Interview with Debbie Zaken

Debbie Zaken is an award-winning Young Adult author. Her debut novel, Colliding Skies, is the first in a YA sci-fi series from Oftomes Publishing. It received first place in the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Florida Rising Kite 2016 Award. Born in Miami, Debbie grew up in Guatemala, attended a bilingual school, and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Hebrew. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two daughters.

Host: Richard Lowe | Guest: Debbie Zaken

Interview Transcript

Richard: Tell me about yourself.

Debbie: I was born in Miami but grew up in Central America, in Guatemala. I went to a bilingual school, which is how I have the English I have. I’ve always been an avid reader. I started writing as a child, then picked it up again about six years ago — not as a hobby exactly, but more like “let me write this story for me.” Then I really started loving it.

Why Young Adult Sci-Fi

Richard: Why young adult?

Debbie: It’s still the genre I read predominantly. Somewhere along the line I discovered YA and really enjoyed it. It wasn’t a conscious decision to write a YA story — the story came to me and it came as young adult. At its heart, YA is still the coming-of-age story, told through the perspective and voice of someone that age. Most YA I’ve read is first person, which makes it very intimate. And in the last four or five years, YA has become very experimental. Some of the most unique stories out there are coming from that genre right now.

I call my book light sci-fi or contemporary sci-fi. It takes place on this planet in modern times, but there’s an alien element. The concept just came to me that way — it wasn’t a conscious genre decision.

Planster Process

Debbie: I’m somewhere between a plotter and a pantser. I start with a very basic three-act outline, then slowly build it out. As I develop the story, I add scenes, move them around. My outlines are somewhat detailed but still loose and flexible — more of a guideline than a rigid outline.

Things do change direction. If something shifts while I’m writing, I go back and adapt the outline. One scene leads to another, and one little change can completely alter the entire story. I’m flexible in that sense.

Writing with Life in the Way

Richard: How do you stay productive with children, a husband, and a job?

Debbie: I’m a wandering writer. I always have my laptop with me everywhere. When I was working full time, I’d go to Starbucks during my lunch hour for 35 or 40 minutes. When my kids were younger, I wrote during naptime. I do a lot of writing at night — it seems to be when I’m most productive, because the house is quiet. I try to write every day, though knowing that binge-watching something on TV once in a while is good for you too. Even 45 minutes — you’d be surprised how much can come out.

I need music to write. I can’t write in silence. My routine involves music and coffee, or music and tea.

I’m a slow drafter. The first draft of Colliding Skies took me about a year. I like to draft clean, which slows me down but makes the editing phase faster.

Writer’s Block and Running

Debbie: When I get writer’s block, it usually has something to do emotionally with life outside of writing. I give myself a break — I’ll read a lot, watch TV, catch up on shows. Then once I feel ready, I start trying again without pushing too hard. If that day I did 150 words, well, I did 150 words.

I’m a runner. When I go on a run with music, my mind wanders, and that’s usually when I get my best ideas. I’ll suddenly think, “Wait — I can fix this plot hole like this.”

Writing requires you to tap into emotions, and if I’m not in a place to do that, I get blocked. I lost a parent this year, and it took me about two months to be able to put any words to paper.

The Moment It Became Real

Richard: What’s your favorite memory about writing?

Debbie: Before joining a critique group or learning what it really means to be a writer, I showed my first draft to a few select friends — avid readers who like this genre. I told each of them separately: “If this is really bad, just tell me. Don’t waste your time.” Every one of them came back saying it was great. It wasn’t politeness — I kept asking, “Are you sure?” That was probably the moment I said to myself, maybe I have something here. Maybe I’m not writing just for myself.

Advice for Writers

Debbie: Connect with other writers, either online or locally. Joining local critique groups was really helpful for me. When you meet other writers going through the same things, it makes a huge difference. They give you feedback that friends and family can’t, because they’re looking at it through the perspective of a writer.

I also have three critique partners who live in different places. We exchange manuscripts and I’ve worked with them for years. They’re my friends even though I’ve never met them.

Know that it’s not easy. You’ll most likely be rejected a lot. Some people in the industry might tell you your work isn’t good. Keep going and keep learning. Being open to feedback is very important — we’re too close to our stories, and what we understand doesn’t necessarily mean readers will. But know that it’s a long process with a lot of bumps. If you really love it, it’s amazing.

Debbie: Goodreads is for readers, not for authors. My publisher told me early on: don’t look at reviews. Good reviews will come to you. Have a review buddy — someone you trust who checks periodically and sends you the good ones. You can look up Harry Potter and find people saying it’s the worst thing ever. Take everything with a grain of salt and move forward.

Learn more about Debbie Zaken at debbiezaken.com.

Find Richard Lowe at TheWritingKing.com.

Video edited by Bonnie Dillabough.