This week, I had the opportunity to interview Sara Zagorski, one of the authors in our new anthology Glimpses of Time and Magic and author of the short story The Heart of the Coast. I won’t take up any further time from the interview, so let’s dive into the questions and answers.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi, world! I’m Sara, a 15-year-old sophomore from Chicago. I may be young, but I’ve
been writing ever since I knew how to read, and most of my daily life is filled with reading
and writing. On the side, I play softball, play the flute in marching band, and draw. I have
a cat named Sydney, a dog named Molly, and a very tight group of friends who continue
to inspire and support me every day!
What kind of fantasy do you write, and what got you into it?
I tend to write high fantasy set in my ongoing magical universe that exists outside of our earth, though I’ll also dabble in other types of fantasy whenever I get inspired. I can’t remember exactly what got me into this type of fantasy, but I could probably trace it all the way back to second grade when I first started liking Peter Pan. Ever since I first saw that movie, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of other worlds existing outside of our own that have their own laws, history, and magic, and whenever I get inspiration for another one of these worlds, I enjoy creating stories about them.
What genres do you read, and do you write the same ones?
I read almost exclusively fantasy and science fiction, and that translates pretty directly to
my writing. I find real-life really boring and scary sometimes, and writing stories set in
alternate worlds is a really easy way for me to escape stressful situations and envelop
myself in a different universe.
What are some of the things you like to do to relax?
Reading and writing are pretty high on that list, though I also like to put on my music and
take a walk around my neighbourhood if I’m feeling particularly stressed. It also helps to
watch movies or shows that have really good memories associated with them to help
remind me of good times.
Can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?
The Heart of The Coast is the first story I’m getting published, but I never actually
anticipated having the opportunity to put my work out there until I was a lot older. As of
now, I don’t have any other books in the making that I’m looking to publish, but I’m
working on a couple of stories for fun in the meantime. My main project right now is
called Kye Rising. It’s another story set in my alternate universe in which the main
character, Kye, is sent to my fantasy world where he has to adapt and prepare for war
before the antagonist, a dark elf known as the Dark One, takes over the last standing
kingdom that opposes his reign. I haven’t gotten far with this story yet, but I’m loving the
characters so far, so it’s going to be a fun ride!
If you’ve published (self-published or traditionally published), can you tell us a little about the experience?
Like I said before, this is my first time getting published. I don’t have much valuable
insight into the experience, but I think this opportunity is a really good starting point for
getting published in the future. Working with a group of experienced authors has helped
me understand the process a little better, and I have a good idea of what I’ll need to do
to publish my own work on my own!
What were your inspirations for writing?
Most of my inspirations for writing come from books, movies, or shows that I’ve been
obsessed with at some point. As I read and watch things, I usually take notes on the
distinctive traits of my favourite characters, plot points I love the most, and any other
unique characteristics that make me enjoy the books and movies as much as I do. Some
of my biggest inspirations were the Game of Thrones series, works by J. R. R. Tolkien,
and The Untamed.
Who got you into writing when you first started?
I can’t actually remember who first got me into writing. I’ve written books ever since I
learned how to read, and some of my oldest stories date all the way back to
kindergarten. Because I’ve been writing for so long, there’s no one person in particular
who inspired me to start writing, but there have been a lot of authors along the way who
helped give me ideas for stories.
Was there anyone who came alongside you at any point when you were struggling in your writing journey and made a real difference? If so, who and why?
There was actually one person who really helped me with my writing, and her name is
Joanna White. She’s the author who first introduced me to this project, though I’ve
known her for a long time before this. She’s been a really great mentor for my writing
ever since I started doing her Author’s Games back in fifth or sixth grade, and because
of her helpful comments and critiques on my writing, I’ve improved drastically ever since.
Her Author’s Games also gave me an excuse to write new stories every week, and I got
to put my creativity to good use for the period that I competed. I’m genuinely really
thankful for all the help she’s given me over the years!
What advice would you give to aspiring authors and writers just starting on the writing journey?
My best advice is to not force yourself to write if you don’t want to. Waiting until the
perfect inspiration hits you makes your stories that much better and more enjoyable to
write. Also, basing your stories off of things you enjoy in your everyday life can make
your stories really personal, and you can connect really deeply to the characters and the
settings. The best part of writing for me is making that connection to the characters and
finding yourself in your work.
What is one thing you wish someone had told you before you started writing?
I wish someone had told me not to force myself to write if I don’t want to. There were
times where I burned myself out and couldn’t write anything because I’d tried to make
myself write too much, and those periods were always really miserable.
What’s your favorite book, and who’s your favorite literary character? Why?
It’s almost impossible for me to pin down my favourite all-time book, so I’m going to say
that my current favourite is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. The book has lots of
incredible character development, and it also includes one of my favourite plot points in
which the villain ends up becoming the hero (or the other way around). As such, my
favourite current literary character would have to be Elias. He’s got really good morals,
he’s an awesome fighter, and he overcomes many challenges that end up building him
up as a person. He’s the perfect example of my favourite type of character.
