. Then I went back to the drawing board. Plot was the hardest part. It took a lot of drafts to nail one down. The only way to overcome stumbling blocks in the writing process is to stick with it. (I know…that’s lame advice, but I think it’s true.) I let myself wallow in self-pity from time to time, but never for more than a couple of days.

Are you writing full-time or do you have a full-time job to pay the bills?

Right now, I’m a cocktail waitress a couple nights a week. I also teach an evening fiction class for the Gotham Writers’ Workshop, as well as a creative writing class at a fashion college in Manhattan called Laboratory Institute of Merchandising. I also pick up odd jobs: ghost-writing, freelance writing, freelance editing. I keep busy, but like I said, I try hard to set my mornings aside for writing. And I avoid full-time jobs because I don’t want to be focused on some other career.

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?

Find good readers. Listen to their constructive criticism. Don’t be afraid to throw away a hundred pages if it’s necessary. It will hurt, just like it hurts to get a wart burned off your toe, but in the long run, you will be happier with a perfect, pedicured, wart-free foot, right?

If you could bring 3 books to a desert island, what would they be?

If I was literally going to a desert island, I would probably bring the longest books I could find, and I’d probably get bored eventually, no matter which books I brought, but three of my very favorite novels are The Secret History by Donna Tartt, That Night by Alice McDermott, and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

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I’d like to thank Diana for taking the time to inspire us, and congratulate her on getting her first book published. (Did you hear that, people? It took her 4.5 years to finish her novel! Now that’s dedication!)

Be sure to visit Diana’s website, or her page at HarperCollins, and support her by buying her book!

Oh, and be sure to leave your comments!