Write Now with Ryan Douglass
Today's Write Now interview features Ryan Douglass, author of NIGHT OF MADNESS.
Who are you?
I’m Ryan Douglass. I’m a speculative fiction author based in Atlanta, Georgia.
What do you write?
I’m mostly a horror author, but I like to experiment with genre, form, and age category. I started writing when I was very young as a form of escapism.
I don’t specifically avoid words unless they’re needlessly offensive, and with themes, I look at things that I have experience with or am curious about and want to explore more deeply.
Where do you write?
I usually write at my desk in front of an open window. I use Microsoft Word and Pinterest to visualize where I’m setting things. My process includes a combination of typing and writing by hand.
When do you write?
My most productive writing sessions occur late at night. I don’t set strict time limits or daily word count goals anymore. I have a general sense of project deadlines and navigate them with a mix of inspiration and discipline, though my process is pretty type-B. Some stories require a slower pace, and some drafts benefit from quicker bursts of work. Night of Madness, for example, benefitted from shorter sprints, since the bulk of the story takes place in one night, and being with the main character through that “night” so to speak, gave me a more urgent sense of her psychological journey.
Why do you write?
I write to make sense of things that confuse me, keep track of what inspires me, and to turn abstract or painful experiences into things that are palpable with meaning. I also want to leave the world a better place than how I left it and I’m motivated by the idea of helping others feel seen through my work.
How do you overcome writer's block?
I usually read books, watch movies, or just consume media that can get me inspired about what stories can do again.
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
Outside of writing I am a dog dad, and a plant dad. I love cooking and baking, collecting music and art, being active, visiting foreign cities, and connecting with nature and wildlife as much as I can.
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My thanks to Ryan Douglass for today's interview.
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