Name: Rhiannon Grist
Age: 27
Hometown: I grew up in Bridgend, South Wales, but I now live in Edinburgh.
Occupation: Copywriter
When/where do you write? Early mornings and evenings are good; just after lunch is terrible.
I usually write in my bedroom or at my desk when I get a bit of down time at work.
Writing background: I started writing when I was about 12-13 years old. I spent a lot of time inside my head, creating worlds and making up stories. It wasn’t too long before I started writing my own series of supernatural adventure books.
While studying English Lit at St Andrews University I wrote and directed my first play – an apocalyptic, black comedy about three women who wake up in an abandoned city (think The Breakfast Club meets The Road with some physics jokes thrown in for fun). After uni, I joined the Traverse Young Writers Group, then the Royal Court Young Writers Group and wrote a couple of stage adaptations for Patch of Blue Theatre Company.
Now I work as a copywriter for a creative agency in the West End of Edinburgh. On weekends, I co-write and AD short films with Enhanced Dimensions (you can check out our films on YouTube).
Why NaNoWriMo and why now? I’ve wanted to try NaNoWriMo ever since my good friend and fellow WAYB blogger, Kylie Rodier, told me about it. Now, after a long bout of play, screen and copy writing, I feel ready to get back into novels. In fact, I’m planning on rebooting the series of supernatural adventure stories I wrote when I was a teenager. All my other ideas are already partly written and I don’t fancy starting them from scratch, whereas this series could do with a do-over. In short, it’s the perfect excuse to try out NaNoWriMo and to revisit my old stories (and make some major revisions).
Genre (of NaNoWriMo novel): Supernatural Young Adult
The novel I want to write (in one paragraph): The Divine Spark: after surviving a monstrous attack, Nova and Sam are taken into the custody of The Valley – a secret, militarised society that defends the world from life-consuming, alien entities known as The Others.
However, not everyone’s pleased with the addition of two outsiders and, thanks to increased Other attacks on The Valley itself, tensions are high. Nova and Sam have to dig deep and find their inner ‘Divine Spark’ if they’re going to save their friends and themselves.
Meet my main character: I’ve got two – Nova and Sam.
Thanks to a congenital defect (and an over-protective father) Nova’s led a sheltered and highly medicated life. All she wants to do is live like a normal 17-year-old: go shopping, meet up with boys, leave the house on her own, etc. When she’s taken into the custody of The Valley, Nova begins to realise she’s a whole lot stronger than she’s been led to believe.
Sam, as he’s called this week, is a compulsive liar and a well-groomed one at that. He’s looking for an unusual girl. If he can find her, his father has promised him a normal, stable life – no more running and hiding. However, when Sam’s taken into the custody of The Valley, he starts questioning his values.
Have you done any planning? When it comes to writing, I’m definitely more of a ‘Planner’ than a ‘Go-With-The-Flow-er’. I’ve written up character bios, a beat-by-beat breakdown of the prospective plot, and a whole book of notes on The Valley and the Others. I want to know as much about this world as possible before I start.
Writing fears: My biggest fear is The Fear - that immobilizing little imp that tells you ‘you can’t do it, don’t bother, just go back to bed and forget you ever wanted to try’. However, I’ve got my boyfriend on stand-by with cups of tea and my friends are on cheerleading duties, so I’m pretty confident I can hit the big Five Oh Oh Oh Oh.
Writing hopes and dreams: That one day someone will write a best-selling, erotic fanfic based on one of my books. I joke, but getting to see my book on a 3-for-2 stand at an airport W H Smiths would be sweet.
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